Night time drag racing tips

[jsinon]

I'm not much of a motor sports photographer, but I'm going to a night drag race next weekend, jet cars, top fuel etc. I'm looking for some tips please. I don't have a flash, other that the built in on my 40D, but can borrow one if needed/recommended. What I need is camera setting info, iso, shutter speed, etc. I will probably be using my 70-200 f4L in the stands and both the 17-40 and 70-200 in the pits.

Thanks,
Jeff

[PhotosGuy]

Set the lens at f/4. For the shutter speed, see the similar threads linked at the bottom-left of this page.

Then, for the ISO, you could try doing what I did with the Refs white shirt in this thread to get a exposure reading, & adjust ISO to work with the other settings.
Need an exposure crutch? (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=89123)

[Jim M]

It will depend on the brightness of the track lighting and your own location. If this is a national event track with a good Musco lighting system, you won't be too bad off. If it is a small local track, things could be relatively dim. If it is the typical local track, more than likely you will be best off at night cranking the ISO as high as it will go unless you get a shutter speed that is hand holdable at a lower ISO. At night you will probably be using the maximum aperture as well, but if you are shooting from the stands, shallow depth of field probably won't matter much.

Whether or not to use flash will depend on how far you are from the action. Shooting from the stands I doubt you will improve your situation much. I don't use flash with jet cars, even when I am trackside. The best images are during the show they put on before the run when they are lighting up excess fuel and you get big flame explosions. I usually just set the camera on one of the automatic modes (P for instance) and let the camera figure out the exposure. Probably a good plan for you unless you can chimp and guess faster than I can. You will have more than one chance during the pre-run theatrics.

With fuel cars, dang those things are quick! Down track you can probably pan, but if you are near the starting line, just hit the button as soon as you see flame. You probably won't react quick enough to pan on the starting line, but then I am an old slow guy. Your performance may vary.

You will probably have plenty of opportunity to get pit shots before the sun goes down. After dark, flash can be useful.

I hope this is useful and in time. I wasn't sure whether "next weekend" was this weekend or the one coming.

[jsinon]

Thanks for the tips.
Jim, the show is 7/11, so you are in time.

I will post pics. Assuming I get anything worth posting.

[jimken61]

If your taking shots from the stands at night I would set the ap. to f4, ISO at about 1000 or so and see what kind of shutter speeds you get. It might be helpful to use a monopod and practice panning with it. Usually the lighting is better around the starting line so I would try to get some shots as they come by the tree and shoot the far lane so you dont cut off the bottom of the car with the wall. You want to be high enough up in the stands so you can see the whole car and wheels in the far lane. Hope this helps.

Here is one I took a few years ago using a 20D w/Sigma 70-200 2.8. I think the ISO was 3200 and ap. was 2.8, not sure about the shutter, probably around 1/320.
Jim

http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/media/folder_148/file_1473801.jpg