Lens restriction at Nurburging F1 track?

[matchap]

Hi there,
I just scored tickets for tomorrow at the Nurburging. I remember that there were lens restrictions at both the Australian GP and at Singapore last year (300mm focal length in Melbourne and Singapore, even if I am not sure about the singapore figure).
Therefore, I wonder if any of you is aware of a focel length limitation at the Nurburgring F1 track.
Thanks in advance
Matthieu

[Lowner]

matchap,

I'd not heard of this before! I've regularly taken 400mm and this year plan on using 500mm at Donnington, so I hope the idea does not catch on.

Certainly the last time I was at the Nurburgring there was no restriction. If I'd been able to lift and afford it, I could have carried in a 1200mm lens.

[GSH]

If it's not on the ticket you have nothing to worry about.

[matchap]

Thanks guys!
Indeed, no restriction at the Nurburgring, not even a simple bag inspection, ahah But weather was sh*t most of the time anyway, so the lenses were most of time in the bag...
In Australia, the lens restriction was written on the conditions of entry. Was not able to find the 2009 , but here is alink o the 2008 conditions of entry, with the restriction being explained in 5/q:
http://www.grandprix.com.au/site/_content/document/00000337-source.pdf
Good thing that kind of restrictions is not used everywhere around the world.
Thanks anyway guys
Matt

[wernersl]

Thanks guys!
Indeed, no restriction at the Nurburgring, not even a simple bag inspection, ahah But weather was sh*t most of the time anyway, so the lenses were most of time in the bag...
In Australia, the lens restriction was written on the conditions of entry. Was not able to find the 2009 , but here is alink o the 2008 conditions of entry, with the restriction being explained in 5/q:
http://www.grandprix.com.au/site/_content/document/00000337-source.pdf
Good thing that kind of restrictions is not used everywhere around the world.
Thanks anyway guys
Matt
could always put a fake plate on your 300 or 400mm...you know...something that says 24mm!

[Lowner]

matchap,

Glad you were able to take in what you wanted, but sorry the weather was not right for you.

I see the pdf reads "may not" rather than positively not allowed. They are covering their asses, but I cannot see why they feel the need to do even that?

[Roger-Walker]

Singapore had a 300mm limit, and searched bag, but didn't look too closely.
They also banned umbrellas and tripods, plus had limits on flag sizes.

Roger.

[Adphoto]

You could always take a 1.4x or 2x with you so you'd have the maximum allowed to satisfy the authorities "plus a bit" ;)

[grphx]

Why would they have a ban on certain lens lengths?

[Lowner]

Several reasons spring to mind.

1. Physical size in a crowded environment. If not used with a certain amount of tact and sensitivity it could well upset those around.

2. Some countries don't allow anything that could conceivably be used as a weapon. Valencia F1 last year is a case in point. But even worse, totally mindless thugs posing as "security" laying down the law as they saw fit without one iota of supervision. I could very easily have used my 100-400 as a weapon against a couple I fell foul of!

3.Professional "acredited" 'togs who rely on selling their wares might have objected in the past. Narrow minded and difficult to understand, but possible after reading some of the vitriolic comments made in threads here by "official" wedding tog's about amateurs.

[jamesb84]

3.Professional "acredited" 'togs who rely on selling their wares might have objected in the past. Narrow minded and difficult to understand, but possible after reading some of the vitriolic comments made in threads here by "official" wedding tog's about amateurs.

To be honest, with all sports, the editors of newspapers and publications will not touch anything that looks like it has been taken from a spectator area...especially with F1. F1 is so restrictive about its licensing that you wouldnt be able to sell anything whether you wanted to or not.

To class us all narrow-minded and vitriolic is somewhat hypocritical when that is exactly what you've done.

We're actually (certainly football at least) indifferent to amateurs turning up with sometimes better kit than we've got. I personally couldnt care less. I'm there to do a job...end of story.

[Lowner]

Done what? Taken pictures at an event I've been invited to (weddings) or paid to see (F1 and MotGP) and are not intended for resale?

If a professional feels that is destroying his or her livelyhood then they should find another career.

[jamesb84]

Done what? Taken pictures at an event I've been invited to (weddings) or paid to see (F1 and MotGP) and are not intended for resale?

If a professional feels that is destroying his or her livelyhood then they should find another career.

What you've done is to class every pro photographer as narrow minded and bitter. Slightly unfair representation of us all there...

To be honest, we dont care whether you're there or not. I've even joked with guys who've got better kit than me!

Really, if you've got a camera it's the least of our worries, somewhere on the list below...

1. I need to meet my deadline
2. My editor wants pictures of driver XXX and I can't get a good one
3. Should I move to another corner to try and get something better
4. My laptop power is going, I'm going to need to find a power outlet/go back to the media centre
5. Crikey it's hot/cold/wet out here, I need to protect my gear
6. Crikey it's hot/cold/wet out here, I need to protect myself
7. I wonder what they've got for lunch in the media centre
8. I hope the traffic's not bad getting out of here, my girlfriend/wife/partner/husband/boyfriend will be seriously pi**ed if i'm late AGAIN
9. Ooh, is that photographer XXX that I met here last year
10. No it's not, I've just made myself look like a t*t
11. That spectator has a 600mm lens in the stands...I've only got my 400+1.4x, i hope he doesnt try to sell some shots

BW...

[joove]

5. Crikey it's hot/cold/wet out here, I need to protect my gear
6. Crikey it's hot/cold/wet out here, I need to protect myself
7. I wonder what they've got for lunch in the media centre


:-). I like these. Old soldier type!

[Lowner]

My comments were made after reading here some really nasty comments made by so called wedding professionals about family and friends taking pictures. We all have to rub along together.

The sentiment in no way represents my own belief, but as I pointed out, this unfortunate track ruling must have a reason, however idiotic.

[idahogiant]

Lots of sports are going to that...Soldier Field in Chicago limits to 300mm.