Advice sought for MotoGP at Silverstone

[DavidCane]

I'm going to Silverstone for the MotoGP in two weeks time and will be taking my Canon EOS 500D for the first time. I really want to make sure I come away with some good shots so I'm planning to go up on the Friday, spend the day walking the track to get my photos and then I can enjoy the racing on Sunday rather than worrying about photos.

I'm going to be in the Woodcote grandstand on raceday and want to make sure I have the right lens. I'm thinking that I should hire a lens for the weekend, as the £50 hire for an occasional use is something I can stomach.

What would be a good all-rounder lens to get good on-track shots from the standard specitator areas? I currently have the 18-55mm kit lens and the 50mm f1.8 lens. I want to hire something that'll give me around 300mm-400mm focal length but the choice is quite large and I wonder whether I should dabble with an L series, just to see what the best of Canon's range is like. Or should I get the Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II lens as ultimately that's something I'll probably end up buying.

All tips appreciated. It's been a long time since I went to a track with an SLR, the last time it was with 35mm film camera and a lens pushed through the safety fence.

Thanks,

DC

[Gemm]

It's a great idea to walk around the track on Friday and do as many shots as possible, as you are limited to one spot on the race day and all the photos tend end up looking exactly the same! Hope you are above the fencing at Woodcote as otherwise it would be a nightmare for taking pictures. You can get some tips from this recent thread... http://www.pistonheads.com/xforums/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Mr Gear]

I shot these from the free standing area at Luffield last year...

EOS40D and crappy 200mm lens. The catch-fence didn't get in the way and you have a nice view of the bikes coming in here. I've got a grandstand seat at Woodcote this year, which I imagine will give an even better opportunity for pics.

ETA: 200mm is all you need I think. Certainly no more than 300mm.

[Mr Gear]

Actually, on second thoughts, maybe 300mm would be good if you want to shoot the bikes coming down under the bridge just before they make the lefthander into Luffield...



As they come in front of the grandstand, you wouldn't need 300mm.

This is the view you get: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqOLCOZ6OqM

[DavidCane]

Yeah, that's the shot I want to get. The bikes on the brakes into Brooklands at the end of the Wellington straight. But also I'll be walking the track on Friday so should find all sorts of angles.

For the relatively small extra cost, should I just hire an L series for the weekend and see what I can do?

[Mr Gear]

DavidCane said:

For the relatively small extra cost, should I just hire an L series for the weekend and see what I can do?

I'd certainly be tempted. I don't have much experience of L-series lenses specifically - I know they are better than the ones I can afford on eBay though!

[LongQ]

DavidCane said:

Yeah, that's the shot I want to get. The bikes on the brakes into Brooklands at the end of the Wellington straight. But also I'll be walking the track on Friday so should find all sorts of angles.

For the relatively small extra cost, should I just hire an L series for the weekend and see what I can do?

If you can rent a 100-400 L it would give wide range to work with on a relatively fast lens (covers whatever the weather may throw out) and it's well respected for the results it produces. The push-pull action may take a bit of getting used to but I found my older lenses with push-pull easier to use in an action situation than rotating zooms. ymmv.

You can rent the lens for £36 for a weekend (+ insurance as I assume you won't have your own for that sort of rental) from The Flash Centre (for example). I have rented from them a few times and always had a great service. I know others have had the same experience and I have yet to read any negative comments.

Bear in mind that some weekends can be quite busy for rentals of certain types of lens. MotoGP may be one of them. I would check with possible suppliers ASAP if you are serious about renting.

[DavidCane]

Hiring the 100-400mm L series looks like it'll set me back £75 incl insurance and courier. I guess the question I need to ask is whether I should stump up £50 more and just buy the 55-250mm or 70-300mm lenses on http://electronics.simplyelectronics.net/search?p=...

What is it that sets apart these cheaper option lenses and the big white L's?

If I do choose to hire, I'll be placing my reservation this weekend.

Cheers,

DC

[Mr Gear]

DavidCane said:

Hiring the 100-400mm L series looks like it'll set me back £75 incl insurance and courier. I guess the question I need to ask is whether I should stump up £50 more and just buy the 55-250mm or 70-300mm lenses on http://electronics.simplyelectronics.net/search?p=...

What is it that sets apart these cheaper option lenses and the big white L's?

If I do choose to hire, I'll be placing my reservation this weekend.

Cheers,

DC

Maximum aperture is the main difference I'd imagine. But stuff like autofocus speed and image stabilizers can add to the price massively too.

