Le Mans

gad-westy

gad-westy

Messages
6,441
Name
Graham
Edit My Images
No
Off to Le Mans again this year but this will be the first year I've been since getting into photography. Anyway, excitement already building!

Have the possibility of buying a lens for the occasion shortly before going with a view to selling upon my return. But suspect I may already be covered. So first question is what focal lengths have people found useful in the past? I have a Nikon DX body and do have a 70-200 which would be great but wondering if it's long enough? Maybe a 1.4x as well?

Would also like some location tips. Staying at Porsche Curves which should be a good spot for a variety of shots but just wondering which other gems I should seek out?
 
What's the other lens option as there's not slot wrong with the combo you've listed already.
 
Cheers Richard. Maybe I haven't explained this very well. I have a 70-200 2.8 at the moment. All my other lenses are short. For Le Mans I have the option of using the 70-200, using the 70-200 and buying a TC to go with it or selling the 70-200 (I barely use it) and going for something longer. If 200mm is plenty, then I'm laughing but if I should be looking for more like 400mm, then I might do something about it.
 
gad-westy said:
Cheers Richard. Maybe I haven't explained this very well. I have a 70-200 2.8 at the moment. All my other lenses are short. For Le Mans I have the option of using the 70-200, using the 70-200 and buying a TC to go with it or selling the 70-200 (I barely use it) and going for something longer. If 200mm is plenty, then I'm laughing but if I should be looking for more like 400mm, then I might do something about it.
Click to expand...

If you've a already got the 70-200 I would say just getting a 1.4 extender is ample.
You can get good shots either side of Porsche Curves, some at Arnage but fencing is a pain, then thru the complex to inside of Tetre Rouge with that set up.
Dont forget shorter lenses for pit walk Friday and museum.

You staying at Travel Destinations site at PC?
 
gad-westy said:
Off to Le Mans again this year but this will be the first year I've been since getting into photography. Anyway, excitement already building!

Have the possibility of buying a lens for the occasion shortly before going with a view to selling upon my return. But suspect I may already be covered. So first question is what focal lengths have people found useful in the past? I have a Nikon DX body and do have a 70-200 which would be great but wondering if it's long enough? Maybe a 1.4x as well?

Would also like some location tips. Staying at Porsche Curves which should be a good spot for a variety of shots but just wondering which other gems I should seek out?
Click to expand...


I hate to say it, but the Le Mans debris fences are so all-intrusive that the consensus seems to be "don't bother with photographing the racing cars - spend the lens money on extra beer and merguez instead!" ;)

FWIW, I haven't been done Le Mans since last century, but back then I used to get some reasonable [and unobstructed] shots from the inside end of the Dunlop Bridge back towards the chicane or panning from the inside of Tertre Rouge.

Of course, pit walk, town centre, museum and village all have lots of opportunities for atmosphere shots.
 
Cheers all. Just catching up with this thread after a hectic weekend. Lee, thanks for posting those shots, I see that you weren't much above 300mm for any of them which is encouraging. Couldn't quite figure out where you were shooting from.

Richard, cheers, I'm leaning towards just using the 70-200 with an extender on stand by. To go any longer and maintain fast apertures is well into ludicrous money unless I look at the Sigma 120-300. They seem a bit hit and miss though, so maybe stick to what I know. Not sure on exact site actually. It's booked through Lycien events who are one of those companies that offer the full 'civilised' camping experiences with hospitality tents, security etc.
 
Yves Geza said:
I hate to say it, but the Le Mans debris fences are so all-intrusive that the consensus seems to be "don't bother with photographing the racing cars - spend the lens money on extra beer and merguez instead!" ;)

FWIW, I haven't been done Le Mans since last century, but back then I used to get some reasonable [and unobstructed] shots from the inside end of the Dunlop Bridge back towards the chicane or panning from the inside of Tertre Rouge.

Of course, pit walk, town centre, museum and village all have lots of opportunities for atmosphere shots.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I remember the fences being a pain. I think the area coming down from the dunlop bridge to tetre rouge has some raised areas and of course there is the odd grandstand but I'm not envisaging much in the way of clear level views to the cars. I suspect the photography side will actually only occupy a small perscentage of my time but would be nice to bag a few keepers while I'm there. Apart from anything else I have a few plans for some light trails on the Saturday night :)
 
gad-westy said:
Richard, cheers, I'm leaning towards just using the 70-200 with an extender on stand by. To go any longer and maintain fast apertures is well into ludicrous money unless I look at the Sigma 120-300. They seem a bit hit and miss though, so maybe stick to what I know. Not sure on exact site actually. It's booked through Lycien events who are one of those companies that offer the full 'civilised' camping experiences with hospitality tents, security etc.
Click to expand...

Reckon you're inside the Porsche Curves as that's where Porsche Club GB when they moved from outside track where I will be.
Food options look good. Have a great time
 
gad-westy said:
Cheers all. Just catching up with this thread after a hectic weekend. Lee, thanks for posting those shots, I see that you weren't much above 300mm for any of them which is encouraging. Couldn't quite figure out where you were shooting from.

Richard, cheers, I'm leaning towards just using the 70-200 with an extender on stand by. To go any longer and maintain fast apertures is well into ludicrous money unless I look at the Sigma 120-300. They seem a bit hit and miss though, so maybe stick to what I know. Not sure on exact site actually. It's booked through Lycien events who are one of those companies that offer the full 'civilised' camping experiences with hospitality tents, security etc.
Click to expand...

The mercedes was on the outside of the course to the left of the Dunlop Bridge neat the T4 (Panorama) grandstand. There are more from Le Mans Classic and the Moto GP on my Flikr, some good, some not so good!

The shots of Rossi were taken at silverstone though!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top