DTM Test Session - Brands Hatch 20/3/06 [56k caution, plus some waffling]

[Dave_G]

Managed to escape the office for the day and head back to Ze Brandsen Hatchenring with Rob (Rob230 on here) for day one of the 3 day test, for the upcoming round of the DTM there in a few months time.

It was cold, windy and desolate at 8am. No marshalls at their posts and no life from the team's transporters in the paddock. The only action on track was a road sweeper removing the gravel and debris from the circuit, a legacy of the inagural MSVR meeting the previous day. I was awoken and shocked into life at about 9.05am by the sight and sound of a Merc CLK DTM car, an impressive assault on the senses.

However...

I am now blighted by a crap long zoom. My Sigma 70-200 f2.8 is fantastically sharp and fast for areas where a short lens is required but now I have a camera which can keep up with focusing on my subjects, my Sigma 135-400 cannot. It's slow and the focus hunts and gives me inconsistent results...and needs nannying to get acceptable shots.

After hijacking Glenn's Sig 120-30 for a few minutes and his 100-400 L IS for about half an hour on Sunday I feel I need to make a plan. One has formed in the shape of a Sigma 2x EX TC to use with the 70-200....bought on Ebay for a song. This in the interim will I'm sure be faster and sharper than the decreoid old 135-400.

The plan is to sell the 135-400 and get drunk with the proceeds if the 2x works. If not, plan B will be resorted to. What's plan B you ask?

I don't even know myself. Possible candidates (once a suitable bank has been robbed and either suitable internal organs and or limbs sourced) are:

Canon 100-400 L IS
Sigma 100-300 EX f4
Sigma 120-300 EX f2.8
Take up knitting
Become a monk a la Rob230...(!)
etc

Hmph.

Anyway, here's some pics with exif details for those who like stuff like that and you can probably tell what I'm on about...

2 of the La Rosa Merc from inside druids. 70-200, 70mm. ISO100, f7.1, 1/125s. Straight from the camera
http://images1.fotki.com/v290/photos/1/105162/3355220/200306185copy-vi.jpg

70-200, 117mm. ISO100, f4.5, 1/200s.
http://images1.fotki.com/v290/photos/1/105162/3355220/200306149copy-vi.jpg

Red Bull Audi @ McLaren. 135-400, 400mm. ISO400, f9, 1/400s. Levels & contrast bumped up a bit in PS, plus a little USM
http://images16.fotki.com/v271/photos/1/105162/3355220/200306218copy-vi.jpg

Audi on the way into Druids. 70-200mm, 79mm. ISO100, f4, 1/160s. Straight out of the camera.
http://images17.fotki.com/v293/photos/1/105162/3355220/200306610copy-vi.jpg

H-H-Fs Audi on the way into Druids. 70-200, 70mm. ISO100, f5.6, 1/125. Only USM added, .2 and 300%
http://images17.fotki.com/v295/photos/1/105162/3355220/200306625copy-vi.jpg

S-Line Audi exiting Clearways, not sure of the driver. 70-200, 200mm. ISO200, f2.8, 1/400s. Minor PP done - levels and contrast up a very small amount plus the dreaded USM as above.
http://images17.fotki.com/v295/photos/1/105162/3355220/200306395copy-vi.jpg

Red Bull Audi from the outside of Druids. 70-200 + 1.4tc. Exif of the image says 200mm and f2.8 (read as: 280mm and f4ish). ISO200 and 1/400s. Minor PP again, levels & contrast increased a little, plus USM as above again.
http://images1.fotki.com/v290/photos/1/105162/3355220/200306510copy-vi.jpg

[zed]

Man, I love those DTM cars. Wish we could see them in the states. Great pictures, really like the exhaust flames!

Jeff

[GSH]

Don't mention the w...ok i won't go there ;)


Nice shots there Dave, that RedBull Audi is a particularly fine beast. I'd have loved to get down for this but the day job has to come first i suppose :)

Now, the lenses.

I love my 100-400L to bits, BUT if the light is a bit iffy (i.e. at this time of year) then it needs a bit of PP work to tease that extra bit out of the shots. See my BSB post from Snetterton if you need examples.

