WRC-shooting economic-chrisis (equipment-questions (again))

[vvizard]

Ok, so it looks like I can't afford any 70-200mm "L" or "EX" before rally-sweden in February. Going to Puerto Rico a week in december, and that'll break my tele-zoom-budget :/ What this actually translates into, is that my only lens for my 10D is the 50mm f/1.4 prime. According to my exif, that equals a 77mm on fullframe. Will it work? Can I get good pictures with it? At least it's fast and tack-sharp, but will the focal-length be usefull for shooting the cars? My other option is to buy a cheapish 75-300mm zoom or something. That's something I _really_ don't want to, cause I will anyway replace it by a good 70-200mm zoom in the future some time.

What would you recommend? Shoot with the 50mm prime, and either save the money for a cheap lens, or put it into something "usefull", like the 550EX flash, spare battery (maybe vertical-grip to go), another CF-card, etc (which I can buy on what's left of the budget).

Or, I could entirely for the purpose of this WRC-race, buy a cheap zoom to get more flexible focal-lengths, more blurred shots, and more wasted money when the weekend is over :-P

How long from the passing cars you think I'll minimum have to be to get shots with the 50mm? Close enough so that I have to risk my life? :-P

[CyberDyneSystems]

The 50 is a great lens,.. but I don't know.. you want to get race cars and have the images be dramatic and "up close and personal"

I hate to admit it but maybe a cheapy 75-300 is your only option for now.

There was a time all I had was a 28-300mm... piece fo junk... but it had the range..

[defordphoto]

A 50 won't work. You could crop the photos for the web to 800x600 or so and make them look closer than they really are, but if you're looking to make prints, forget it. You need a lens with reach and a XX-300 would be minimum. You can always sharpen them up with USM to make them look better. You'll get some fun shots with it. Sorry to hear you can pull off the 70-200. They are pricey for sure.

Can you afford to rent a lens for the weekend?

[vvizard]

They'll be up-close and personal if I stay 4m away from the cars :-P And heck, it's the WRC, and (from what I've seen on TV) nobody will actually stop me from standing 5m away from cars at 100mph on snow... If I dare ;)

And one tip I got here earlier. Standing on the inside of a turn. That will drastically reduce the chance of beeing hit by a car, as (according to physics) they're most likely to slide "out" of the corner if they loose grip. It will also make it possible to shoot the cars both at arrivel to, in it, and departure from, the corner. According to my thoughts. I might get pretty close by doing this. But I've never been to a wrc-round, and can't tell by experience. Just from what I've seen on TV. Guess I'll just have to drag my camera down to the freeway, and see for myself how close I'll have to get..

[vvizard]

RFMSports wrote:
A 50 won't work. You could crop the photos for the web to 800x600 or so and make them look closer than they really are, but if you're looking to make prints, forget it. You need a lens with reach and a XX-300 would be minimum. You can always sharpen them up with USM to make them look better. You'll get some fun shots with it. Sorry to hear you can pull off the 70-200. They are pricey for sure.

Can you afford to rent a lens for the weekend?

_ALL_ hopes aren't out yet. The Puerto Rico trip all depends on me getting a week off from work and school. (on short notice). If I don't, the 70-200 is probably affordable. Renting.. Who knows.. I don't know any places in norway where I can rent lenses. But I'm a newbie in slr's (and photography for the sake of the matter). I might ask around on some norwegian boards for that.. Hadn't actually thought about that option.

[defordphoto]

Definitely stay on the inside of the turns. You can get more dramatic shots on the outside of the turns, but then you'll catch rocks/snow/whatever in the face when they pass you. And yes, the risk of being hit increases dramatically if they lose it in that turn.

Ideal spots are above the track (knoll or hill) and out of the way of thrown debris, but then you need the long lenses.

Yeah, going to another country will make things tougher to be able to rent a lens, not knowing the local area, and most lense will probably be gone/reserved by the time you arrive unless you can reserve one ahead of time. Renting isn't cheap either, but it may be an option.

[vvizard]

I'm really trying to afford the 70-200mm. There's a big chance I won't get free from both work & school, and then the Puerto-Rico trip won't be done. If I don't go, I think I can afford the Sigma EX 70-200mm f/2.8. Sallery coming in next friday, and if it's big enough, I'll order. If not, I'll just take the cheaper Canon 70-200mm f/4L instead... So let's pray for my boss or teacher to give me a valid reason to drop Puerto-Rico, and get some decent glass instead ;)

[Motorsports Photo]

vvizard wrote:
They'll be up-close and personal if I stay 4m away from the cars :-P And heck, it's the WRC, and (from what I've seen on TV) nobody will actually stop me from standing 5m away from cars at 100mph on snow... If I dare ;)

And one tip I got here earlier. Standing on the inside of a turn. That will drastically reduce the chance of beeing hit by a car, as (according to physics) they're most likely to slide "out" of the corner if they loose grip. It will also make it possible to shoot the cars both at arrivel to, in it, and departure from, the corner. According to my thoughts. I might get pretty close by doing this. But I've never been to a wrc-round, and can't tell by experience. Just from what I've seen on TV. Guess I'll just have to drag my camera down to the freeway, and see for myself how close I'll have to get..

As a race corner marshall for many years I have to remind you of a few things. When you are near the racing NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, turn your back on traffic. You never know what might sneak up and get you.

Cars can go ANYWHERE when they lose control! Motorcycles tend to follow the laws of physics and continue in the same direction. No matter where you are I recommend having a barrier between you and the cars. (guard rail, tree, etc.) Yes you will be "safer" on the inside of a turn, but NOT safe. You still have to keep your guard up. As far as how close? Thats up to you! Watching the rallies, I can hardly believe the antics of the crowds alongside the roads. I am suprised there arent more spectators hurt.

Have fun, even without that "L" glass.

-Pete

[vvizard]

Yeah, I can't believe the crowd from what I've seen on TV either. I'm not gonna be foolish. I wan't to make it home with both me and the equipment in one piece. If I can manage, I'll find the inside of a turn, where there's a little "hill" to stand on (if you understand). So that the car can't possible cut the corner and hit me. I also have a hard time trying to understand why there aren't more kills among the spectators and drivers. Heck, Solberg should (according to the real world) have been dead twice this season :-P I'm afraid a spectator-kill is what's "needed" before somebody tightens the security on theese races. And even so, it's hard to controll. Can't have people to babysit the crowd all through the stages :/

I will definetly enjoy it, no matter if I got EX or L glass with me. But I really do hope I can make it! It would be so much more fun if I could snatch some good-looking pictures while at it :)

[KennyG]

I shot a rally this weekend and this is the kit I took with me. I was giving it a pre-shoot run-down yesterday when a friend called in and took this picture with his P&S camera.

10D with a 300L 2.8IS attached, 1D with a 100-400L and a 70-200L 2.8IS unattached. The Tamrac is full of everything else I need (probably too much).

I use the same equipment at most of the race circuits I shoot at.

http://www.stiuk.dial.pipex.com/kit-to-go-web.jpg

[vvizard]

Thanks (I guess). I just seriously can't afford 1/4 of the gear in there ;) I'm not getting paid for this. I've just gotten into photography, and now I wan't to take some shots at the Swedish-rally for my own album, and if I get lucky, someone for my wall. But here's a task for you (might be impossible, but let's try =))

You're camera-bag is empty. Or more frankly, you don't have a camerabag =) But what you do have, is _ONE_ 10D in your hand, with a 50mm f/1.4, and a .. neckstrap :-P That's it. (and CF-cards of course). In your wallet, you got like.. $1000 to spend at B&H before your next rally. Impossible? Maybe, you'll be the judge :)

And to make it even trickier, when ordering from Norway, you have to consider adding ~ $120 in fedex'ing to each order (no matter if it's one or five lenses there), and at the end, multiply the sum+shipment with 1.24 (import-tax). The formula looks like this:

( (sum of equipment) + $120 ) * 1.24

[KennyG]

vvizard wrote:

At the end, I would really like you oppinion of whether to get a monopod or not? I can't afford IS-lenses. Of what I've been looking at, I can afford the 70-200mm f/4L, or the 70-200mm f/2.8 EX at most.

I would go for the 70-200L F4 with a x1.4 TC as the most economical solution that will hold its value. It would be a good all-round lens anyway. I wouldn't bother with a monopod, I only use mine with either my 500L or 300L with a TC because of the weight during a long shoot.

[vvizard]

Sounds good to me. Any reason why you would choose the 70-200mm f/4 over the 70-200mm f/2.8 EX? This is not a quiz, but just the n00b trying to get some "real-life" examples of where f/2.8 will give real advantages over f/4. Of course, it's in dim light, but which sports will there be so dim light that it's actually needed? Outdoor rally I don't reckon will be any problem, but is it common to use lower than f/4 when shooting let's say indoor basketball?