In the first part of a two-part series Jamey Price explains how to get started in F1 photography.
Photography is one of those rare endeavours that anyone can do, without an education or background in it, and be successful at it.
But some photography subjects are harder to tackle than others. A flower sitting in a pot provides a very different set of challenges to shooting a Formula One car blasting by you at 300kph.
Here are some basic motorsport photography principles to help you get the most when you head to the track with a camera.
Choose your weapon
This series of articles is aimed at Digital SLR cameras such as the Nikon D3000 or Canon 450D.
The point-and-shoot in your pocket is great for taking photos at a birthday party but it will not be able to take the quality of photos that will be demanded at a race. The cars are too fast and too far away for it to be able to handle the action found at a Grand Prix.
Now that you have the camera, let’s talk glass. Lenses are the best investment you can make in the camera-buying process. Though they don’t come cheap, a variety of focal lengths will better serve you in the long run.
For the beginner, I recommend a zoom lens of at least 200mm and preferably 300mm or longer.
Be warned, if you think you’ll be cradling one of those whopping lenses you might see Darren Heath or Mark Sutton carrying around a track, think again. The starting price for one of those is around £5,000.
So go to your local camera shop and talk to the sales representative and tell him where you’re going and what you’re doing, and I’m sure they will help point you in the right direction.
Know thy camera
Before we get into the complex details of motorsport photography, you need to become acquainted with your camera. And by acquainted, I mean intimately.
Trust me when I say that you need to know your camera, how it works and how it thinks long before you get to the track on Grand Prix weekend. If you’re anything like me, you want to not only make the most of the racing weekend, but also take stunning photos to share your memories with others.
The best way to get to know your camera is by taking photos with it. Take photos of anything and everything. The dog, the cat, the kids, passing cars.
I recommend the last option highly because it teaches you to follow a moving object. Think of it as a slow moving practice run to prepare you for a Formula One car.
My other piece of advice is to change the settings on the camera to manual and off any kind of automatic setting. Although we like to think our machines are intelligent, they are still no match for the human brain and understanding how the camera will read the light and the situation can only be done by turning its computer brain off and taking complete control of the process yourself.
There are three aspects to taking really great pictures, known as the “exposure triangle”. They determine the exposure and colour of the image.
Shooting at speed
First you have shutter speed. This is how long the shutter is open for when the camera takes the image.
The faster the shutter speed (e.g. 1/2000 of a second), the less light gets to the camera sensor. The longer the shutter is open (e.g. 1/25 of a second) the more light gets to the sensor.
Shutter speeds of around 1/2000 will freeze a drop of water in mid-air. This is what you want to use when you’re trying to make time stand still. As you can imagine, you will require high shutter speeds to freeze a Formula 1 car.
A slower shutter speed such as 1/25 will blur the image. This is what you want to use when you pan the cars as they fly past you. There is a technique to this so practice it long before you get to the circuit.
Getting the light right
The second corner of the exposure triangle is aperture, which is measured in a range between f1.2 and f22. Unlike shutter speed, which is controlled by the camera (all cameras can more or less do the same shutter speeds) aperture is controlled by the lens.
The camera tells the lens how wide to open up and how much light to let in. But lenses will all be rated to operate within a certain range. The lower the number, the more depth of field you will have in your images.
Aperture controls how much light enters the camera. The lower the number, the more light gets to the sensor, and the higher the number, the less light. But again remember that buying a lens with a lower f-stop will be much more expensive.
The final piece of the puzzle is ISO. ISO used to be determined by a chemical that was put on rolls of film. Each roll of film was rated to a certain ISO. Now that photography is almost exclusively done with digital cameras, ISO is controlled by the camera and not the film or memory card.
The lower the ISO number (e.g. ISO 200) means very little additional light is being fed to the sensor. Conversely, ISO 2000 will make things significantly brighter. But there is a trade-off: the higher the ISO number, the more noisy the image is.
Imagine film grain, but for digital cameras. It can be distracting and severely reduce the quality of your photo, so go with the highest ISO you can find that doesn’t produce excessive amounts of noise.
Increasing the ISO will help you in low light conditions. Races like Korea, Abu Dhabi, Singapore and perhaps even Australia with its late start time may require some ISO-tweaking.
As well as afternoon races where the light is starting to fade, cloudy and rainy days are darker in general as well. Cranking up the ISO a little bit will help you get more light to the image and make an underexposed situation brighter.
Practice makes perfect
Now that you hopefully have a grasp on the exposure triangle, take your camera out and shoot. Like I said, anything and everything will help you learn.
Shoot in manual mode. Shoot moving objects. Shoot stationary objects. The last thing you want to do is be learning how your camera works when you’re sitting in the grandstand at Monaco with cars screaming by, having to read your manual because you don’t understand why the images are too dark or too bright.
The next part of this series will cover the finer details of motorsport photography to help you get the most out of your race photos.
Got any of your own tips for taking great pictures at F1 races? Share them in the comments.
Jamey’s equipment for the above photographs included a Nikon D700 full frame professional camera body with 70-200mm f2.8 vibration reduction telephoto lens, 14-24mm f2.8 wide angle lens and 2x teleconverter. The pictures were taken without FIA credentials.
Jamey Price is a professional freelance sports photojournalist based in Charlotte, North Carolina. His work has appeared in F1 Racing Magazine, The Racing Post and many sporting websites. More of Jamey’s work can be seen at www.jameypricephoto.com
This is a guest article by Jamey Price. If you want to write a guest article for F1 Fanatic you can find all the information you need here.
Guest articles
- A Radical experience at Silverstone
- Open season in prospect for GP2 in 2013
- Will F1′s UK audience recover from its 2012 slump?
- Why You Should Watch… NASCAR
- Why Hamilton and Mercedes could surprise in 2013
- The search for Formula One’s next Asian driver
- Watching Brazil’s spellbinding F1 season finale
- Your 2012 F1 season predictions revisited
- Top ten: Schumacher comeback moments
- 2012 Indian Grand Prix in Tweets
Images © Jamey Price
geo132 (@geo132)
23rd April 2011, 8:31
Thanks a lot Jamey, loved the details about shutter speed,aperture and ISO. I’ve always tried to learn what they mean, but I think only now I’ll really remember them thanks to your simple explanation!
Looking forward to the second part..
Fixy (@)
23rd April 2011, 10:33
Me too! A friend of mine told me how to blur the photos but I did not understand. Now it’s all clear!
Andy W (@andy-w)
23rd April 2011, 11:31
Have to agree, great article.
frood
23rd April 2011, 14:54
agreed but this part – “The lower the number, the more depth of field you will have in your images.” – is completely wrong. it’s the other way around: the higher the f-number (ie. the smaller the aperture) the greater the depth of field.
Jameyprice
24th April 2011, 14:04
I know that…..But I was writing for the casual user who knows nothing about aperture or photography. Simple is better. But you are correct. I should have explained that better.
Douglas62500
23rd April 2011, 17:27
That’s why pictures from the Singapore GP has a bit more noise than others, as they require high ISO settings to compensate for the high shutter speeds in the dim, night environment.
William Wilgus
23rd April 2011, 14:49
Shutter speed does not control how much light the sensor gets; it controls how long it gets it.
Lower number f-stops do not increase depth-of-field, higher number f-stops do that.
ISO settings control how much the received light is amplified. To put it another way, ISO controls how sensitive the sensor is to light.
Lemon (@lemon)
23rd April 2011, 18:41
Stop trying to be a smart ass, what he said made perfect sense! and by lower number f-stops, What he meant to say was the lower the number the more shallow the depth of field. It just came out wrong.
William Wilgus
26th April 2011, 14:49
I posted the comment to help others, not to be smart. For example, the faster the shutter, the less blur in the photo. His f-stop info was clearly backwards—as he later posted a comment on. By the way:
“No swearing, insults, advertising or racial, sexual or similar discrimination allowed.”
Jameyprice
24th April 2011, 0:25
See what I wrote at the bottom, but I know the differences and how aperture works. I was writing for the average user. Not the seasoned pro. Most people dont understand that the lens even has an aperture at all much less what it does. Im trying to simply things for everyone….
