As a newcomer to the SPORRS list, I have been enjoying the posts and finding the information quite interesting -- and helpful (assuming I can remember all of this good stuff on future trackside visits). I should also mention at the outset that I am not a photographer, but rather a railfan who uses a camera to pursue my hobby interests. Perhaps, if I had more of a technical background, I would know how to solve an annoying telephoto problem; any comments would be appreciated.
Background: Prior to 1990, I was primarily a roster shooter who used Minolta equipment. The film of choice? That stuff in a yellow box. In 1990, my interest shifted to action photography so I purchased a new zoom lens -- a Tokina 70-210mm lens (which is used with a SRT101 body). I had opted for the Tokina lens based on discussions with two reputable area camera shops and an article in one of the photo magazines; each had indicated that Tokina produced a quality lens. It should also be noted that I switched to Fuji 100 film (at 1/250 in great light), whenever using the zoom lens. I even went so far as to have my eyes and glasses re-examined. One More Variable: The action came in the form of 65mph TV trains on Conrail at places like Oak Harbor (Ohio), hot NS merchandisers between Fostoria and Bellevue, or VIA passenger trains west of Toronto. Problem: Even though I was using a tri-pod (a concurrent purchase) I was getting an unacceptable number of fuzzy slides with the zoom lens, particularly at the longer focal lengths. Pre-focusing the camera on a select spot and then recomposing the shot would sometimes help. For a period, I even used Fuji 200 in hopes that a 1/500 shutter speed would be the answer. What I lost in depth of field (DOF) was offset by a gain in grain (he says facetiously). Consequently, the zoom was "mothballed". I 'll add one further item. Before a trip to California this past July, I purchased a 300mm Minolta lens which produced consistently excellent results. I recognize, of course, that track speeds on Donner, Feather and Tehachapi don't exactly rival those of the flatlands of the mid-west; but what is it that I have overlooked? . Any assistance will be appreciated. R. Craig Rutherford "Don't Shoot Til You See The Whites Of Their Number Boards" - R. Craig (RS27) http://www.ole.net/~rcraig --> SPORRS: Serious Photographers of Railroad Related Subjects
