100-400L IS and auto racing help

[photofinish]

I'm taking my new 100-400L IS to a local auto race tomorrow. I want to practice with the lens and the camera. This is my first time shooting action. My goal is to use a tripod and catch some tack-sharp cars with blurred-motion backgrounds. Should I shoot completely manual? Do I turn off the IS while on a tripod? Recommended shutter/aperture?

Thanks, guys for the help!

[Cadwell]

Forget the tripod. Tripods and motorsports do not mix and all the experience track-side shooters will laugh at you.

What you are talking about is taking panning shots (blurred backgrounds + sharp cars). Hand hold the lens, IS "on" in mode 2. Start with your shutter speed around 1/250th and if you think you're getting sharp stuff, gradually work your way down to around 1/100th shutter speed. Use the centre AF point. Pan with the cars trying to keep your AF point on the same spot on the bodywork and release the shutter when the car is parallel to you. Don't forget to follow through for a bit even after you're released the shutter. Smooth motion is the trick.

Have fun and expect lots of blurred cars, the technique takes practice.

[photofinish]

Thanks, Cadwell for the great tips! It will be a learning experience for me...

[Jon, The Elder]

CADWELL- is absolutely right, perfect description !!
That 100/400 should get you INSIDE the cockpit if you get good at panning. Lots of practice and you will get good to the point of not even thinking about it and eventually have a little time to adjust your framing, all in a second or two.

Good luck 1

[Adam Hicks]

Also consider your distance from the track when setting your shutter time in Tv mode. The closer you get the faster these things go by, so you might need to actually bump a tiny bit if you're up close. I know on the Indy / IRL races I can get plenty of blur at 1/500 when the cars are doing 200mph and I'm 100 ft from them :)

If it's your first time out, I wouldn't recommend dropping below 1/250. Things will look good on your viewfinder but you'll be disappointed when you get home. When you get good you'll start panning at 1/60 with IS mode 2 and getting great shots, but up front don't be ashamed to run all the way up to 1/1000 if it means getting a good shot off. The wheels will still have some blur (most of the time) and you'll have a more rewarding experience your first time out. I also recommend bouncing between Tv in 1/250 and Av in f8 on that lens. Get some shots at f8 just so you get the feel for how crisp and excellent the images are from the 100-400. Shoot the pits, the pit workers, the crowd, not just the cars. It's nice to get the whole experience on 'film.'

Adam

[defordphoto]

Don't forget to post some in the Photo Sharing forums!

Have fun!!

[robertwgross]

Rather than a panning shot, my favorite is a shot of the car coming around a curve, and you can see it leaning. Then, with a long enough lens, sometimes you can get the shot clean enough to see the driver's face.

Drivers like to buy those.

I like the vintage car races, like with a 1966 Barracuda. They have rules that the cars must stay a certain distance away from the other cars, and that gives the photographer a little space to isolate one subject.

---Bob Gross---

[photofinish]

Thanks Bob, Jim, and Adam for the advice...

What other positions/angles would make for photos that might be different than the ordinary shots? Are there any other "must have" types of shots?

[dodger]

I bought my 100-400 on ebay in mint condition but no instructions. Whats the difference between IS modes 1 and 2?

[RJSorensen]

dodger . . . IS mode one is for all directions, mode two is for panning. Apparently this could be in any direction? Most think it is left to right or right to left. And that is what I use mine for. However it seems that one can pan up and down, lol, or down to up and get it to work as well.

You need to half click the shutter and you will hear a faint 'clunk' were it does the work to stabiles for whichever mode you are in. The | is on and the 0 is off.

[jimlp]

IS mode 1 is standard IS function, IS 2 only corrects vertical movement so it will not try to adjust/correct while you pan horizontally.

[dodger]

Thanks so much for that swift reply, I'd searched for help on Canons website with no luck so I'd prettymuch forgotton bout it. I use the lens almost exclusivly at motorsport events and trackdays, and in mode 1. This will be so useful.

Thanks again,
Nick

[photofinish]

Nick,
Check these out for IS descriptions:
http://eosdoc.com/manuals/lens/EF100-400LIS/
and
http://www.impactsites2000.com/tekreview/400L_001.htm

[musthavemuzk]

this is helping the decision process out.
want/need a big lens that is semi fast to fast for racing action. not just the type of racing mentioned here but dirt ovals and straightline as well.
would this (1-400) be fine for rally and drifting as well?

on the list to think about
70-200 in its three forms.
1-400
3 or 400 prime.

leaning towards the 1-4 for its length
but if i do indoor anything the 70-200 2.8 would be nice.

i forget where i read it but it was recomended to me to go out and shoot traffic. you might look odd but it will get you used to panning and pacing traffic to get used to the setup and settings. and in the end produce killer shots.

Monty