TommyC
24th April 2011, 4:17
“Im trying to simplify things for everyone….”
and you did a fantastic job. Great article jamey.
Mike
24th April 2011, 7:02
Seconded, Fantastic article, even I understood what was going on.
Last Pope Eye (@)
24th April 2011, 13:04
Fantastic.. Thanks Jamey
superstring (@superstring)
27th April 2011, 4:16
Re: Aperture vs. Depth of Field
Jamey, as a late comer to this discussion, I apologize for beating the proverbial “dead horse” but, with all due respect, I don’t see how providing incorrect information makes it “easier for the average user” etc. The fact is that the higher the aperture number, the greater the depth of field. (unless, of course, you’re talking about the reciprocal, ie. 1/16?) How is that more difficult to understand than the opposite?
And I’m not trying to be a smart ass; I’m seriously interested to know your rationale.
Otherwise, great article. Peace!
BasCB (@bascb)
27th April 2011, 20:42
I think you did just that. Very interesting, even if I do not know all that much about photography besides the basics of capturing light and enjoying those fantastic pictures!
butterdori (@butterdori)
23rd April 2011, 8:32
For Nikon, the 55-200mm is cheap and decent for a starter kit
choiMatthew
23rd April 2011, 14:13
it might not have the aperture required for the shots if it’s a cloudy/rainy race though
William Wilgus
23rd April 2011, 14:54
Sigma makes a really good 50–500mm with two modes of optical stabilization—one of them is for panning. It’s fairly fast; the wide open f-stop varies from 4.5 to 6.3 depending upon focal length (zoom). It’s recent ‘street price’ in the US was about $1,600.
Warwick (@warwick)
23rd April 2011, 8:58
Great article.. already looking forward to part 2!
Raceaddict
23rd April 2011, 9:02
How to get great pictures of core action?? In all but the exceptional cases, you need FIA accreditation.
Also at trackside a 300+ at, say, f2.8 is de rigueur.
(Sorry to be a wet blanket, but it’s a tall hill to climb)
Chris Lad
23rd April 2011, 9:28
Using Vibration Reduction (VR) and Panning (continuously following a passing vehicle to get a shot) will frequently result in a blurred shot.
The VR tries to compensate for the movement (obviously) and the resultant ‘chatter’ ruins your shot – so remember to turn it off.
LosD
23rd April 2011, 13:27
Doesn’t really matter for any but the oldest IS/VR lenses (or maybe for some in-camera IS, but I never used those).
choiMatthew
23rd April 2011, 14:21
or you can switch the VR mode from normal to active so that it would only compensate vertical vibrations
raymondu999
23rd April 2011, 9:34
Great stuff. What focal length do you recommend for a race like Singapore?
JeffJ
23rd April 2011, 9:52
Great article. I want to upgrade from my elderly point and shoot and I’m finding all the technical stuff confusing. Jamey’s article is clearing things up nicely. Now I’ve got til Spa to buy a camera and get some practice in. Thanks.
Harvs (@harvs)
23rd April 2011, 9:54
The timing of this article is just perfect. My Girlfriend got me a Canon SX30is yesterday for my 21st and also tickets to the Singapore GP. You recomended the Canon 450D or Nikon D3000, how do these compare to the SX30? or is the SX30 no suited to F1 photography?
Feedback would be priceless for me, if you can help me it would be much appreciated.
andrewf1
23rd April 2011, 11:54
First of all, i want to respectfuly say that you have a wonderful girlfriend!
