1st RC photos; comments, critisms, etc

[mole2k]

Hi all :)

I tried taking pics of my local clubs races with my new dSLR the other night, quite pleased with the result just would like some constructive critisim on improving them.

I've taken pics before but only with a consumer digital as we race indoors in relatively low light so a consumer/prosumer camera just couldnt cope. I did get a few nice panning shots though.

These shots have been taken with a Canon 20D with an old Nikon 70-300 on a converter on.

Most of the shots where taken at:
300mm (480mm with the x1.6 sensor) Manual Focus
f5.6
1/400th sec
ISO3200

sometimes there was less zoom but it rarely dropped below 200mm.
http://www.cloghervalleymcc.co.uk/HTML/pics/IMG_1680_small.jpg
http://www.cloghervalleymcc.co.uk/HTML/pics/IMG_1709_small.jpg
http://www.cloghervalleymcc.co.uk/HTML/pics/IMG_1568_small.jpg

[jimmy]

I'm guessing you are using the camera in fully manual mode with the nikon lens ?
I like the last shot most but all your shots look a bit underexposed to me, even just a bit of post processing in photoshop would make them look nicer.
It might be an idea especially if you are in fully Manual mode to take a couple of shots and have a look at the histograms, the photos you posted are all shifted over to the left, they should be more evenly spread if the photo is exposed correctly.
Not sure how you do it on your canon but you will be able to see the histogram of any photo after you have taken it.

having said that, if F5.6 is the biggest aperture available then you would have to slow the shutter speed to get more light in which could result in less "keepers". You can lighten the photos afterwards in photoshop but this can make them noisy.

The 20d seems to do a really good job at iso3200, are these photos full frame or cropped ?

[Southwell]

ZOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

Thats the thread flying over my head :|

[mole2k]

Those photos are all full framed I simply resized them to 720x480 in photoshop. I only got the 20D a week ago so I was still experimenting quite a bit. I was using the Nikon lense in full manual as there is no electronic connections between it and the body so the camera doesnt even know its there.

I really need to experiment and work out is the best way for the low light stuff.

I am saving up for a Canon 70-200 f2.8L at the moment which should help indoor things greatly.

[jimmy]

Thats a big fancy lens alright. The big aperture will certainly bring in a lot more light, I use the same lens and it does a good job indoors. the zoom ring is a bit stiff and its quite a heavy lens compared to my previous 80-200 and 70-200 lenses on the nikon.

One problem is the big aperture can make the Depth of field pretty small, thus making it harder to actually get the cars in focus.

[mole2k]

Yeah although the keepers you do get from that low a dof tend to be very good.