yes @capturingthemachine has been nothing short of heaven sent. I'm shocked the subscription is where it's at. So proud to be in the first 2000. I expect hundreds in time to come. As a photography lover and a car lover I'm going through each and every video and nothing is uninteresting. Captivating and fun, informative and chill. I love all their content.
I've been an amateur photographer for closing on 50 years and this show and tell tutorial was a fabulous learning opportunity and represents the best 10 minutes I've spent all month. What, the video is only 5:51? Fifteen minutes is an understatement because after the first six minutes, I've spent time reflecting on photos I've taken which would have benefited from watching this 30 years ago, or ten years ago. Thank you Kevin . . . I've subscribed.
As a beginner who likes to photograph vehicles in the street and who hasn't had their film developed yet (old school I know), I'm pleased to hear that I'm on the right track by using the 50mm focal length.
I shoot cars for listings as a hobby. My most used lenses are 35mm f1.8 for interior shots, 85 f1.8 and 80-200 f2.8 for exterior. All paired on my old D810
I love how you laid out this video. Great intro, the video outline & text to go over each lens is easy to understand. The camera flipping back to you talking is at perfect timing to keep the viewer engaged. 👍🏁
Finally a high quality video on UA-cam. These are hard to find. I might be biased, but I do agree with shooting long looks wayyy cooler. The 15-50MM looks like a smartphone picture, no matter what camera it is. At least to me... Oh and really love the font you used for the intro/outro
I like so much the 24mm the photo is a little bit cartoon when you are close and far away with beautifull places it just look so good!! I like the 2 ways we can go for it
Been watching camera reviews and comparisons all day thinking about wether I’m going down the right line or not… then I watch this video and just drop all those thoughts and long for the next shoot with my current camera… Loved this!!
I've been smitten with the shots I'm getting out of my old Nikon 180mm f2.8 manual focus lens, while many around me are using 50 and 85mm lenses. The look is so different and I feel like you explained what's been in the back of my brain for a while! Excellent video. You have a new subscriber. 😁
Coming back to this video after a couple of months and I have to say I love your point at 4:45. Back when I started dabbling in photography in college a decade or so ago before resigning myself to the iPhone ecosystem for the past few years I'd keep everything pegged at the widest focal length possible just because I thought putting more things in the frame made for a better contextualized picture, and phone photography has taught me to work around the wider default focal lengths. Now that I've got nice gear again and I'm recommitting myself to learning more, I'm trying hard to default to the tighter focal lengths when composing, and I'm really happy with what I've been seeing. 5:01 is just the perfect sequence to drive the idea home too. Great video!
Hi Pete, thanks for your comment, and I'm so glad you found this helpful! Honestly, making this video has been beneficial for me - just articulating all of it helped reinforce some things, which has helped the shoots I've done since publishing it. With photography, you want as many factors as possible to be "right" - the right time of day, a good location, good weather. But you can't always control those factors, no matter how much you prepare. Part of being a photographer is being able to get powerful images even if those factors aren't on your side - and I think using understanding focal lengths and picking the right one is another tool in the toolbox to help with that.
I used these tips for my first time photographing cars, and in my opinion they turned out really well! I had to take fotos of cars for a school assignment, and wasnt sure of how to approach this homework. This helped a lot, and motivated me to shoot some more pictures of these machines in the future! Thanks
I am an automobile detailer, who is now trying to learn how to do car photography. I need to learn it to promote my business. Thank you very much for showing me I need to spend some more money on lenses. LOL that 200 looks nice.
recently, i've been fininding tips on shooting cars and your video just popped up on my feed. i can feel something unique and genuine about you from the first 30 secs. subscribed!
hi really liked this video i am starting to shoot some old cars i am definitely a amateur i have had a couple good cameras but never found the time to get rite into it anyway my only problem with my 85mm and 100 to 500 is i cant seem to get close interior shots for detail this seems to be where im stuck but atleast now understand thanks to this video much more about my lenses and how to use them thanks 3 years later )
So glad this was helpful! I am working on a video all about shooting interiors, but you really want to something 35mm or wider to accurately capture an interior. 20mm or 24mm are ideal, and then you can use longer lenses for details.
Wow, I’ve never heard anyone say that the 105 is a good lens for automotive photography! I am so in love with my 105, I rarely use my other lenses. It’s nice to hear that there is someone who also thinks that you can use a 105mm.
Great insight! Admittedly I was borrowing the 105 for this video shoot, so it's not in my regular rotation, but I definitely see the benefits (and uniqueness) of using it.
Some of my best shots came off a 80mm lens. But then again, photography is an art, and art is subjective to opinions. I love shooting wide angle (nothing fish eye) and really has it's place when at a crowded event. Nothing more frustrating than sitting back for 10 minutes while people keep walking in your shot.
80mm is great, if you've found something you love that works for you, that's awesome. Thinking about the lenses you use - and being purposeful about it - is the most important thing. I have a video about shooting car events, if you're interested, it has some things you can do if you can't avoid the crowds: ua-cam.com/video/5lF4EkOWgd0/v-deo.html thanks for watching!
thanks so much! I was so thrilled when the shadows started to form as the sun went down at that location, it was so unexpected. Since you specifically brought up the shadows, I have a book coming this fall that is exclusively photos of cars and dramatic shadows: www.carrarabooks.com/waiting 😄
Great video, very helpful. I inherited a few bits of camera gear and 35mm, 18-105mm, and 70-300mm lenses which I wasn't sure when to use each. This has helped me better understand focal lengths and what is best suited for my needs.
Looking to buy my first real camera and cars are my the main thing im looking to shoot as I just bought myself an R32 Skyline lol thank you so much for this video, this helps a lot!