Second, like the article says, it’s not so much about the camera per se, but the lenses you attach to it. I can’t say i’m an expert – you have a good camera with great zoom for catching action from far away, can produce good depth of field as well and has a complete manual mode – but you can’t change the lenses you have with other lenses. This is important because it means you will only be able to do a limited variety of shots. How appropiate it is for F1 photography, i don’t know, because i haven’t shot f1 cars before. But that’s the main difference between the 2 models you mentioned and the model you have.
andrewf1
23rd April 2011, 12:08
I just checked and it says:
Lens: • 24- 840mm equiv
• 35x Optical zoom
• F2.7 – F5.8
I believe your focal length range is good, the aperture number doesn’t go high-up, but i don’t think you’ll be needing high aperture numbers. A fast shutter speed almost always comes with a low aperture number (which means more light gets into the camera), otherwise your image will be very dark. For a first experience, i think your camera is good :)
choiMatthew (@choimatthew)
23rd April 2011, 14:25
gratz for getting the camera =]
but just like what he said, the lens is quite important, and it’s especially important in singapore where it is going to be a night race. Yes it is going to be lit, but still not as well-lit as the day-races. Try testing the ISO capabilities of the camera and see what you can accept, then probably set the camera to A or M mode when taking photos. With f/5.8 at the tele end, it is unlikely that you would get crisp shots, so probably panning is the way to go
Harvs (@harvs)
24th April 2011, 3:54
Thanks andrewf1 and choiMatthew, il give it a try under streetlight tonight, there is so much ive learnt just from playing around on the manual mode so far, big step up from the Nikon L15 i got for 60bucks! Jamey Price, thank you, this is great stuff!
oh and andrewf1 my girl says thanks! now ive got 2 months to try think of something to get her for her bday, gonna b a hard few months!
Thankyou for your feedback again!
BasCB (@bascb)
27th April 2011, 20:44
Best wishes for your birthday then, and again for the wonderfull girlfriend.
Enjoy that race and I hope you manage some fine pictures as well Harvs!
James Scantlebury
23rd April 2011, 10:11
Once again, the timing of this article is perfect. Going to Silverstone in July!
I have a question about the choice of camera however, Do you have any recommendations or tips for using a bridge camera?
I have a Fujifilm S2950 with 18x lens.
Thanks!
x19dave
27th April 2011, 21:12
James
Have you done the GP at silverstone before, i you have not get grandstand seats went last year with GA tickets very hard to get a good view
Dave
Ned Flanders (@ned-flanders)
23rd April 2011, 10:17
Interesting stuff! It’s probably not that relevant to me because I don’t own a DSLR, but my camera does have adjustable shutter speed and aperture, so maybe it can still be of some use
bosyber
24th April 2011, 16:11
Same for me. I learned all this stuff years ago in a physics practical course (not sure why, but it was one of the most entertaining!) at university, but haven’t really practised it much. Very nice read, great stuff for the easter holiday while I try slow-roasting some beef :)
Flabbergash
23rd April 2011, 10:33
Fab post. Can’t wait to try it out at Silverstone!
JPQuesado (@joao-pedro-cq)
23rd April 2011, 11:14
Fantastic article! Although I don’t have really money to buy a camera like the ones refered but still I found it very interesting!
robk23 (@robk23)
23rd April 2011, 11:18
I consider going to club meetings at a few circuits as a warm up as the cars are slower than F1 but still moving fairly quickly.
Eggry (@eggry)
23rd April 2011, 11:27
Very thanks!
OlPeculier
23rd April 2011, 11:48
Just to point out there are places that will do equipment hire, as pointed out anything less than a 300 isn’t goint to get you close enough. The downside is by their very nature they are heavy, and cumbersome (I almost knocked somebody out with a Canon 600 F4 once…) and best taken as carry on rather than in the hold if you are flying.
I’d also recommend practicing on your metering, I was taught “off the grass and + 2/3rds of a stop” but depends on your gear and environment.
And when you are home, study the EXIF data for the images that worked, and those that didn’t to get an idea of what part of the triangle you miscalculated
choiMatthew (@choimatthew)
23rd April 2011, 14:28
I was quite surprised when I saw what gears he was using. It’s just a FX camera with a 140-400/5.6 (with 2x teleconverter) In that sense, either he has really good seats for the event that could get very close to the action, or that he has a backup DX camera to do some of the longer shoots?
