A lens to rent for the 500

[smooth monkey]

so i am going to the indy 500 for my dads birthday and i need to know what is a good lens to rent.
i am sitting 10 rows up in turn 1. i will be carrying this lens the whole day and so i dont want a Huge lens that is a prim i want something that will be good for multiple distances

Thanks

Monkey.

[gonzogolf]

100-400L

[Staszek]

100-400.

[DC Fan]

so i am going to the indy 500 for my dads birthday and i need to know what is a good lens to rent.
i am sitting 10 rows up in turn 1. i will be carrying this lens the whole day and so i dont want a Huge lens that is a prim i want something that will be good for multiple distances

From that location, any lens will give you a very good view...of the large steel fence that will be in front of you.

http://www.kevinlillard.com/pics/0807a0071.jpg

http://www.kevinlillard.com/pics/0807a0029.jpg

The two above images came from a comparable grandstand seat on the outside of the Speedway. The fence does not move.

http://www.kevinlillard.com/racing/20100530aa0126.jpg

This image came from the inside of the first turn of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the 2010 Indianapolis 500. It shows the large fence that stands between the track and the first turn grandstands. The fence is around 20 feet high with posts every 50 feet, and has a series of thick steel cables at the bottom. The fence is designed to keep objects out of the grandstands, and not to let photographers get clear images of race cars. Unless you have a photo credential that lets you get close to the fence and aim through one of the openings, you can expect to get nothing better than a picture of a fence with race cars behind it from the tenth row of the first turn grandstand.

Now, if you want to get a clear view of race cars from the first turn, you'll need to leave the grandstand and walk into the infield, where you can place yourself in the same area from which the Dario Franchitti picture was taken. From the infield of the first turn, you'll still need to look through a fence, but you can get clear views of the cars - the longest uninterrupted view of the track available to spectators from ground level. However, to get a usefully-framed image, you'll need a long lens. The above image was at 280mm...

http://www.kevinlillard.com/racing/20100515a0000a.jpg

...and this image, from another part of the area inside the first turn, was at 270mm. It's not unusual to see photographers using monopod-mounted and 400mm and 500mm lenses in this area.

Over the last few decades, the Speedway has been rebuilt so that there's a high, strong fence between nearly every spectator, photographer and race cars at speed. This will not be reversed and photographers can not control this. If you want to get clear images of race cars at speed, you'll need to go to the areas where you can find a clear view and adjust to the conditions.

[smooth monkey]

thanks
i knew there was a big fence between me and the good pics
and i had a feeling that i would have to be creative with getting some good pics
so it looks like i will rent the 100-400mm