Motorsport Lenses

[Peter Mallett]

Over the years I've been fortunate to either accummulate, or buy, a number of DSLR lenses. But I wondered what would be the ideal lenses to carry for mototorsport events? If F2.8 is the main criteria then even used will set you back a significant sum. However all is not lost because in a web search I came accross this https://www.motorsportphotographer.c...t-photography/ and it seems that with one exception, I'm on the money as they say.

In my kit I have; a 16-35mm LII; a 24-70mm L, both F2.8; a 70-200mm F4L; and a 100-400mm F4-5.6L. Of those, I'm planning on upgrading the 70-200mm to an F2.8 LII but I am very pleased with the results they all provide.

I'm sure others will have a differing view so what would be in your kit?

[Aysedasi]

I travel pretty light these days Peter as Le Mans is really my only (planned) racing trip. Well, 'light' in the sense of number, rather than weight! I have my new 100-400mm 4.5-5.6 L IS II but other than that I only carry an 18-35mm 3.5-5.6 IS that I bought principally for video with my SLR (however as the video experience has been disappointing, I don't make a lot of use of it). TBH, for 'snaps' and video, I use my iPhone most of the time. I think I have an old 28-80mm somewhere as well. I have a 2X extender for the big lens as well, although that too has seen little use. For me, what is becoming more important is to get over my dislike of using a monopod as with such a heavy lens which I've always used handheld, I'm starting to shake a bit in my old age! I also plan next year to make far more use of my tripod as I feel the need to try and get some different night shots, more like the ones I used to take at LM at night years ago - assuming I can get into some places where it will bear fruit.

[Peter Mallett]

Yes, with the access we get as speccies, a wide angle is pretty meaningless, but I find them good for static displays and pit/paddock shots. The 100-400 series 2 is an improvement on the series one in terms of weight and distortion etc. but I'm still satisfied with my old one which is 13 years old and takes pretty good pics as this one last Saturday.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

I have a 2X extender for the big lens as well, although that too has seen little use. For me, what is becoming more important is to get over my dislike of using a monopod as with such a heavy lens which I've always used handheld, I'm starting to shake a bit in my old age! I also plan next year to make far more use of my tripod as I feel the need to try and get some different night shots, more like the ones I used to take at LM at night years ago - assuming I can get into some places where it will bear fruit.

I've also started using a monopod more often - letting that take the strain means my back doesn't ache as much at the end of the day although I do still use the camera handheld for panning shots. My longest lens is a 75-300 - I've thought about getting an extender for it as that seems to be a cheaper alternative to a longer lens (although I'm not sure how much the loss of an f-stop would impact things). The longer lens (or extender) may also come in handy given the ever increasing amount of catch fencing - particularly at Brands Hatch (Paddock being the latest victim).

[GreenMachine]

Weight! I know you are talking Yurrop, where the sun don't always shine, but still ...

IMHO the first priority is a good big sensor (FF really) with good DR for shadow recovery in post and the IQ capacity to crop heavily. For me the next is weight, for handling and carrying all day whether on-camera or in the bag. For me 2.8 is just too much glass/weight, constant F4 is my target these days, but not always achievable, or affordable. I am also leaning to high quality single focus lenses as lighter than zooms, again cropping from wide to make up for the loss of zoom.

Agree about the catch fencing, panning helps there, and MF (or 'catch-in-focus') to defeat the AF taking nice in-focus pictures of the fence, and out-of-focus of what we want to see!

[Peter Mallett]

Good point re the weight of a zoom compared to a prime lens but I've started using a harness which carries the camera using the lens mount so it's well balanced and easy to swing up when needed. That said if you use a monopod you can just carry it over your shoulder. I've also heard of photographers using hunter's jackets with pouches all over to carry lenses etc.

I do like my F4 L 70-200 (also about 15 years old) which is very light and easy to use. The problems arise when you have to crank up the ISO in night or low light conditions and since, as you say, low light is quite common in these parts, F2.8 is the way to go. Another consideration is the cropped sensor issue. Good for longer lenses, a 70-200 becomes a 85-280mm (approx), but the downside is the shorter lenses such as the 16-35mm struggle to do their job.

At Le Mans last year I used my 100-400 and although some daytime shots were at 400mm (too many really), many of the night time shots were at the 150-200mm mark. That said I could never justify the cost of a 300 or 400mm F2.8 prime lens, even a used one, so I'll stick with the zoom.

[tocatrucky]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

At Le Mans last year I used my 100-400 and although some daytime shots were at 400mm (too many really), many of the night time shots were at the 150-200mm mark. That said I could never justify the cost of a 300 or 400mm F2.8 prime lens, even a used one, so I'll stick with the zoom.

A good thing to bear in mind about zooms, the closer you are to its reaches the softer it gets (generally). For example 200mm on a 100-400 L will be far sharper than 200mm on a 70-200 L in my expeerience (on a crop body).

