Anyone using a big prime?

[G_Ilott]

Wondered if anyone uses a 300 prime or above (I intend to use convertors sometimes), non stabilised, and whether (a) they have problems with shake and (b) if there are any particular techniques peculiar to motorsport and heavy primes that I need to learn. Panning, of course, is something I became reasonably useful at a few years ago but with a compact 28-200, not a 2 kilo prime.

Thanks awfully.

[MolsonBoy]

G, I use a use a 300 F/2.8 with 1.4x convertor. It is manual focus and is a about 6 Kilos (?). I have always used a monopod when I shoot it.

Have taken some nice panning shots without the monopod but I may have just been lucky.

[G_Ilott]

MB : I can't get into your site, only the first page but I like the shot shown on the homepage. Do you have any other examples, particularly head-on shots using the convertor. Have you ever stacked 1.4x and 2x convertors?

[KC]

I could never afford one. Even used ones fetch a huge price here in the US. Then you have the chance that its on the used rack for a reason too.

[G_Ilott]

One of the reasons I am not buying a Canon 100-400 is its variability. Invariably, the ones on Ebay or on the used market are the poor examples - no one sells their good example. I didn't want to go through the process of buying new then sending several lenses back to find a good one. And I doubt any vendor would allow that anyway.

[MolsonBoy]

Originally posted by G_Ilott
MB : I can't get into your site, only the first page but I like the shot shown on the homepage. Do you have any other examples, particularly head-on shots using the convertor. Have you ever stacked 1.4x and 2x convertors?

My site really isn't built yet. I just posted some image to allow me to post to other forums. I have been really busy with a charity print porject along with becoming champweb.net's photo editor. I hope to get some free time later this month to get this done.

As for stacking convertors I have not done just because I don't have the convertors to stack. My 1.4x is for manual focus and 2x is for auto focus. In my opinion this is not a good idea. You would be better off buying a cheaper telephoto than stacking. The light loss by stacking would not be a fair trade off tosaving money. Plus if you are using auto focus it may not even work.

[G_Ilott]

I don't intend using stacked convertors as a matter of course - I meant just for one-off shots such as very tight shots the driver or cars at the other end of a straight. But as you say, you haven't tried it.

[G_Ilott]

Anyone with a 300 2.8 have tips for shooting motorsport with such a lens?

I now have my example and shot some orchids, deer and landscape last night (plus an errant cow standing in front of a view of a typical Dorset rolling hill and stone church). "Bloody moo-ve it will you!" I quipped, summoning all my wit and not a little comedic timing. Happily it ambled past, not wishing to expel urine onto the ground within 4 miles of the bloke with a big bean tin strapped to his face. Or just one big black eye.

So how about it? Impart knowledge....

[Hans.ca]

I to still have a Nikon 300mm F 2.8 with a 2 time Nikon converter. Everything is manual, but the lens is super sharp. Since I'm no longer working as a photographer it is for sale. Can $ 3000 or best offer.
This lens can be hand held and was used in that manner at the races. In 1976 covering the Olympics in Montreal for the organicers I was using a Canon 600mm F4.5. Also hand held, an exellent lens. To bad the camera was a pile of ****.
Let me make a suggestion to all the aspiring photographers on this site. It takes training to be able to pan a car going 160 mph. So I used to go into spring training every January. Lift weights and take the camera with a 300 mm lens to a highway exit. With me it was the 401 or Don Valey parkway. Pick a good spot and pan all the cars coming on to the off ramp. You don't need to put film into the camera at first. Once you have panned for about 10 hours over several days put some film into it and so how well you are doing. You should be able to fill the frame with no more then 1/8 inch of free space in front and behind the car. The car should be dead sharp except for the wheels. See how slow a shutter speed you can use. 1/30 of a second should be easy. Anything longer the that will take a bit more practice. Go to it and have fun.
Hans.ca
PS If a cop stops to ask you "what the hell are you doing" just be polite and tell him you are working for the FBI. It is not against the law to do this just make sure before you insult the cop that your car is parked in a legal position so he can't give you a ticket.

[G_Ilott]

Interesting idea but I didn't know Canadians drive at 160mph down off-ramps!

I don't think I'll try it - I don't fancy standing beside a road, breathing in fumes, waiting for some bold opportunist to stop and wrest an expensive tube from my hands. Anyway, the nearest busy road is 15 miles away. Locally, I'd get about 2 cars an hour going past.

I see the point though - practice makes perfect. To that end I've been attempting to pan the beast using our border collie. Someone chucks his ball perpendicular to my position and I get cracking.... the only problem being that dogs don't have wheels, apart from the ones in my dreams [insert rambling anecdote and anguished squealing].

Another good bit of practice is jays and woodpeckers. Bobbing up and down, flying reasonably fast, they're a devil to keep in frame. Damn them.

How do you pronounce Scarborough?

[Hans.ca]

We pronounce Scarborough the same as you would. Just because we live in the colonies does not mean we can't speak english.
Regards
Hans.ca

[jonbunston]

Hans is right, plenty of practice(and lots of dissapointment!) is the only way you will get panning right with any lens.

The good news is that with digital, you dont have the expense of wading through loads of poor prints, just watch them on the PC and analise your mistakes.

On the 100- 400 Canon lens, it may appear relatively expensive but with the image stabaliser seems to do a relly good job - I wish I bought that instead of the the 70-200!

http://www.jonbunston.co.uk

[G_Ilott]

Hans : I asked because Americans insist on Scar-bo-ro, and with you being from America Jnr I thought it might have spread...

[vwpilot]

I shoot with a 300 f/2.8 with a 1.4 converter at times. I use this lens of a monopod and generally use it for head on shooting or 3/4 pans. I dont generally use it for a full side pan since its just too big and I am generally close enough with credentials that my 80-200 is close enough.

Panning takes a lot of practice. Go out and do it as often as you can and even shoot cars going up and down your street. If you shoot film and dont want to waste it on the neighbors car, just shoot dry and pay attention to what you are doing. If the car is in your frame before you push the shutter and the mirror flips and its there after the mirror returns, its likely it was there during the shot and should come out fine.

When I shoot a weekend I might shoot 1500 shots, if I get 200-300 excellent shots out of that I did well. I will usually then have an additional 400-500 that are good (in focus and sharp) but not great shots due to composition or something. The rest might be nothing more than throw aways.

[jonbunston]

Jim,

found your site - great photos, clearly had the practice! Is Media accrediation easy to get over your side of the pond than here in the UK?

[vwpilot]

It depends on what you are shooting. I am shooting for www.speedarena.com when I go to pro events. We are a good sized and recognized motorsports website so we do not usually have problems getting credentials except for some of the biggest series such as NASCAR and F1.

Under my own name I dont know that I could get them (though havent tried) cause technically most bodies do not credential "freelancers." I would have to arange to be working for a team in order to get credentialed.