Tired of waiting - SCCA AutoX....

[Chris Clark]

Tired of waiting for the local racing scene to get going this year so I decided to shoot a SCCA "Test-n-Tune" to do a little tuning of my own. Make sure the gear works, see if I remember how to use it, etc...

First time shooting AutoX. It looks like alot of fun to do, it's pretty cool to spectate, but photographically speaking: it's a bunch of cones in a parking lot. LOL. I think I'll go over here and shoot: Oh look, a car making a right turn around a cone, let's move over here, Hey! another car making a right turn around a cone, etc... Not alot of variety. That being said: I'd like another crack at it!

For any C&C:

1.
http://cclarkphoto.com/WebImages/Clark_OVRax-1.jpg

2.
http://cclarkphoto.com/WebImages/Clark_OVRax-2.jpg

3.
http://cclarkphoto.com/WebImages/Clark_OVRax-3.jpg

4.
http://cclarkphoto.com/WebImages/Clark_OVRax-4.jpg

5.
http://cclarkphoto.com/WebImages/Clark_OVRax-5.jpg

6.
http://cclarkphoto.com/WebImages/Clark_OVRax-6.jpg

7.
http://cclarkphoto.com/WebImages/Clark_OVRax-7.jpg

8.
http://cclarkphoto.com/WebImages/Clark_OVRax-8.jpg

One more observation: The event took place on a big chunk of blacktop. It was pretty cold today, and I still had some issues with heat radiating up from the blacktop.... I can tell it will be a problem in the summer when it's actually warm out.

[Chris Kelly]

At least there aren't any 12' chain link fences in your way...

[Steve Stein]

Chris,

I see you used your 500. Take the lawn chair with you? :)

Looks like the winter idle time didn't affect you. I like the #8 best. How do you knock over cones with a go-cart? How old was the little dude?

[John Hegg]

Chris,
I'm with Steve on liking #8. I've been thinking about shooting AutoX for :D s. Looks a little boring. I do want to try shooting karts, though.
What issues did you have with heat radiating up from the blacktop?
BTW What ever happened with you sending your Canon 40d in to have Canon check out your soft, unsharp pictures? This was back in October.
John Hegg

[Chris Clark]

Chris,

I see you used your 500. Take the lawn chair with you? :)


Yeah, lesson learned #1: 500 is WAY too much. I was shooting from the fricken' paddock. LOL. 300 would have been perfect for some shots, 70-200 is probably the prime lens for this, and even the 17-40.

Little guy on the kart was 6 years old. Starting them young.

40D: never sent it in. Still not convinced that it isn't just me. Seems to work with the 300, and the 17-40, still soft with my 500 and 70-200. Almost thinking I need to pick a lens and send them both in to be "matched". Do they do that?

Thinking about it a little bit more: the Auto-X was good. Learned alot of new things, got all of the "first shoot" bugs out of my system. For the first 1/2 hour I had it on One-Shot AF.... DOh!

John: The heat issues were definitely weird. It was cold and windy. When I got home and started to look at the images, I noticed on the cars that had decals low and on the front, almost on the splitter, the decals weren't sharp. They weren't soft either, just wavy, like you see with heat. May have been another reason other than heat, but it looked exactly like what I get on a hot day at Mid-Ohio. :confused:

Thinking about it more: I am definitely going back.

[John Hegg]

Chris,
Thanks for the update on sending camera in. On you're recommendation I'll probably look into shooting AutoX.
Hope the weather gets better in Ohio. It's been brutal in Chicago this year.
John Hegg

[Perry Bennett]

I shoot LOTS of autocrosses for the Atlanta Region SCCA. Matter of fact I am the Atlanta Region Digital Photo Chief. Nice huh?

I shot most of my stuff last year with a 100-300mm f5.6 lens, and I made that work. MOst of the stuff was panning shots though since that lens isnt exactly a fast focus lens.

I am shooting this ear with a 80-200 f2.8 APO High Speed Autofocus Lens, and its a dream. Perfect lens.

At this last event, I added a 2X teleconverter (making it effectively a 600mm at the extended end!) and that took some getting used to. Its one thing on a track, but its another on an autocross course. I'll post up some of my work so far this year in the Atlanta Region for you to gander at.

[Steve Stein]

Chris,

They do calibrate a lens/body. I sent my 24-105 + 5D in because I thought the lens was a little soft at infinity and Canon nudged it into focus. They ask that I send in some sample images with EXIF (I sent them RAW images).

I guess with the 5D MK II and !D series you have the microfocus adjustments where you can screw up the focus on your own.

Steve

[Bill Jurasz]

How do you knock over cones with a go-cart? How old was the little dude?
Bear in mind that some cones are purposefully set up down at an autocross, usually as directional markers to help you know which way to go. Nice set of autocross photos!

[Jacob Leveton]

nice variety of shots. I know how boring parking lot events can be, but this collection works well to portray the overall atmosphere of the event.

[Steve Stein]

Bear in mind that some cones are purposefully set up down at an autocross, usually as directional markers to help you know which way to go. Nice set of autocross photos!


Bill,

The last time I autocrossed was with a 73 Merc Capri. Fun car, and I managed to lay down a few cones on my own. I don't recall the directional cones, but then, it was all new to me the first couple times out.

Steve

[Julian Jones]

I both autox and take pictures at the events. They are great for getting the practice in on learning how to fast frame as well as panning. It's even cooler to go out when it is slightly raining (misting) because you get to catch the water slinging from the tires and all. Here are some shots I've taken for example:
from the myspace page I created for our local org: http://www.arscca.org.
http://www.myspace.com/arscca
http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/85/l_beb4356ef3908b3a7ba53521e03c5397.jpg
http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/43/l_4106d10dcfe0f9a3f1ede744b708b549.jpg
http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/48/l_72ab4012b3d146c98377d1e6461fdf8f.jpg