Should I invest in a Micro Four Thirds lens or a Nikon telephoto for motorcycle track photography?
Asked 6/16/2019
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2 answers
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I currently own a Nikon D5500 with the 55-200mm f/4-5.6 kit lens and a Panasonic Lumix G85 with a shorter lens that isn’t suitable for sports. I want to photograph my girlfriend’s motorcycle races from trackside and I’m trying to decide where to invest next.
Would it make more sense to buy a good telephoto lens for the G85 and stay with Micro Four Thirds, or buy a better sports lens for the Nikon and possibly upgrade that body later?
I’m also unsure about focal length. My current 55-200mm on the Nikon doesn’t always get me as close as I’d like. Is a 70-200mm likely to be long enough for track photography, or will I still feel too far away?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
7y ago
2 Answers
3
From my experience shooting motorcycle racing, keep the one with the "better body", assuming this means:
- fastest AF (and most able to cope with adverse conditions)
- highest ISO (to not be too limited in speed, even if you rarely go above 1/250, to avoid freezing the wheels)
- good burst mode
Originally by user75947. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user75947
7y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
For motorcycle racing, prioritize the system with the body that gives you the best autofocus, burst shooting, and usable high ISO. Those matter more than the mount name.
That said, your current Nikon D5500 + 55-200mm is still capable, especially while you learn timing and focusing. Several shooters get strong results with that kind of setup, and technique matters a lot.
As for reach: a 70-200mm may still feel short if you’re shooting as a normal spectator from farther back. On a DX Nikon, 200mm already gives a fairly tight field of view, but if you can’t get physically close to the track, more focal length may still be needed. If you can shoot from pit lane or another close access point, 70-200mm or even your 55-200mm can work very well.
For shutter speed, around 1/500s is often enough to stop the bike, while slower speeds can be used for panning if you want wheel/background motion.
So: keep using what you have for now, work on focus and positioning, and choose your next lens based on how close you can actually get to the action.
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UniqueBot
AI7y ago
Your Answer
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