Goggles for cameras

[DJRacing]

Dust always seems to be a problem at a MX meeting and I'm just wondering how other guys get around the problem. Has anyone made up a plastic cover for there camera or anything like that? Does anyone here worry about the dust and their camera?

Speeds of a memory card, I know that the 2gb is memory but what is the other number for? I got told it is the speed of the card. Is that the reading speed?

[Tony T]

G'day! Finally something I do know about.......... 
You are right that the 20x number or whatever, is the speed that the card will write to. A faster card is better but you are also limited by the speed of the camera.
As for dust, most of my cameras and lenses have everything sealed against dust/water etc but the majority don't so you do have to be careful.
Stay upwind when you can, stick it up your jumper or in a bag when not shooting and give it a good clean at every opportunity. You can buy rain covers pretty cheaply (ebay?) and they would help for dust as well.
If you have an SLR, meaning a camera that you can change lenses on, always have the camera facing down when swapping them. Then if there is dust, it will fall out rather than into the camera and onto the sensor.
Cheers
Tony
btw If you like to get really close to the action like I do sometimes, you're going to get roosted sooner or later and a UV or skylight filter on the front of the lens might be a good idea to protect it as well.

[DJRacing]

Tony, what lense do you use when close up to the action? Are you using a wide angle to give it that exaggerated sense of speed or are you going for the tight cropped image?
Stay up wind!! did ya let one go?   Yeah I use an SLR camera, but I have found that the digitals seem more prone to disliking dust than my old cameras. What quality shooting mode do you use? I presume you would always use your highest quality? I dont know about you but at a VMX meeting I find it hard to get out and take alot of pics as I like catching up with everyone and seeing all the bikes as well as race and by then I'm to bloody knacked to go off to take pics, but as I enjoy taking them its no hardship. I just need to practise more . Its always great to see the photos that night.

[Tony T]

Depends what sort of look I'm after. Lately, I've liked using a really wide angle lens like this at 17mm..........



The bike is literally 4 feet from the lens, but I don't have my eye up to the camera, I just hold it outstretched in my hand and wave it in the general direction of the bike.    But you've got to be prepared to be roosted with this technique. Plus I only ever get that close during practice rather than piss someone off during a race or risk getting hit. That's the beauty of digital too, you can have a go at weird stuff and if it doesn't work, you can see instantly why and work out what to do to fix it.

Or if you use a long lens, like this one at 300mm, it kind of compresses everything and the background looks closer than it really is.



I like both extremes.
As for image setting, if your camera does it and you've got the software to process them, then shooting in RAW mode gives the best quality and more options for making adjustments afterwards. It slows the camera down and it takes more time on the computer too, but the results are definitely better. Otherwise, use the highest quality Jpeg.
Cheers
TT

[GMC]

Thanks for the compliments in the other post Tony.
I was watching your shoot from the hip technique at Coff's, it looked interesting.

[pokey]

Viewed Tony's framed  full sized shot of Old fart styling it up the big TS400 and its brilliant

[Tony T]

Thanks fellas. There's lots of elements that go into why an image is pleasing to us.
The shot of Oldfart is nothing special from a photography point of view, but he's got good style and the dirt is hanging just nicely behind him. Without really trying to, I tend to shoot guys with the best riding style as it makes the shot 'nicer' to look at, and more people go 'That's a great shot' when it really isn't any better than anything else. Just the rider looks good.
Another thing that helps is to try and have the background darker than the subject. Or at least, not brighter. So move around and look for trees/shade etc. Not always possible, but it does help.