Good choice! The 85 1.8 is a fantastic lens, but after using the 70-200 2.8 day in, day out, I've never had a reason to use the 85 - your mileage may vary!
I'm a car photographer. Have 24-70 and 70-200. I love using my 70-200. It makes me look more professional and the photos I show my clients are gorgeous.
I'm shooting my first car show this weekend, and have been DEVOURING your channel the last day or two!! Great tips, and very well put together! Have you covered shooting cars in direct sun? I'll be at a big, open dealership with no cover for the event, and the forecast says clear and sunny all day.
Awesome to hear this, thanks so much! I have wanted to do a video on the subject of shooting in direct sun, but haven’t yet. If there are no trees it’s going to be tough. You’ll have to make it work with interesting framing and perspective. Avoid shooting *into* the overhead sun, that should make a big difference - even if the sun is high overhead, it still has a direction, so avoid shooting towards the sun and straight into the shadows. Hope this helps!
I enjoy using the 75mm APSC on Fujifilm XT5 and its about 112-115 Equivalent Full Frame and I love the style of shots you can frame with it specially for cars!
Do you think this stuff would apply to a car show? I have one coming up later this year and want to take a film camera for car pictures, at the moment I have my 55mm f2, and a 70-200 zoom. But I ordered a 135mm prime lens since I wanted the pictures to come out a bit more sharper than they would with the zoom lens. Not the mention the focusing on the zoom was very sensitive. Do you think the 135mm and a tripod be good for a beginner? I was thinking I’d ditch the zoom lens and just take the 135 and the 50 in case I need something a bit wider.
I have a video all about shooting shows and events: ua-cam.com/video/5lF4EkOWgd0/v-deo.html A 135 might be too restrictive at an event, since you have to move a lot and it's such a specific focal length. But it might work! Usually a tripod slows me down at a car event, I would rather shoot at higher ISO and be able to move more quickly.
Stumbled upon looking for exactly this type of content, thank you for the tips and the inspiration! Been holding out on shooting my first car hoping to gather the techniques first
DUDE! You skipped right past the venerable 35mm!!!! Either way, thanks for making this. I'm going to take pictures of an '06 Jetta tomorrow for Craigslist and FB Market Place and want to do it right. Oh, and maybe the 135mm as there are tons out there in people's kit.
This is excellent, and just the kind of thing I have been looking for to make my photography better, thanks so much for making it! Now it's time to dig in to the whole channel :)
I've been shooting cars for a while and a couple years ago finally upgraded to a A6300 and after the kit lens the first thing i got was the Sigma 16mm f/1.4 (24mm when scaled to full frame) and had been mostly using that and been happy and I'd picked up a 1960's Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 (75mm scaled to FF) I was barely using it for cars due to just being frustrated to wait for a shot. This year I've suddenly had that moment click and I'm using the vintage lens more then ever and with a ND8+CPL it's allowed me to capture much nicer photos and I no longer care about waiting at a Cars and Coffee to get the right shot because when I do it's super satisfying. I was debating whether to get the Sigma 18-50mm next or if i pick something with a bit more length to it and seeing this done make me thing it might be worth getting a longer lens thats a bit sharper.
that's awesome, it sounds like it has worked out and you've found what you like! I like 50mm on full frame but I don't really enjoy shooting wider than that, but it's all personal preference. Cars & Coffee and events are tough because of the crowds, but sometimes it forces you to look for details or crops you wouldn't otherwise notice.
I got that shirt from Deus Ex Machina. Unfortunately the rubber came off my Peak Design strap (it was a very early one from Kickstarter) and it messed up the shirt. PD replaced the strap but the shirt was ruined with black melted rubber smudges 😭
Yes, like this? How To Shoot Panning Photos of Cars (Photography Tutorial) ua-cam.com/video/bHaKPrrBLa0/v-deo.html I also have one about getting media credentials, it’s pretty recent like 1-2 months ago
Dude you're awesome. I love the way you direct these video's, I don't know what it is But I love em. Im subscribing. I wanna be as good of a storyteller as you are♥️
This is one of the coolest comments I've ever gotten, thanks so much!! I have many other topics and videos I'm working on that I'm excited to create, I truly appreciate the feedback 👍
I agree with what you’re saying. However, it would’ve been helpful to reference your focal length to your frame format. A 50mm lens is “standard” on a full frame camera, approximating the diagonal of your sensor / film frame, but effectively longer on a DX format camera.
Thanks, yes, this was one of my earliest videos; if I had made this today, I probably would have clarified the differences of crop sensors to make it a little more universally applicable
Good eye! It's such a cool car. There are some good pics of it here (I am not affiliated with this site even though the name is similar to my channel haha): www.trustinthemachine.com/post/mirror-finish-ii
and for videography? Can you make lens recommendations? ... it is difficult for video on many occasions to record with long lenses .. for example 3/4 shot while the car is racing down the road
This is tough, I'm no expert with video, I'm still learning all this myself! It really depends on if you're doing handheld or on a tripod, as wider offers more stability if the camera is moving. I have found a zoom is helpful for being flexible for adapting to the particular scene, and have ND filters so you can open the aperture in daylight.
I got a question, I have to take pictures for car companies to post them online for sale. But one of my clients wants the car to fill up the picture. the studio has a machine that takes pictures 360 by rotating the plate the car is on. but on the 90 and 180 degree anglee the front and the back of the car does not fit in the picture. Do you have any reccomendations on camera lenses? I use a canon eos r with a 24-105 lens on it. thank you!
that's tricky, I'm not sure I can help. It sounds like you just need the next lens that's wider, like a 20mm prime, or a 14-24, but I don't think the car is going too look very good at such a wide angle
I think 35mm is also a very good focal length for car photography since you can blow the background with a low aperture and also it's wide enough to get some interior shot! I work for a dealership and they really need all the interior detail. Right now I'm shooting on a 24-70 f2.8 but I'm thinking about switching to a 35mm prime for better sharpness and the F1.4!
Great overview! I've always been inspired by Jeremy Clarkson in Top Gear and they used short focal fisheye lens for a lot of their shots. Would love to see them bring some of that vibe back with modern fisheye lens. Would also really love to see you start doing videography!!!
Can you discuss apertures? When shooting cars, I try and stay around 6.3 (give or take a stop) when shooting oblique angles like the front quarter view you did of the 911, and something closer to f/4 when head on or in profile. But I’m not sure if I’m happy with that or not..wonder if a numerically lower aperture might give a better DOF on the quarter angles. Thoughts?
This is a great question, I think most of these front quarter shots were at 2.8 for the most impact, and to show the foreground and background depth of field. I never concern myself with the ultimate sharpest possible image, which would be a smaller aperture, because 99% of the images are not being reproduced anywhere where the 'image sharpness at frame edge' matters. So, if you're shooting a front-quarter and you need the entire car to be sharp - side, and rear - then 6.3 is probably a good place to be. But one of the reasons we carry around bulky cameras is to get that nice depth of field - a flat, completely sharp image could be captured pretty well with a phone camera these days. So the wider aperture image, at something like 2.8, is going to stand out more and look, subconsciously maybe, like it's higher quality.
what about a sigma 30mm 1.4 would that be good for car photography im also new to photography I have sony a7iii with a sony 85mm 1.8 a 50mm 1.8 and a sony 28-70 3.5-5.6 and was thinking about getting a 30mm
Do you like shooting with your 28-70 at ~30mm? You can try limiting yourself to that and see if that works for you. Yeah, it's f3.5 versus f1.4, but your framing and compositions will be the same. You either like the focal length or you don't, I personally don't really like anything wider than a 50mm for cars, unless I'm shooting interiors, engine bays and stuff where I need to be close up. I think I hammered this point pretty hard in the video (it's been a few years), but I find the versatility, depth of field, and foreshortening effect of a 70-200 2.8 to be such a game changer, I think stuff looks amazing at every part of the range.
You did a good job shooting the prime focal lengths rather than a zoom lens. People just don't understand that prime lenses yield the best results yet the wonder why their pictures don't end up the same
thank you, I could do a better job expressing the differences between zoom and prime further as a subject by itself, maybe this will be a future video topic! 😁
basically, yes. There are some benefits to those primes, like wider available aperture (1.4 or 1.8 vs. 2.8 for the 70-200), but the 70-200 is by far the more versatile option.
it's hard for me to say, I only use Nikon, and I don't know the full lineup very well. But I really swear by the Nikon mirrorless cameras, I think it's very user-friendly and a good system to invest in. Maybe the Z 50?
Your videos are amazing. Have you any pointers on shooting cars inside a white workshop. Where I have some space but not masses it’s 15x15 meter. All the wall are basically just white and I need to show off a freshly detailed vehicle. Basically how can I get good shots when I can’t really control the environment and I’ve only got artificial light to work with and I can’t stand too far from the car. Also most shots are for Instagram so shot vertically which has more floor and ceiling in the shots 😩
Thanks so much for the kind words, this is a tough one! Are you using lighting gear, or just the standard lighting of the room? It's a small room so you'll have to shoot wider (obviously), and make sure your camera white balance is set correctly for the conditions. If you can get on a ladder to elevate yourself a bit, you can frame the car to better fill a vertical composition, at least from most angles. I would also probably brighten up the images while editing to give it sort of a techy, clean-room sort of look. Hope this helps!
thank you! It would have been hard to please everyone and demonstrate every lens, but the 35 is the one I get the most comments about that I wish I had included. 35mm isn't bad, and it has tons of uses outside of cars, but personally for me, 50mm (and longer) is kinda the sweet spot for car exterior photos.
That's a "for sure" about getting far away and using a longer focal length. I was shooting a local car meet and had packed up my car when a vintage motorcycle rolled in. My feet and my back were done so I dug out the camera on the passenger seat and just rested the camera on the frame of my open window while I sat behind the wheel. Took a few shots since my 12 Mp Canon bridge camera has long reach and left. I now use that photo as my monitor desktop image to remind me what I can get. Like he says, it's not the same thing you saw with your eyes.
I overlooked it, I've always preferred a 50, and when I moved to full frame many years ago I never got another 35mm. But I see that a lot of people like the 35 so I will consider that for next time 👍
@@capturingthemachine you mean that 35 its lazy 50? Last times i often shooting cars at the repair boxed inside and the dirty backyard outside, so my 11-16 (15-24ff) is the best, especially then you shooting serviceman working under the hood) And Even at the autoshow when i have only one lens 42ff - it seems to me very long fr, so i was surprised of your advice to use the more tele lens as you can.)) Or you have to have a huge spaces to do that)
@@justdontstop I prefer the longer if I have the space, and I am always looking for the space! If you're in tight confines you have to compromise, and if you're shooting under the hood or interior you definitely need a wider lens.
