Top end photos!
Discussion
The Shark, YESS, and the SPR organizers are reluctant to give permission to others.
After all, top end also means top speed, and a photographer needs to be experienced
where to stand and what to to (and what not).
A friend of mine gets the allowance regularly, it is Martin with a 600mmNikon lens.
He told me that it it quite difficult to stand at the end of the strip,
pointing the lens to the startline (which you can´t see because of the track shape),
and then deciding wich lane to capture,
and then pre-focus the 600mm monster at "about the finish line" .
Next thing is, a TF car comes towards him almost in silence at 300+ mph
(as the sound takes a bit to reach the top end area),
and throws the laundry out.
Martin has a "focus window" of about 60 ft. where his lens gets a sharp picture,
and at 300+ mph the dragster travels through this quite quickly......
With the old Nikon SLR he only had one shot to make,
but since last year he has a D-SLR and is able to multiply his
chances.
Sadly, Martin has no website of his own, he mostly sells the pix to teams at the next race.
Have you been racing with the altered already or is your asking for the 07 season ?
Cheers,
Benni
After all, top end also means top speed, and a photographer needs to be experienced
where to stand and what to to (and what not).
A friend of mine gets the allowance regularly, it is Martin with a 600mmNikon lens.
He told me that it it quite difficult to stand at the end of the strip,
pointing the lens to the startline (which you can´t see because of the track shape),
and then deciding wich lane to capture,
and then pre-focus the 600mm monster at "about the finish line" .
Next thing is, a TF car comes towards him almost in silence at 300+ mph
(as the sound takes a bit to reach the top end area),
and throws the laundry out.
Martin has a "focus window" of about 60 ft. where his lens gets a sharp picture,
and at 300+ mph the dragster travels through this quite quickly......

With the old Nikon SLR he only had one shot to make,
but since last year he has a D-SLR and is able to multiply his

Sadly, Martin has no website of his own, he mostly sells the pix to teams at the next race.
Have you been racing with the altered already or is your asking for the 07 season ?
Cheers,
Benni
Benni, I would be interested in knowing in what shutter speeds Martin
uses in the circumstances you describe. I assume his old camera had
a manual focus ? whereas the new D-SLR is Autofocus ? Or does he still
pre focus on his 60ft "window" ? (which can't be far of the length of a
Top Fueler and a deployed chute).
I ask because I was wondering before this thread was started if my own
camera could "focus track" a car travelling as fast as a fueler ?
To answer my own question, I doubt it as it is rated to "only" 300kph (about 190mph).
So Joe in the unlikely event of me being at the end of the strip, I could
probably get you that chute out pic you want, as long as you stay below 190 !
uses in the circumstances you describe. I assume his old camera had
a manual focus ? whereas the new D-SLR is Autofocus ? Or does he still
pre focus on his 60ft "window" ? (which can't be far of the length of a
Top Fueler and a deployed chute).
I ask because I was wondering before this thread was started if my own
camera could "focus track" a car travelling as fast as a fueler ?
To answer my own question, I doubt it as it is rated to "only" 300kph (about 190mph).
So Joe in the unlikely event of me being at the end of the strip, I could
probably get you that chute out pic you want, as long as you stay below 190 !
pad116 said:
as long as you stay below 190!
I won't make any promises :P
It's just a rare commodity nowadays to have photo's of the cars with the parachutes out. I've always liked the chutes out photographs they always look graceful.
You never know, someone might suprise me one day with one. I say that because in the Hot Rod Drags writeup in custom car it had a photo of Frank Bennett from the last turn off with a parachute out and it's a good photo.
I loved your photo you gave to me at the National Finals of the car Peter, if you have anymore available as jpegs can you send them to my email? It's on my website under contact.
Cheers
Hi Peter and shutter racers !
I will ask Martin in the next days on the phone,
and post his answers here.
Maybe you know/have met him @ trackside or in the pits,
as he is camping together with Graham who contributed
to the
"Santa Pod guide to dragracing"
Benni
Happy
fast
, healthy
& successful
2007 to @nyone !
I will ask Martin in the next days on the phone,
and post his answers here.
Maybe you know/have met him @ trackside or in the pits,
as he is camping together with Graham who contributed
to the

Benni
Happy




NuthinFancy said:
Luke.
You've now got 2 top end photo's over me, i'm not best pleased!
Haha, it's all good though though, i suppose rising health and safety you can't do it anymore.
You've now got 2 top end photo's over me, i'm not best pleased!

Haha, it's all good though though, i suppose rising health and safety you can't do it anymore.
Haha we have about 6 i think! yep that is the trouble, top end explosions and debris etc
Get Adam down the topend with the camera

Joe, have you asked ED if they will be taking any in 2007? I'm sure Roger would be in the position to be taking some as he is their new photographer. If Roger is brave enough that is. I somehow cannot remember if Rog' is the dare-devil type... :P
Spencer has a photo too from the top end.... although no 'chute as he hates to pack the damn thing. Sloth or "Mr lazy" as he is better known. I cannot remember who took it though. In the bowels of my photo collection online i suppose.
Anyway...just clicked onto ED as it were....Pat Talbot at the top end...chute out. Spooky =]
Spencer has a photo too from the top end.... although no 'chute as he hates to pack the damn thing. Sloth or "Mr lazy" as he is better known. I cannot remember who took it though. In the bowels of my photo collection online i suppose.
Anyway...just clicked onto ED as it were....Pat Talbot at the top end...chute out. Spooky =]
Miss Corrado said:
Joe, have you asked ED if they will be taking any in 2007? I'm sure Roger would be in the position to be taking some as he is their new photographer. If Roger is brave enough that is. I somehow cannot remember if Rog' is the dare-devil type... :P
Ask Roger about taking top end pictures of Scorpion...
Jon C said:
Miss Corrado said:
Joe, have you asked ED if they will be taking any in 2007? I'm sure Roger would be in the position to be taking some as he is their new photographer. If Roger is brave enough that is. I somehow cannot remember if Rog' is the dare-devil type... :P
Ask Roger about taking top end pictures of Scorpion...
One shall!
And, while i am here, i wonder who would know where they currently exist.... *rubs chin*
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