Rally Photography

[JMann Veteran]

Hi everyone,

There is a Car Rally coming up soon, and I wouldn't mind taking my SLR with me but I am not sure on what lens would be best for it? I have a Canon EOS 400D with the standard 18-55mm lens currently, but I think I would need a zoom lens of some sorts to get closer to the action.

I'm not looking for something that will break the bank, but any suggestions would be welcome. Could someone suggest a filter to protect the lens as well, considering Rally's aren't a particularly the cleanest of places to be!

Thanks :)

[the evn show]

Rent a 70-200mm F/2.8 IS. Shouldn't cost more than $40 for a weekend and it's pretty much the best medium-telephoto lens ever (keep in mind the crop-factor on your body bumps it up to ~110x320mm). Purchasing one outright is a costly endeavour but renting isn't too bad.

If you like it, there's a much cheaper F/4, non-stabalized version which can be had for around $600. I've got one, and while it's nowhere near as nice as the 2.8, it's perfectly useful for outdoor events like sports, vacations, etc. Falls down a bit for indoor sports because it's both slow and not stabilized (good luck getting a tripod setup in a stadium) but it's also 4x cheaper. I use the money I saved to rent the 'good' version when I need it.

[Butterman]

I bought the f/2.8 70-200 IS about 6 months ago. I can't imagine shooting any time of event without it. It is a spectacular piece of optic technology.

[Argote]

I was about to mention a fast telephoto as well. It's great to freeze the movement or get those awesome panning shots.

[crazzy88ss]

Again, I have to recommend the 70-200mm f2.8 IS.

I have nikon's equivalent lens. Gear like that is amazing and irreplaceable.

However, I'm going to assume that's out of your budget. There's always the Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 or, even cheaper (but much lower image quality) is a 70-300mm f3.5-5.6 lens.

[spacey]

Yeah, sorta depends on your budget. 70-200mm f2.8 lenses would be really good, but if you're looking to spend less, maybe the 70-300mm is a better choice. Or renting.