What an amazing video, helped a lot with understanding exterior shots :D Could you perhaps help me out a little more? I would love to know what you would advise to use for interior shots as well. Pictures for dealerships basically. Is a
Thanks so much! In my Supra video from a few weeks ago, near the end I talked a little about doing an interior shot, and what I did and how I edited it (and it shows the settings). 20mm should be good for the whole interior (cropped or full frame?). I don't know much about Sony's system but I hear great things. Generally, I love prime lenses and found that they give great image quality and teach you a lot about framing and composition. Zoom lenses give you more options and you can work a little faster because you don't have to run around and swap lenses as much, so they both have their benefit. The main limitation of cheap zoom lenses is that the aperture is usually pretty restrictive, like you can only go to F/4 or 5.6, so you can't experiment with a limited depth of field. I recommend renting a few lenses to see what works best for you before you buy.
Awesome video! I noticed that you didn’t mention focal lengths between 30-35. I have a Sony fx30 which has an aps-c censor and I’m looking to start car videography. I want to purchase a 23mm lens which would be equivalent to a 35 mm focal length. Thoughts?
Thank you! Yeah, a few people are disappointed I didn't mention 35mm, which I probably should have included. Honestly I just don't really like 35mm for cars, your mileage may vary, it's fine but I was always rather have 50mm or more.
As a photography beginner, I found this very enlightening. Thank you!
awesome, thank you Russell!
As a person with ZERO photography experience.... mind blown.
awesome, thanks Dave 😺
yes @capturingthemachine has been nothing short of heaven sent. I'm shocked the subscription is where it's at. So proud to be in the first 2000. I expect hundreds in time to come. As a photography lover and a car lover I'm going through each and every video and nothing is uninteresting. Captivating and fun, informative and chill. I love all their content.
As a person with ~20 years photography experience, mind blown!
I've been an amateur photographer for closing on 50 years and this show and tell tutorial was a fabulous learning opportunity and represents the best 10 minutes I've spent all month. What, the video is only 5:51? Fifteen minutes is an understatement because after the first six minutes, I've spent time reflecting on photos I've taken which would have benefited from watching this 30 years ago, or ten years ago. Thank you Kevin . . . I've subscribed.
this is one of the most impactful comments I've ever gotten on anything I've done - thanks for watching and glad it was helpful!
As a beginner who likes to photograph vehicles in the street and who hasn't had their film developed yet (old school I know), I'm pleased to hear that I'm on the right track by using the 50mm focal length.
great guide to fitting right inside the box and being like everyone before you, hope the viewers venture out and learn by themselves more
lol ok
I shoot cars for listings as a hobby. My most used lenses are 35mm f1.8 for interior shots, 85 f1.8 and 80-200 f2.8 for exterior. All paired on my old D810
sounds like a good setup!
I love how you laid out this video. Great intro, the video outline & text to go over each lens is easy to understand. The camera flipping back to you talking is at perfect timing to keep the viewer engaged. 👍🏁
Thanks so much!
When deep inside you knew it all but needed someone to summarize it for you! Great video!
thanks! I know exactly what you mean, just making this and articulating was really helpful for me as well 😄
@@capturingthemachine dude keep making videos!!!
Finally a high quality video on UA-cam. These are hard to find. I might be biased, but I do agree with shooting long looks wayyy cooler. The 15-50MM looks like a smartphone picture, no matter what camera it is. At least to me...
Oh and really love the font you used for the intro/outro
thanks so much RJ!!
I like so much the 24mm the photo is a little bit cartoon when you are close and far away with beautifull places it just look so good!! I like the 2 ways we can go for it
haha great perspective!
Been watching camera reviews and comparisons all day thinking about wether I’m going down the right line or not… then I watch this video and just drop all those thoughts and long for the next shoot with my current camera…
Loved this!!
thanks so much, I love hearing this! 😄
I've been smitten with the shots I'm getting out of my old Nikon 180mm f2.8 manual focus lens, while many around me are using 50 and 85mm lenses. The look is so different and I feel like you explained what's been in the back of my brain for a while! Excellent video. You have a new subscriber. 😁
thank you! I would love to try a 180 f2.8, that sounds fun 👏
Coming back to this video after a couple of months and I have to say I love your point at 4:45. Back when I started dabbling in photography in college a decade or so ago before resigning myself to the iPhone ecosystem for the past few years I'd keep everything pegged at the widest focal length possible just because I thought putting more things in the frame made for a better contextualized picture, and phone photography has taught me to work around the wider default focal lengths. Now that I've got nice gear again and I'm recommitting myself to learning more, I'm trying hard to default to the tighter focal lengths when composing, and I'm really happy with what I've been seeing.
5:01 is just the perfect sequence to drive the idea home too. Great video!
Hi Pete, thanks for your comment, and I'm so glad you found this helpful! Honestly, making this video has been beneficial for me - just articulating all of it helped reinforce some things, which has helped the shoots I've done since publishing it. With photography, you want as many factors as possible to be "right" - the right time of day, a good location, good weather. But you can't always control those factors, no matter how much you prepare. Part of being a photographer is being able to get powerful images even if those factors aren't on your side - and I think using understanding focal lengths and picking the right one is another tool in the toolbox to help with that.
I used these tips for my first time photographing cars, and in my opinion they turned out really well! I had to take fotos of cars for a school assignment, and wasnt sure of how to approach this homework. This helped a lot, and motivated me to shoot some more pictures of these machines in the future! Thanks
it's amazing to hear this, thanks for sharing, and good luck with your future shoots. It sounds like you have the bug 📸😄
I am an automobile detailer, who is now trying to learn how to do car photography. I need to learn it to promote my business. Thank you very much for showing me I need to spend some more money on lenses. LOL that 200 looks nice.
awesome, so glad if it helps!
I watch your vids before I go photographing. Motivational 😎🤙
Glad to hear it, hope they're helpful!
That's awesome, dude, thanks!
