Help a newbie - trackday photos

[Some Gump]

Hi forum,

I'm off to Cadwell on Tuesday, and plan on trying to get some decent shots.. The only thing stopping me is a lack of nouse on the old camera.

Kit:
Canon 400d
EFS 17-85 5.6 IS USM
EF 75-300 5.6 IS USM
EF 28-90 5.6 (well old)

Weather is forecast to be bright and clear.

I have tried using "sport" before, but they come out all dark. I then tried TV, but end up with a massive apeture setting and cock the focus up..

Any "basic" settings for a numpty? Please assume I have no idea what I am doing, there is no risk of teaching somone to suck eggs =)

[4Lmike]

I'd start off with your 75-300 lens, manual mode, spot metering to focus on the car, low iso. Then change shutter speed and aperture accordingly - if you want motion blur in the background try shutter speeds between 1/20 and 1/80. you may need to use a fairly small aperture at those speeds if its going to be a very bright day.

[Gemm]

4Lmike said:

if you want motion blur in the background try shutter speeds between 1/20 and 1/80.

lol! It's so easy to say 'try 1/20s', but for a total newbie, I think you are asking far too much (that speed is even difficult for an experienced photographer!). I'd start with 1/200s or 1/160s or something, then gradually go slower. But this is just MY opinion.

[Dogsey]

Gemm said:

lol! It's so easy to say 'try 1/20s', but for a total newbie, I think you are asking far too much (that speed is even difficult for an experienced photographer!). I'd start with 1/200s or 1/160s or something, then gradually go slower. But this is just MY opinion.

I agree Gemm, I also wouldn't be suggesting that a beginner goes anywhere near full manual either, better to put it into Tv mode and let the camera work out what aperture to use.

[4Lmike]

Well he said he's already tried Tv mode and it doesn't work, and the 1/20 to 1/80 is what I said I would try if I wanted motion blur. I was just giving the basic settings I would use to get him started, it's just one option and if it doesn't work out for him he can adjust the settings. Also, there's nothing wrong with starting in manual mode, that's how I started as I found the shutter and aperture priority modes crap on my camera. Sorry if that sounded like a rant haha

[Simpo Two]

Some Gump said:

I then tried TV, but end up with a massive apeture setting and cock the focus up..

All you probably had to do then was set a slow shutter speed and not a fast one - my hunch is that you set 1/4000th (cos sports is fast); then the camera needed f0.5 to achieve the correct exposure, failed and used the fastest it had in the toybox, probably f5.6. Hence they came out dark.

So you were almost there

[Some Gump]

Thanks all. I think if I can't "conquor" Tv, full manual might be like putting a learner in charge of a superbike - doomed to failure =) I will try using various speeds as suggested, and see how they come out.

What ISO should I use (generally)? I might have numptied onto the wrong setting, causing the darkness? I'd also like a bit of advice on white balance - I often get strangely blue / daft orange when I use the program modes. Is there a cunning ploy to keep WB on auto when not in full auto mode?

[Simpo Two]

Some Gump said:

What ISO should I use (generally)? I might have numptied onto the wrong setting, causing the darkness?

The usual advice is 'as low as possible', eg 100. However for 'set and forget' try 400 as a working average for most things until you get more comfortable adjusting settings. When you were getting your dark photos it might have been on 100, and if you were determined to use 1/4000th sec shutter speed then cranking it up to 800 or more might have allowed the camera to get a decent exposure.

Some Gump said:

I'd also like a bit of advice on white balance - I often get strangely blue / daft orange when I use the program modes. Is there a cunning ploy to keep WB on auto when not in full auto mode?

I don't know your camera but mine (Nikon) has an AutoWB setting that stays on in all modes. Probably time to RTM and go through all the menu options.

Keep chipping away and you'll get there

[russelli]

Hi SG, few pics from seven club trackdays on my picasa site
http://picasaweb.google.com/kevrusselli
should be able to get some info on the relative settings for each shot on the right hand side of eackh pic.
at the moment the forecast is for a bright day on tuesday so fingers crossed.
feel free to practice with shots of my car going round. Kevin.