Lens advice (sorry ........)

[Mr V]

To burden you again guys

Further to my previous topic, i was wondering if the best thing to do would be to keep using my current camera. As i mentioned in the other thread, i have a Minolta 404si SLR camera, and i took the picture below with a 70-210 mm zoom lens, but the "subject" (i.e the Ferrari) isn't "close" enough (or big enough within the picture), but get myself a bigger lens?

So, as i said, sorry to trouble you again, but any advice on the sort of lens that would fit my camera, and the sort of money i will expect to pay? (I'm not looking for one of these "cameramen" type lenses- or indeed could i afford that anyway), but just something that will get me "closer to the action".

I apologise in advance for the quality of the picture, David Bailey i'm not, but it was an ideal picture to use as an example!

.

[rdjones]

I'm also no David Bailey so I maybe wrong with this one. There are a couple of problems I can see with this one.

The first problem is that the camara seems to have focused on the catch fencing, which is a bit of a problem that I have had myself at that very spot (Druids at Brands).

A 210mm lens should be OK there, My Fuji S602 has a 210 Lens, I managed to get this shot - http://lemansnews.fotopic.net/p2185055.html - at last years FFord Festival. But personally I would have tried to get the shot as the was a little bit further round the corner.

But thats just my thoughts, the experts might have something different to say

[Maisie]

Stand closer to the fence if at all possible, and maybe put the lens on manual focus to focus out the fence as much as possible. Something like a 300 zoom might be better for focusing through fences. Alternatively you could get a decent 2x teleconverter for the lens which would be a cheaper option, but I found my Teleplus autofocuses VERY slowly and makes the image quite dark.

Not having any experience of Minolta fitments I can't offer any advice on lens prices unfortunately.

[forzaf1]

I have a 300mm fixed lense on my Nikon and took this from Druids. You should stand back up the bank further and then you can avoid the fence altogether, or go into the centre where there is no fencing.

Click here

Alex

[Carrie]

Years since I had a Minolta, so can't really comment on the lenses available - mine was a fully manual one and I used an 80-300 Tamron. Looking on Jessops site there's a Sigma Minolta fit 70-300 for £199 or a Minolta lens for £99 - are they really that cheap. Your next step up is looking at Sigma 135-400 or 170-500 and you're talking just under 500 quid for either of those for a Minolta.

As Maisie said, a 2x converter would be your cheapest option (think they're about £60-70), although that may mean that you lose autofocus capabilities. Think you can get 1/4 x converters and don't lose the AF on those (someone correct me if I'm wrong, haven't used any sort of converter for years!)

[G_Ilott]

Carrie, depends on the max aperture of the lens. F/4 + 1.4x convertor is okay. f/5.6, maybe, depending on the camera body - pro bodies will usually give some kind of autofocus but not in low light / low contrast. f/6.3 (which your 170-500 is at 500mm) then you can forget it.
To get anything useful out of a 2x convertor, you really need a f/2.8 lens and a good one at that.

[G_Ilott]

I'd be tempted by the Sigma 300 f/4 or 100-300 f/4 but I am unsure whether this is available in Minolta fit. I think it is. Secondhand you can pick them up for about £3-400 quid.

[BigRed450]

The Sigma 50-500 is a great lens as well. It may afford you the Focal Length to get a better position away from the fences.......

[G_Ilott]

I've never got the point of the 50-500. I can't understand why you'd want to shoot with this hulking great lens for anything between 50-150mm. It seems too unwieldy for such close range stuff. And you're still stuck with f/6.3 at 500mm, which isn't ideal for motorsport on anything other than bright blue sky days.

However, it has some good reviews and a long reach. Personally, I'd still stick with the 300 f/4 + 1.4x convertor, and back it up with your 70-210 for paddock shots.

[Aysedasi]

If you can still hold the car, throw the lens open to reduce the depth of field. That way you can minimise the intrusion of the fence. But watch out you don't leave yourself with too much camera shake.

[Mr V]

Thanks for the advice guys.

The fence wasn't the problem though, i just used that pic as an example, i really wanted to know how to "fill" the picture more with the subject (i.e car)

[egor]

i really wanted to know how to "fill" the picture more with the subject (i.e car)

You have three options to do this
1) Wait until subject is closer to you so it does fill the frame - you may think it will be moving too fast as it goes past you but with a little practice and a lot of missed shots you will get there.

2) Move closer to the subject if possible - physically stand as close as you can to your subject so it will fill the frame more.

3) Buy a larger lens and remain where you are.

I have a Minolta Dinax5 which I use a Vivitar 500 mirror lens on, not the best lens in the world especially as it has a fixed aperture f/8. It is also manual focus only so you have to trick the camera to allow you to use a pure manual lens. A lot of people will say do not even bother to look at such a lens for sport photography, but again with a bit of practice and the right conditions you can get some good results.
I bought my lens several years ago for about £90 and I think it was worth that amount. I have attached a picture from this years Le Mans, it was taken in the braking area for Tertre Rouge through the fencing and I was trying to get the driver but as you can see I missed (still practicing yewars latter).