Photos from Road America

[aberg12012]

Greetings!  Just thought I'd make my first post on the new forum, and invite anyone intarested to view my photo gallery from Road America this past weekend.   Due to lack of time I don't have much up yet, and need to work on the teams' and friends' photos first.  I took way too many photos for just one person to process in a timely manor, so if you are curious what photos (if any) I have of you, let me know and I'll make your photos a higher piority.  (Post a message in the gallery or email me.)  Otherwise keep checking back over the next few weeks as I add photos daily.

http://www.pbase.com/alanjames/ccs_at_road_america_2006


Alan (James) Berg - CCS Amature 119  (As of last Friday!)

[barryd]

Nice images.... would you mind sharing what hardware you used to get those shots.?.  Very sharp 8)

[aberg12012]

I don't mind at all.  Those shots were taken hand held with a D70, and Nikor 70-200 f/2,8 VR.  Some of the shots are cropped in quite a bit, as I couldn't get close enough with only 200mm.  I wasn't allowed over the fence, like the pro's, which I can totally understand.  But it's such a sharp lense, cropping usually isn't a problem.

[Jeff]

What's the major difference between the D70 and D50? 

[pbfaster]

I would be interested!!!

AM # 18

Thanks

[snakemanracing95]

Where's my pictures??? I let you use my bike and this is how you treat me???
hehehe. I'll chat with you later in the week tough guy.... See ya @ BHF

Brian.

[aberg12012]

Hay Brian.  Don't worry... you got photos comming. :D  It just happens you and a couple other friends are more towards the end of all the photos I need to get through.  Rather than bouncing around trying to find specific riders/photos it's much easier to just go through them in the order they were captured.  Otherwise my brain gets all scrambled trying to keep things straight.

And yes... it's a big thanks to you that I even have my liscense for BHF this weekend!  Thanks Buddy! 

[aberg12012]

What's the major difference between the D70 and D50? 

Nothing too major... they are both aimed for the "entry level" DSLR market, and as such lack alot of features the pro bodies have, but none the less can caputre photos just as beautifully.  They both have the same image sensor.  The D50 is less expensive, and as such has a few features missing that the D70 has.  The biggest difference is that it takes SD media rather than CF.  Not a big deal unless you already have CF cards for other DSLR bodies.  I think they both have the same frame rate... usually about 4 burst shots in NEF format, then dirt slow after that.  It's funny, everyone told me that's too slow for race photography.  I see others out with their super fast pro bodies, clicking away like a machine gun, but yet I had no problem getting 3 or 4 shots of each rider as he/she came through the bend.  I still ended up with over 3,000 photos, way more than I can deal with! :D

[Jeff]

the shutter speed was where I was seeing the major difference.  The D70 is 1/8000 second and the D50 is half that at 1/4000 second.

I would think 1/4000 would be ample, but if I'm gonna drop upwards of $1k on a camera, I wanna make DAMNED sure.

From what I have read, the D50 is a newer camera and has some enhanced features over the D70, and should be a bit easier to use.  The CF vs SD kinda sucks as I have a CF setup already, but it doesn't warrant the extra $300 of the D70 for that sole purpose.

[Team_Serpent]

Pics look great! Please bring CD to Blackhawk this weekend as discussed.

Thanks!
Jason

[aberg12012]

the shutter speed was where I was seeing the major difference.  The D70 is 1/8000 second and the D50 is half that at 1/4000 second.

I would think 1/4000 would be ample, but if I'm gonna drop upwards of $1k on a camera, I wanna make DAMNED sure.

From what I have read, the D50 is a newer camera and has some enhanced features over the D70, and should be a bit easier to use.  The CF vs SD kinda sucks as I have a CF setup already, but it doesn't warrant the extra $300 of the D70 for that sole purpose.

It's definately a matter of what fits your budget, and the features you need.  Not what camera expert #208,357,876 says is the better camera. :)  (Something known as "measurebating.")  Have you checked out www.dpreview.com?  That website will tell you more than you need to know about the difference in features between the two.

But here is something to consider:  How much money have you spent on CF cards?  How much would it cost to replace them with SD cards?  Maybe not quite $300, but keep in mind that in the future if you get more serious about photography, you will surely spend well over $300 on memory cards.  Just food for thought.

As far as shutter speed... you would be suprised that 1/8000 comes in pretty handy.  Mostly when shooting in full daylight when you want very shallow depth of focus.  But also very handy when you forget and leave the camera set at 1600 ISO from the night before... lol

Also, if you do get a D50 kit, the 18-70mm DX lense is well worth the extra money.  I wouldn't bother with any of the other "kit" lenses, such as the 18-55 DX or 28-80mm G.  The 18-70mm is a great lense for the money.  Silent, fast AFS focus, and it's very sharp.

I have a first generation D70.  The D70s was updated when they came out with the D50.  It now has a larger LCD, updated auto focus system (cam 1000?) and updated menu screen.

[aberg12012]

Pics look great! Please bring CD to Blackhawk this weekend as discussed.

Thanks!
Jason

Thanks Jason for the compliment.  Believe me when I say it means alot to me to hear you like them.  Being a perfectionist I am rarely happy with my own photos.  There's always something wrong with them, if you know what I mean.

Anyways, I'll try my hardest to get the photos done before this weekend.  See you then.

Alan

[unter_kid]

Pics look awesome man!! Let me know when you get mine sorted and I'll give ya some money for a CD.  Great job man!

[aberg12012]

Mike, you commin' to BHF this weekend?  I'll be there by Friday morning.  I'm gunna try to have CD's ready by then... but I've also got work to do on my bike too.   You know... fix one problem, create another.   ::) 

[unter_kid]

Yeah I'll be there.  I'm going down Thursday night.  Just look for the canopy

[EM JAY]

 LOL!!  I like this one of Meg...  This should be a caption contest almost...:)  "Please don't lose the front, please don't crash..."    http://www.pbase.com/alanjames/image/59329443

[aberg12012]

I was thinking more like "OPEN YOUR EYES!!!"  :)  It's funny the number of photos I have of racers with their eyes closed in the middle of a corner.   Do you guys look down alot at the tach through corners?  I can't imagine you guys blink much!  Last year, my first time at BHF I had quite a few photos of blind racers. :D

[EM JAY]

 LOL!!  I don't think I close mine, I'm guessing they are more WIDE OPEN like OOhhh shit...tooo fast into this one....  LOL!!!

Thanks for puttin my pic's up too! 

[aberg12012]

Yeah I'll be there.  I'm going down Thursday night.  Just look for the canopy

Cool... I'll plan on going down Thursday night as well.  I really wouldn't enjoy leaving at 4am Friday morning.  :D  I picked up stickers from the shop today for the bike.  Now if it breaks down, at least it'll look fast? lol

[aberg12012]

LOL!!  I don't think I close mine, I'm guessing they are more WIDE OPEN like OOhhh shit...tooo fast into this one....  LOL!!!

Thanks for puttin my pic's up too! 

No problem on the pics.  Should be more comming.  I'm on folder 8 of 23. lol  Probably pulling an all nighter before BHF to get them done.   As far as closed eyes go... RA the other weekend was my first time on a track, and judging by how dry my eyes got, I doubt I ever even blinked. lol

Also... Meghan was actually exiting at turn 5 in that photo, so it was kind of silly for me to even take that pic.  "Oh look, I'm exiting the race track... how intaresting!"

[aberg12012]

Here's another one from BHF last year...  OPEN YOUR EYES!!  :)

http://www.pbase.com/alanjames/image/53176366

[G-reg]

Hehehe.. no wonder I crash, I'm a narcoleptic on the track  ;D

[aberg12012]

Greg, you crash?  ;D 

Were you on a black RC at RA this year?  I think I recognized your red face sheild... 

[G-reg]

Yep, that was me.

[Jeff]

Right now I only have 512mb in CF.  I would probably end up with 1G in SD.  which would be ample for the time being. 

Lenses, I was looking at the 18-70 DX and a either 70-200 or 70-300.

[aberg12012]

Right now I only have 512mb in CF.  I would probably end up with 1G in SD.  which would be ample for the time being. 

Lenses, I was looking at the 18-70 DX and a either 70-200 or 70-300.

Yea, if you will only be shooting in jpeg mode, 1gb on a 6mp camera is pretty huge.  In NEF mode, however, I only get about 180 per 1gb card.  Also, just more food for thought - it's better to have four 1gb cards, than one 4gb card.  Reason:  If the 4gb card fails, you loose all your photos.  Card failure does happen.

[aberg12012]

Yep, that was me.

Ok, after this weekend I'll go back through and put up some photos for you.  I think I had a few.  I remember thinking "how come that RC dosn't have two cans?" :D

[G-reg]

heh.. after my single can broke in two on saturday i ran with no cans on sunday  ;D

[aberg12012]

Serious? LOL   :D

[Johnny_P]

Yes he did, and believe me even the Buel Crowd was plugging thier ears! 

[Photo_Chick]

Very nice pics!!!