Usually, I don't comment any video, but yours is a gem, you need to know this
Wow, thanks!
recently, i've been fininding tips on shooting cars and your video just popped up on my feed. i can feel something unique and genuine about you from the first 30 secs. subscribed!
wow, this is such a thoughtful and incredible comment, thanks so much Mack!
hi really liked this video i am starting to shoot some old cars i am definitely a amateur i have had a couple good cameras but never found the time to get rite into it anyway my only problem with my 85mm and 100 to 500 is i cant seem to get close interior shots for detail this seems to be where im stuck but atleast now understand thanks to this video much more about my lenses and how to use them thanks 3 years later )
So glad this was helpful! I am working on a video all about shooting interiors, but you really want to something 35mm or wider to accurately capture an interior. 20mm or 24mm are ideal, and then you can use longer lenses for details.
Thank you very much this helps a lot
I’ve shot one car one time, just for fun, but your channel is amazing and I am now a subscriber.
thanks Andrew, so glad to hear this!
Wow, I’ve never heard anyone say that the 105 is a good lens for automotive photography!
I am so in love with my 105, I rarely use my other lenses. It’s nice to hear that there is someone who also thinks that you can use a 105mm.
Great insight! Admittedly I was borrowing the 105 for this video shoot, so it's not in my regular rotation, but I definitely see the benefits (and uniqueness) of using it.
Some of my best shots came off a 80mm lens. But then again, photography is an art, and art is subjective to opinions. I love shooting wide angle (nothing fish eye) and really has it's place when at a crowded event. Nothing more frustrating than sitting back for 10 minutes while people keep walking in your shot.
80mm is great, if you've found something you love that works for you, that's awesome. Thinking about the lenses you use - and being purposeful about it - is the most important thing. I have a video about shooting car events, if you're interested, it has some things you can do if you can't avoid the crowds: ua-cam.com/video/5lF4EkOWgd0/v-deo.html
thanks for watching!
I like your compositions at 200mm. The use of light and shadows to frame the car. Fantastic!
thanks so much! I was so thrilled when the shadows started to form as the sun went down at that location, it was so unexpected.
Since you specifically brought up the shadows, I have a book coming this fall that is exclusively photos of cars and dramatic shadows: www.carrarabooks.com/waiting 😄
Great video, very helpful. I inherited a few bits of camera gear and 35mm, 18-105mm, and 70-300mm lenses which I wasn't sure when to use each. This has helped me better understand focal lengths and what is best suited for my needs.
Amazing, I'm glad it was helpful! Sounds like you have a full suite of focal lengths to experiment with 📸
Looking to buy my first real camera and cars are my the main thing im looking to shoot as I just bought myself an R32 Skyline lol thank you so much for this video, this helps a lot!
awesome to hear this, thanks so much! And wow, R32, very cool! 🤩
I love my 85 mm 1.8 for car photography. I just got a 70-200 and I am excited to use that as well
Good choice! The 85 1.8 is a fantastic lens, but after using the 70-200 2.8 day in, day out, I've never had a reason to use the 85 - your mileage may vary!
@@capturingthemachine I am loving my f4 70-200 and need a 2.8 some day but I am really impressed with the f4
I'm a car photographer. Have 24-70 and 70-200. I love using my 70-200. It makes me look more professional and the photos I show my clients are gorgeous.
This is the most informative video on focal length x automotive photography I've seen! Keep up the great work ~
Wow, thanks!
I'm a painter, not a photographer, who wants to get into painting cars and this was excellent
It's amazing to hear this! I would love to see how you apply this to painting cars 👍
@@capturingthemachine I will be sure to show you when I have created my new collection
@@sterlingleefineart6608 great, thanks!
This was absolutely very helpful, however, I would’ve loved to have seen you cover shooting at 35mm but like I said this was so so helpful.
thanks for your comment and feedback!
I'm shooting my first car show this weekend, and have been DEVOURING your channel the last day or two!! Great tips, and very well put together! Have you covered shooting cars in direct sun? I'll be at a big, open dealership with no cover for the event, and the forecast says clear and sunny all day.
Awesome to hear this, thanks so much! I have wanted to do a video on the subject of shooting in direct sun, but haven’t yet. If there are no trees it’s going to be tough. You’ll have to make it work with interesting framing and perspective. Avoid shooting *into* the overhead sun, that should make a big difference - even if the sun is high overhead, it still has a direction, so avoid shooting towards the sun and straight into the shadows. Hope this helps!
Good stuff. I throw the 35 1.4 in for interior and close detail shots.
Thanks! That's a really good suggestion, especially for interiors 👍
I enjoy using the 75mm APSC on Fujifilm XT5 and its about 112-115 Equivalent Full Frame and I love the style of shots you can frame with it specially for cars!
That was really informative in a short time. Thank you!
I'm glad it was helpful!
Do you think this stuff would apply to a car show? I have one coming up later this year and want to take a film camera for car pictures, at the moment I have my 55mm f2, and a 70-200 zoom. But I ordered a 135mm prime lens since I wanted the pictures to come out a bit more sharper than they would with the zoom lens. Not the mention the focusing on the zoom was very sensitive.
Do you think the 135mm and a tripod be good for a beginner? I was thinking I’d ditch the zoom lens and just take the 135 and the 50 in case I need something a bit wider.
I have a video all about shooting shows and events: ua-cam.com/video/5lF4EkOWgd0/v-deo.html
A 135 might be too restrictive at an event, since you have to move a lot and it's such a specific focal length. But it might work! Usually a tripod slows me down at a car event, I would rather shoot at higher ISO and be able to move more quickly.
