F1 Test Sepang IC, Malaysia

[chenws]

Here's the rest taken on second day of testing.

More close-ups, taken on the straights after the final turn.

 

[trd2970]

wow...can't wait to see the race queens on the actual race

 

[chenws]

Some more photographs taken on one of the fastest part of the circuit, on the straights, (mid-section). Manual focus (pre-focused). AF (servo) attempted but blurry! Maybe the EOS1D can manage, but not the EOS5D.

 

[chenws]

Last set. That's all. I will not be going tomorrow. Maybe I'll be there on race day but surely will not be bringing the long lenses. Hope you had enjoyed the pics. Cheers.

today's result:

OFFICIAL F1 TEAMS TESTING
FINAL CLASSIFICATION – DAY 2

1. Kimi Raikkonen (Scuderia Ferrari) 1:35.258 – 62 laps
2. Alexander Wurz (AT&T Williams) 1:35.702s – 115 laps
3. David Coulthard (Red Bull Racing) 1:35.712 – 88 laps
4. Ralf Schumacher (Panasonic Toyota Racing) 1:35.751 – 82 laps
5. Robert Kubica (BMW Sauber F1 Team) 1:35.969 1:35.887s – 112 laps
6. Lewis Hamilton (Vodafone McLaren Mercedes) 1:36.115s – 69 laps
7. Takuma Sato (Super Aguri F1 Team) 1:36.306s – 63 laps
8. Rubens Barrichello (Honda Racing F1 Team) 1:36.563s – 36 laps
9. Heikki Kovalainen (ING Renault F1 Team) 1:36.578s – 86 laps
10. Jenson Button (Honda Racing F1 Team) 1:36.617s – 24 laps
11. Anthony Davidson (Super Aguri F1 Team) 1:37.876s – 39 laps
12. Scott Speed (Scuderia Toro Rosso) 1:37.910s – 36 laps
13. Vitantonio Liuzzi (Scuderia Toro Rosso) 1:37.971s – 33 laps

 

[nizamd]

chen, mind if I post some pix here

#1.

#2.

#3.

#4.

..more to view at my website..

Thanks.

 

[sigg]

Hi guys,

May I know which stand/area are you shooting from?

 

[chenws]

Hi guys,

May I know which stand/area are you shooting from?

I shot the the spectators Grand Stand area, around the hairpin and the straights, taken from the top tier (balcony). From this spectators' area, low angle shots will be blurred by the surrounding fences. I believe Nizam has a media pass, he's free to roam all over the circuit and was able to take low angle shots.

Hi, Nizam, got more to show?

 

[vincecarlo]

wow...can't wait to see the race queens on the actual race

Sepang race queens not so exciting, still a Muslim country.

 

[sigg]

I shot the the spectators Grand Stand area, around the hairpin and the straights, taken from the top tier (balcony). From this spectators' area, low angle shots will be blurred by the surrounding fences. I believe Nizam has a media pass, he's free to roam all over the circuit and was able to take low angle shots.

Hi, Nizam, got more to show?

Thanks for the info. No wonder you can get such a nice closeup.
If only I could be as lucky as Nizam, yet to see the F1 in the flesh.

 

[asterixsg]

Guys,
Great photographs :thumbsup: . To my newbie eyes, they appear very sharp.
You've got a great collection now of the 2007 cars.

Is the schedule for the testing posted somewhere ? How did you find out about it ? Do you need any permission to enter the grandstand ? or need to purchase tickets etc. ? Heck, I didn't know of this or else I would've loved to drive up to Sepang just to take some photos.:cry:

 

[asterixsg]

Oooops, just read your first post again. Entrance is free to public. Please ignore that question about how to get access to the grandstand...:embrass:

 

[asterixsg]

Exactly r32. I set shutter priority primarily for panning shots.

In the close-ups, I use an Extender. I lose Autofocus when I add my Extender1.4x to my EF100-400mm zoom. I prefocus first. With a smaller aperture I get a better DOF in my pre-focussed shots. Setting at shutter priority, I end up having to use higher ISO settings to achieve a smaller aperture to get better DOF. (Hope I'm not confusing anyone)

Got to go, Sepang's waiting.