Jameyprice
24th April 2011, 14:06
I do have a backup, but didnt at the races. I was just carrying them around with me and switching lenses. Needed a good sensor cleaning when I got home hahaha
Peter
23rd April 2011, 13:45
A great article, could raise the expectations too high for a novice. Without a F1 media pass there is no chance of getting anything other than a very avergaege shot. You will have to cope with crowds in front of you, chain link fencing,poles, rain, and worst of all, distance.Just leave the camera at home, enjoy the race and look at photo’s in the motoring press.
Patrickl (@patrickl)
23rd April 2011, 17:27
Yeah, the biggest problem in F1 photography is to get a view to the cars without a lot of stuff in the frame.
I find the best days for photography tend to be the fridays. Not that incredibly busy yet and it’s usually easier to go on several different spots to find a good place to take pictures.
TommyC
24th April 2011, 4:15
“Without a F1 media pass there is no chance of getting anything other than a very avergaege shot”
Not true, i got some pretty dang good ones this year and last, you’ve just got to know where to go. It’s just so much more satisfying to have taken pro-like photos yourself.
Jack Sargeant
24th April 2011, 10:51
Yep, that’s not true – Jamey has tweeted:
bosyber
24th April 2011, 16:13
Thanks for confirming that – It says it under the article, but I was still quite surprised at the achieved results!
BasCB (@bascb)
27th April 2011, 20:51
Great news, thanks for posting that Jack!
Love the article and those pictures Jamey.
Beeker (@)
23rd April 2011, 14:34
Thanks for the tips. I will practice on my Canon.
William Wilgus
23rd April 2011, 15:00
One important thing about shutters not mentioned in this article. Most cameras have what’s called a ‘leading curtain’. That’s desirable for most types of phtography except sports: it causes any motion blur to lead the subject. What you want is a camera that can be set to have a ‘trailing curtain’; it places any motion blur behind the subject.
Patrickl (@patrickl)
23rd April 2011, 17:29
Why would you use flash photography on an F1 car?
William Wilgus
26th April 2011, 14:42
You want a leading curtain for flash photography. That’s why most cameras are set up that way and with those cameras that give you the option, the default is leading.
X1/9Dave
26th April 2011, 17:03
Sorry to be a numpty but what is the leading/trailing curtain I have a Canon G11 do you think this camera would have this setting
Thanks
Dave
Patrickl (@patrickl)
23rd April 2011, 18:21
About the shutter speeds, I like to use a shutter speed that’s about the same as the focal length. For instance around 1/200s for 200mm. That way panning is usable with still longer lenses.
Go with a longer exposure for more blur or shorter if you keep getting blurry cars. Or just practice a bit longer till you get it right :)
Alex Bkk (@alex-bkk)
24th April 2011, 4:42
I gave that formula a try Patrickl, it seems like a pretty good starting point.
I’ve got a pretty steady hand so I can usually go for a longer than normal exposure sometimes as low as 1/20 with my 35mm and still keep the subject sharp. I don’t really have a longer lens to try that with. I’d been debating with myself over whether or not to bite the bullet and shell out the cash for a 80-200 f2.8.
But I guess that I can go buy it now feelingfully justified that I’m doing it to test your formula. :)
pH
23rd April 2011, 18:51
ISO is very important, since higher ISO allows for faster shutter speeds. Here the most important factor is the physical size of the sensor in your camera. Most compacts have such a small sensor that you just can’t get a decent ISO out of it, which hurts not just when shooting F1’s, but also for instance when you shoot that proverbial birthday party or your kid’s school play. In fact, SLR’s have two advantages, one is their interchangeable optics and the other is a sensor that is several times larger than the ones in a compact. (Just a side note, it is no longer true that SLR’s lens are automatically better, today a decent compact might have lens that is optically better than a typical kit lens for SLR.)
This brings another factor into play, the MP count. If you have two cameras with sensors of the same size, one is 10MP and the other 16MP, then all else being the same (software, lens) the 10MP camera will have markedly superior performance under less than perfect conditions. In short, always shoot for the lowest pixel count you consider suitable. If you do not want to make wall-sized posters, 8-10MP might be enough, anything more and you will pay for it with quality of your picture.
