This is a great topic. I have been using Nikon 35mm since about 1977 and am just switching over to digital now. I bought a Olympus C 5000 zoom and I love it. I like how you can have extra cards instead of using film and take as many pictures as you like...as long as your battery last...lol. I need to buy a spare battery.

I use to take about 30 rolls of film to the various races I would attend including many Formula One races. I would never use any film over 200 and mostly use Kodachrome 64 for best quality.

I see alot of good information posted here and like a few others have said just practice and learn from your mistakes and you will be taking pics like a pro in no time.

Well done! It's great to see how you've improved.

Hello,

I revived this thread because I am continuing to apply the advice you folks gave me and I'm really enjoying the learning process. So I wanted to share the latest results and maybe move on to the next step. The pics below were taken with slow speed film, a telephoto lens, slower shutter speeds (250 and 125), a polarizing filter, and utilizing the "panning" technique - all learned from you folks on this thread. I also bought James Mann's book and read it cover to cover. It really helped with composition and such. For instance, I am now concentrating much more on shooting the driver more than the car and trying to frame my photos so they communicate action rather just shoot pics of pretty cars.

So now I am thinking it might be a good to time introduce a tripod into the equation. The panning technique is producing some pretty clear shots (at full size you can even read the "rennlist" sticker on the blue 914) - but I'd love to get a crisper distinction between the sharp driver's face and the blurred background. I tried using a cheap tripod, but it literally broke the first time I tried to attach my camera. So I'm open to any suggestions for a good tripod. Also, if there are any special techniques for using tripods, I'm game.

NOTE: The pics below are shown "straight from the camera" with no cropping or photoshop tricks...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1119895421.jpg http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1119895431.jpg

Have you ever tried a Monopod?

I've got a Bogen/Manfrotto tripod. You buy the base (legs) and then a head (mount) you like. Very stable - that's the key. Not inexpensive at about $250 for both, but very worth the money.

Janus, you could try a tripod with a fluid head. It will take some practice. ( I gave up trying )
Better (and cheaper) to get a monopod. You can purchase one for a low price, then top it with a swivel head . With this set-up, you leave the up/down tilt knob a little loose so you can manipulate the camera as you pan. I lock the other knob so the whole monopod swivels as I pan on the car.
It takes some practice as well. I'm getting a little better but still not consistant
.... and at the speed I learn at, thank-god for digital and the 'delete' button :)

max

Janus, you are making good progress. For anything less than 300mm I personally would rather use my body as a support rather than a monopod/tripod for pan action shots - much more flexible with similar results - even better results if you could use an image stabilizing lens. Try bracing your elbows against your ribs and placing your feet as though you were shooting a gun. Brace the camera against your forehead, begin your pan early and follow through. With moderate telephotos and cars traveling less than 60mph, I've found 1/60th to be about right, but anything down to 1/4 sec can be fun especially while zooming. Have fun!

P.S. You can also use a polarizer to allow slower shutter speeds when you run out of aperture.

very nice Janus... great improvement.
I've been practicing too, but haven't made any progress.

I may be wrong, but I think that a tripod will inhibit panning more than it can help. Maybe a monopod....

I am thinking that you can probably alter the parameters enough to get the blurring you want along w/ the sharpness as well.

Here is a picture my friend took w/o a tripod. I haven't been able to get that kind of blurring/sharpness combo. I can ask him, if he remembers, what settings he had.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1119897225.jpg



For comparison, this is the closest I've come to this type of shot.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1119897342.jpg


it just seems like the top pic has a much better level of detail on the car, and the blurring "looks" different :rolleyes:

This was handheld, 1/160 sec, F16, IS0 200. Focal length was 175 mm as I was in the tower. Car was doing about 100 mph.

I've never used a tripod/monopod when shooting cars.

On this image, composition sucks (I had no other option) as the intersecting track coming off the top of the shot really breaks up the movement. If I were to print this, I would PS that track out!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1119898318.jpg

Wait, same shot with a "real car" instead! Car was doing maybe 110 mph.

P.S. - Black dot on the side of the car is "dust" on the digital camera's CCD. I PhotoShop that stuff out.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1119898625.jpg

This was shot at 1/60th sec at 90mm and car going 90mph (with point and shoot digital).

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1119898693.jpg

Damn, thanks for the advice. I may just blow some $$ and try all three methods - with tripod, monopod, and handheld and blast through a couple of rolls of film to compare the results. I have to add that my pics looked better on my computer at full size - the resizing for the internet is killing the clarity. Darn. Maybe I'll try using photoshop to do a proper, high resolution resize.

Anyway, now that I see your examples, I am starting to wonder why my colors are still so washed out. My pics were shot on a cloudy day with a polarising filter using 100 speed color print film.

And RandyW, that 32 car looks hella sweet - almost like the whole body is brushed aluminum.

Okay, more updates. I was disappointed with the color saturation in my photos. So I tried using slide film and the colors really improved. Unfortunately, it also become much more difficult to get good digital scans. I ended up sending my amateurish pics to a professional shop for scans and even then they weren't as rich as the prints. I also tried using a tripod and got much better clarity. Again, the digipics lose a lot of the clarity that the prints have. For instance, here is a pic taken with 100 speed slide film using a polarizing filter and a tripod. In the original print, you can clearly read the wording on the rear fender. But still, even the scans are pretty good and I am pretty happy with the results.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1129654020.jpg

In the full size pic you can see all of the oil lines and little suspension bits and the axle hubs really jump out of the blurring wheels. I didn't get a chance to shoot from the driver side of the track. Too bad, I really like driver side pictures. This year's events are over. So nowI begin planning for next year!SmileWavy

Chicago PCA - Blackhawk DE (some pics from same)
 

These were taken at the first DE I ever attended.

I think the black 911 "lifting" around the corner, is a fellow Pelican but I could be wrong as after I did my first "charity" lap...I had to leave.

I had a FANTASTIC time, and will be working all winter to get it ready for the spring....

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1129654745.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1129654773.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1129654789.jpg

-Tom
(Ps: Looking for tune-up advice in another thread...)

i'm pretty sure that's souk's fat bastard

Uhuh! :D I was "pee'ing" on the APEX all the way around too! Talk about fun...thanks for the pics Tom!

I was expecting you to see you at Blackhawk....I should have told you to call. We'll meet up soon.

what's the story behind the 959 rally car?

Looks like you've nailed the panning technique. Car's nice and sharp. Now how about trying some blurry ones :)

http://www.pbase.com/smarjoram/image...5/original.jpg

LOL, your pics blow me away. Awesome!