What cameras?

[Carrie]

Okay, thought I'd start off in this forum by asking what different types of cameras everyone is using? Also, if you could pick any camera, which would you choose?
As for me, a Pentax MZ5N with a 170-500mm lens. It's a camera I've had since 1998 when it was a replacement for a camera that had an unfortunate accident on a road in Hampshire
My other camera is one I've had for about 18 months (when I finally sold my first ever camera, a Fuji STX-2). That camera is a Nikon F80 which I'm getting to like more and more and it has now been joined by a Sigma 50-500mm len.
Ideal camera, probably a digital Nikon.

[brickkicker]

I have a canon EOS D30 and an EOS 5 (which was my first real camera). After putting of going digital when I got the D30 I will never look back. After you have gone to the expense of doing it you have none of the costs after (film proc etc)
Would like the Canon 1Ds

[Jay]

I bought a Maxxum 5 last summer and have been very pleased with it. It has the features of a much larger more expensive camera but is extremely compact, which is good when trying to carry as little as possible around the track. So far, it's been amazing, better than my friends's Nikon F65, but I still need a 300 or so lense..which I'll get before this season begins.

[Red]

Canon Eos 50e. 2 EF Canon lenses, 35-105 USM (came bundled) and 75-300 MM. Both f/4-5.6. Not very pleased of both of them, especially the 300 zoom; it rotates and changes length while focusing making impossible the use of a polarizer. But it was the only zoom that fit into my budget at that time..

[woodyracing]

I have a Canon EOS 30 with 75-300mm Canon USM Mk3 lens(f4-5.6), its my first SLR and Ive only used two rolls of film but so far im very pleased with it and the results.
Ideal camera, probably a digital Nikon (to save me having to scan the photos) but digital SLRs are overpriced IMO.

[KC]

I have a Canon Rebel G with a Canon 35-70mm lens and a Tamron 80-210mm lens. I also use an Olympus D460z and Olympus C2100UZ digital camera.

[JR27]

The last couple of years I've used my Nikon F100 with a Nikon 80-400 VR lens.

Murph

[bella]

nikon d100 with a sigma 50-500 mm lens.

it's my baby.

[Suzy]

I use a Nikon F55 with 2 lenses. I either use a 28-100mm Nikon lens or a 100-300mm Nikon lens. Unfortunately, the largest lens I can use on this camera is a 400mm because the camera won't support anything larger weight-wise (too light).

It's a damn fine camera though.

[jase]

35mm Minolta X300 with a 400mm mirror lens, damn heavy that! a 75-300mm, 35-140 a 50mm macro and an X2 converter. Aswell as a Fuji finepix 3200 digi.

Sometimes it gets too much to carry, so I often only take 2 lenses and the digi with me depending where i'm going.

Does anyone know if there a digital body that can take the lenses i've got?

[Peter Mallett]

I have a Canon EOS 300 which is great for tourist type pics. However being *old* I still love my AE1s and the FD lens' which go with them. The weight penalty is outweighed (lol) by the reliability in any weather.

Don't do much photography these days but I'll keep those cameras for ever.

[touringlegend]

A Vivitar V4000S with a 300mm Pentax Telephoto lens. It was the right price for me at the right time! And does a damn fine job too.

Always on the lookout for more lenses...especially a zoom one

[Carrie]

Originally posted by Red
Canon Eos 50e. 2 EF Canon lenses, 35-105 USM (came bundled) and 75-300 MM. Both f/4-5.6. Not very pleased of both of them, especially the 300 zoom; it rotates and changes length while focusing making impossible the use of a polarizer.

Red, that's something I've always hated with the Pentax which does that as well. Very annoying. That's one reason why I'm quite impressed with Sigma lenses at the moment.
I've also found the Pentax far, far too sensitive on focussing, it's near impossible to do manual focus because you only need to touch the lens and you're altering the focus - grrr.

Jason, I used to have an X300S - nice camera, I always liked it and was very sad when it was broken and I had to change to the Pentax. I'd never claim to be an expert, but I'm not aware of a digital that will take Minolta fit lens. I'm sure someone can correct me, but I've only come across Canon, Sigma, Nikon and Fuji (nikon fit) digital SLRs. To those who are using digital SLRs, how are you getting on, any unexpected problems? A friend who's a pro photographer was saying that he's got a problem with the ammount of dirt getting into his Nikon and it seems Nikon note it as a problem, but the only way round it is to send the camera to Nikon whenever you want to change a lens. Erm, have I missed something here - send a camera away to the manufacturer whenever you want to change a lens!

I know what you mean about weight as well, I've just got rid of a 350mm mirror lens which was a very good lens, but had very little use because of the weight in it.

[AndyF]

I have a Minolta 505si AF, a Minolta X700 MF and a cheapy Fuji Digital.

[pauldavid]

I use mainly my Dynax 5 with a sigma 28 - 300 zoom, i find it covers most situations but in the next couple of weeks when i can get up to the smoke i will be getting the sigma 50-500 lens, sounds the same lens as carrie is using (let us know what its like). The weight is not a problem as i am a builder and have arms like the proverbial s### house and i find the weight enables me to steady the camera when not using a mono-pod especially at a windy Brands Hatch.

[brickkicker]

If you have a 28-300 you could go for the sigma 170-500 instead of the 50-500 as it is a bit cheaper. But I tryed one and they are heavy, you should realy put it on a monopod as it may damage your mounts on the camera due to the weight.

[Carrie]

I've got the 170-500 (really must get round to selling it) and the 50-500 Sigmas. I got the 170 first and that fits the Pentax. I've not had much chance to experiment with the 50-500 yet, but so far I'd say it's worth paying that bit extra and going for that over the 170-500.
The 50-500 can be locked in position which is useful for ensuring it doesn't drop out to full zoom when you're carrying the camera around. It also has it's own carrying strap to use in addition to the one on the camera.
Those are both big plus points over the 170-500 which does not have a lockable zoom. There's also one major drawback I've found on the 170-500 with regard to the weight - if left to its own devices it will detach itself from the camera, which means that I usually sort of cradle both the camera and lens when I'm carrying them.
I much prefer the weighting on the 50-500mm and it also seems much more responsive and quicker to focus in AF mode.
There's plenty of pics on my site taken with the 170-500, but at the moment, none with the 50-500 just because it's so new to me.
As for weight, honestly Paul, I don't see that as a problem. Sometimes I'll use that lens with a monopod, but mostly I'll hand hold it. Now, I wish I could claim to be the original 7 stone weakling, but I can't, I'm smaller than that, so if I don't find the weight of that lens a problem I don't see why anyone else should struggle with it. I can't comment on the 50-500 in windy conditions, but I have had trouble with the 170-500 on a windy day at Abbey.

[MolsonBoy]

This is my first post to the Motorsport Art & Photography forum. I have notice that most of the people posting are from the eastern side of the atlantic. Hello to all from Canada!

Back to the topic, I have been using a Canon F1 with a motordrive since 1988. I purchased a Tamron 300mm f/2.8 in 1990. I also use a Tamron 35-70 zoom, Canon 24mm. Last year I decided to get with the auto focus generation and purchased a used Canon EOS 1N,a 70-200 f/2.8 zoom and a 2X multiplier.

[mixxer]

Originally a Fujica (STX) and Tamron 60-300 3.5,4.5 Tele Zoom and a Tokina 28-80 4.0,5.6 Zoom as of this year its a EOS 30 with 3 lens 20 - 35 3.5 - 4.5 EF USM, 24 - 85 3.5 - 4.5 EF USM and a cheapie 75 - 300 4.0 - 5.6 EF USM III currently looking for a fast fixed focal lens in the 300mm range.

[Farmer Pickles]

My camera is not in the league of all you lot but it does produce a few good shots, you can see what i mean here http://www.f1-photos.net/search_res...w+me+the+Photos
By the way i use a fuji finepix S602Zoom

[kdr]

a nikon f4 and f3. f4 is good for art...f3 would stop a tank.

[tanalised]

I use a Pentax Z1 with standard 28-80mm pentax lens, a Pentax 20mm, Vivitar 105mm f2.5 lens for portraiture, Tamron sp300 f5.6mm & Sigma 400mm f5.6. Had a 70-210 but sold it cause I hardly used it. If I need a back up camera I've got a few Spotmatics I can use

[Aysedasi]

11 year old Canon EOS 100, plus 28-80 and 100-300 (both Cannon). 2x converter. Loved the EOS when I bought it and still love it now.......

[kdr]

ayse. i use nikon but i have an old canon eos100 as a fall back. good camera...and not like some of the others from around that time which you couldn't switch to manual.

[G_Ilott]

Not sure if you want to know this because I haven't taken motorsport for 3 years and my kit bears no relation to what I used then. For nature and landscape I use an EOS 1N with Tokina 20-35mm f2.8 ATX PRO and Tokina 28-70mm f2.8 ATX PRO and a cheap Sigma 70-300 macro. For point-and-shoot-and-swear-at-the-results I used a Sigma 28-200 f4-5.6 coupled to an EOS 600 but that was almost useless.

I will probably return to motorsport this year and am looking to buy a 400mm+ lens or equivalent using a 1.4x convertor.