Lens Recommendation for Motorsports

[clie]

Hallo fellow Canonians,

I've actually posted this in the general section a while ago, but received no feedback. So hopefully my fellow brethrens can give me a helping hand.

What would you recommended for motorsport photography in particular Formula 1?
1) 70-200mm 2.8L IS
2) 28-300mm 3.5-5.6L IS
3) 100-400mm 4.5-5.6L IS

As much as possible I would like to stay away from primes as I like a lens with more versatility. I do know fast lens are not a prerequisite in F1, however it would be nice to ultilise it in other lowlight events.

So the question is.... Would a focal length of 200mm sufficient for F1? Would a TC 1.4x with the 70-200mm 2.8L IS be a compromise to optical quality? Would I be better off with either option 2 or 3?

Would love very much to hear your views and experiences.

 

[user111]

u need 70-200/2.8 and another lens that goes up to 400mm or more

 

[clie]

Thanks for your reply!

As I do not have much interest in developing a passion for bird shooting. Would you say it would be better to invest in a 70-200/2.8 first and probably keep the 400mm in mind when I need more reach? Maybe even add on a TC 1.4x to 70-200/2.8 as a temporary remedy?

I'm not all that keen on the 28-300mm or the 100-400mm after reading up on some reviews commenting on the softness and lackluster sharpness compared to the 70-200mm. Besides I am kind of skeptical of the push pull design.

 

[syl]

It really depends on how far you are away from the action. E.g. in Melbourne last year, I was only perhaps 20 - 30 metres away from the cars on the Start/Finish line. I only had a 50mm lens which almost was OK but I would have preferred something a little wider on a 1.6 crop cam. 70 - 200mm definitely too long. I was also lucky that the sun was out on Fri.'s sessions so the lens speed wasn't critical (unlike the qual. session next day when it was pouring cats and dogs, plus hailstones - I chickened out and didn't go). On race day, I was again pretty close to the action - about 30 m. Again 50 mm. So if you are in Sepang where most likely you'll be a little further away, then a longer lens is desirable. I'm posting here just to let you know that there are differences so you must know where you're going to be sited. The choice of lens will then be governed by this distance.

 

[user111]

rarely there is such thing as too long

 

[clie]

It really depends on how far you are away from the action. E.g. in Melbourne last year, I was only perhaps 20 - 30 metres away from the cars on the Start/Finish line. I only had a 50mm lens which almost was OK but I would have preferred something a little wider on a 1.6 crop cam. 70 - 200mm definitely too long. I was also lucky that the sun was out on Fri.'s sessions so the lens speed wasn't critical (unlike the qual. session next day when it was pouring cats and dogs, plus hailstones - I chickened out and didn't go). On race day, I was again pretty close to the action - about 30 m. Again 50 mm. So if you are in Sepang where most likely you'll be a little further away, then a longer lens is desirable. I'm posting here just to let you know that there are differences so you must know where you're going to be sited. The choice of lens will then be governed by this distance.

Thats exactly where I would be using it. Albert Park! You're right on the point that the track is very close to the spectator areas. That's why I wondering if 200mm is more than sufficient. You could also be right about Sepang, needing extra focal length.

As I will mostly likely be attending one grand prix a year (maybe add in a couple of V8 Supercars races) in Melbourne (btw wouldn't mind Monaco). I would very much prefer a versatile lens which I can use for other purposes like portaitures, etc. That probably explains why I am a little bit hesitant on getting a longer lens which will be seeing very little usage, but want a long enough lens to cover my needs on the race track.

Hope that explains things.

Btw rarely one would refuse a long bratwurst.

 

[Moonstone]

Canon EF100-400 f5.6L is recommended

 

[r32]

If you're looking for expensive L lenses to take your photos in a major automotive event like the Melbourne GP you are probably hoping that you're getting good photos. Perhaps you're even thinking of magazine quality photos, but if this event is your primary motivation for a costly lens, maybe its better to just buy photos.

You may be able to buy a long lens, perhaps even be allowed to bring it into the venue (nowadays some other Australia sports venues limit the focal length of lens you can bring in, or the zoom multiplication), but you cannot get the vantage points that are afforded to accredited professional photographers.

Unless you are one, of course.

 

[clie]

That's one of the reasons I'm hoping to stay away from lenses that are too "specialised". Something versatile and not solely for this event. Then again who knows where this interest might take me to.

No buying photos, just beats the whole point of even picking up photography in the first place. I want to participate, not sit back and admire, thereby ommiting the joy of scoring a good shot. I want to taste excitement, not buy excitement. That's like watching pornography.

Vantage point aside, I guess I've to start somewhere. Can't expect preferencial treatment, just by carrying a big white canon. Besides learning from your constraints and boundaries helps a long way.

Btw, if I were an accredited professional photographer, I wouldn't be here posting such threads.;p I'm just someone trying to make good of my time with this hobby of mine.

Back to the topic. 200mm + TC1.4x sufficient? 300mm?? or er..400mm?? Anyone who has experience in motorsports photography please chip in.

 

[r32]

I was going to type a long reply on why I said that, but decided not to. You'll find out for yourself when the time comes.

But I would say that out around a racetrack, a lens with a big zoom range gives you more opportunities so you can shoot a car through a sequence of corners from afar till it is nearly on top of you.

Long and fast primes not only buys you shutter speed, it buys you a shallow DOF to isolate your subject from the background as well.

Where I shoot, I use the 200mm end quite a lot, and despite a loss of image quality, regularly use a 2x teleconverter to get 400m as well.

 

[clie]

Thanks for your comments R32..

Nothing conclusive but I do read up quite a fair bit on F1 racing, and based on my observations, a majority of F1 shots taken aperature wise are at the smaller end. Would a shallow DOF be too much for race car? Besides its seldom you get poor lightning situations that require a faster lens.

Just a thought. As it seems like you are regulary using more than 200mm, plus good outdoor lightings, it would be better to have the 28-300mm instead?:think: