F1 action with G3

[MiG82]

Some people reckon you can't take action shots with a Canon G3. Well, I say they just can't be bothered using the camera properly.
This is from the Friday session at the Melbourne Grand Prix. The location is just before the braking area for turn 11. This is fairly challenging because they are doing about 300 km/h (186 mph) here and I was standing as close to the fence as the public can (my focal length isn't long enough to allow the cars to fill the frame from further away).

http://www.members.optushome.com.au/mig_82/sauber_11.jpg

Tips:
Use the optical viewfinder. The LCD viewfinder is way too slow.
Use full manual mode and manual focus. Preset all the settings before the car comes. This way the camera responds incredibly fast. You could try using aperture priority too because the camera is still fairly fast with it. Autofocus is the killer.
Pan with the car. At this range and speed you will look a bit comical but the satisfaction is worth it.

The EXIF data is still in the cropped and resized photo although sensitivity has disappeared. It is ISO 100.
The full size photo is also sharp (for my camera). Here's a 100% crop.
http://www.members.optushome.com.au/mig_82/100crop.jpg
My other shots have a hint of blurriness at full size or have a fence post in a bad place which is why I'm posting this one.

[Cadwell]

Nice shot :) You've done a good job in working around the camera's limitations. You are quite right in that with the right settings and some skill you can shoot virtually anything with any camera.

[mr.photoguy]

Good work with the G3.

[c0ntr0lz]

those are some awesome cameras
they hold their own.

[Andy_T]

... if the photographer is up to it :wink:

Great work!

Best regards,
Andy

[mr.photoguy]

Yeah I noticed with the G3 you had to have a lot of patients. If you tried shooting sports with it, you were gauranteed frustration, but it can be done.

[Incomplete Pete]

I'll stick with my 1D, lots easier! lol Good work though!

[Persian-Rice]

Good work, but the limited DOF really shows.
You can shoot F1 with any camera, but the problem is that at the majority of tracks you are too far away. Luckily for people at tracks like Albert Park, there is lots of great general admission locations.

For example on a track like Gilles Villeneuve, the general admission sucks and the grandstands are too far for any average P&S focal length.

I dont think its an issue of getting the action, just what the picture will look like(fences etc etc). By the looks of T_O_M's pictures, he was standing in the same area as you were, and his fences are blended out of the image. I think that is what people are referring to when they say you cant take a pic with a p&s. Focal length and shutter, Focus and Shutter speeds arent really an issue. As you can see, you were able to capture the action real nicely.