Edited by Mr Gear on Friday 1st June 16:13

[LongQ]

DavidCane said:

Hiring the 100-400mm L series looks like it'll set me back £75 incl insurance and courier. I guess the question I need to ask is whether I should stump up £50 more and just buy the 55-250mm or 70-300mm lenses on http://electronics.simplyelectronics.net/search?p=...

What is it that sets apart these cheaper option lenses and the big white L's?

If I do choose to hire, I'll be placing my reservation this weekend.

Cheers,

DC

Quite a bit of difference but the 55-250 is well thought of especially at the price.

However, choose your online vendor carefully.

There are also non-Canon lenses to consider if you go to the 300mm length.

[DavidCane]

Thanks, some looking into Simply has set off some warning alarms.

I'm thinking that I may buy a 2nd hand 55-250 and hire either the 100-400 L or the 70-200 f2.8 L as a treat for the weekend. For the Friday when I'm walking the track, the lower focal lengths will meet my needs, on raceday when I'm in the grandstand the 400IS would probably be the only thing that get's close to any action.

Way back in the 90’s I went to watch F1 at silverstone and you could buy a centre transfer which got you onto the inside of some parts of the circuit. Do Silverstone allow access to these areas anymore? I've got the inside of Copse in mind to get shots with the bikes leaning towards me rather than away. Also the inside of Village or the outside of Luffield zooming into the apex of Brooklands.

[RJB_666]

From recommendation from on here last year i went for the Canon 100-300 USM lens. I got mine 2nd hand for under £100. Focussing is really fast, not sure how much easier panning would be with IS though. This is what keeps making me look at the 70-300 IS USM.

Have barely used this at Silverstone yet though but will possibly be there for the Moto GP. Took these on the infield of Craner Curves at Donington the other week of the WSBK if this is any help to gauge 300MM focal.


Sykes Kawasaki by R J Beard, on Flickr


Melandri BMW by R J Beard, on Flickr

[LongQ]

DavidCane said:

Thanks, some looking into Simply has set off some warning alarms.

I'm thinking that I may buy a 2nd hand 55-250 and hire either the 100-400 L or the 70-200 f2.8 L as a treat for the weekend. For the Friday when I'm walking the track, the lower focal lengths will meet my needs, on raceday when I'm in the grandstand the 400IS would probably be the only thing that get's close to any action.

Way back in the 90’s I went to watch F1 at silverstone and you could buy a centre transfer which got you onto the inside of some parts of the circuit. Do Silverstone allow access to these areas anymore? I've got the inside of Copse in mind to get shots with the bikes leaning towards me rather than away. Also the inside of Village or the outside of Luffield zooming into the apex of Brooklands.

Don;t kow about MotoGP but for most club meetings the inside (and the paddock) is readily accessible.

BUT ...

There are a LOT of debris fences these days and you may well find that many of the boundaries are further from the track than you remember. For example for last season all the Grandstands opposite the 'Old' pits were moved back some way 'cos the bike boys wanted more run-off (apparently).

Bear in mind too that the new layout pretty much uses all of what was the centre of the circuit, one way or another.

[DavidCane]

I've reserved the 70-200 f2.8 and 100-400 L's. My sister will be with me with her EOS500D too, so I'm sure we'll both use the lenses and the double hiring won't be wasted.

2 weeks to go, can't wait now.

[blackcab]

https://picasaweb.google.com/116240126353246475119...

these were from snetterton with a 100 400 l series hired from the flash centre in Leeds, they have other branches so look them up - it was £50 all in to hire it

Silverstone you will need at least 250 -400 mm and very few are areas without fences so go for the longer lens, 300m is going to be pushing it in my opinion I took mine there last year and you have only 2 areas you can shoot from and still get pin sharp

70 200 with 2 x extender might be the best option if its available

[blackcab]

also the 55 - 250 IS is a great lens - I have that one also but will be selling it soon to get my L series, the 70,300 IS doesnt seem to work that well at full length

[DavidCane]

First few from today...I took loads so won't be uploading that many.

Predictably I didn't walk the circuit during the sessions but did get to the places I wanted.

Here are a few of the photos, taken with a 70-200mm f2.8 and a 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 L series.

There's a few in there taken by my sister.

All in all very happy with my first time at a track with a DSLR and the first time I've even used L-Series lenses.

Dear Santa......

http://photobucket.com/DC_MotoGP