pictures with a filter (motocross)

amadeus

my local camera shop suggested a filter on the lens (after I asked about one) to protect the lens. it was (is) an infared (?) filter. he said it would cut down on glare, proctect the lens from dust and dirt, etc.

first some of the pics I'm happy with the results. all shot with a Nikon D40 on the sports setting.

the "dark" ones were shot when the sun was behind a cloud. it got pretty sunny later in the day.

amadeus

one of my faves of the day thanks to the roost.

amadeus

approximatley 1980 Suzuki in the vintage class. RM400.

amadeus

another "dark" shot. a new friend of mine on his vintage Husqvarna 390.

awhile back somebody started a thread about shooting MX and someone gave some pretty good advice about using flash in the daytime outdoors. I went and priced a flash and the "better" ones are in the 3-400 hundred range.

anyone remember that thread?

jonh68

Good shot. It's probably a UV filter. I don't think you will see much difference with the UV on or off. Digital sensors are becoming better at filtering UV light. It does a great job of protecting from scratches. If you want a dramatic change, a polarizing lens would be the one to get.

It cuts through glare like on car windshields and water reflections. When used properly at at 90 degree angles from the sun, it can produce deep blues in the sky and white, contrasty clouds. It also makes the colors pop. Put on polarized sunglasses and you will see what you can get with your camera. You do lose about 2 f stops I believe so it's not good to use if you need fast shutter speed unless you bump up the ISO or use a fast lens.

amadeus

a little sun breaking through.

amadeus

actually a father and daughter shot from one of the practice groups. both on vintage Kawasaki's.

amadeus

maybe the best of the day. its a toss up between this and one or two others. I like the framing and the face. another girl by the way.

amadeus

jonh68 wrote:

Good shot. It's probably a UV filter. I don't think you will see much difference with the UV on or off. Digital sensors are becoming better at filtering UV light. It does a great job of protecting from scratches. If you want a dramatic change, a polarizing lens would be the one to get.

It cuts through glare like on car windshields and water reflections. When used properly at at 90 degree angles from the sun, it can produce deep blues in the sky and white, contrasty clouds. It also makes the colors pop. Put on polarized sunglasses and you will see what you can get with your camera. You do lose about 2 f stops I believe so it's not good to use if you need fast shutter speed unless you bump up the ISO or use a fast lens.

you're right he did say UV. the thing is it says "prevents shadows-parts blue tint caused from reflex ultraviolet rays of blue sky"

but in some of the stronger sunlit shots I got "hazy shots compared to the previous week.

like this. and it seems to take some of the blue out of the sky?

amadeus

a little confusion as #901 is off his bike having just picked it up causing everyone to go around him.

amadeus

no haze here but the sun was partly clouded. not bad given the distance.

using the 55-200 zoom.

amadeus

I tired panning some shots. on this turn I was very close to the bikes and they were going by pretty fast all thigns considerd. I got a few good ones.







compressed suspension under hard braking helps show the speed factor.

amadeus

typical "hazy" shot on the jump I spend some time at.

might just be a focus issue.

amadeus

some came out better.

amadeus

I have to give this one best shot of the day and its a mini to boot.

jonh68

you're right he did say UV. the thing is it says "prevents shadows-parts blue tint caused from reflex ultraviolet rays of blue sky"

but in some of the stronger sunlit shots I got "hazy shots compared to the previous week.

like this. and it seems to take some of the blue out of the sky?

It's hard to tell without comparing a shot with and without the filter in the same location and conditions. The picture you posted looks like it may be a tad overexposed and bringing out the black levels would make the shadows and the sky darker.

The filter itself may also need cleaning.

amadeus

pre race mind games at the most basic levels.

amadeus

jonh68 wrote:

It's hard to tell without comparing a shot with and without the filter in the same location and conditions. The picture you posted looks like it may be a tad overexposed and bringing out the black levels would make the shadows and the sky darker.

The filter itself may also need cleaning.

how about this.

into the sun. with the sun. both with filter. taken seconds apart.

amadeus

these two were taken seconds apart. with the sun on the starting line. very good colors.




once on the track into the sun, a bit hazy in my opinion.




not sure why but I shot the previous week without the UV filter and didn't have this problem.

munmi

It looks to me like you are not using a lens hood to keep sunlight from hitting lens directly. Lots of glare and light streaks are present. Image with sun from your back seem to be much more crisp and less glared.

