Spanish GP example from Panasonic FZ5

Spanish GP example from Panasonic FZ5:

http://www.david-taylor.myby.co.uk/2...-0953-28-b.jpg

resampled to 50% size, 1280 x 960 pixels, 177KB.

David

On Tue, 31 May 2005 19:43:17 GMT, "David J Taylor"
wrote:

Spanish GP example from Panasonic FZ5:

http://www.david-taylor.myby.co.uk/2...-0953-28-b.jpg

resampled to 50% size, 1280 x 960 pixels, 177KB.

David

Very nice picture. Any chance you recall at what shutter speed this
shot was taken? Did you use shutter priority?

wrote:
On Tue, 31 May 2005 19:43:17 GMT, "David J Taylor"
wrote:

Spanish GP example from Panasonic FZ5:

http://www.david-taylor.myby.co.uk/2...-0953-28-b.jpg

resampled to 50% size, 1280 x 960 pixels, 177KB.

David

Very nice picture. Any chance you recall at what shutter speed this
shot was taken? Did you use shutter priority?

Thanks for the comments.

The exposure information should be in the EXIF data - 1/400s at f/5.6. I
used Program mode. I meant to add that this was taken from a normal
spectator's viewpoint, row 9 of a grandstand, not with press access or
anything.

Cheers,
David

David J Taylor wrote:
wrote:

On Tue, 31 May 2005 19:43:17 GMT, "David J Taylor"
wrote:


Spanish GP example from Panasonic FZ5:

http://www.david-taylor.myby.co.uk/2...-0953-28-b.jpg

resampled to 50% size, 1280 x 960 pixels, 177KB.

David

Very nice picture. Any chance you recall at what shutter speed this
shot was taken? Did you use shutter priority?


Thanks for the comments.

The exposure information should be in the EXIF data - 1/400s at f/5.6. I
used Program mode. I meant to add that this was taken from a normal
spectator's viewpoint, row 9 of a grandstand, not with press access or
anything.

Cheers,
David


Yeah, so, how did the camera/you handle the challenge? Autofocus or
preset? Timing/shutter lag? Percentage of good:missed shots? Easy or
frustrating to use on this subject? (I take a lot of motorcycle racing
pictures so these things are very important to me!)

Cheers
Steve

Bartshumandad wrote:
David J Taylor wrote:
[]
http://www.david-taylor.myby.co.uk/2...-0953-28-b.jpg
[]
Yeah, so, how did the camera/you handle the challenge? Autofocus or
preset? Timing/shutter lag? Percentage of good:missed shots? Easy or
frustrating to use on this subject? (I take a lot of motorcycle racing
pictures so these things are very important to me!)

Cheers
Steve

Hi, Steve.

I would pre-focus & pre-expose on the part of the track I wanted the car
to be at when I took the shot, and then keep the finger half-pressed on
the shutter. Then pan with the car and press the button at the right
time. Being at the GP for all three days (and having digital) meant I
could get plenty of practice. The major problem was framing, because on
this part of the track the cars could either be accelerating out of the
pit-lane, or decelerating towards the first corner, so a simple uniform
pan could easily end up with the car half-on or half-off the image. Of
course, by widening the field-of-view you are more likely to get the whole
car on the image, but it's smaller and not as impressive!

Manual focus might have been nice, but I would still need to keep my
finger half-pressed to minimise shutter lag. I ended up with more usable
shots than I expected - perhaps 1/3 to 1/2 were usable, although only say
5-10% were really good, and perhaps 1 - 2% excellent (like the one I
showed). I was more successful looking the other way to a section of the
first bend where the panning speed was more uniform, but the cars were
further away so not so much detail. Manual zoom might have been easier as
well, rather than the push buttons. Of course, being familiar with the
camera so that you don't need to think about what you are doing helps a
lot. I used the EVF and not the LCD finder exclusively.

Generally I would have said "easy" rather than "frustrating", but much
practice is required. The camera's size and weight were critical (to me)
for three whole day excursions on the trot. No way would I have lugged a
DSLR with (an equivalent) 300mm image stabilised lens around, nor would it
have been anything like as easy to pan. The viewfinder would have been
better, though. I was dead chuffed (as we say) with the FZ5 for this
application!

Cheers,
David

David J Taylor wrote:
Manual focus might have been nice, but I would still need to keep my
finger half-pressed to minimise shutter lag. I ended up with more usable
shots than I expected - perhaps 1/3 to 1/2 were usable, although only say
5-10% were really good, and perhaps 1 - 2% excellent (like the one I
showed).

Having used an FZ10 for racing for about a year, I'd generally agree
with those proportions, although I'm learning *my* limitations on
reaction time etc. better now and I tend not to shoot in circumstances
where I don't think I'll catch the cars properly!

I was more successful looking the other way to a section of the
first bend where the panning speed was more uniform, but the cars were
further away so not so much detail. Manual zoom might have been easier as
well, rather than the push buttons.

This I agree with. Maybe FZ30 will fix that

pete
--
"There's no room for enigmas in built-up areas" - HMHB

"David J Taylor"
wrote in message news
Spanish GP example from Panasonic FZ5:

http://www.david-taylor.myby.co.uk/2...-0953-28-b.jpg

resampled to 50% size, 1280 x 960 pixels, 177KB.

David


One of my efforts from the Spanish Grand Prix.
http://www.photosig.com/go/photos/view?id=1537724

If I remember rightly, that picture was taken from your neck of the woods in
Grandstand F

Gizmo wrote:
"David J Taylor"
wrote in
message news
Spanish GP example from Panasonic FZ5:

http://www.david-taylor.myby.co.uk/2...-0953-28-b.jpg

resampled to 50% size, 1280 x 960 pixels, 177KB.

David


One of my efforts from the Spanish Grand Prix.
http://www.photosig.com/go/photos/view?id=1537724

If I remember rightly, that picture was taken from your neck of the
woods in Grandstand F

What a fascinating comparison! Is your image cropped or the full area?
Mine was resized simply to keep the file size down on my Web site. Your
slower shutter speed emphasises the panning effect more, and the red
Ferrari makes for a better photo than the black McLaren! You were nearer
the bend end of the Grandstand F for that shot, we were at the "start" end
(block 2).

Thanks for showing me what a Canon 20D with 75-300mm IS lens can do!

Cheers,
David

"David J Taylor"
wrote in message . uk...
Gizmo wrote:
"David J Taylor"
wrote in
message news
Spanish GP example from Panasonic FZ5:

http://www.david-taylor.myby.co.uk/2...-0953-28-b.jpg

resampled to 50% size, 1280 x 960 pixels, 177KB.

David


One of my efforts from the Spanish Grand Prix.
http://www.photosig.com/go/photos/view?id=1537724

If I remember rightly, that picture was taken from your neck of the
woods in Grandstand F

What a fascinating comparison! Is your image cropped or the full area?
Mine was resized simply to keep the file size down on my Web site. Your
slower shutter speed emphasises the panning effect more, and the red
Ferrari makes for a better photo than the black McLaren! You were nearer
the bend end of the Grandstand F for that shot, we were at the "start" end
(block 2).

Thanks for showing me what a Canon 20D with 75-300mm IS lens can do!

The image wasn't cropped at all, just resized to make the file size
acceptable to Photosig - for some reason they dont want full size 8MB files
;o)
The 20D was in burst mode - that picture was the best out of 8 pictures. I
guess there's a little bit of luck involved in capturing a car travelling
that fast, centre frame )

The image has been through Photoshop:
Auto contrast. Auto Colours. Unsharp Mask. Resize.

Can't remember which block we were in while in Grandstand F. We spent most
of Friday wandering around different grandstands looking for the best spot
for best years Grand Prix - came to the conclusion that either F or A are
the best spots. )

Gizmo wrote:
"David J Taylor"
wrote in
message . uk...
Gizmo wrote:
"David J Taylor"
wrote in
message news Spanish GP example from Panasonic FZ5:

http://www.david-taylor.myby.co.uk/2...-0953-28-b.jpg

resampled to 50% size, 1280 x 960 pixels, 177KB.

David


One of my efforts from the Spanish Grand Prix.
http://www.photosig.com/go/photos/view?id=1537724

If I remember rightly, that picture was taken from your neck of the
woods in Grandstand F

What a fascinating comparison! Is your image cropped or the full
area? Mine was resized simply to keep the file size down on my Web
site. Your slower shutter speed emphasises the panning effect more,
and the red Ferrari makes for a better photo than the black McLaren!
You were nearer the bend end of the Grandstand F for that shot, we
were at the "start" end (block 2).

Thanks for showing me what a Canon 20D with 75-300mm IS lens can do!

The image wasn't cropped at all, just resized to make the file size
acceptable to Photosig - for some reason they dont want full size 8MB
files ;o)
The 20D was in burst mode - that picture was the best out of 8
pictures. I guess there's a little bit of luck involved in capturing
a car travelling that fast, centre frame )

The image has been through Photoshop:
Auto contrast. Auto Colours. Unsharp Mask. Resize.

Can't remember which block we were in while in Grandstand F. We spent
most of Friday wandering around different grandstands looking for the
best spot for best years Grand Prix - came to the conclusion that
either F or A are the best spots. )

Interesting - I've not go into burst mode yet (we get about 2 pictures per
second), but it is an obvious tool for motor racing! As an amateur, I
sometimes think luck is what gives me those few excellent pictures, with
skill providing a high proportion of good ones. The image from the FZ5 is
completely unprocessed, except for the resizing.

We spent Friday in our seats (or nearby) - there was a lot happening and
we were content to take in the atmosphere. A very enjoyable event!

Cheers,
David