quick film question

thebigbillybob · Apr 16, 2004

hey this is my first post in this forum and i am an amateur photographer and im going to the long beach grand prix tomorrow and i want to shoot some color slide film preferably... however if you guys think it might be better to use color print film ill go with that i just need some quick answers on what kind of film will be the best for taking some action picks of the high speed indy cars... thanks

-nick

ksmattfish · Apr 16, 2004

You will probably want to use at least ISO 400, not only because the cars will be moving very fast, but because you'll need the extra shutter speed to get good looking telephoto shots.

In my opinion the quality of slide film really begins to suffer above ISO 200, at least compared to some of the good ISO 400 print films. Also, print film is much more forgiving. If you mess up the exposure, you'll still get decent prints. If you mess up exposure with slides, you'll just have messed up slides.

thebigbillybob · Apr 16, 2004

ok cool i have some c-41 kodak like high definition iso 400 that would work yes? or should i go to 800? is there any other options from c-41 process? or what would be the best c-41 process film cuz i work in a one hour photo and i would process them there and i dont trust that piece of crap machine....

ksmattfish · Apr 17, 2004

I have no experience with shooting speeding cars, but I would think that in pretty good daylight ISO 400 would be fast enough to get a pretty high shutter speed. As long as the subject is 50' or farther then your DOF will be infinite at any aperture, so you can open the lens up and get really fast shutter speeds going. ISO 400 film will be noticably better quality than ISO 800 as far as color and finer grain go, particularly if you would ever consider enlarging the prints.

thebigbillybob · Apr 17, 2004

awsome thanks for your help i look forward to tomorrow and then processing them... i think since im doing straight 35 mm i might do some b and w while there just like one roll see how the stuff looks maybe... i dunno we shall see manana

Mitica100 · Apr 17, 2004

You might also want to try panning (sp?) with the camera. In other words follow the movement of the fast moving cars with your camera so they're pretty much in the frame. Shoot while panning. That way you maximize the focus on the fast moving cars and blur the background.

Good luck.

drlynn · Apr 17, 2004

Just remember a few things if you want to try panning (if you've never done it before

):

1. Keep moving the camera AFTER you press the shutter release, otherwise, you'll just have a blurry mess.

2. You want a bit slower shutterspeed, so go with a smaller aperture.

3. Take several shots. Panning is not the easiest photography skill to master, and chances are better you'll get something you like if you try several times.

thebigbillybob · Apr 17, 2004

k thanks for the advice i will get em processed next time i work and post some of the good ones here to show i shot like 5 or 6 rolls i think if not more today so ill let u guys know