Advice on Karting day!

Strangways

Strangways

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Gordon
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I've been asked to cover a Samsung sponsered Karting day for our company next month. It's an outdoor track so hopefully lighting will be okay. Also they will want photo's of the presentations which will be indoors. I've not done any race day events so far, mostly I take landscapes, wildlife, family and a general everyday mix. What I wanted to know is which would be the best lenses to take with me. I have a Canon 40D. My lenses are:-

Canon 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 IS
Canon 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 IS
Canon 50mm f/1.8
Sigma 70mm f/2.8 EX macro
Sigma 10-20mm f4.0-5.6 EX
Sigma 24-60mm f/2.8 EX
Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 EX
Sigma 120-400mm f4.5-5.6 OS

Accessories
Canon 580 EX Flash
Tamron 1.4 x converter
Jessops TP320 Tripod
Jessops Monopod 330

Any suggestions on what you would select from that list for both indoor and outdoor shots would be appreciated.
 
Sigma 70-200 should be perfect for karting shots. Most tracks are small so getting close isn't a problem. What track is it?
 
Canon 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 IS Leave
Canon 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 IS Take
Canon 50mm f/1.8 Take
Sigma 70mm f/2.8 EX macro Leave
Sigma 10-20mm f4.0-5.6 EX Take
Sigma 24-60mm f/2.8 EX Take
Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 EX Take
Sigma 120-400mm f4.5-5.6 OS Take

Accessories
Canon 580 EX Flash Take
Tamron 1.4 x converter Leave (although it won't take up much room in the bag or pocket)
Jessops TP320 Tripod Up to you
Jessops Monopod 330 Up to you

That gives you coverage of all the anglkes from 10mm up to 300 (400 if you take the telecon) with fast from 24-200. You've got 70mm covered with the zoom and there's no speed advantage from the macro prime (can't see that many macro ops at a karting event) and the 18-200 range is also covered reasonably by better lenses. Of course, you may have enough bags to take it all and just leave unwanted kit in the bags in the car if you're happy with the security of it there. The 'pods are likely to just get in the way (IMO) but if there's space in the car and you think you may want them, take 'em. If you can borrow another body, it should cut down on lens changes.

In an ideal world, get along to the venue to see what sort of angles you want to cover and how close you can get to the track (and be safe).
 
70-200 f2.8 for the track action will be great
50mm f1.8 for indoors and maybe the 24-60 (don't know that lens).
Flash will be handy but watch for direct lighting.

But if it was me I'd take the lot and decide on the day when you see the track (if not before). Better to have with you and left in the car than at home.
 
Thanks for the input guys. It looks like the 70-200mm is the best choice for the track. I've had it for 3 months and never used it. I imagine i should be getting a few shots with f2.8 on a single cart and then a larger DOF for a group of them. Is there a suggested minimum shutter speed?

Byker, the 24-60mm was replaced by the 24-70. There were still a few on sale last month. The reviews suggest it was a better lens, but then shorter zooms normally are.
 
Only reason I said for that lens is it's a nice length on a crop for portraits and at f2.8 should be useful. Cheers
 
Use the 70-200mm for all the action shots.

To really get the shots don't be scared to get as low to the ground as possible to get a dynamic angle. I'm often lying down shooting or on my arse the whole day with my 70-200. Try introducing some slight angles on the shots showing drivers coming through the apex or exiting the corner, it can make them look a little more appealing.

Early part of the race focus on getting the racing pack as they do generally fan out and that's when you get one or two small battles. It also lets you do lots of panning shots too! Well that's my expeirence in Scotland anyway.
 
I covered the BUKC and one round went to Buckmore Park.

I have a very basic setup and it did me well. Used a 70-300mm 4.5-5.6 lens for most of the day and then had a 18-70 for pictures around the pits.

Get out my photobox gallery for some ideas

Aaron's BUKC Coverage 2010

It was a miserable dark rainy day but with a few sunny spells. Its only really safe to stand inside the track in one area but you can reach most of the circuit from the outside.

Ask me anything as I have been there a few times!
 
Thanks again for the input guys.
Aaron can I ask what ISO level you used for those shots. I do like using my Canon 70-300 because it is so much lighter than the 70-200mm f2.8.
 
Depending on how close you can get, I found that a lot of my shots were around 100mm to 150mm on my 75-300 lens.

The 70-200mm will be fantastic out on track, and if the clouds come over you've got the option of f2.8 if needed.

Definitely get down low, it makes things look awesome :D The only reason I didn't go lower than a crouching position was because I was crouching in 3" deep puddles, didn't really fancy lying in them :lol:

I went to Lydd Racetrack on a bright, sunny day so ISO was at 100 or 200, I forget which. I mainly shot in Tv mode with a shutter speed of 1/80 to 1/150 to get panning shots. I tried a few freeze-frame shots of people exiting the corners, but they weren't anywhere near as dramatic!

