Planning before the season starts..

[Jessielee13]

Just would like some input here before summer comes and drag racing is here I have a Canon Rebel T1I and my family has hit me up to practice my photography at the Drag racing track this summer... any advice on what type of a lens I should get my hands on to do this?

 

[dylanstraub]

How far away from the cars will you be? Will you be able to use a tripod?

 

[Jessielee13]

For sure I can use a tripod and I plan on that for sure... depending on if I am shooting from the ground or the grandstands I am going say anywhere from 6-12 meeter's

 

[Studio7Four]

At the speeds the cars are going to be moving I expect you'll either want a fast enough shutter speed that you don't need a tripod or you'll want a really smooth head on your tripod so you can pan with the cars (assuming you're going to be off to the side of the track, so that the cars are moving across your field of view, based on your 6-12m estimate). You might also want to consider shooting from further down the track with an appropriately long zoom lens. From that perspective the cars will be coming towards you and the relative motion will be much less.

 

[bazooka]

I would also think, the further away from the cars you can get (into the stands), the less of a DoF issue you're going to have when they pass in front of you. But you'll also lose the close up perspective so...

 

[Jessielee13]

Yes I will be off to the side of the track. I never thought of shooting furthing down the track thanks for that... But back to the question at hand and thoughts on the lens I should purchase for this.