Histrorics race

[afviper]

I attended a historics racing event at Pacific Raceways near Seattle, WA. This is my first attempt at paning, I had a lot of throwaways, but also a few good ones.

The number one thing I had a problem with is getting the whole car sharp, very many photos were like number 5, sharp in one spot, but motion blur everywhere else. Is being perpendicular to the car (#4) when it passes you the only way to get a sharp pan shot? Would using a longer focal length help this matter?

Any comments, critiques are welcome.

1. Tamron 28-75 75mm f/11 1/80
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b184/AFviper/57AustinHealy100-6s.jpg

2. Tamron 28-75 75mm f/11 1/100
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b184/AFviper/58Porsche356s.jpg

3. Tamron 28-75 75mm f/11 1/100
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b184/AFviper/59Sadlers.jpg

4. Carl Zeiss Jena 135mm 1/125
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b184/AFviper/69AlfaRomeoGTVs.jpg

5. Carl Zeiss Jena 135mm 1/125
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b184/AFviper/69bmw2002s.jpg

6. Tamron 28-75 75mm f/11 1/100
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b184/AFviper/69Autodynamicss.jpg

[Kevbuts]

The number one thing I had a problem with is getting the whole car sharp, very many photos were like number 5, sharp in one spot, but motion blur everywhere else. Is being perpendicular to the car (#4) when it passes you the only way to get a sharp pan shot? Would using a longer focal length help this matter?

Hi There,

If this is your first attempt at panning, then I would give yourself a pat on the back. Your efforts are very good for a first attempt.

My personal favourite is #4, but then I am biased as I have a soft spot for old Alfa's.

With regards to your questions about getting sharp panned images, you're partially correct in your query about being perpendicular to the subject when panning giving sharper images. Since the full length of the car (or bike) is the same distance away from the camera's lens in these shots, it is much easier to get the full length of the car in focus. It is possible however to get the sharp three quarter panned shots sharp over the full extent of the car, however this take's much more practice - trust me I know from experience :confused:

One thing you can and should do when shooting motorsport is adjust the focus point in the viewfinder, so that you're not necessarily using a centre focus point. If a car is heading towards you, and you want to capture a three quarter panned shot of it like you're #5 above, you want to set your focus point so that when you track the car the focus point stays on the front of the car. Ideally over a point of quite high contrast (such as the number plate, grill, or headlamp assembly for example), this will enable your camera to track the subject and keep it in focus more easily (providing you've got you're camera focusing system set to AI-Servo, which is essential for getting good motorsport shots in my opinion). This will make sure that the front of the car is in focus.

In terms of getting the full extent of the car in focus - this is more difficult, and isn't simply a case of adjusting you aperture to get a greater depth of field. The problem (and I only know because I have asked the same question in the past and been advised by a professional myself) is when a car is coming towards you and you're trying to capture it in three quarter panned shot, the front and rear of the car are moving a slightly different rates, and this is ephasised even more when a car is cornering and you're trying to capture a similarly composed shot. It is therefore easier to get a sharper (over the full length of the car) shot when the car is travelling in a straight line, rather than when it is cornering, since the difference in the rates at which the front and back of the car are moving is much reduced and therefore less less likely to cause the rear to be out of focus.

The other thing the bear in mind is shutter speeds. Obviously the faster the shutter speed, the more chance you have of getting a sharper image. On the other hand, the slower shutter speeds will give you more sense of motion blur. What i would recommend is trying out what I have said above (i.e. adjusting the focus point, and using AI Servo) with a shutter speed of about 1/250 - 1/320 of a second. Once you have perfected the technique using shutter speeds in this region, you will find you have built up enough expertise and know-how, that you will want to be more experimental and try slower shutter speeds to emphasise the speed and motion of the subject.

Obviously this is only my opinion, and what I have found works for me. I hope it is of some use to you, and help's you improve your motorsport shots.

Well done with you're first attempts though, they really are very commendable :D

[tehdrok]

Hi There,

If this is your first attempt at panning, then I would give yourself a pat on the back. Your efforts are very good for a first attempt.

My personal favourite is #4, but then I am biased as I have a soft spot for old Alfa's.

With regards to your questions about getting sharp panned images, you're partially correct in your query about being perpendicular to the subject when panning giving sharper images. Since the full length of the car (or bike) is the same distance away from the camera's lens in these shots, it is much easier to get the full length of the car in focus. It is possible however to get the sharp three quarter panned shots sharp over the full extent of the car, however this take's much more practice - trust me I know from experience :confused:

One thing you can and should do when shooting motorsport is adjust the focus point in the viewfinder, so that you're not necessarily using a centre focus point. If a car is heading towards you, and you want to capture a three quarter panned shot of it like you're #5 above, you want to set your focus point so that when you track the car the focus point stays on the front of the car. Ideally over a point of quite high contrast (such as the number plate, grill, or headlamp assembly for example), this will enable your camera to track the subject and keep it in focus more easily (providing you've got you're camera focusing system set to AI-Servo, which is essential for getting good motorsport shots in my opinion). This will make sure that the front of the car is in focus.

In terms of getting the full extent of the car in focus - this is more difficult, and isn't simply a case of adjusting you aperture to get a greater depth of field. The problem (and I only know because I have asked the same question in the past and been advised by a professional myself) is when a car is coming towards you and you're trying to capture it in three quarter panned shot, the front and rear of the car are moving a slightly different rates, and this is ephasised even more when a car is cornering and you're trying to capture a similarly composed shot. It is therefore easier to get a sharper (over the full length of the car) shot when the car is travelling in a straight line, rather than when it is cornering, since the difference in the rates at which the front and back of the car are moving is much reduced and therefore less less likely to cause the rear to be out of focus.

The other thing the bear in mind is shutter speeds. Obviously the faster the shutter speed, the more chance you have of getting a sharper image. On the other hand, the slower shutter speeds will give you more sense of motion blur. What i would recommend is trying out what I have said above (i.e. adjusting the focus point, and using AI Servo) with a shutter speed of about 1/250 - 1/320 of a second. Once you have perfected the technique using shutter speeds in this region, you will find you have built up enough expertise and know-how, that you will want to be more experimental and try slower shutter speeds to emphasise the speed and motion of the subject.

Obviously this is only my opinion, and what I have found works for me. I hope it is of some use to you, and help's you improve your motorsport shots.

Well done with you're first attempts though, they really are very commendable :D

Thanks for that great advice - I've been having the same problems re: focusing, and with Santa Pod classic Ford weekend coming soon, I was starting to get antsy! :lol: :lol: