Focus speed - Looking for lens to shoot fast moving action.

[mini696]

Thanks Keith. I am guessing the difference is slightly more accuracy using the low speed, yet fewer frames compared to the high speed mode.

[Speedway]

Mini I don't find much difference in accuracy between the High and Low modes using this lens, the only difference is the number of shots to go through at the end of the day, which at a go kart title meeting can be well over 2000 per day at a 2 day meeting and that is shooting in low speed. Although I have never shot RC cars I have shot helicopters see here. these were shot using my 150-500 Sigma which handles AI servo about the same as my 18-250.

[Bennymiata]

Actualy, the 60D does have 2 continous speeds of shutter.
Just in front of the top LCD readout, there is a button (the second one from the left) which controls your delay and continous shooting speeds.
Hit the button, and then use the wheel just behind the shutter button to cycle through the different options.
First option is one shot, then depending on which way to you turn the wheel, either the 10second delay, then 2 second delay and and the slow and fast continous modes.
The fastest setting is the 5.3FPS, the slower one is around 2-3FPS.

Learning to pan with the cars will give you the best shots, as they will convey motion by keeping the car sharp, and give the background some blur.
The correct shutter speed you use will depend on which type of R/C cars you're taking, and the speed they are going.
If you're taking shots of 1/8th scale gas models, going at around 100km/h, 1/60th second is a good speed to start, and if you are doing off-road 1/10th scale, then around 1/25th or so would be the speed to start with.
The longer the shutter speed, the more background blur you'll get, but it is also harder to keep the car perfectly in frame, but sometimes, getting some motion blur on the car can be a good thing too.
Also, try and keep the camera as low to the ground as you can as overhead shots are quite boring.
You'll need to practise, practise, practise to get it right, but you should start to get the hang of it after 10 or so shots, then you will start to learn what shutter speed you'll need for what type of shot you're trying to get.

As was said before, if you take the cars at a high shutter speed with no panning, you might as wll just place the car on the track and take a static shot.
The whole idea to is to convey the speed of the car.

In good, bright light, you'll need to use a small aperture (big number) to use such slow shutter speeds, but put your camera on Tv (shutter speed priority and dial in the speed you want, and let the camera take care of the rest.
Set your ISO as low as you can to keep the most detail, but the ISO will also depend on the available light.

Hope this helps you a little.

[photomike666]

Agreed pre focus and panning is the way. With the motorbikes I watch them past a few laps to see what line they take and pick a point on the track. I then pre focus on that point and follow the action come past. A few attempts to get the framing right, then a few more on timing. Seeing the focus sharpen lets you know when to fire the shutter

[mini696]

Unfortunately prefocusing is not easy to do with the RC's. The drivers aren't as consistant as full sized bikes or cars and trying to focus on a 30cm wide object which could be anywhere on a 4m wide track with a DOF of 40cm is really hard. Getting closer is usually not an option as there are only so many spots to sit.

I think my biggest issue last time was using such a large aperture. I cant wait to fix that next time I go out.

So far the best shots have come from the slow corners as they accelerate out.

[pascal110]

Hello Mini

Your best bet at a reasonable price would be a Canon 70/200, if this kind of shooting is you main usage you will not need IS as it will counteract panning .
If the light is good you maybe happy with a 70/200 f4 Canon which is very sharp too, if your budget is more consistent a 70/200 f2.8 is the way to go.
Tamron does offer a similar lens but the a/f is slow on it, not sure about the Sigma on that matter but the price is very similar to Canon with some kind of out of focus issues, so stick to the brand you will not regret on the long run and you won't have to stop down to enhance the sharpness

[Speedway]

Your best bet at a reasonable price would be a Canon 70/200, if this kind of shooting is you main usage you will not need IS as it will counteract panning .

I disagree re is/os not needed, it does help especially when shooting at slow shutter speeds as in paning. I have looked at photos taken at the Go Karts taken with the 70-200 F4 as I was looking to upgrade to this and could not pick the difference between them and mine shot with the 18-250 Sigma

[pascal110]

I was looking to upgrade to this and could not pick the difference between them and mine shot with the 18-250 Sigma

Used at the right aperture you won't pick any difference between two lenses especially at web low resolution you correct, hit rate will be different that's all, I guess the pictures you saw were the good ones.
Simply an a/f module is a lot more happy at f4 or more than f5.6. Don't really see how you use IS with panning unless it's the new system with dual mode. Pricewise non is/os 70/200 are 1/2 price than their IS counterpart.

[Speedway]

I was looking at and comparing 8x12 prints and talking to the person with the 70-200 our keeper rate is similar, My keeper rate went up slightly with OS on. 90% of my motor sports shooting is done in TV mode with shutter speed set to 1/80th the aperture can vary widely, the slow shutter speed gives the blurred BG. As for is/OS the 18-250 has only 1 setting, the 150-500 has 2 and I never turn it off. as far as the non is/os 70-200's they are not even on my wish list now.
Keith.

[pascal110]

Hello Speedway, fair enough 8x12 is decent size print, I'm very surprised that your a/f keeps up with these lenses but that's good sign.
1/80 is a fairly slow speed good job .

Cheers