Need help please!

[agerone]

well, as many people said here, with your 7D you can go up to ISO 6400 which is still in good quality and then even more to 12800 ISO. The quality here is good enough I think and when photographing the thing you want it's always better to have a photo that is sharp with good lighting, that can be blury in the background due to the 1.8 , instead of having a too dark and unclear subject.
Also, I think that the tracks these guys are driving on are long enough so that you have enough time to play around with the iso.
Aaand, looking to your flickr album with the cars, it seems to me that you actually can pan very well so everything looks fine to me? Your camera is able to do the job if you just use it's gorgeous high iso!

too bad that flashes are not allowed there, a remote flash at the side of the driver could look nice

 

[Sw1tchFX]

Well you've got to crank that ISO past 1250, use 3200 or 6400. I'd say keep using the 50mm, and use continuous focusing. Best of luck, that's some pretty sh***y light no doubt.

If you've got a few speedlights you could try to time it and light him up when coming around a corner, or if you've got more than three, bounce it off the ceiling. I'd still use a high ISO (1600) so you can stop down for some DOF (2.8ish), and so the flashes don't have to work so hard. I've used that with cycling and it's worked out well for me so far.

 

[Simons]

well, as many people said here, with your 7D you can go up to ISO 6400 which is still in good quality and then even more to 12800 ISO. The quality here is good enough I think and when photographing the thing you want it's always better to have a photo that is sharp with good lighting, that can be blury in the background due to the 1.8 , instead of having a too dark and unclear subject.
Also, I think that the tracks these guys are driving on are long enough so that you have enough time to play around with the iso.
Aaand, looking to your flickr album with the cars, it seems to me that you actually can pan very well so everything looks fine to me? Your camera is able to do the job if you just use it's gorgeous high iso!

too bad that flashes are not allowed there, a remote flash at the side of the driver could look nice

Yep well with it being a trial run i will hopefully be given the opertunity to try out some settings to see what works best. I think he suggested to keep the ISO down as much as possible for printing reasons. But i have heard a lot of good things about the 7d and its high iso capabilities so i can give it a try! Thanks for your input

Well you've got to crank that ISO past 1250, use 3200 or 6400. I'd say keep using the 50mm, and use continuous focusing. Best of luck, that's some pretty sh***y light no doubt.

If you've got a few speedlights you could try to time it and light him up when coming around a corner, or if you've got more than three, bounce it off the ceiling. I'd still use a high ISO (1600) so you can stop down for some DOF (2.8ish), and so the flashes don't have to work so hard. I've used that with cycling and it's worked out well for me so far.

Unfortunately flash is not allowed for safety reasons so i will jus have to play with the iso and panning techniques i think!

Cheers for all the constructive comments so far!

 

[gsgary]

Well you've got to crank that ISO past 1250, use 3200 or 6400. I'd say keep using the 50mm, and use continuous focusing. Best of luck, that's some pretty sh***y light no doubt.

If you've got a few speedlights you could try to time it and light him up when coming around a corner, or if you've got more than three, bounce it off the ceiling. I'd still use a high ISO (1600) so you can stop down for some DOF (2.8ish), and so the flashes don't have to work so hard. I've used that with cycling and it's worked out well for me so far.

No flash allowed, trouble is that is the only way he will get good shots

 

[Flash Harry]

gary.. i think this is a lot closer than you think. 300mm wont do you any good.

I bet you ISO 3200, f/3.2 at 1/640 all you see is black.

To the OP, dont forget to invest some $$ on ear plugs LOL.

Bloody hell i'm not saying use these settings, just showing what is needed, most go cart tracks in the UK are in old warehouses with no light, so even with a D3 and the fastest lenses it would be hard plus there is no money to be made at these venues

I agree, but we do have plenty of WW's willing to work for a pittance. H

 

[gsgary]

Sorry these are a long way from being good enough and with the lenses you have you don't have much chance of getting many good shots, if you are shooting to sell at the track 9 out of 10 needs to be good. Going on these shots i would not have asked you back to shoot on my events, just being truthful because i don't beat about the bush
I shot in dark venues and this is what i expect if anyone wants to shoot for me
Iso3200, F3.2,300mm,1/640

Ok well thanks for your opinion, although i was asking for guidance of ways to improve my images not simply telling me what i already know.

I realise that my current set up is not right for the job, but not everyone has the gear to shoot this type of thing, my gear is for outdoor sporting events. I would be happy to upgrade if i were to get the job.

I don't see the need for the sample image, the lighting at that venue is much better than the lighting at the venue i was shooting at.

Bloody hell i'm not saying use these settings, just showing what is needed, most go cart tracks in the UK are in old warehouses with no light, so even with a D3 and the fastest lenses it would be hard plus there is no money to be made at these venues.

Again whether there is money to be made or not if not for you to say in a situation like this. Have you tried it? If so, obviously your images were not up to scratch.

I know there is no money in it because i also do sports event photography printing onsite and know what sports pay, the lighting in these places is not good enough to get good shots without using flash, when i shot wrestling i fired 2 studio flashes off the ceiling to use my 1Dmk2 and 70-200F4 shooting at iso1250

 

[agerone]

do you know why flash is not allowed there? Is it because the drivers could crash because of that or what?
Otherwise you could just use a strong bright lamp on a stand (http://www.toolstation.com/images/library/stock/webbig/13443.jpg)

 

[gsgary]

do you know why flash is not allowed there? Is it because the drivers could crash because of that or what?
Otherwise you could just use a strong bright lamp on a stand (http://www.toolstation.com/images/library/stock/webbig/13443.jpg)

I think that would be more dangerous than flash, i think they are just being on the safe side because i don't think they would even notice the flash while racing, if it was fired from the side they wouldn't know

 

[agerone]

Never thought that lamps could be dangerous in that situation but I don't know much about that sport.

 

[gsgary]

Never thought that lamps could be dangerous in that situation but I don't know much about that sport.

Flash is allowed for rallying and motox

 

[Dao]

Never thought that lamps could be dangerous in that situation but I don't know much about that sport.

Flash is allowed for rallying and motox

I think it depends on what type of flash. It may cause accident in car racing.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VG0On9HElAs[/ame]

 

[agerone]

and lamps? I mean the driver doesn't get suprised when he drives through light, does he?
Dao> Yeah but I am not talking of flashes at all now, just lamps. And wait a minute, there wasn't any flash either in the video!

Simons please post some pictures of the following days here

 

[j-digg]

Try Servo with back button focusing. That may be changing technique a little bit too much too quickly, but it could very well help you.. give it a shot if you practice tonite like the others have suggested.

 

[KmH]

Never thought that lamps could be dangerous in that situation but I don't know much about that sport.

Flash is allowed for rallying and motox

I think it depends on what type of flash. It may cause accident in car racing.

Sorry, flash didn't cause that driver to lose control. He wasn't concentrating on the task at hand.

Photographers use flash at race tracks all around the country, every weekend, and it doesn't cause any crashes.

 

[Simons]

[/quote]Sorry, flash didn't cause that driver to lose control. He wasn't concentrating on the task at hand.

Photographers use flash at race tracks all around the country, every weekend, and it doesn't cause any crashes.[/quote]

Yeah well it wasnt my call, tbh i dont see why not either.

But anyway, got some alright pictures in the end. So fingers crossed now!

Thanks for all the help!