Best DSLR camera for motorsports

droopsnoot

I think with motorsport it's about having the control over the exposure as much as anything else. I spent ages trying to get the fastest possible shutter speed so I could freeze the action, then realised that it's not especially ideal and now I'm obsessed with trying to get blurred backgrounds.

This is the Sigma:



That's probably quite low in the zoom range as I was fairly close to the track, so an 80-200mm would have been perfectly adequate. Thing is, although a lot of non-SLR cameras have manual modes, it always seems to be a fiddle to adjust things, way too long-winded to catch someone driving past at 100+mph. Though I admit I have no direct experience of a modern bridge camera.

Oblivions photos show that chasing the highest megapixel specification isn't so significant, either. My Kx is 12mp, nothing special by todays standards, but most photos I post anywhere are cropped and resized to a fraction of that.

boatman

Another option is a Nikon V1 with a 30-110mm... just a thought..

Gloomendoom

Canon EOS7D body is quick. Rent a decent lens as and when you need it.

As droopsnoot says, blurred backgrounds are the way to go.

Sharon87

I have a Canon DSLR with a 80-300mm lens that I've used a lot for motorsport. I've had no issue with letting enough light through. You just need to learn about exposures.

I used to use rapid fire a lot when I was a teenager, but more experience taught me to track the car using the camera, panning around and click when I've got the shot I want. It's got me some great pictures, but requires practise.

If you don't want too expensive maybe get go for second hand, I bought my Canon 80-300mm lens for about £100 a few years back.

ukcarper

Pinkypants wrote: »

You're about to enter the world of DSLR and worried about the price?

One piece of advice, don't do it. Not unless you're prepared to spend upwards of £700+ for a decent lens.

Quite easy to say that but no everybody wants or can spend thousands on lenses . It is possible to get good pictures and enjoy yourself while spending less provided you know the limitations. I gave up on serious bird photograph because I didn't want to spend hundreds of pounds on lenses but I still enjoy taking the odd photo even though my hit rate is very low.

tberry6686

Perhaps take a look at a second hand sony A77 teamed with a decent sigma or tamron zoom to start with.
The replacement for the A77 is due to be announced soon so prices should drop and the camera is pretty bomb proof. 12fps with continual focusing, fully weather sealed - pretty much ideal for sports.

Thinking about it A65 is just a slightly cut down version and will be a bit cheaper.

Bought mine when they were released and for my purposes I can't find a better suited camera on the market without paying at least £3k for body only.

But don't get hung up on the big 2 (Canon and Nikon) have a look at all the manufacturers as you may well be pleasently surprised.

droopsnoot

I'd certainly agree with looking at used stuff, if you have a local branch of LCE (London Camera Exchange) that might be a good starting point - won't be the cheapest, but will have a warranty which is worth something. A mate of mine was using a compact but getting frustrated, bought a used Canon SLR and a zoom lens and is enjoying it without spending a massive amount.

Blurred vs. pin-sharp depends on how you feel and what you're trying to achieve, I've done both and for a track shot I prefer giving the feeling of speed with that blurring. But for some other applications, for example rallying on a loose surface where there will be flying graval and so on, freezing the action can be more appropriate. Having the control is the key thing for me.