[Peter Mallett]

These days both my cameras are full frame but when I used 7Ds, although I was aware of the sharpness issue, I never really noticed. Perhaps because a crop sensor means you rarely have to run at the max length.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Good point re the weight of a zoom compared to a prime lens but I've started using a harness which carries the camera using the lens mount so it's well balanced and easy to swing up when needed.

Interesting, any more info or links Peter?

[dwh43scale]

70-200 f2.8 is a brilliant starting point - if I had to keep just one lens ...

For UK circuit work. having happily used a 200-500 super zoom for a while, I have now moved to two Nikon PF lenses - 300mm prime and 500mm prime. PF is Phase Fresnel and means a shorter, lighter lens. Both can be used without the monopod that the superzoom rather demanded. Note, it's not a cheap route to take.

Using 1.4 and 1.7 teleconverters, I have rarely found myself without something close to the right lens. The D850 has such big files that a small crop doesn't really impact.

I have been using a 24-120 f4 zoom at hillclimbs from time to time and it also makes a good paddock and pit walk lens. My least used lens currently is the 24-70 zoom.

Finally, for LM this year I used an entry level DSLR and kit lenses (18-55 and 55-200) - much easier to carry round !

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

Interesting, any more info or links Peter?

Sorry Ayse, I first became aware of it when Mike Hoyer mentioed it and I've seen it mentioned by others. That said, I confess I've nver really noticed it myself but that may be because I put it down to my lack of focussing skill rather than the lens.

The harness I use is a Yanmis Camera Harness, Double Shoulder Adjustable Digital Camera Strap Leather Double Rivet Harness for Camera with Tripod Stand 1/4 Inch which I bought from Amazon specifically for Le Mans, then left it at home. There are others though and Wex Photography have webbing typ harnesses.

[grantp]

I have a fully manual 14mmf2.8 for occasional forays into wide angle experiments, a 24-105 F4 for paddock work and the few locations where one can get sensibly close to the track now and again (Cadwell for example) and a 70-200 IS L Mk2 F2.8 with 2x extender available. So that is usually used as a 140-400 at f5.6

I also have a 600mm prime (FD Mount) from the early 1980s (and a 2x extender for that) which is so heavy a tripod is imperative. No AF either so one sets up, focuses where one wishes to take the shot and waits for the subject to appear.

It is, however, pretty good at making fences disappear so long as there is no direct strong sunlight.

The 600 is only used if I can get my car out around the track.

My camera bodies are 1.3 and 1.6 crop factors to all of those length numbers need to be adjusted for real "size" according to the camera body to which they are fitted.

In theory the 600mm, with crop sensor, extender and a small enlargement factor related to the FD to EF mount adaptor, gives something like a 1280mm equivalent. However, it is barely usable in that configuration.

I normally carry the 1D3 with 70-200 + Extender fitted, my backup in a small camera bag with 24-105 fitted and the 14mm in a lens change case for use with the backup camera where, at 1.6 crop, the 14mm becomes about a 22mm in effect.

I also have a 70-300 DO lens. DO is, I think, much the same as the PF fresnel lens that dwh mentioned. It seems to offer the same claimed benefits.

It's an interesting lens but was well used when I bought it some time ago. Eventually the electronics failed. When I got it back it failed again as I was testing it before leaving the repair agent's office, so off it went again for recalibration. That helped but one cannot trust it's focus capability (or maybe just sharpness in general) at over 250mm and it's is not fast at the best of times. I kept it as a nice option for portrait work but that's not something I have done for years.

In general I just carry stuff over shoulder or using a neck strap but holding the weight. I consider it a bit of a workout that I would otherwise not get.

However, I am still looking at the potential for putting a saddlebag style installation on my bicycle, with electric conversion available, so see whether such a configuration might, sometimes, be an option at circuits where one can no longer take the car where one would like to go. It's the weight of the 600mm that brings such an idea into question. That and the lack of suspension on my bike - which is not that much younger than the lens.

[andrewc]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Sorry Ayse, I first became aware of it when Mike Hoyer mentioed it and I've seen it mentioned by others. That said, I confess I've nver really noticed it myself but that may be because I put it down to my lack of focussing skill rather than the lens.

The harness I use is a Yanmis Camera Harness, Double Shoulder Adjustable Digital Camera Strap Leather Double Rivet Harness for Camera with Tripod Stand 1/4 Inch which I bought from Amazon specifically for Le Mans, then left it at home. There are others though and Wex Photography have webbing typ harnesses.

I use a Black Rapid strap which is a similar concept.

I'd always recommend a second anchor as the strap screws into a tripod mount and can come undone! - and some of the cheaper ones wear through the cheap metal fixings quickly.

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by andrewc

I'd always recommend a second anchor as the strap screws into a tripod mount and can come undone! - and some of the cheaper ones wear through the cheap metal fixings quickly.

Good point, thanks for that.

[dwh43scale]

I use a Black Rapid across the body to the tripod mount - and have added a secondary strap (Black Rapid do one) - the screw into the mount can come loose.