I wanna start shooting at car meets with my m50 canon and this is the video I needed ! Thanks a lot !
awesome to hear it, happy I could help! Good luck
Shots with any 70-200 just hit different. Easily my favorite go to in my bag.
so true!
Stumbled upon looking for exactly this type of content, thank you for the tips and the inspiration! Been holding out on shooting my first car hoping to gather the techniques first
thanks so much, this is awesome to hear! Good luck 👍 if you come back with any questions I'm always open to new topics for future videos
I love the feel he deliver, passion has been delivered. Highly recommend for any one just starting out photography.
thanks so much!
This is so good! Very well broken down. I've been playing with longer focal lengths, especially for cars in motion.
awesome - thanks so much!
Loved seeing the shot comparison-thanks for the thoughtful advice!
thanks for watching, Paul! 😄
I tried to like this video so many times while watching it! Amazing
Wow, thanks!
DUDE! You skipped right past the venerable 35mm!!!! Either way, thanks for making this. I'm going to take pictures of an '06 Jetta tomorrow for Craigslist and FB Market Place and want to do it right. Oh, and maybe the 135mm as there are tons out there in people's kit.
Good luck with the photos! I wish I had included the 35mm when I made this, next time I guess 😆
I love this video, gives perfect insight on the characteristics of each focal length. good job !
Thank you so much!
This is excellent, and just the kind of thing I have been looking for to make my photography better, thanks so much for making it!
Now it's time to dig in to the whole channel :)
thanks for watching!
I've been shooting cars for a while and a couple years ago finally upgraded to a A6300 and after the kit lens the first thing i got was the Sigma 16mm f/1.4 (24mm when scaled to full frame) and had been mostly using that and been happy and I'd picked up a 1960's Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 (75mm scaled to FF) I was barely using it for cars due to just being frustrated to wait for a shot. This year I've suddenly had that moment click and I'm using the vintage lens more then ever and with a ND8+CPL it's allowed me to capture much nicer photos and I no longer care about waiting at a Cars and Coffee to get the right shot because when I do it's super satisfying. I was debating whether to get the Sigma 18-50mm next or if i pick something with a bit more length to it and seeing this done make me thing it might be worth getting a longer lens thats a bit sharper.
that's awesome, it sounds like it has worked out and you've found what you like! I like 50mm on full frame but I don't really enjoy shooting wider than that, but it's all personal preference. Cars & Coffee and events are tough because of the crowds, but sometimes it forces you to look for details or crops you wouldn't otherwise notice.
I bought a 28mm Canon EF F1.8 lens for indoor car shows but use a 24-105L as default
Where did you get that 356 t shirt (seen st 3:29) ? So cool
I got that shirt from Deus Ex Machina. Unfortunately the rubber came off my Peak Design strap (it was a very early one from Kickstarter) and it messed up the shirt. PD replaced the strap but the shirt was ruined with black melted rubber smudges 😭
Really useful video, thanks for it. Do you have one for circuit motorsport photography?
Yes, like this?
How To Shoot Panning Photos of Cars (Photography Tutorial)
ua-cam.com/video/bHaKPrrBLa0/v-deo.html
I also have one about getting media credentials, it’s pretty recent like 1-2 months ago
@@capturingthemachine Exactly like that
found you randomly but man you are the best !!!!
THANK YOU! Glad to have you here 😄
@@capturingthemachine got my 1st camera recently how to approach car dealers man 🥵❤️
Dude you're awesome. I love the way you direct these video's, I don't know what it is But I love em. Im subscribing. I wanna be as good of a storyteller as you are♥️
This is one of the coolest comments I've ever gotten, thanks so much!! I have many other topics and videos I'm working on that I'm excited to create, I truly appreciate the feedback 👍
Much Love🥰
Man this video is super useful.
Great work
Great to hear that, thanks!
Thank you heading to British Motor show tomorrow now have idea what to take.
awesome, good luck!
Thanks! Awesome video for a beginner car photographer
Glad it was helpful!
Some beautiful compositions here - thank you!
Many thanks!
Does this same theory apply when you want to shoot b roll cinematic video footage?
I think it does, just be mindful of camera movement; a lot of movement at long focal lengths can be hard to stabilize or dizzying for the viewer
I agree with what you’re saying. However, it would’ve been helpful to reference your focal length to your frame format. A 50mm lens is “standard” on a full frame camera, approximating the diagonal of your sensor / film frame, but effectively longer on a DX format camera.
Thanks, yes, this was one of my earliest videos; if I had made this today, I probably would have clarified the differences of crop sensors to make it a little more universally applicable
Wow. I was always shooting close and not really getting the results I wanted. I will use this technique!
awesome to hear that, good luck!
Let’s see some more of that lovely Accord Aerodeck. That’s my jam right there!
Good eye! It's such a cool car. There are some good pics of it here (I am not affiliated with this site even though the name is similar to my channel haha): www.trustinthemachine.com/post/mirror-finish-ii
and for videography? Can you make lens recommendations? ... it is difficult for video on many occasions to record with long lenses .. for example 3/4 shot while the car is racing down the road
This is tough, I'm no expert with video, I'm still learning all this myself! It really depends on if you're doing handheld or on a tripod, as wider offers more stability if the camera is moving. I have found a zoom is helpful for being flexible for adapting to the particular scene, and have ND filters so you can open the aperture in daylight.
once again great job and a very well made video .. thanks and keep it up !
thank you so much!
