Help with Panning (pics in thread)

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ACW

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Hi,

At the moment I'm shooting with a bridge camera and looking to move into dslr before the start of next seasons bsb.

Earlier this year I was at BSB Brands and was panning by focusing on the track with autofocus, then keeping it held and then panning backwards, picking up the bike and then taking the shot when I had reached the place I focused on the track...if that makes sense.

I'm guessing this is the wrong way? As surely if that is the way the everyone does it then autofocus time is pretty much irrevevant?

So basically the question I'm asking is, is it possible to autofocus on the bike quick enough for it to be in focus before it's gone out of shot? I'm talking inparticular about panning at Druids. As I've been looking at lenses for when I eventually get my DSLR and as nice as it would be to have some fast glass, is it possible to do it with a slow F5 - F6.3?

I've attached a few of the shots from BSB Brands earlier this year if that helps!

Thanks!

Adam


Side Cars at Brands Hatch by ACW#, on Flickr


British Superbike at Brands Hatch by ACW#, on Flickr


British Superbike at Brands Hatch by ACW#, on Flickr


British Superbike at Brands Hatch by ACW#, on Flickr

* I know these are pretty bad, it was within the first week of getting my camera and I uploaded them before I started putting my pictures through Lightroom! Just if anyone can spot where I'm going wrong it would be greatly appreciated.
 
There's nothing wrong with prefocusing like you are.

You can autofocus continuously and follow the subject but how reliable it is depends on your body and lens combination and how good you are at tracking the subject as it moves (which will be easier or harder depending on the way the subject is moving relative to you). I've had no trouble keeping cars in focus at various angles of travel with a 450D or a 40D and any lens that has USM (Canon's name for their faster autofocus system, other manufacturers call it different things) but I'd imagine bikes are a bit harder to keep track of. I had a cheap Tamron 70-300mm when I first started and the autofocus was too slow to track anything but it was because of the way the autofocus was driven rather than the fact it was an f/5.6 at the long end.
 
You can do it like you've tried, but I don't see any advantage at Druids - there's plenty of time to lock onto a bike as it comes round. Set the camera to AI Servo (if it's Canon) and track the bike. I set the focus point to centre point only, so there's no danger of something else being picked up. Then select a section of bike (say, the tank or top of the fairing - somewhere with contrast is good to aid focussing) and try and keep the focus point on that spot as you pan and, then, shoot. The only time I prefocus is when my position dictates that the bike is on me before I/the camera have much reaction time.

In terms of your shots, I'd say you need a slower shutter speed (but do this gradually with practice otherwise you'll just get frustrated) as I can see the spokes in all the wheels and brake disks. They also look dark/underexposed. Shooting into the sun (on the last shot) will always cause problems for a bike on its side as it'll be buried in shadow. They're not bad at all for a first go though, so keep at it!
 
Im no expert but I think these pics are great, especially the last one 'bike 15'

Im forever using auto focus and think this is where im going wrong with my panning :(
 
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