Some examples...
Tv mode, 1/125, f8.0, 160mm - http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4017/4286037410_d75d693b59_b.jpg
Tv mode, 1/400, f5.6, 300mm - http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2708/4282496039_f7e3937f82_b.jpg
Tv mode, 1/100, f8.0, 105mm - http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4061/4282498695_f78bd6e76c_b.jpg
Tv mode, 1/80, f8.0, 125mm - http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4040/4285296215_3eb5be87b8_b.jpg
 
Strangways said:
Thanks again for the input guys.
Aaron can I ask what ISO level you used for those shots. I do like using my Canon 70-300 because it is so much lighter than the 70-200mm f2.8.
Click to expand...

I was on ISO800, no real technical reason why, i just have a mental barrier that ISO1000 is when things defiantely get grainy even though ISO800 probably suffers the same amount lol!

From my experience Karters like the full head on shot, with a slight tilt to make them appear travelling uphill, freexing the action as they slide round the corners and if you can get their eyes clear it makes up for not not appearing 'fast'

I'm guessing the people at the event will be in the fleet karts and track supplied overalls which means everyone will look the same from the side so it'll be hard for the punters to know who is who is the pans. Least with the head on shots the punters will recognise themselves or the number kart that they are using during the day.

I suggest standing in the space around the 'bottom' section of the track and look up the fast sweeping downhill right corner like I have to get some slidey shots as people WILL get that corner wrong and from that position you are on the inside of four corners so have plenty of different angles within a very short amount of walking distance.

I was using up the 1/800th for some of the shots along the start/finish straight, mostly 1/640th or 1/500th for the frozen mid corner shots and 1/80th or 1/125th for the pans. Maximum aperature at all times as it was dark and the Karts arent very long.

Hope some of this helps!

Aaron
 
Thanks guys, that's very useful information.

Aaron, you said you were on the inside of the track. Do the organisers have any issues with you being there?
 
It was a BUKC round which is a University Championship and all I had to do was wear a high vis and 'sign on' with the drivers to sign your life away and prove you know that motorsport is dangerous blah blah dont run in front of the Karts. I'm sure you will get there in plenty of time to ask the Course Clerk or head of the Samsung Promotion and they will let you on, its not a big deal.

I forgot to mention, the Karts I shot will be a lot faster than the Buckmore Fleet so you wont have to shoot as fast as I did. Easily get away with 1/400th for frozen action with a tiny bit of wheel blur!
 
Thanks again Aaron, just one more thing, do you shoot in RAW or JPEG on this type of shoot?
 
ummm, i shoot in jpeg normally as there are 40+ karts in each race and the action is fast and furious so I need to be able to capture stuff quickly in a short amount of time. it takes a couple of laps for karts to spread out, at the beginning its crazy!

I also never had experience with RAW, finally tried it and couldnt really see any advantage of jpeg in this particular application, if you set up the WB etc suitably for the day then the jpegs look fine IMO!! There is also a 'is jpeg ok for sports?' thread in this part of the forum backing me up so i'm relieved!

Annnnnnnnyway, this is just how I do things, its worked for me and I seem to get as good results as any other kart photography i've seen! (with the odd off day)

Hope i have been of use, get an example up when its done! :thumbs:
 
Strangways said:
Thanks guys, that's very useful information.

Aaron, you said you were on the inside of the track. Do the organisers have any issues with you being there?
Click to expand...

The thing to do is ask. Take a fluorescent jacket/waistcoat, you can pick then up from Lidl for £1 or halfords if pushed for more. I've had no problems getting places to shoot, i.e. this was on an indoor track crounched on the tyre wall between track and pit
119554506.jpg


It's a bit harder getting inside circuit if you are driving ;)
 
Large JPEG is all I have ever shot at all my sports events and especially motorsports....
 
The 70-200 siggy for the outdoor stuff for sure, i use the canon 70-200 at most kart meetings i do with a shutter speed of anywhere from 1/60- 1/200, but mainly around the 1/200 mark as the bodywork shakes alot.
Heres one i shot the other week :thumbs:

 
That's a cracking shot Neil, I will be happy if I can get one like that!
 
macky799 said:
Also i forgot to say i alweays shot in raw that way its easier to sort out and white balance issues etc in pp :thumbs:
Click to expand...

That is a lot of PP to do! Is it really necessary?
 
Depends on what results you want really, if you have the white balance slightly out on the day then your pp will be alot harder afterwards if you just shot in jpeg. You can sort alot more in raw than jpeg if you get it wrong :thumbs:
 
Okay, I'm happy with the Karting shots and the outdoor candid shots, but I'm still not sure about the indoor presentations. Would you go for a high ISO and natural light or lower ISO and maybe bounced flash. As well as the 24-60mm f2.8 I also have an 18-55mm IS.

Any suggestions?
 
Cant really help you there mate, if it was me i would use low iso and flash but i dont do people togging :thinking:
 
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