I got a question, I have to take pictures for car companies to post them online for sale. But one of my clients wants the car to fill up the picture. the studio has a machine that takes pictures 360 by rotating the plate the car is on. but on the 90 and 180 degree anglee the front and the back of the car does not fit in the picture. Do you have any reccomendations on camera lenses? I use a canon eos r with a 24-105 lens on it. thank you!
that's tricky, I'm not sure I can help. It sounds like you just need the next lens that's wider, like a 20mm prime, or a 14-24, but I don't think the car is going too look very good at such a wide angle
I love this. Good explanation. Thank you
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching
Thanks you a lot bro 😎 I’m a super duper beginner with my camera, (not exactly in photography), so seeing this is really helpful
Thanks for watching!
I mostly shoot landscape / architecture; my car photos have never turned out too well. This was very insightful.
Hey James! thanks for watching 😄
Great video - thank you for that
my pleasure - thanks for watching and commenting! 😄
Extremely helpful thank you taking the time!
You're very welcome!
Hei. This is really good stuff. What would be also great is a tutorial/guide on how to photograph car interiors with and without extra light.
Thanks, this is a great suggestion! I am actually working on a video all about shooting interiors, and hopefully it's ready in a couple weeks 😄
I think 35mm is also a very good focal length for car photography since you can blow the background with a low aperture and also it's wide enough to get some interior shot! I work for a dealership and they really need all the interior detail. Right now I'm shooting on a 24-70 f2.8 but I'm thinking about switching to a 35mm prime for better sharpness and the F1.4!
Have you switched to the 35mm? I'm in the same position as you where I work for a dealership and am using the 24-70mm 2.8 but want to go for the 35 😂
@@KiedisHaze I have both, I prefer the 35mm but I need something wider to capture the interior shots. So I still use my 24-70mm for work!
How did you guys land a dealership gig?
Great overview! I've always been inspired by Jeremy Clarkson in Top Gear and they used short focal fisheye lens for a lot of their shots. Would love to see them bring some of that vibe back with modern fisheye lens.
Would also really love to see you start doing videography!!!
Good call, they used it really well, especially with those nice dramatic pans. I appreciate it but I still consider myself a novice videographer! 😅
Great video...Picking up some awesome tips, Keep the video's coming :)
thanks, and thank you for watching!
you've done a great job in explaining things! All the best with your channel :)
Thank you so much!
Can you discuss apertures? When shooting cars, I try and stay around 6.3 (give or take a stop) when shooting oblique angles like the front quarter view you did of the 911, and something closer to f/4 when head on or in profile. But I’m not sure if I’m happy with that or not..wonder if a numerically lower aperture might give a better DOF on the quarter angles. Thoughts?
This is a great question, I think most of these front quarter shots were at 2.8 for the most impact, and to show the foreground and background depth of field. I never concern myself with the ultimate sharpest possible image, which would be a smaller aperture, because 99% of the images are not being reproduced anywhere where the 'image sharpness at frame edge' matters. So, if you're shooting a front-quarter and you need the entire car to be sharp - side, and rear - then 6.3 is probably a good place to be. But one of the reasons we carry around bulky cameras is to get that nice depth of field - a flat, completely sharp image could be captured pretty well with a phone camera these days. So the wider aperture image, at something like 2.8, is going to stand out more and look, subconsciously maybe, like it's higher quality.
what about a sigma 30mm 1.4 would that be good for car photography im also new to photography I have sony a7iii with a sony 85mm 1.8 a 50mm 1.8 and a sony 28-70 3.5-5.6 and was thinking about getting a 30mm
Do you like shooting with your 28-70 at ~30mm? You can try limiting yourself to that and see if that works for you. Yeah, it's f3.5 versus f1.4, but your framing and compositions will be the same. You either like the focal length or you don't, I personally don't really like anything wider than a 50mm for cars, unless I'm shooting interiors, engine bays and stuff where I need to be close up.
I think I hammered this point pretty hard in the video (it's been a few years), but I find the versatility, depth of field, and foreshortening effect of a 70-200 2.8 to be such a game changer, I think stuff looks amazing at every part of the range.
second to last was 100% my fav
😄
You did a good job shooting the prime focal lengths rather than a zoom lens. People just don't understand that prime lenses yield the best results yet the wonder why their pictures don't end up the same
thank you, I could do a better job expressing the differences between zoom and prime further as a subject by itself, maybe this will be a future video topic! 😁
@@capturingthemachine looking forward to it!
Wouldn’t using a 70-200 mm remove the need for the lenses in between like the 85mm or 105mm?
basically, yes. There are some benefits to those primes, like wider available aperture (1.4 or 1.8 vs. 2.8 for the 70-200), but the 70-200 is by far the more versatile option.
@@capturingthemachine thank you
Do you have any recommendations for cameras for beginners?
it's hard for me to say, I only use Nikon, and I don't know the full lineup very well. But I really swear by the Nikon mirrorless cameras, I think it's very user-friendly and a good system to invest in. Maybe the Z 50?
Excellent points my friend. Enjoyable and informative.
Thank you kindly!
Great job man. Enjoyed listening to it.
Much appreciated!
Really good video, great explanation, also, that Porsche and Honda were gorgeous
Thank you! 👍 You have a good eye since the Honda Accord Aerodeck was only in it for a split second! 😄
@@capturingthemachine enough to catch my attention 😂 I'm picking up my new 70-300 lense next week, I'm excited to put some of your tips to practice!
This video was very helpful. Thank you !
awesome, thanks for watching!
Just shot a motorcycle show with a 200 f2.8. Got a lot of strange looks but it works!
awesome! I'd love to see it, if you want to share any of them send to ctmshares@gmail.com and I might feature them in a future video or post!
Thanks for the informative video. Im off to a car meet this evening, lets see how it goes :)
thanks, hope it went well!
