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Motorsports with the DA* 50-135mm · 12:58 PM

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Evergreen Drift Competition - Round 1 2010

Now I know there are some people who say it sucks for sports, but from my use of it...it really depends what you are trying to do.

Christopher M.W.T · 06-09-2010, 01:59 PM

Great shots man, look work in tracking to.

Did you use AF-C to?

I love the 50-135DA* for action, in AF-c it never fails to track and get excellent in focus shots.

Gaelen · 06-09-2010, 02:05 PM

Yes, AF-C is required for those to work well

I was using my 400mm on my k100 too, have to say the DA* was a lot nicer tracking.

Christopher M.W.T · 06-09-2010, 02:12 PM

Yeah it is, definitely very smooth, fast and accurate. I shot a soccer match in Egypt ad-hoc, when our falluca's docked on the Nile, really impressed with the results, nearly every shot was good and in focus. Used JPEG @ 6mp and just basically held the finger on the shutter button.

Another good lens for AF-C I found was the Sigma 70-200 HSM worked really well.

trd300gt · 06-09-2010, 08:10 PM

Great shots. I love the S15 front on that (I presume) 240SX

Gaelen · 06-10-2010, 08:30 AM

You would be correct on that...I love that car

it's come a long way since he first bought it 6 years ago.

goddo31 · 06-10-2010, 11:33 PM

Very nice shots, Gaelen. What shutter speed do you typically use?

fractal · 06-11-2010, 02:23 AM

I love my motorsports, but i'm not the biggest fan of drifting as a sport.

Great shots though. Top marks for the panning!

Monopod?

Gaelen · 06-11-2010, 08:51 AM

Originally posted by goddo31

Very nice shots, Gaelen. What shutter speed do you typically use?

I was typically using 1/30 for the day. Some of the other photographers and I started a contest to see who could get the slowest and keep it in focus. I got one at 1/15

Originally posted by fractal

I love my motorsports, but i'm not the biggest fan of drifting as a sport.

Great shots though. Top marks for the panning!

Monopod?

Ya I typically find that, most people are either open to it or not. I wasnt much into it until I started driving a few events and of course shooting them. It is a real challenge of car control which I love. I find it a LOT more challenging than the autox days I used to do, but in a very different way.

No mono pod, I shoot everything hand held.

41ants · 06-11-2010, 01:25 PM

Amazing power they get out of those nissan 240's with the srd20 swaps. Nice job capturing the action

jbrowning · 06-11-2010, 01:34 PM

Great shots there Gaelen. I have been using the DA*300 on the last two motorcycle races I went to and I really like it. The Bigma has been setting in truck these last two races. I wish I could find/afford a 300 f2.8 auto focus but that is going to have to wait a little bit. Did you do much cropping on these shots or were you that close to the cars?

Thanks
Jim

Gaelen · 06-11-2010, 03:24 PM

Originally posted by 41ants

Amazing power they get out of those nissan 240's with the srd20 swaps. Nice job capturing the action

It's insane, I got a ride in one for a shop I do some work for. It made 530whp out of a 2liter...It was great fun! he did promise me I could drive it one day so I'm excited for that

Originally posted by jbrowning

Great shots there Gaelen. I have been using the DA*300 on the last two motorcycle races I went to and I really like it. The Bigma has been setting in truck these last two races. I wish I could find/afford a 300 f2.8 auto focus but that is going to have to wait a little bit. Did you do much cropping on these shots or were you that close to the cars?

Thanks
Jim

Lucky you! I want one of those and possibly a TC to get it up a bit further.

Those are not cropped, we get pretty lucky at this track for being able to stand (safely) on track like that. There is another event tomorrow I unfortunately cant make it to that we can stand even closer!

I really want to find some more races out here to go to once I finish school.

guillermovilas · 10-08-2010, 08:13 AM

Very nice indeed , here are some made with the same lens , thinking of purchasing something with a longer reach , like a Pentax 60-250/4 or Sigma 120-400/4.5-5.6

pickles · 10-08-2010, 02:40 PM

Top shots...the very first image (car) would be my pick.
Yep, you've got it right.."the one who can use the slowest shutter speed"!
I used to try for shots like that, but with my LX & MANUAL focus lens!!!... (probably my 70/210 "A").....I found it very difficult.....but occasionally, I did succeed.
I don't think I ever got down to a fifteenth though, probably about a thirtieth or a sixtieth, depending upon the situation. If I'd have taken your shots, with my manual focus gear, I'd have been super happy!
Cheers, Pickles.

deadwolfbones · 10-08-2010, 03:56 PM

Fantastic panning! Very nice work.

Guillermo, try as I might I just can't bring myself to like that overdone HDR look, which is too bad since the composition is very nice in those pics. They just look like they're drawn in neon highlighter marker to me.

Gaelen
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06-09-2010, 01:59 PM	#2
Christopher M.W.T Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,689	Great shots man, look work in tracking to. Did you use AF-C to? I love the 50-135DA* for action, in AF-c it never fails to track and get excellent in focus shots.

06-09-2010, 02:05 PM	#3
Gaelen Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Coquitlam, BC, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 749 Original Poster	Yes, AF-C is required for those to work well I was using my 400mm on my k100 too, have to say the DA* was a lot nicer tracking.

06-09-2010, 02:12 PM	#4
Christopher M.W.T Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,689	Yeah it is, definitely very smooth, fast and accurate. I shot a soccer match in Egypt ad-hoc, when our falluca's docked on the Nile, really impressed with the results, nearly every shot was good and in focus. Used JPEG @ 6mp and just basically held the finger on the shutter button. Another good lens for AF-C I found was the Sigma 70-200 HSM worked really well.

06-09-2010, 08:10 PM	#5
trd300gt Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Tustin, CA Posts: 206	Great shots. I love the S15 front on that (I presume) 240SX

06-10-2010, 08:30 AM	#6
Gaelen Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Coquitlam, BC, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 749 Original Poster	You would be correct on that...I love that car it's come a long way since he first bought it 6 years ago.

06-10-2010, 11:33 PM	#7
goddo31 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,576	Very nice shots, Gaelen. What shutter speed do you typically use?

06-11-2010, 02:23 AM	#8
fractal Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Melbourne Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,547	I love my motorsports, but i'm not the biggest fan of drifting as a sport. Great shots though. Top marks for the panning! Monopod?

06-11-2010, 08:51 AM	#9
Gaelen Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Coquitlam, BC, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 749 Original Poster	Originally posted by goddo31 Very nice shots, Gaelen. What shutter speed do you typically use? I was typically using 1/30 for the day. Some of the other photographers and I started a contest to see who could get the slowest and keep it in focus. I got one at 1/15 Originally posted by fractal I love my motorsports, but i'm not the biggest fan of drifting as a sport. Great shots though. Top marks for the panning! Monopod? Ya I typically find that, most people are either open to it or not. I wasnt much into it until I started driving a few events and of course shooting them. It is a real challenge of car control which I love. I find it a LOT more challenging than the autox days I used to do, but in a very different way. No mono pod, I shoot everything hand held.

06-11-2010, 01:25 PM	#10
41ants Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: SRQ Photos: Albums Posts: 139	Amazing power they get out of those nissan 240's with the srd20 swaps. Nice job capturing the action

06-11-2010, 01:34 PM	#11
jbrowning Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Colorado Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 996	Great shots there Gaelen. I have been using the DA*300 on the last two motorcycle races I went to and I really like it. The Bigma has been setting in truck these last two races. I wish I could find/afford a 300 f2.8 auto focus but that is going to have to wait a little bit. Did you do much cropping on these shots or were you that close to the cars? Thanks Jim

06-11-2010, 03:24 PM	#12
Gaelen Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Coquitlam, BC, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 749 Original Poster	Originally posted by 41ants Amazing power they get out of those nissan 240's with the srd20 swaps. Nice job capturing the action It's insane, I got a ride in one for a shop I do some work for. It made 530whp out of a 2liter...It was great fun! he did promise me I could drive it one day so I'm excited for that Originally posted by jbrowning Great shots there Gaelen. I have been using the DA*300 on the last two motorcycle races I went to and I really like it. The Bigma has been setting in truck these last two races. I wish I could find/afford a 300 f2.8 auto focus but that is going to have to wait a little bit. Did you do much cropping on these shots or were you that close to the cars? Thanks Jim Lucky you! I want one of those and possibly a TC to get it up a bit further. Those are not cropped, we get pretty lucky at this track for being able to stand (safely) on track like that. There is another event tomorrow I unfortunately cant make it to that we can stand even closer! I really want to find some more races out here to go to once I finish school.

10-08-2010, 08:13 AM	#13
guillermovilas Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Hasselt , Belgium Posts: 224	Very nice indeed , here are some made with the same lens , thinking of purchasing something with a longer reach , like a Pentax 60-250/4 or Sigma 120-400/4.5-5.6

10-08-2010, 02:40 PM	#14
pickles Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: melbourne Posts: 937	Top shots...the very first image (car) would be my pick. Yep, you've got it right.."the one who can use the slowest shutter speed"! I used to try for shots like that, but with my LX & MANUAL focus lens!!!... (probably my 70/210 "A").....I found it very difficult.....but occasionally, I did succeed. I don't think I ever got down to a fifteenth though, probably about a thirtieth or a sixtieth, depending upon the situation. If I'd have taken your shots, with my manual focus gear, I'd have been super happy! Cheers, Pickles.

10-08-2010, 03:56 PM	#15
deadwolfbones Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Santa Fe, NM Posts: 7,451	Fantastic panning! Very nice work. Guillermo, try as I might I just can't bring myself to like that overdone HDR look, which is too bad since the composition is very nice in those pics. They just look like they're drawn in neon highlighter marker to me.

Machinery Motorsports with the DA* 50-135mm

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