Advice for motorsport..

PJwebbs · 12 Apr 2013

Hi guys,

So I'm off to Donnington in a couple of Sundays to see the touring cars. Any advice on shooting Motorsport for a complete first timer at it? I've been using DSLRs for a couple of years now so know my way around my camera but I've never attempted Motorsport photography. I have a 70-210 f4 (manual focus) and a sigma 70-300 f4-5.6. I wish I could afford something a bit faster or longer but funds are very low at the moment

Which lens would be better to take? Any setting advice? Any tips for Donnington (having only ever been one other time years ago),

Cheers folks.
Paul

Ruffy_206 · 12 Apr 2013

If you want to pan then start at around 200 and keep it to f8 by adjusting iso if need be. once you start getting some nice sharp shots reduce the shutter to gain more motion blur.

i use single point focus and pick up the car in the distance and then follow and shot. Others will focus on the point they want to shot in and manual focus on this point then fire away, for you it is going to depend on what lens you use

ukaskew · 12 Apr 2013

PJwebbs said:
Hi guys,

So I'm off to Donnington in a couple of Sundays to see the touring cars. Any advice on shooting Motorsport for a complete first timer at it? I've been using DSLRs for a couple of years now so know my way around my camera but I've never attempted Motorsport photography. I have a 70-210 f4 (manual focus) and a sigma 70-300 f4-5.6. I wish I could afford something a bit faster or longer but funds are very low at the moment

Which lens would be better to take? Any setting advice? Any tips for Donnington (having only ever been one other time years ago),

Cheers folks.
Paul

I wrote a DSLR Motorsport guide about 5 years ago, it might be of some use. Oddly enough I'm just in the process of putting all my guides I wrote for a forum online and literally just uploaded it.

Take the Sigma 70-300, it's a decent lens for motorsport, I used one myself for a few years.

MattyW · 12 Apr 2013

ukaskew said:
I wrote a DSLR Motorsport guide about 5 years ago, it might be of some use. Oddly enough I'm just in the process of putting all my guides I wrote for a forum online and literally just uploaded it.

Take the Sigma 70-300, it's a decent lens for motorsport, I used one myself for a few years.

What he said ^^^^^

Some very good info on the above link, easy to understand and with example shots to back up the information. Well worth a read IMO

andyred · 12 Apr 2013

Don't forget as well with Donnington there is a lot more catch fencing up than years ago, which can be a pain. Have a walk round the track, there are still some good points to get shots from - I was there last year for the trucks and managed most of time.

The other thing against you for the touting cars will probably be the crowds, but enjoy yourself.

PJwebbs · 12 Apr 2013

Cheers guys, I shall have a read and I'll take my 70-300. Is focusing through the chain fencing a massive problem?

PJwebbs · 13 Apr 2013

Great read! Very informative and written in such a way I think anyone from beginner to pro can pick up some tips. You say you have more guides? I would love to read them

ukaskew · 14 Apr 2013

PJwebbs said:
Great read! Very informative and written in such a way I think anyone from beginner to pro can pick up some tips. You say you have more guides? I would love to read them

Thanks for the kind comments. There are some general tips here, I'm still working on the rest.

I wrote guides for loads of circuits (which are now all out of date), but I have GPS in my DSLR now so I'm re-working them this year with the help of maps, great fun! Shot at Silverstone for a few hours yesterday and it's great seeing them on a map of the circuit accurate to within a few feet of where I was stood.