All day saturday i was thinking where a 120-300 f2.8 (or even a 300L f2.8 non IS) would have been the perfect lens....As i said, i'm over the moon with the Canon and will keep it, but the Sigma is almost certainly my next purchase unless i stumble across a nice used white beast.

[Dave_G]

We're (the UK) lucky to get a round of the championship this year, plus this test session.

I might pop along to the race weekend...

Geoff - Aye. If I'm going to spend a lot of dosh on a long lens then ideally I'd like faster than f5.6, for those days when the sun doesn't have his hat on.

Both 100-400 and 120-300 were a revelation compared to the clunky old Sigma I use :( haha

[Moppie]

An english man waffleing? well I never :)


These great shots, more than up to your usual standard. The fact that they look fantastic on my crap work monitor means I know they are going to look stunning when i get home.


Having seen Glenns work with the 120-300 sigma, and haveing had a play with Wazzas and seen his work may I suggest it?

[Dave_G]

Having seen Glenns work with the 120-300 sigma, and haveing had a play with Wazzas and seen his work may I suggest it?

You may. I borrowed Glenn's one yesterday and it rocked.

[Simon Harrison]

Like the last three Audi shots a lot. How about posting a shot from Sunday taken with Glenns 120-300 and the 20D? Be interesting to see something from that combination.

Cheers,

Simon.

[forsaken]

love the H-H-Fs Audi shot. Great flames

[911 Turbo]

Very nice shots. Like the 4th and 6th photos.

[Ian_H]

Very nice Dave, love all the Audi shots


Cheers
Ian

[Dave_G]

Like the last three Audi shots a lot. How about posting a shot from Sunday taken with Glenns 120-300 and the 20D? Be interesting to see something from that combination.

Cheers,

Simon.

Haven't looked at them much so will do that tonight.

[Swaffs]

Nice shots!

I wonder what lap times they were doing? gotta be low 40's

I can't believe I was sat at work while you guys were out enjoying that !

My 120-300 is due tomorrow (only third attempt at ordering) I'm so looking forward to it.

[Dave_G]

Yeah by the end of the day they were 42s or so and reckoned they'd be in the 40s by the end of the test...which is tomorrow. Bunk off work, job's a good 'un! haha. I did...erm.

Hmph @ you and your lens...;)

[Swaffs]

Hmph @ you and your lens...;)

I'm running it on a 300D for a while though:confused: :( Can't afford both !

[Dave_G]

Argh!

Not much wrong with a 300D if you know what all the buttons do.

[LMP]

DAve these are great, really like the last two....prolly the best Ive seen from you and no mistake :)

Those are nice looking cars, when is the race proper ?

[Dave_G]

Thanks Marc. Looks like the Sig 70-200 + 1.4xTC is a good combo then.

DTM race @ Brands is on 30th June. I might pop down.

[LMP]

Yea it would seem so Dave , I really like them.

I'll mark the 30th down and hope I'm not working :)

[GA_Teg]

Great shots. Love the first shots of the Merc DTM.

[Stav_98]

Gunna have to get me a Sigma 70-200 2.8 I think! Some fantastic shots there Dave.

[Dave_G]

Gunna have to get me a Sigma 70-200 2.8 I think! Some fantastic shots there Dave.

Just do it!

Even with a 1.4x TC it's not too shabby, focuses very quickly - and that was a Tamron effort.

[peacock]

Mean looking cars , nice shots esp with a bit of flame:D

[Dave_G]

Fire is good.

Only problem with yesterday's test is that there weren't many cars on track so most of my shots are the same, there's only so much you can do with the spots available, and half a dozen cars.

Still, was pretty impressive to see the DTM cars.

AND the more I use my Sigma 70-200 the more I like it!

[peacock]

Still good shots Dave and these are rare beasts on our shores , after seeing your images i'm temped to go tommorrow:)

[Dave_G]

good stuff!

[Parkinho]

Sexy shots of sexy cars, well impressed. I was at today's session, the light wasn't great for most of the day but hopefully got a few shots in the bag. Can't tell you for sure yet because I am still using film for a lot of my photography. I stole my Dad's 20D for a few minutes while he wasn't looking though and those shots came out OK so fingers crossed...

[Boggy]

So who's on the inside of druids that can be seen in the images on Suttons website.
Noisy, fire breathing DTM's love it. Hope that annoys the neighbours.:lol: :lol:
Might try and get to this one myself.

Shaun

[Dave_G]

Me...but I was obscured by a massive watermark.

It made my images soft :(

[Dave_G]

Fire is good. Frentzen on it into Druids

70-200, 60mm, f5.6, ISO100, 1/125s. Minimal PP - just .2 USM added
http://images17.fotki.com/v297/photos/1/105162/3355220/200306624copy-vi.jpg

Stippler negotiates Druids

70-200 with 1.4xTC, 98mm, f4, ISO200, 1/320s. Just some USM and a bit of brightness added
http://images1.fotki.com/v290/photos/1/105162/3355220/200306667copy-vi.jpg

Jamie Green entering McLaren

135-400, 400mm, f9, ISO400, 1/400s. PP extends to increased levels, USM, upped contrast..still a bit soft
http://images6.fotki.com/v75/photos/1/105162/3355220/200306222copy-vi.jpg

That's enough typing now I think ;)

[Dave_G]

Couple more and that's it for a while. WIll post the link to the whole lot soon!

http://images17.fotki.com/v294/photos/1/105162/3355220/200306536copy-vi.jpg

http://images17.fotki.com/v295/photos/1/105162/3355220/200306061copy-vi.jpg

[Simon Harrison]

More great images Dave. Do like that S Line A4 (wonder if they do that exact model in an Avant?), but the Red Bull A4 at Druids would be my pick of the additional shots posted.

Cheers,

Simon.

[quickben]

We're (the UK) lucky to get a round of the championship this year, plus this test session.

Is that all we get ? Do we get it every year ?

I'd love to get down to see that.

Gary.

[Dave_G]

Is that all we get ? Do we get it every year ?

I'd love to get down to see that.

Gary.

Last time they were here was Donington Park a few years back I think, not sure we get a round every year, don't really follow it

[Cadwell]

Yeah... I was at that Donington round. Very dull race. Also very small crowd which is why they (DTM) didn't want to come back.

[GSH]

Yeah... I was at that Donington round. Very dull race. Also very small crowd which is why they (DTM) didn't want to come back.


I notice there's no Czech round this year either...

I was in Brno last year for the DTM weekend and the place was absoloutely packed with Germans. Must admit the atmosphere in the Pubs & Clubs was great.

I didn't make the race though, for reasons i won't go into here ;) and eventually ended up at the Brno Autosalon (Motor Show) somewhat later in the day.

[goldieno1]

Mind if I add some pics (without trying to hijack yer thread) Dave???

For c&c??

[GSH]

Mind if I add some pics (without trying to hijack yer thread) Dave???

For c&c??


Dave's away on holiday i think, might be worth opening a new thread or you'll be waiting about a week for a reply :lol:

[goldieno1]

Cheers for the heads up Geoff.

I notice there is another thread on the same subject. I know some forums are touchy on multiple threads on the same subject.

I'll go open me own.

:lol:

[Brands]

Nice shots Dave:), I hope they race better at Brands than they did at Donny.

[Paul_O]

Great shots, you should be proud. We don't even get TV coverage of it here but I watched a few races on TV when I was in Holland, awesome stuff! We have a good sedan series in Australia also but with the depth of driving talent in DTM they put us to shame! Fantastic racing series.

Paul

[Dave_G]

Just uploaded a bunch more

http://images16.fotki.com/v288/photos/1/105162/3355220/200306528copy-vi.jpg

http://images17.fotki.com/v296/photos/1/105162/3355220/2003061040copy-vi.jpg

http://images17.fotki.com/v293/photos/1/105162/3355220/200306990copy-vi.jpg

Full gallery here

http://public.fotki.com/DaveGalpin/events/motorsport/brands_hatch/2006/dtm_test/

They're a bit 'samey' as there was only half a dozen or so cars on track, and one at a time. Looking forward to the actual race day in July now :)

[LMP]

I'm liking that 1st one alot Dave... you going along to the BTCC at Brands ?

[Dave_G]

Hi Marc. Will be there on the Saturday for qualifyng, I prefer to watch the BTCC carnage from the relative safety of my own living room!

Saturday should be ok, Clios, BTCC, Porsches, Formula Crash...think that's it.

:)