Moving Car Shots

[Bob_Defly]

When shooting a car coming towards me at an angle what settings should I use? (I'm using D300 terminology but I imagine Canon's do the same type of thing.)

I currently use:
Continuous Focusing
Continuous High Speed Shutter Release
9 Point dynamic AF area
VR off (on the lens as it doesn't have a panning mode)
Focus Tracking Off (i.e. shortest delay)
and adjust the shutter speed to suit the speed of the car. The ones below were taken at 1/125.

Now this one I quite like as the front of the car is in focus:


This one is OK but the focus point is a bit further back:


So three questions really:
How can you get the entire car in focus if possible? (the above were at f/13 and f/16 respectively)
Where should I be aiming the focus point?
And are there any other settings hidden deep within the 400 page manual that might assist with these sort of shots?

cheers
Rob

[gingerbread man]

When I pan at the track, I'll select one the middle focus point and leave the other 8 out of play. I do this because I know where the focus will be 100% of the time if I'm panning with the car in the middle of the shot.

If the other 8 are active, they may throw the focus off during the pan.

I normally will take a few shots of the target using the continuous burst to increase the chances of a crisp capture.

Try tracking the car more and try some shots at 1/200th to see how the focus comes out.

[mhg]

Bob_Defly said:

I currently use:
Continuous Focusing
Continuous High Speed Shutter Release
9 Point dynamic AF area
...

So three questions really:
How can you get the entire car in focus if possible? (the above were at f/13 and f/16 respectively)
Where should I be aiming the focus point?
And are there any other settings hidden deep within the 400 page manual that might assist with these sort of shots?

cheers
Rob

Rob - I'd not bother with the continuous focusing - use the depth of field facility to get an idea of what fstop you need to give you the depth of field you need to get the whole car in focus (at the point in the road where you'll take the shot) - then use aperture priority to set the required fstop - then just let the camera do the metering for you. In good light like the photo's you showed there shouldn't be any problem with getting a quick enough shutter speed to keep the car sharp.

Cheers
Mark

Edited by mhg on Monday 19th May 08:21

[Piers_K]

I asked the same question a while ago.. Short answer is that you need to up your shutter speed.

Explanation as to why here... http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Bob_Defly]

Ah right, great advice cheers!

I must be pivoting as well, as I was very close to the car. Regaring the focus point, is it best just to use one point near the front of the car? So if travelling from left to right, put the point to the right of the frame and get that point on the front of the car?

[jon-]

I was hoping we were talking about in car shots so i could show off this photo again



;)

(it's the first random photo i've taken I've ever been sort of proud of!)

[Simpo Two]

Bob_Defly said:

How can you get the entire car in focus if possible?

Another answer is to wait until it's side-on to you, so the front and back are the same distance away. Or get a TS lens!

[pixelpimp]

Trying to get the entire car in focus, to me defeats the point of an action shot. The Gallardo below was shot with 1/60th, f18 at 170mm FL. Using continuous focus and with the focus point on my D200 moved left off center to track the front of the car as I panned.

Lots of movement but a sharp point of focus.
The racing Murcielago was shot with a faster 1/250th at f8 to give a bit more movement, keeps all of the car in focus and fast enough to freeze the flames.

Where as this orange Gallardo was slowed right down with 1/80th at f5.6, the slower the shutter speed whilst panning often results in camera shake. This is why I love Nikons as they are heavy and easy to hold at slow speeds.

The next photo is a traditional 300mm long lens action shot at 1/1000th at f3.2. Fast moving car, frozen with limited depth of field, nice and sharp but unless the car is sideways there isn't much of a sensation of speed.

And finally an action photo using the 300mm but a slower shutter speed 1/100th and panning at the same time. Takes alot of practice but is very rewarding and effective.

[ezakimak]

Bob_Defly said:

Where should I be aiming the focus point?

cheers
Rob

At the EYE’s.

Most cars do not have them, but the driver or passenger normally does. Have a look at some of the action shots of historic open wheelers or any bike racing shots, the eyes will add a lot of drama to the shot and give you the chance to get a feeling for what the car is doing or about to do.

[_dobbo_]

It's all down to physics and the movement of the car relative to the camera. As Simpo says, if you are square on to the car you will find it's easy to get the whole car sharp, as soon as the angle increases for a given shutter speed less of the car will be sharp.

Personally I think it looks better if the whole car isn't sharp - it gives a photograph more drama.