Is "Sport mode" the best way to take pictures of moving cars using A Nikon D40

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Susan

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Is "Sport mode" the best way to take pictures of moving cars using A Nikon D40

DSLR Camera? I don't want any "Blur" on the cars.
Thank you.
The cars are about 30 Metres away.
So I will be using a 55-200mm VR Nikon lens.
I only have 3 lens for my camera.
18-55mm
55-200mm
50mm f1.8
 
You will have to use the 50mm. The key thing there is the "1.8" part. Keeping the shutter open when the car moves is what is going to blur the car. If you're having trouble getting the shutter fast enough zoomed out at 200mm and of course that brings you to f:5.6 and you can only pull off a shutter of 1/60,well then using the f:1.8 will get you to be able to use something closer to a 1/800th.
 
No, sport mode is just as bad as any of the auto modes. Fine if you're satisfied with average-below par images, but if you want to get great images you'll need to take control yourself.

Using the panning technique will produce the most natural and stunning results, but it can be challenging. You should use continuous or servo focus which uses AI to predict where the subject will move to and keep it in focus. Combine this with the 55-200mm and shoot from a comforable distance. Select one AF point to the side where the car is moving towards.

Select Tv mode and choose 1/100 or 1/160 for slow moving cars, and 1/250-1/400 for faster cars. If you're shooting at a circuit, shoot at the apex of the turns, avoid the straights, especially with faster cars. Also engage continuous shooting/drive.

As a car is coming towards you half press the shutter when it's over the selected AF point, and start following the car with your camera, and fire off a burst when the car clips the apex.

Finally if there is any chance to ride in a car as a chase vehicle, jump at that opportunity, that allows you to use much slower shutter speeds, all you need to do is have the driver to match the speed of the target car. This is how all the car mags photograph their fast shots.
 
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