I got the opportunity so figured I might ask D7100 Vs D700

PB_PM

I know that feeling as well. Half of my BIF photos are of the bird going behind a bush.

Oh, and, you didn't get Maldonado flipping Gutiérrez?

Msmoto

Maybe someone needs to start a thread on capturing moving vehicles…race cars, bikes, drag cars, etc.???? Then we can discuss the various lens/camera combos, based on budget and practicality. Also, techniques of panning, setting up the camera, focus type, etc…. Ya' think? And, airplanes could be included as some of the techniques are similar.

scoobysmak

I can certainly add to the "what not to do" and "what not to expect" section of a thread like that, lol.

The "what not to expect" is being able to hand hold a camera lens combination over 6 LBs for any substantial duration of time, say 15 minutes, without more than a 4 or 5 second break between photo attempts. Then don't expect to be able to use this on a ball head either.

I got what I was looking for from my experience. I saw the race and got to practice with a lens I normally wouldn't see much less play with. I probably have a few photos that I could put up in the office to remind me I was there but probably wouldn't put them anywhere else but the PAD.

Things to get better photos than what I got:
1. Need a press pass or the ability to get ground level with your subject. This would have given better subject isolation and made the cars "pop" much better. The second advantage is the ability to have a much higher keeper ratio for panning to show motion. Sitting above the track you have to hope they move in a straight line in the direction of your pan otherwise it looks funny.

2. Have the right equipment for the job, a gimble head would have been a life saver for me. I knew this before I even left the house but figured it needed to be mentioned.

3. Knowing your equipment. Purchasing a camera right before an event is the last thing someone should do if they don't know anything about it. The menu system was very similar to the D7000 so besides a few "what does that do" and "where is the option again" not a big deal for me. The one thing I was not sure of is the VR setting on the 200-400 VRI. I varied the shutter speed from 1/200th to 1/2500 of a second to see what looked best. I tried VR on and off but couldn't really tell the difference at the track what was better. I will say anything below 1/500th of a second VR helped. Above this I don't know if it could have had a negative effect on my photos or it was just my technique that caused a bad shot. The next thing is to go out and take notes what you did so when you review your photos later you will know any specifics that will help. When I played with VR on and off, I did not remember after I got home at what point I turned it off and on. Needless to say I know the shutter speed and all the other jazz but VR on and off is not recorded anywhere that I am aware of. The other thing that probably could have really helped but didn't even think about is the memory setting on the 200-400. If I kept the focusing distance the same I could have selected a point on the track to get the next car to be my subject and could have followed it through. When I refocused on a different subject I usually had a blurred shot for the first one since I didn't give the camera time to focus. I didn't even think about the memory recall button until after the event. Since I did not have a gimble head I would have needed an extra hand anyway to press the button but something to think about.

4. Know your environment. Maybe if I had a few weeks under my belt I might have been able to time my shots better so I would not have gotten a great shot of a sign or light post instead of my subject. This can also be used to know where to place yourself to get the background your looking for and what equipment you should have on hand. I am pretty much in the desert but in other areas I might have carried rain gear with me.

For my first F1 race I don't mind being in the stands, it gave me a better vantage point and I could tell what was going on. I had a pretty good view of part of the track that I would not have gotten being ground level with the cars. If I ever get the chance again I will know more what to expect from this type of event. The only thing similar I have been to is a NASCAR race but the fences are much higher so any shot without a fence is done with a press pass or a lens long enough you couldn't carry it into the race (they will not let you in the gate with it).