Therefore it can make sense to buy not the latest but a bit older model of a line you are thinking about, as often the only real difference is the pixel count, while optics and software stays the same.
By the way, this advice applies to all cameras including credit-card sized compacts, not just fancy SLR’s for shooting F1.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
23rd April 2011, 19:09
The majority of the above information won’t apply to me due to my rather unsophisticated £70 Samsung from Argos, however I at least know what I should be playing around with to make the most of a bad situation, cheers!
Alex Bkk (@alex-bkk)
24th April 2011, 2:06
Andrew, as long as it’s an interesting shot it doesn’t really matter. Look for a dejected Ferrari fan, Bernie blowing his top in the paddock, a nervous pit crew member, a track marshal sweating in the summer heat, skid marks on the track or anything that really gets your attention.
There is a lot more going on at a GP than cars running around the track.
Jamey Price
23rd April 2011, 23:40
Lads,
First, I very well know about apertures. I wrote the article for the basic user in mind and not the seasoned shooter.
Second, stop saying you can’t get nice images without credentials. I don’t think this was made clear but every photo used in this article is mine and was shot with a 3 day general admission pass at Monza last year. No credentails. So dont make excuses bc you dont have FIA permission to
Jamey price
23rd April 2011, 23:50
*have permission to shoot trackside.
Lastly, again…my comments are aimed at the casual shooter. Shutter speed absolutely effects light to the sensor. What William Wilgus said and what j said are almost identical. The linger the shutter is open, the longer the light gets to the sensor, ie how much light is getting to the sensor. Again….the same thing said two different ways. I understand the details but I wasn’t writing for other pros!
And again, to reiterate, every single photo on this article and from my website are with GA passes. I was not on track. It takes more creativity to shoot with a GA but it can be done. Ask Darren Heath, Andrew Hone, any of the F1 regulars.
TommyC
24th April 2011, 4:09
Yep, particularly in Australia where there is minimal relief so there’s always a fence in the way. This is where a 500mm comes in handy.
TommyC
24th April 2011, 4:10
yep. that’s for sure, especially in Australia where there’s minimal relief so there’s always a fence in the way. that’s when a 500mm come in handy
TommyC
24th April 2011, 4:10
no idea what happened there, sorry about the double post
bosyber
24th April 2011, 16:18
It might even be that the required creativity makes for better shots!
LuvinF1
24th April 2011, 0:12
My wife gave me a Sony DSLR-A100 four years ago for Christmas with a 3.5-5.6/18-70 Sony Lens and a 4.5-5.6/75-300 Sony Lens. I haven’t felt the need to upgrade since then.
Alex Bkk (@alex-bkk)
24th April 2011, 1:43
Great advice Jamie and great shots as well!
Best advice you can give to anyone and I wouldn’t worry too much about having or not having this or that gear. If you understand and how to use your gear you can get great shots.
I almost never and I mean never go out of the house without a camera. I drag a D90 with a 35mm f1.8 everywhere I go. Street Photography is my passion so I always have to be ready to shoot. There is just no time to think. If you have to think, you miss the shot and it’s gone forever. It has to be second nature.
Gusto
24th April 2011, 2:43
Focal lenghts and exit pupils are whats it all about, An f2 Schmidt-Cassegrain is the daddy of the skies, but if you want the best Carl Zeiss can offer for terrestial.
http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/13/carl-zeiss-creates-over-five-foot-long-telephoto-lens/
BasCB (@bascb)
27th April 2011, 20:57
Now that is a serious monster!
TommyC
24th April 2011, 4:06
Spot on Jamey, that’s exactly what i did. I bought my camera (a canon 500D) in November 2009 almost soley for the Aussie GP 2010. I spent the first 2 months fiddling with absolutely everything in Manual using the stock canon lenses which came with the twin lens kit. In January i bought a sigma 150-500mm and practiced using that with birds and kangaroos and the like. For the last two GPs I’ve managed to find some really good spots for photos. The added bonus with such a large lens is that when you zoom in, the fence basically dilates so it’s hardly noticable in the photo. I find you’ll notice some regions of slightly poorer contrast but nothing a little lightroom won’t fix.
