Going to Le Man - Lenses?

[jon-]

Quick question!

I'm off to Le Man for the first time this year and quite fancy taking my SLR. I'm lucky enough to have a good hospitality package so can get mini buses around the circuit to the prime locations.

I'm shooting on a cropped body (60D). I'll be taking my 24-105 F4 as a general walk about lens, but wondered whether it will be worth renting something like a 70-200 or 400 for track side shots?

Probably won't pack a flash, will stick the 50 1.8 in the bag and rely on ISO for indoor shots.

[rottie102]

jon- said:

I'm shooting on a cropped body (60D). I'll be taking my 24-105 F4 as a general walk about lens, but wondered whether it will be worth renting something like a 70-200 or 400 for track side shots?

Yes

[markmullen]

Yes, I swapped my 70-200 for a 100-400 specifically for Le Mans. There are few places around the circuit where you can shoot above the catch fences, so it can be hard work getting a pleasing shot. Try the grandstands (tribunes) at night for a view into the pits.

[marcosgt]

The catch fencing is the difficulty nowadays, there are few spots where your view will be uninterrupted (High up on the bank at Tertre Rouge or on the exit of the Esses, maybe?).



From the top of the Tertre Rouge bank, but it was 1988!



Inside of the exit from the Esses (more recently!)

Get a long lens (or a decent telephoto zoom) and open it up to ensure a small depth of field and then you can lose the catch fencing with blur (or to a degree anyway).

A monopod would be a good investment to help steady the lens.

As the previous poster suggested, a 70-200 is probably too short, unless you're prepared to crop and lose overall resolution.

M.

Edited by marcosgt on Monday 10th June 16:27

[jon-]

Thanks guys. Maybe I'll look at the 100-400, but I'm not entirely convinced. I get on with the push pull, but I prefer something faster. I think a 400 prime would be a bit overkill, though I am used to shooting with primes (the 24-105 is my only zoom!)

[nellyleelephant]

jon- said:

Thanks guys. Maybe I'll look at the 100-400, but I'm not entirely convinced. I get on with the push pull, but I prefer something faster. I think a 400 prime would be a bit overkill, though I am used to shooting with primes (the 24-105 is my only zoom!)

400 f4 DO if you can find one to rent? I'd imagine that anything faster will have a long waiting list to rent. 300 f4?

[Thunderace]

Over the top of the catch fencing at Tertre Rouge. Canon 5D2 (so no crop factor) and 70-200mm.

[jon-]

Thunderace, how much have you cropped into those photos? Seems plenty close enough on a 200mm FF?!

[mike80]

Remember anything too big and heavy you could end up carrying around for a long time! Worth bearing in mind.

[Thunderace]

jon- said:

Thunderace, how much have you cropped into those photos? Seems plenty close enough on a 200mm FF?!

Maybe about 15% cropped off the width. I also had a crop body, 100-400mm and 1.4 convertor with me, at that part of the circuit full frame and 70-200 felt most appropriate.

[Disastrous]

The 60D has the flip out screen so I'd look to take a monopod and a remote so I could hook it up above the fencin and still see what I'm doing, if possible. Sorry, not a lens thing but just a thought that occurred,

[nellyleelephant]

I'd have thought that a flip screen would be a hindrance with anything that close and fast moving....

[DavidCane]

You won't be using a flip out screen at a distance for panning shots. Head on and driving away, possibly & long exposure at night with the light trails. Not panning tho.

I wish I was going, it's still on my must-do list.

[kybo]

What about a 70-200mm F2.8 with 1.4 or 2x tele-converter? Should maintain decent focusing speed and provide additional reach when required.
Or Sigma 50-500mm? It's a bit of a pig if you're carrying it all day but done me just fine on many a motorsport weekend. Not the best in fading light (or maybe that was just me!!).

Just a thought [or 2].

Enjoy!!

Scott

[moribund]

I use a 300mm zoom on my 550D (crop) at LM and think that 400mm wouild be handy but would be limiting if fixed focal length. There are a few places where 400mm would be just too much.

Shooting through the fencing is quite possible with lower shutter speeds too.

[jon-]

Cheers guys, I really appreciate the advice. Sounds like the focal length I'll need will vary a lot depending on where I am, so I might just bite the bullet and borrow a 100-400.

Related, but at a slight tangent... I might be able to blag a helicopter ride above the circuit. I've never been in a helicopter, so no idea what focal length I'll need for nice shots. Would it be worth packing a 10-20 for really wide air shots?

[smack]

400 2.8, with 1.4 and 2 TC's.

[jon-]

I've shot handheld at 800mm before. Couldn't find anything.

[smack]

Pussy. Don't you lift?

[lowdrag]

To give you a clue, this was taken Sunday with a 200/400mm f4 lens from high above the esses at 400mm. You'll see the fencing intrudes.



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This, by comparison, taken trackside (so the other side of the chicken wire) with the same lens again at 400mm:-



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You'll need all the galss you can get hold of, but I would warn against, if a consumer and not pro lens, using a teleconverter since you'll lose too much light. HTH.