Le Mans Practice 3/6/07

[Leftie]

 " canine's testicles" 

Freddie, I think you mean 'the Muts Knuts', or 'les boules du chien' sounds good but then I think it's 'les bollocks de chiens'. Anyone know which is correct?

Jerry

[Trackside]

Good photos there. As per a previous question, were they taken from public areas or did you have media access? Look like they're from the inside of Mulsanne and Indy. Can you get there during the race / quallie via a campsite or road of some sort, or is it a case of local knowledge only  ?

Looking forward to trying out the new Tetre Rouge for photos, having seen some pics my bro took there at the weekend.

[lynxd67]

Tertre Rouge looks promising, but I hope you have a good telephoto lens with you since you are some way from the action. I have press passes so it helps enormously but ever so I was using a 70/200 f2.8 with a TC14E 1.4X multiplier thus effectively making it a 300mm lens, and that is at about 10 yds from the cars as they pass. Incidentally folks the french word for the dangly bits is couilles.

[nickliv]

Fantastic pictures.

IIRC the auto unions sandbagged a bit in the test day and the 1st quali session. The R10 is meant to be better sorted this year, and tertre rouge is quicker too, so I expect some blistering times, probably in the region of 3.25 or even a bit quicker. It'll be bloody interesting though.

[Trackside]

Tertre Rouge looks promising, but I hope you have a good telephoto lens with you since you are some way from the action. I have press passes so it helps enormously but ever so I was using a 70/200 f2.8 with a TC14E 1.4X multiplier thus effectively making it a 300mm lens, and that is at about 10 yds from the cars as they pass.

I use a 70-300mm f4.5/5.6 zoom which is normally adequate, but I do have a 2x teleconverter as a standby option. Need to dig out the monopod if I'm going to use this though.

Looking forward to giving it some serious use next week! 

[lynxd67]

"I use a 70-300mm f4.5/5.6 zoom which is normally adequate, but I do have a 2x teleconverter as a standby option. Need to dig out the monopod if I'm going to use this though."

F5.6 which reduces to - er what - with a 2x TC? Two stops I think from memory since I lose one stop with the 1.4X and 1.5 stops with the 1.7X. I reckon you'll need ISO 800 at least, a firm tripod, and a lot of luck if the current weather here holds. Frankly I'm surprised that a consumer lens actually manages to focus before the car has gone. You'd be far better off with a 1.4x and crop afterwards. Even with the f2.8 I daren't try the 2x (which I sold), restricting myself to the 1.4x and the 1.7x. The 200/400 f4 Nikkor hunted like hell with a 2X and was worse than useless for action photography despite the megabucks the lens cost. My maximum aperture with the TC14EII on the day was f3.5 but I shot at f11 for depth of field and because I was hungover and it made life easier. I prefer to shoot in aperture mode rather than shutter priority - just a personal preference really. I just hope you get some decent pictures with that rig since the forecast is decidedly dodgy this year. Tomorrow I have a meeting with Henri Pescarolo and his drivers so hope to get some good photos.

[Trackside]

Re: your comments above. If I ever use the 2x, I switch to manual focus because, as you quite rightly pointed out, by the time it's focused using AF, the race would be finished!  As I said though, I only ever use it in 'extreme' circumstances (I think I've used it twice in the 12 months I've owned it) so I'm not unduly worried by it's relative lack of performance.

It does stop down by 2 which makes low light photography a no-no, unless I go for a high ISO. Unfortunately that means a nasty amount of noise on my D70. Might have a look at a 1.4x though if you only lose 1 stop. May be a better option.