And this article reminds me, Keith, can I upload some photos to share? I forgot how to do it….Sorry.
freedo50 (@)
24th April 2011, 22:31
I went to the Belgian GP last year, and can say that the light then was some of the most difficult I have tried to photograph anything in. The on the friday I was working at ISO1600 (and at points 3200) all day with the aperture at its widest (f5.6) on the 55-250 lens I had, and still had to keep the shutter speed at around 1/50th or 1/30th. Very difficult!
And yet very satisfying; I got some great photos as the cars crested the hill out of Eau Rouge, and the garish colours really draw the eye against the drab greyness of Spa. Next time, somewhere brighter though!
Joseph
25th April 2011, 5:00
Looks for the tutorial like this for a long time,Thanks Jamey!
X1/9Dave
25th April 2011, 8:34
Jamey
Great bit of information mate hopefully I will be able to use it to its full extent and improve my photographs, one question I am a very amateur photographer and did not want to spend loads of cash on a camera, I got what I though was the best for point and shoot but hoping to still get good photos at the GPs I brought a Conon G11 as when reading reviews it was down as very near to an SLR should I be able to get good results from this camera , I am also looking at getting a tele/zoom lens what would be best a fixed tele or variable zoom any pointers what to get/look for.
I know you probably not used a Canon G11 but you might know people that have
Many Thanks
Dave
Megasuryo Firdaus
26th April 2011, 13:16
For the first timer, a 50mm lens is quite good, since you can get that flamboyant depth of field..
X1/9Dave
26th April 2011, 16:59
Thanks for your reply I am a very very amateur photographer and 50mm lens means nothing to me. is it a fixed tele lens and will it still let the cameras auto set up work or would it all have to be done manually.
And what kind of X zoom will it give
Many thanks
Dave
TommyC
30th April 2011, 2:07
50mm is basically what the eye sees, so pretty much no zoom at all, and fixed. However, you can get lenses like 18-55mm which will give you a wide angle shot and then zoom to 55mm (which again, isn’t much zoom at all). And auto mode will work with any lens but manual is always the preference if you want to get better shots.
X1/9Dave
30th April 2011, 11:14
Many thanks for your replys, i am going to this years singapore night GP am i best to fire a few photos off see what the auto on the camera does and then play around that area to get it better or are there some settings i should start with.
Also should i use a polarized lens filter for shooting at night, i think with the flood lights on it is very bright, and should i use the fiter at night when there is no flood lighting
For your information using a Canon G11
Many thanks for helping a novice
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Scott
14th March 2012, 10:14
Sorry to post in an old thread but I’ve recently had some interaction with the Australian Grand Prix people regarding photography at the Australian F1 GP. Their conditions of entry prohibit people bringing “lenses with a total focal strength of greater than 300mm” into the F1 race (rules -> http://bit.ly/yymvRG). It seems bloody stupid to me but they are suggesting if I take my 400mm lens (200mm + 2x teleconverter) I run the risk of not being allowed in.
Any other races have these restrictions?
As people have commented here, 500mm lenses in the crowd at the Australian GP have been seen. So it seems that you have a random chance of making it in with a long lens.
I’m completely frustrated by this restriction. I was looking forward to firing off a few shots.
Tony
25th March 2015, 19:12
Will I be able to take my canon 50d with 100-400lens to Spanish f1 or do I need written permission.i am a keen amateur.
Glen Wheeler
31st August 2016, 22:47
I have the Canon 700D with the and will be using the EFS 55-250mm lens in Singapore in 2 weeks time.
What are my best settings set on Manual for the following.
Blurred Shots – Shutter: xxx, Apature: xxx, ISO: xxx
Stills – Shutter: xxx, Apature: xxx, ISO: xxx
Fill in the XXX’s for me
olpeculier (@olpeculier)
16th January 2020, 16:08
For the benefit of anybody that’s asking the same question that Tony did, I’ve taken pro-kit to KL, Canada, Spain and Baku and never had any issues going in (also to the Indy Toronto for what it’s worth)
Malaysia was by far the best for lens porn…