Got a newbie question, bro.

"I lose Autofocus when I add my Extender1.4x to my EF100-400mm zoom. I prefocus first. "
By this, do you mean :
1. You turn autofocus on.
2. Focus on the spot where you expect to shoot (i.e. the car will be in the frame).
3. Switch off autofocus. (and don't touch the focussing ring after that)
4. Shoot when the car appears in the frame.

If this is what you meant, then you would have to do the focus without the extender, right ?

Pardon my ignorance.

 

[chenws]

Got a newbie question, bro.

"I lose Autofocus when I add my Extender1.4x to my EF100-400mm zoom. I prefocus first. "
By this, do you mean :
1. You turn autofocus on.
2. Focus on the spot where you expect to shoot (i.e. the car will be in the frame).
3. Switch off autofocus. (and don't touch the focussing ring after that)
4. Shoot when the car appears in the frame.

If this is what you meant, then you would have to do the focus without the extender, right ?

Pardon my ignorance.

You're almost right. Except I can't autofocus at all with that lense combination. So I manual focus and keep the focus ring in that position (try not to move the lens around too much after that). Then wait for the car to appear in your view, track it via the view-finder until it reached the prefocused spot, then press the shutter. (Can't wait for the car to appear in the frame, it appears for a fraction of a second only; do so only if your eye:brain:finger:shutter mechanism time is also in that fraction of a second ) Then hope for the best. Except that with a 400mm the DOF is quite narrow, best to close down the aperture for a bigger DOF, to hopefully get the whole car in area of focus.

Btw, at the request of the teams, the F1 testing is extended to include Friday too. :thumbsup:

 

[Nobody]

Great photos!

May I OT a bit, where can I buy ear plugs? I was there at the mall area, after a while I can't tahan the noise, ear also painful

 

[chenws]

Great photos!

May I OT a bit, where can I buy ear plugs? I was there at the mall area, after a while I can't tahan the noise, ear also painful

Cheap: drop by at any sports shop and get ear plugs for swimmers, works as good.
Moderate priced: Get industry use ear-plugs specially for noise protection from pharmacy or medical supply shops.
Expensive: get official Sepang Headphones at the SIC Merchandise Shop!

 

[osk77]

Testing extended to Friday due to the wet weather experienced on Thursday in the morning and towards the end of the afternoon session. They only put out the notices at 5pm at the entrance/exit.

Afternoon session was interesting after the rain. Ferrari, Honda, Toyota and Renault sent their cars out for the last 15 mins of the session.

 

[nikolaiski]

Wow.....ChenWS VERY NICE PHOTOS!

I'll be there during the practise qualifying and raceday covering the event for my website. Hopefully i will be able to take good quality photos given my newbie skills (or lack of...)

F1 cars are SO DIFFERENT and tricky to photograph. Hopefully I can some more for you guys.

I'll be using the 100-400 as well..but without a 1.4x

please share with us any tips to capture those high speed go karts! hehehe

 

[allylaurente]

I'm so excited! Let the thunder begin! Do we really need monopod? if yes, need to buy one.

 

[chenws]

I'm so excited! Let the thunder begin! Do we really need monopod? if yes, need to buy one.

allylaurente, if you are using >400mm lenses, monopod would help.

Smaller lenses I prefer panning without monopod.
If you're very good in panning some corners can be taken at ss 1/80s with
shorter lenses, but do remember corners are taken at 80-120kph, while at
the straights the car moves up to 300kph.

If you're panning, set Shutter Priority mode to select speed. Decide aperture for DOF
needed, by using your ISO setting. If you want sharp photographs or close-ups for print
usage and editorial materials, just use higher shutter speeds, don't bother with panning.

nikolaiski, enjoy yourself, practice, practice, practice, what can I say. :thumbsup:

 

[Wisdomworld]

Nice series! Very good panning skills! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: