In a message dated 11/20/2002 Albert writes:
<< Since you boyz do motor sports, I had a question. My friend (Minolta
bigot) said specifically the reason he moved to an AF was because he
couldn't catch the action (nobody can allegedly) with a manual focus.
From the pics I see, the action looks just fine. Also, he said the
shutter speed on the OM's were too slow to not get a blur. I don't see
a single blur in that Mazda shot. So is it really that hard to do
"action shots" with a manual focus?? >>
A clueless Minolta bigot I might add ;-) He's full of you know what. Great
sports photography, including motorsports, has been done for decades
preceding AF.
Most I know use tried and true MF techniques even with their modern AF gear,
unless failing eye sight is an issue. More often than not, those huge
(400-800mm) fast lenses you see trackside are switched to MF that I have
observed. Timing (shutter release point I mean) is everything. With 10fps
and a gargantuan film budget (or a D1H or EOS 1d and tons of memory) sheer
volume of shots can make up a lot for lack of ability.
The Mazda shot was in good sun with Provia F 100 ISO film with the 350/2.8
and 1.4XA converter. Aperture was set to either wide open (f4 actual) or f4
(5.6 actual). Shutter speed was set by the AE in the OM-T and I am guessing
it was in the 1/750 - 1/1250 range. Car was not all that fast coming off
that turn. I would post others with the same lens/film/speed combination
with cars coming at me doing closer to 150-175MPH, except I am having site
hosting "issues" right now :(
Is it "really that hard" to do? I don't think so, for me it is easy. Didn't
used to be though. Like anything you want to do well, it takes practice. I
strive to keep learning more every time I shoot, and intend to never stop
striving for improvement. Shooting with something that is almost a movie
camera and picking your frame later probably gets the shot, but you learn
little from getting them that way.
Mike Veglia
Motor Sport Visions Photography
http://www.motorsportvisions.com
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