Concerning the use of the UV filter, in my experience they really do there thing at high mountain elevations.

hindsy

munmi wrote:

It looks to me like you are not using a lens hood to keep sunlight from hitting lens directly. Lots of glare and light streaks are present. Image with sun from your back seem to be much more crisp and less glared.

Concerning the use of the UV filter, in my experience they really do there thing at high mountain elevations.

Really looks to me like the dust is kicking up from another area. I shoot Motocross and have had the problem when I'm in an area where the dust is being kicked around. My Nikon D50 picks the dust up like crazy... Your first rider or group of riders will look sharp, then the riders following will get caught in a cloud.
Your corner shots look great, but one piece of advice.... Know where you are on the track and try not to turn your back on bikes coming... This is my favorite sport, been racing and riding for 30+ years... now I'm getting deeper into the photo end of things...

jbr13

Any shots without the filter for comparison?

beetle8

Hmm,...
I have felt like I'm always getting a hazy appearance to my shots all but one of my lenses has had a uv filter on them from second one, it's the first thing I do when taking them out of the box, I thought it was the right thing to do for protection. I've got tons of cash in lenses then I grab one second hand a 28-105 f2.8 the local shop did not have an 82mm uv filter to fit it so I took it home and have yet to get one. This was about 2 month's ago I love the lens now because of the crisp blacks it's been showing off in all conditions.
Hmm,...
I'm now going to do some test shots with and without the filters on my other lenses.

DoctorIt

UV filters are the biggest waste of money. Modern lenses are designed such that the front element is essentially "protection" anyway. Go ahead, cover the front of your lens with dust, you won't see it unless short focused and stopped way down.

Canon and Nikon put serious amounts of design into their glass, you pay several hundred dollars for this technology and then slap a cheap $10 piece of glass on the front. Think about it...

Flug - in your case, I think the filter is actually making things far worse. Without a lens hood you're getting lots of indirect sunlight hitting the front of your lens. Now that you have the filter on the front, you have given this stray light an extra surface to bounce on. You are creating internal reflections between the front lens element and that filter.

Do the right thing, use the UV filter as a coaster.

If you want to help your motocross shots, save some pennies, buy a circular polarizer, and learn how to use it. You will see dramatic results - haze gone, better percieved range of light, crisper colors.

beetle8

DoctorIt wrote:

Canon and Nikon put serious amounts of design into their glass, you pay several hundred dollars for this technology and then slap a cheap $10 piece of glass on the front. Think about it...
.

Hey!...
Those UV filters were at least $18

amadeus

DoctorIt wrote:

If you want to help your motocross shots, save some pennies, buy a circular polarizer, and learn how to use it. You will see dramatic results - haze gone, better percieved range of light, crisper colors.

christ I don't even know how to use this camera and now you want me to learn something else?

gus

DoctorIt wrote:

If you want to help your motocross shots, save some pennies, buy a circular polarizer, and learn how to use it. You will see dramatic results - haze gone, better percieved range of light, crisper colors.

As you are no doubt aware...we get good light here & ive tried one several times. It was is a pain in the arse for sports (generally speaking) ive tried it many times with the downhill guys. I lost heaps of photos. Even with the 135 f/2 lens. Not worth the effort in my book anyway, slows you too much for anything but magnifying glass mode.

DoctorIt

amadeus wrote:

christ I don't even know how to use this camera and now you want me to learn something else?

Yeah, you're right, and so is gus. CP doesn't really work in sports.

Shows you what I know

But seriously, UV filter is not a magic bullet. The money would ahve been better spent on lens hood to keep the stray light off the lens.

gus

DoctorIt wrote:

Yeah, you're right, and so is gus. CP doesn't really work in sports.

Shows you what I know

But seriously, UV filter is not a magic bullet. The money would ahve been better spent on lens hood to keep the stray light off the lens.

I do firmly agree with your earlier comment though mate...dont pay a small fortune for precision glass & then think you can help by slapping a bit more yourself in font of it.

That is just my opinion though & im sure others will have a different view. I feel you are scared of damaging your lens doing sports then you need to move to the macro forum.

Ive learnt to shoot close to the ground & then pull the camera under me as the bikes go past.

amadeus

gus wrote:

I feel you are scared of damaging your lens doing sports then you need to move to the macro forum.

Ive learnt to shoot close to the ground & then pull the camera under me as the bikes go past.

the thought had crossed my mind.

beetle8

haha