Formula 1 Lens

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DaveHope

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Dave Hope
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Hi guys,

For my 21st i've been bought tickets to silverstone for the grand prix and am after getting a decent lens to replace my cheap Sigma 70-300 APO.

I've narrowed it down to (i think) three lenses:

Nikkor AF-S VR 70-300 f4.5-5.6 G IF-ED (~£300)
Nikon AF-S DX VR 18-200mm (~£400)
Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8 D ED (~£500)

Anyone got any suggestions as to which one to go for? I'm leaning towards the 80-200 but the fact that it's not AF-S is a bit annoiying (and there's no way I can afford the newer model!)

I've already got a fair selection of lenses (18-70, 12-24, 50, 105 Macro and the Simga 70-300 APO)

I'm not impressed with my 70-300 APO DG, and am put off by the Nikon 70-300 incase it's too similar. Everything i've read about the 18-200 and 80-200 suggets that they're superb lenses.

So, which lens. For F1 in July? :)
 
sigma 70-200 F/2.8 and a 1.4X teleconvertor should be around £350-400 secondhand
 
noidea, but are they going to be long enough to catch the action?
 
i used a 70-300 last year at silverstone with success (not F1 however)

and its for sale, see my pm
 
Sounds like you're replacing cheap glass with cheap glass. The only one in your list would be the Nikon 80-200mm which is pro quality but maybe not long enough for the job. What sort of shooting position will you have? Maybe a 300mm f4 or better would be ideal.
 
Main problem at Silverstone is the high fences which are everywhere. You'll also be squashed in with 100,000 other people so there isn't much opportunity to move. A tip though is to practice go along to one of the test days which are held throughout the year, costs £10 or so to get in and you have all the space in the world to shoot pics then.

As for your choice of lens get something fast and decent then you can always add a teleconverter. Assuming it's strapped to a decent body you can always crop!
 
I agree with Dolomitefan - too crowded for anything serious - basically you have to bag your place early in the day (unless you've got grandstand tickets) and stay there.

Less busy on the Friday and Saturday, or there is the official F1 testing session in June. £ 15 entry (£ 12 in advance)
 
Upto £15 to get in I remember the one time I went it was free! Still it was a good day and great for practice as I said.
 
Ignoring the Silverstone element of this thread I'll focus on the lenses you've listed. As you can see from my sig I own the 70-300 VR and the 80-200 f2.8. I would definately recommend the 80-200 f2.8, the image quality is stunning and the difference f2.8 brings is significant. AF-S is nice but you can rest assured that the standard AF-D version is perfectly good enough especially as you own a D200.

IMO the 18-200 doesn't offer you anything new, it has significant distortion problems and issues with colour fringing / chromatic abraision. The reason it's given rave reviews is that it's significantly better than the competition in the superzoom category and no worse than any other standard consumer mid range zoom, which is phenomenal. However, the 80-200 f2.8 is a Pro lens and will beats it hands down in quality terms (both image and build).
 
Thanks for all the advice guys.

Thanks for the PM/offer whitey, but I'm kinda taking myself out of the running for the 70-300VR as it's just too similar to my Sigma 70-300 APO DG.

I've been looking at the 80-200, and am certainly swayed towards it as it seems like a superb lens (and not all that bad for the price), the AF-S version seems difficult to come by (at least in my price range). So if I go for this, it'll be the AF-D.

Alas, I don't have grandstand tickets. Does anyone have experience with a 200mm lens at silverstone, was it long enough or not?
 
Does anyone have experience with a 200mm lens at silverstone, was it long enough or not?
Click to expand...

I think this was shot with a 200 and is about as close to the track as it's possible to get anywhere at the circuit.

f1.jpg


I would say that if your happy with a heavy crop for sharing on the web, you could get some great pics. If you want to make decent prints, I wouldn't go to slippystone with a 200 AND a lot of hope.
 
Couldn't you rent someting of stewart R at lensesforhire.co.uk He has lots of good quality lenses you could rent for the occasion. Maybe the 200-400mm VR?

P.S do i get commision Stewart!
 
Couldn't you rent something
Click to expand...

Now call me daft but what I was thinking was that surely the best idea is to go along and watch the race unencumbered, with all the camera gear left at home. Have a great day there, concentrating on seeing the race and soaking up the atmosphere. Then you can go home and see some good shots on the web.

You're not going to get any great shots, no matter what lens you have and where you are. You'll just end up not really seeing the race.
 
dazzajl said:
Now call me daft but what I was thinking was that surely the best idea is to go along and watch the race unencumbered, with all the camera gear left at home. Have a great day there, concentrating on seeing the race and soaking up the atmosphere. Then you can go home and see some good shots on the web.

You're not going to get any great shots, no matter what lens you have and where you are. You'll just end up not really seeing the race.
Click to expand...

I couldn't agree more :thumbs:You don't want to have your eye to the viewfinder and miss what could be the only overtaking maneuver of the whole race :lol:
 
Eric Mc said:
I couldn't agree more :thumbs:You don't want to have your eye to the viewfinder and miss what could be the only overtaking maneuver of the whole race :lol:
Click to expand...

:lol::lol:

yes, sell the ticket and go bike or saloon car racing instead
 
Hmmm I tried the testing last year with a 300 F4 and a 1.4x TC and it was still pretty pants... and in no way on race day are you gonna be able to blag the "best" position I used to get those.

Just sit back and enjoy the race is my advice - hope you have grandstand tickets opposite the pits, because that is where the "exciting racing" is in F1 these days... ;-)

If you want to catch some proper exciting racing which you can also photograph, try Superbike (British or World)
 
I was at Silverstone for the GP last year - some of my comments.

If you have a Grandstand seat then use Friday and Saturday to get your photos from the standard spectator areas.

The roaming spectator areas are the best for photos but on race day they are packed out by 6-7am so you’ll need to get there very early. Grandstand seats are too far from the circuit to get good photos so just sit back and enjoy the race.

I took this shot at Club corner at 400mm and shooting through the fence.

mclaren-lh_4.jpg


Some more photos here :

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=27413&highlight=silverstone

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=27346&highlight=silverstone
 
Sorry to hijack this thread slightly, I'm going this year. Are they OK with an SLR and a serious looking lens at Silverstone without a press pass?

Just worried they are going to be a bit funny about spectators with serious looking cameras like at the Footie or Rugby?
 
Thanks guys.

Think what i'll do is buy myself the 80-200, and not take it :)

Based on what everyone has said, unless i'm going to get up close with a 300-400 lens, it's not worth while.

Cheers guys, will be sure to enjoy myself!
 
Freester said:
Sorry to hijack this thread slightly, I'm going this year. Are they OK with an SLR and a serious looking lens at Silverstone without a press pass?

Just worried they are going to be a bit funny about spectators with serious looking cameras like at the Footie or Rugby?
Click to expand...

No issues with pro cameras
Spectators use 1D MK3's with 600mm F4's, 400mm F2.8 etc hanging off them.
 
Exactly...

On a normal club meeting you see people carrying stepladders so they can get above fences. This may be ott for the crowds at Silverstone, but you'll still find people wandering around with £ 10,000 worth of kit around their neck.
 
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