Le Mans 24h | Leica M8.2 | 35 | 90 | 135 |

[menos]

I had a wonderful weekend at this year's 24 race.
At the last minute, I decided, to skip the D3 + 300 VR and assorted gear and took instead two Leica bodies and lenses as long as 135mm.

One comment: I loved it ;-)

"Ford GT 40"

"just before Dunlop bridge"

"blue flag for the Saleen" winner in class (!) this year with this "old car" (10 years is an old timer in Le Mans terms, as has been seen with the then remarkable Chrysler Viper and its demise)

"having survived the night"

"the night" - and before you ask - no, I don't use tripods they are boring ;-)

"more night"

"Porsche no 88" - I am a huuge Porsche fan and eagerly awaiting, the manufacturer reentering Le Mans with a prototype racer.

"busy pit lane at night"

"Lamborghini still running" - I really loved, to see the Lambo still spitting huuge flames at the Dunlop chicane on sunday. Wish them better luck next year

"train back in Germany" - I went back by train in Germany. Took my first shots with a new lens, I finally found in Paris.
Only two tips: it's a 35mm and it is fast ;-)
​

I am still on the road in Europe and will upload more on my site.
A first preview can be found already - thanks for looking ;-)

 

[kalex]

Very nice set

 

[Sparrow]

Ahh ... GT40 ... one of the more portly new ones?

I'm off to the British GP I may take an RF now I've seen those

 

[Mudman]

Nice Job - I love the one with the final flag.

 

[robbeiflex]

Great photos, I especially like the headlights on the night shot!

 

[Warren T.]

Really nice pictures! Thanks for sharing.

 

[photo4ls]

Good reportage and great photos.
Nelson

 

[Olsen]

Very good pictures!

 

[robert blu]

Great ! I like the "88 Porsche" !
robert

 

[radiocemetery]

Very nice. I hope to be there next year. Le Mans is the race I have always wanted to see.

Steve

 

[kknox]

The little camera that could. Great shots looks like you had fun.

 

[Stephen G]

Really great stuff there.
A testament to the power of simple, quality tools in the hands of a skilled artist.

 

[peewee]

Never thought i'd enjoy looking at car shots!
Such good photo's.

 

[biakalt]

great shots. thank you for sharing this.

 

[menos]

Thank you all guys for the warm reply regarding my Le Mans shots - it really warms my heart, these do not go unseen and there are some, who share the same great passion for the subject!

Very nice set

Thanks Kalex ;-)
This was just the first set, squeezed out without processing.
More will follow on my site, when I am back in Shanghai.

Ahh ... GT40 ... one of the more portly new ones?

I'm off to the British GP I may take an RF now I've seen those

Stewart, yes I was really happy, to see the GT 40 - too bad, it didn't hold.
It indeed is a very beautiful car (with a lot for the ears - I mean A LOT).

Nice Job - I love the one with the final flag.

Thanks ;-)
It was a blue flag, shown to the Saleen GT1 just between the chicane and the Dunlop Bridge though.

Great photos, I especially like the headlights on the night shot!

Thank you - I was happy, they came out this way.
Sure, a pod would have allowed, to shoot at base ISO, have even slower speeds, to make for some interesting light painting stuff, but I really don't like lugging around and setting up.

That just doesn't fit into my view on the small Leica - I like to move a lot.

Really nice pictures! Thanks for sharing.

You're welcome Warren - and thanks ;-)

Good reportage and great photos.
Nelson

Thanks Nelson - looking forward, to process the lot and do some better presentation.
The tiny 90kb compressed JPGs really do look lousy, compared to the real stuff!

I bet my new 35mm lens, the prints will be awesome ;-)

Very good pictures!

Thanks Olsen ;-)

Great ! I like the "88 Porsche" !
robert

You should see the no 77 Porsche at similar light ;-)
Thanks

Very nice. I hope to be there next year. Le Mans is the race I have always wanted to see.

Steve

I managed to be there the first time last year. I have promised to myself, to never miss a Le Mans race again.

The little camera that could. Great shots looks like you had fun.

Oooh yeahhh - I did ;-)

I could have had even more with a press pass ;-) Oh boy, would I love, to shoot the pits at Le Mans.

Really great stuff there.
A testament to the power of simple, quality tools in the hands of a skilled artist.

Thank you for the compliments Stephen.
I had a hard time in the first one or two hours, finding my wits with masses of people at the fences, the slow Telyt and the fences and the focussing.

After getting warm though, one after another of above shots turned out - it was a real revelation to me, to shoot the M for motor sports.

Dirk--
A great set, excellent looks! Thanks for sharing these.

The M8.2 is a solid camera and for reportage such as yours it gives up nothing. There are images that could be made with the Nikon, but there are images better done with a RF, such as your exceptional panning shots. I agree the tripod is a burden but a solid monopod is beneficial for the slow speed pans.

I, too, am a Porshe fan but it warms my heart seeing the GT-40, even if it does have the outsized wings and new aero implements. I wish I could hear the big Ford.

Thanks a lot!
I might go into more detail about my thinking regarding the DSLR vs RF in my shots.
I think, it will be almost impossible for anyone, never used a RF, to understand, why my M8.2 motor sports shots are better, than that, of my D3.

You guys will understand - it is simply one thing: The D3 has a very washed, soft 12MP look (although it has the best AF, a professional camera can have), while the M8 simply has a much better acuity, sharpness, detail and micro contrast to it.

The practical difference is real: I do not hesitate, to print 1:1 crops from the M8, but have to do a lot of work to the D3 files, before doing so - it is just a different quality level!

Anyway - I guarantee you - you would have looooved, to hear that GT 40!

This and the Corvettes where the loudest fast moving things, I have ever heard!

 

[sebastel]

cool.
nice regards from ding xiang lu, pu dong.
sebastel

 

[ashfaque]

Dirk, they are wonderful. It seems, in your hand, a camera doesn't require any 'image stabilisation' electronics. Hence I wonder if you are a pianist/surgeon as well! 🙂

Regards

Ash

 

[jarski]

nice work! I would have just stumbled with manual focusing, in action shots like these.

 

[aad]

Wasn't that a great race? I watched on TV, maybe 8 hours worth.
You did very well! Thanks for sharing.

 

[menos]

cool.
nice regards from ding xiang lu, pu dong.
sebastel

Thanks - Sebastel, that seems to be a nice place, to stay in SH ;-)

Dirk, they are wonderful. It seems, in your hand, a camera doesn't require any 'image stabilisation' electronics. Hence I wonder if you are a pianist/surgeon as well! 🙂

Regards

Ash

Haha Ash - no not a profession like that ;-)

I am actually an autodidactic:

- welder,
- mechanic,
- CNC machine operator,
- programer,
- CAD designer,
- automotive prototyper,
- die casting tool maker,
- production company manager
- photographer ;-)

… and a lot more.

It just happens, that I like to shoot motor sports in the little free time that remains.

nice work! I would have just stumbled with manual focusing, in action shots like these.

Nah Jarno - it looks harder, than it is.
During a 24h race, you got a lot of chances to experiment with your shooting as well 😉

Wasn't that a great race? I watched on TV, maybe 8 hours worth.
You did very well! Thanks for sharing.

Oh - yes, it was indeed - with a (for me) very surprising ending, when the Peugeots stopped running.

Le Mans indeed is not only about pace, but pace, durability, best team efforts and luck.
I love Le Mans!

My heart was aching though, when I saw the Corvette crashing into the barriers and subsequently withdrawing after a repair.