The Santa Pod Raceway is run by a company who run a jet car. It is a pretty impressive vehicle. Santa Pod's 'Fireforce' Jet Car is pictured here in the pits queueing to get to the start line.
Down the centre of the car is the jet engine. It is literally an engine out of a jet plane. The driver sits in a specially built roll-cage. There is no floor - he can see the ground beneath his feet. This stunning vehicle takes three runs in the events during the day.
This Jet car is the fastest in Europe and set a record time at Santa Pod. Piloted by Martin Hill the car broke the Jet Car record in Easter 2005 with a terminal speed of 336.10 mph.
Santa Pod is the venue in which the current world drag racing record, a time of 3.58 seconds at 386.26 mph (621.61 km/h) was set by Sammy Miller in his 'Vanishing Point' Rocket Funny car in July 1984. I was there for that event in 1984. I have to say it is the fastest thing I ever saw on the ground and noisiest thing I have ever heard! Fantastic... what a car! When it came past you it was moving so fast that you could not turn your head fast enough to follow it along the track. Amazing!
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@http365proj - actually he has a broken foot. LOL. He dropped a bar in it before the weekend. So someone else had to drive it. Grin. Dangerous business this drag racing...
Thought of a sudden question; when you shoot action shots do you use manual focus or is the lens on automatic focus? Then, my assumption is that when one is shooting a fast moving subject one focuses on the subject and pans while taking the picture in order to capture the motion while keeping the subject focused, but how do you do it?
@frontporchview - you can use both. I tend to use auto-focus with AI control so it continuously refocuses while I am composing the shot (panning). I do this because it is more responsive. However, panning can easily be done by focusing on a point where you are going to click the button, then synchronise your movement with the subject and as you reach the focus point fire off the shot. This way you usually only get one or two shots of the focussed vehicle while it is in the previously established focus zone - you can use aperture control to give you a deeper depth of view so you have a deep constant focus zone. With AF you can get more shots in during the pan because you are not limited to the inflexible focus point. You can also use a shallower depth of field allowing for higher shutter speeds if you need them.
However, when you are near the start or end of an event you see the subject move over a very long distance (quarter mile). So you often want to change the focal length of the zoom while panning. This complicates the fixed focus method. You could still change the focal length for say a running race. But these vehicles move too fast. So to get the shot where you are zooming as well as panning using AF is essential.
I assume that you ask in relation to the sharpness of my shots. While focus is important in establishing sharpness it should not be confused with blur. If a static object is not sharp it is blurred. However, a moving object can be sharp if you have focused on it properly and your camera is static relative to its movement (eg. the camera is panning at the exact same speed). But blur is introduced if the object and the camera have slightly different speeds. The object can still be in focus but blurred when this happens. The difficulty in panning is matching the speed of the object and the camera. The skill comes in knowing what shutter speed to use so you can keep the object focussed, the background blurred and the panning constant while the shutter is open. For that you do not need to change the focus while in the focus zone, or when the camera is doing AF for you.
As you can see there is a lot to consider in terms of the theory. Actually, set your camera to have a reasonable depth of field (f8 to f11 say), set the shutter speed to about 125th sec or when practised to about 80th of a second. Use low(ish) ISO to cut down the noise. Then practice keeping something in the lens field. I started with people walking past. Moved on to bicycles and then saloon cars on the road. Before long I was able to pan with most objects.
BTW, I never use auto settings. The camera cannot produce what I want - these pictures - using a program for an 'average' situation. I always take shots in full manual control.
Actually it does help a lot. And i never would have thought to start off with something slower moving like people walking. I tend to bite off more than i can chew and go for the hardest thing possible =P
However, when you are near the start or end of an event you see the subject move over a very long distance (quarter mile). So you often want to change the focal length of the zoom while panning. This complicates the fixed focus method. You could still change the focal length for say a running race. But these vehicles move too fast. So to get the shot where you are zooming as well as panning using AF is essential.
I assume that you ask in relation to the sharpness of my shots. While focus is important in establishing sharpness it should not be confused with blur. If a static object is not sharp it is blurred. However, a moving object can be sharp if you have focused on it properly and your camera is static relative to its movement (eg. the camera is panning at the exact same speed). But blur is introduced if the object and the camera have slightly different speeds. The object can still be in focus but blurred when this happens. The difficulty in panning is matching the speed of the object and the camera. The skill comes in knowing what shutter speed to use so you can keep the object focussed, the background blurred and the panning constant while the shutter is open. For that you do not need to change the focus while in the focus zone, or when the camera is doing AF for you.
As you can see there is a lot to consider in terms of the theory. Actually, set your camera to have a reasonable depth of field (f8 to f11 say), set the shutter speed to about 125th sec or when practised to about 80th of a second. Use low(ish) ISO to cut down the noise. Then practice keeping something in the lens field. I started with people walking past. Moved on to bicycles and then saloon cars on the road. Before long I was able to pan with most objects.
BTW, I never use auto settings. The camera cannot produce what I want - these pictures - using a program for an 'average' situation. I always take shots in full manual control.
I hope that helps.