Autograss National Qualifiers

[Simon Harrison]

Today (Sunday) saw the Yorkshire Dales Autograss club run two rounds of National Qualifiers for their club. The Nationals take place annually, and to represent your club for your particular class, you have to amass the most points through a series of qualification races.

It was also my first time shooting with a 1D Mk I. A huge difference between it and the 20D that I have been using up until now. Fabulous camera - the AF performance was a revelation. All of the shots below apart from the last one were taken with it using a 300mm f4 L IS + 1.4 TC. Pretty crappy light, so ISO ranged between 400 and 640. Last shot was taken with my 20D and the same lens combo, as I'd run out of batteries for the 1D by then. Would like to thanks Dengli for the loan of a battery today - the one that came with the camera isn't playing ball, and the two I have on order didn't arrive when they were supposed to.

#1 Brand new Class 8 Special built for the Nationals. It won both of its heats.
http://www.srh-motorsport-photography.com/Galleries/forum/YD14May/14-05-06---358.jpg

#2 Class one minis provided some close racing as ever.
http://www.srh-motorsport-photography.com/Galleries/forum/YD14May/14-05-06---245.jpg

#3 Martyn Janes in his Class 6 Astra dominated both of his qualification rounds
http://www.srh-motorsport-photography.com/Galleries/forum/YD14May/14-05-06---329.jpg

#4 Class 2, led by the Yorkshire Dales Club Chairman
http://www.srh-motorsport-photography.com/Galleries/forum/YD14May/14-05-06---392.jpg

#5 Another Class 8, this time a little off line
http://www.srh-motorsport-photography.com/Galleries/forum/YD14May/14-05-06---424.jpg

#6 Three wheels on my wagon - broken suspension ends this Class 3 Micras final run.
http://www.srh-motorsport-photography.com/Galleries/forum/YD14May/14-05-06---1042.jpg

#7 Class 5 Mini charging down to the first turn
http://www.srh-motorsport-photography.com/Galleries/forum/YD14May/14-05-06---1049.jpg

#8 Class 9 special in the rain giving it the old 'Scandanvian Flick' to set the car up for the first corner
http://www.srh-motorsport-photography.com/Galleries/forum/YD14May/14-05-06---1162.jpg

The 1D files are extremely sharp straight out of the camera. Didn't need to apply any sharpening at RAW conversion or to the JPEGS, save for a small amount after re-sizing them. The 1D files were also pretty free of noise at ISO640.

As usual, any C+C or feedback most welcome. Full gallery will be online in a day or two.

[Cadwell]

mmm.... looks like the new toy is working well, Simon.

Excellent pictures mate.

[Simon Harrison]

mmm.... looks like the new toy is working well, Simon.

Excellent pictures mate.

Thanks Glenn.

It's working extremely well. The extra weight made me get the monopod out pretty much from the word go, but the speed and accuracy of the AF was something else. Had the urge to chimp to see how I was doing, but the lack of batteries (and the inability to zoom in on the LCD) meant I had to resist, so I really didn't see any of the shots until I got home. Was worth the wait:lol: .

Cheers,

Simon.

[Cadwell]

Thanks Glenn.

It's working extremely well. The extra weight made me get the monopod out pretty much from the word go, but the speed and accuracy of the AF was something else. Had the urge to chimp to see how I was doing, but the lack of batteries (and the inability to zoom in on the LCD) meant I had to resist, so I really didn't see any of the shots until I got home. Was worth the wait:lol: .

Cheers,

Simon.

So... 1D ownership is going to turn you into a mono-pod user and break you of your chimping habit? You'll be a different photographer by the next time we meet! :lol:

Due to circumstances beyond my control I was forced to hand hold the 1D and Sigma 120-300mm all day yesterday. My left arm is not happy, not happy at all :rolleyes:

[dengli]

Nice shots Simon - you seem to have mastered the new toy pretty quickly. So much for the pixel peepers crap about megapixels. As I read in one of the posts on here it isn't the number of pixels that counts, it's the quality of them and the 1D has this in abundance. After you left I thought - I should have loaned you a couple of batteries. Sorry for that.

I love #s 1 and 6. #1 is just a cracking shot - lots of context to see what is happening and #6 is just barely recognisable as a micra (Nissan fan you know!) but a great capture.

Did you have much pp to do on the images?

[GSH]

Happy new toy Simon :)

It certainly looks like you've got the hang of it PDQ, that's a superb set of pics.

I've been thinking of getting a Mk2 later in the year but i could well be tempted to get a Mk1 and save a bit of cash.

[Simon Harrison]

Nice shots Simon - you seem to have mastered the new toy pretty quickly. So much for the pixel peepers crap about megapixels. As I read in one of the posts on here it isn't the number of pixels that counts, it's the quality of them and the 1D has this in abundance. After you left I thought - I should have loaned you a couple of batteries. Sorry for that.

I love #s 1 and 6. #1 is just a cracking shot - lots of context to see what is happening and #6 is just barely recognisable as a micra (Nissan fan you know!) but a great capture.

Did you have much pp to do on the images?

Thanks Dave - still one or two things to learn me thinks, particularly around the effectiveness of moving away from the central AF point.

Very grateful you were able to loan me the battery. I took around 500 shots across the day, and all but 100 of those were with the 1D. Having read about poor battery life, I was quite pleased with this.

As far as PP - nothing in PS. Small exposure correction during raw conversion, probably because I wasn't chimping the histogram that much at all. No sharpening at raw conversion, and no noise reduction.

Cheers,

Simon.

[Dave_G]

good stuff again

#5 is the keeper for me, check out the rear tyre and how it's deforming!

do you get covered in mud and stuff at these events Simon?

[Simon Harrison]

Happy new toy Simon :)

It certainly looks like you've got the hang of it PDQ, that's a superb set of pics.

I've been thinking of getting a Mk2 later in the year but i could well be tempted to get a Mk1 and save a bit of cash.

Thanks Geoff:D .

I certainly enjoyed my first time out with the Mk I. The choice between a Mk I and a Mk II is a difficult one. If you end up having to crop your shots a lot, then the Mk II would be better as you have more pixels to play with. While I tend not to crop too much, I will have to really concentrate on my composition from now on to make sure I frame everything correctly at time of capture.

Cheers,

Simon.

[Ian_H]

Good photos, glad to hear your liking your new toy :)


Cheers
Ian

[Simon Harrison]

good stuff again

#5 is the keeper for me, check out the rear tyre and how it's deforming!

do you get covered in mud and stuff at these events Simon?

Thanks Dave.

It has been known, but dust is usually the main problem. We had thunder storms and heavy rain on Friday into Saturday after a week of high temps and sunshine. This actually made the track perfect for racing - wet enough to keep the dust down, but dry enough so not to interfere with the racing or risk damage to engines through over reving.

Cheers,

Simon.

[coatsie]

Great photos Simon - new toy huh? Me jealous;) but building work on house comes first this year - still need a lot of practice on the 20D anyway:cool:

Mal

[Dave_G]

Thanks Dave.

It has been known, but dust is usually the main problem. We had thunder storms and heavy rain on Friday into Saturday after a week of high temps and sunshine. This actually made the track perfect for racing - wet enough to keep the dust down, but dry enough so not to interfere with the racing or risk damage to engines through over reving.

Cheers,

Simon.

tip top!

reminds me, must get the blower out on my sensor!!

[Simon Harrison]

Good photos, glad to hear your liking your new toy :)


Cheers
Ian

Thanks Ian. You were right, I am definately liking the 1D!

Simon.

[ajbalazic]

Great shots. Looks like you had excellent position for the races.

[Simon Harrison]

Great photos Simon - new toy huh? Me jealous;) but building work on house comes first this year - still need a lot of practice on the 20D anyway:cool:

Mal

Nice to hear from you again Mal, and thanks for the comments on the pictures - much appreciated as always.

Simon.

[Simon Harrison]

Great shots. Looks like you had excellent position for the races.

Thanks Alan.

I was actually stood behind a catch fence which was about 6 feet behind the armco barrier alongside the track. This is as close as you can get even with the full accreditation I hold for this venue if you are on the racing line.

Cheers,

Simon.

[Nidz]

Top shots. Love that lens your using there. It's so sharp.. I'm so jealous.

[Knightshade]

great captures...all the mud flinging captures the action very well.