Thank you for the video it was very helpful 🤗🤗🤗
You’re welcome, thanks for watching! 😊
Your videos are amazing.
Have you any pointers on shooting cars inside a white workshop.
Where I have some space but not masses it’s 15x15 meter. All the wall are basically just white and I need to show off a freshly detailed vehicle.
Basically how can I get good shots when I can’t really control the environment and I’ve only got artificial light to work with and I can’t stand too far from the car. Also most shots are for Instagram so shot vertically which has more floor and ceiling in the shots 😩
Thanks so much for the kind words, this is a tough one! Are you using lighting gear, or just the standard lighting of the room? It's a small room so you'll have to shoot wider (obviously), and make sure your camera white balance is set correctly for the conditions. If you can get on a ladder to elevate yourself a bit, you can frame the car to better fill a vertical composition, at least from most angles. I would also probably brighten up the images while editing to give it sort of a techy, clean-room sort of look. Hope this helps!
thank you! finally understood the difference in focal lengths when it comes to car photography! liked and subbed!
Thanks for the sub!
Great video! What do you think about 35mm focal length?
thank you! It would have been hard to please everyone and demonstrate every lens, but the 35 is the one I get the most comments about that I wish I had included.
35mm isn't bad, and it has tons of uses outside of cars, but personally for me, 50mm (and longer) is kinda the sweet spot for car exterior photos.
@@capturingthemachine Thank you for the answer!
Thank you for taking the time to make this video 🙏
thanks for watching!!
So a 70 - 200 would be nice to start?
it's my favorite lens, you can't go wrong with it when it comes to cars. 👍
i would say that machine was extremely captured, nicely done !
thanks so much Mack, now you see why I am the capturer of the machines
@@capturingthemachine hell yeah, captured that mfin machine and i'll smash that like button
Love your work and love these tips and videos. too. Please keep it coming!
That's a "for sure" about getting far away and using a longer focal length. I was shooting a local car meet and had packed up my car when a vintage motorcycle rolled in. My feet and my back were done so I dug out the camera on the passenger seat and just rested the camera on the frame of my open window while I sat behind the wheel. Took a few shots since my 12 Mp Canon bridge camera has long reach and left. I now use that photo as my monitor desktop image to remind me what I can get. Like he says, it's not the same thing you saw with your eyes.
Great example! It took me so long to learn this lesson 🤣
Why U messed 35mm? I thing its very interesting to compare 35vs50 and 35vs24 especially in car shooting, because 35 might be first go to lens
I overlooked it, I've always preferred a 50, and when I moved to full frame many years ago I never got another 35mm. But I see that a lot of people like the 35 so I will consider that for next time 👍
@@capturingthemachine you mean that 35 its lazy 50?
Last times i often shooting cars at the repair boxed inside and the dirty backyard outside, so my 11-16 (15-24ff) is the best, especially then you shooting serviceman working under the hood)
And Even at the autoshow when i have only one lens 42ff - it seems to me very long fr, so i was surprised of your advice to use the more tele lens as you can.)) Or you have to have a huge spaces to do that)
@@justdontstop I prefer the longer if I have the space, and I am always looking for the space! If you're in tight confines you have to compromise, and if you're shooting under the hood or interior you definitely need a wider lens.
What an amazing video, helped a lot with understanding exterior shots :D
Could you perhaps help me out a little more? I would love to know what you would advise to use for interior shots as well. Pictures for dealerships basically. Is a
Thanks so much! In my Supra video from a few weeks ago, near the end I talked a little about doing an interior shot, and what I did and how I edited it (and it shows the settings). 20mm should be good for the whole interior (cropped or full frame?).
I don't know much about Sony's system but I hear great things. Generally, I love prime lenses and found that they give great image quality and teach you a lot about framing and composition. Zoom lenses give you more options and you can work a little faster because you don't have to run around and swap lenses as much, so they both have their benefit. The main limitation of cheap zoom lenses is that the aperture is usually pretty restrictive, like you can only go to F/4 or 5.6, so you can't experiment with a limited depth of field. I recommend renting a few lenses to see what works best for you before you buy.
Awesome video! I noticed that you didn’t mention focal lengths between 30-35.
I have a Sony fx30 which has an aps-c censor and I’m looking to start car videography.
I want to purchase a 23mm lens which would be equivalent to a 35 mm focal length.
Thoughts?
Thank you! Yeah, a few people are disappointed I didn't mention 35mm, which I probably should have included. Honestly I just don't really like 35mm for cars, your mileage may vary, it's fine but I was always rather have 50mm or more.
Really enjoyed this video, thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks!
That was excellent, I learnt something new, thank you ☺
Brilliant video. I used my 35mm which I never considered previously and got some terrific shots of my rx7.
thanks so much! I love RX7s, on the other wall in my office that isn't shown, I have an OEM FD wheel on the shelf 🤣
@@capturingthemachine I have a white FD JDM 2000 model here in Aus. :)
@@coffeeaddictgaming2883 WOW… that’s the dream! 😍🥵
About 35mm 1.8g ?, example with D3300 with factor crop work like about 50mm?
that sounds about right! I used to use that lens with a crop-sensor D90
@@capturingthemachine so it’s better an 35mm or 50mm on the D3300? 35 must be like 52,5mm and the 50mm like 75mm..factor crop it must be x1,5
@@capturingthemachine I have already a 18-55mm DX VR but focal is 3.5 to 5.6…homever is right buy an 35mm or 50mm 1.8g?
@@raffaelevanacore2206 the 35 is probably more versatile for you
@@capturingthemachine thank you so much 🙏