 Diane M. Black |
best shutter speed and apt for race bike I will be photographing teh HD drag race this weekend. What is teh best shutter speed and apt for bikes running top speed of 125 mph? Any other advice welcomed!! Namaste Diane Black
|
|
|
|
||
|
W. |
Hi Diane, there's no easy answer here 'cause it depends on many variables: But I'd play with Tv 1/500th when aiming to 'stop the action dead'. E.g. in the first 100 yards from the lights. This is all assuming your camera has no shutter lag, of course.... Have fun anyway!
|
|
|
|
||
|
Diane M. Black |
Thanks so much for the feedback. I will be in pit and along side of track. First qualifing is 9:00 a.m. then 2:00 so much variation in light not to mention posibility of rain. I will be using teh Nikon D65 with 300 lens, will bring unipod but undecided if will use. You suggest 1/500 and 1/100? I was reading that for speeds over 80 mph 1/2000 is suggested. What ar your thoughts ? Each pass is only 30 sec long so have little window of opportunity. Thank you so much for your suggestions!
|
|
|
|
||
|
W. |
I was assuming you were going to be somewhere in the stands. But you're going to be right up close! And if you – from that position – want to 'stop it dead' while it's roaring past you at a distance of no more than 40 feet you would indeed need 1/2000th. But if you try to get 'head-on' shots, from a little distance, so with some telephoto, then I'd play around 1/500th. You may need high ISO. Use the Unipod (is that the same as a monopod?) at every opportunity. Your photos will be a magnitude sharper for it. The 1/100th sec suggestion relates specifically to 'panning'. From the stands. But you're gonna be much closer. So your 'panning', and shutter release moment, will need to be VERY smooth and precise... And, most of all, have fun!
|
|
|
|
||
|
Diane M. Black |
Okay; That maks sense! I feel better; I was on track!! Yes, monopod and unipod same. I was planning on 400 iso or 200 for pan and for sure taking hundreds!! Thanks!
|
|
|
|
||
|
W. |
One technique you can use is 'prefocus': you focus in advance on a precise spot that the bike will be passing (maybe there's advertising on the pavement that you can focus on), lock that focus, compose, wait for the start and expose at the very moment the bike passes the spot. You need a tripod for that.
|
|
|
|
||
|
Samuel Smith |
is that d65 or n65? I shoot for the local r/c aircraft fly-in each year and use sports mode in auto,300mm,400 iso,because of it's tracking abilities.a nice smooth pan and squeezing,not jerking,the shutter work real good for me.shutter speeds range from 1/750th to 1/1200th. now i've seen photos of drag cars and race cars taken at 1/250th with really streaky brackgrounds.gives a great sense of speed. I use single shot mode,not sure if i'm cheap or that i'd rather have 90 good ones out of a hundred vs 50 good ones out of 300. some say use continuous and settle for 1 in maybe 10. sam
|
|
|
|
||
|
Diane M. Black |
Sam Excellent advice!! THANK YOU SOOO MUCH!! yes, it is the n65, I some times use the d50. Great tips!! Ill be making notes of all teh great feedback I'm getting!
|
|
|
|
||
|
Samuel Smith |
if you can keep the sun behind you on those 9am shots.glare and reflections. sam
|
|
|
|
||
|
W. |
OR use fill-flash for the close(r) ups.
|
|
|
|
||
|
This old forum is now archived. Use improved Forum here
Report this Thread |
||