First Indy Car Experience - My Camera's Final Moments

This past IndyCar weekend at Laguna Seca was my first time attending and watching an IndyCar race — and I think I just might be a fan now.

I was only able to make it for Saturday’s qualifying day, which also included Indy NXT, Radical Cup, and Porsche Cup action. I got there early — right at open — and even snagged solid parking. I started the day capturing video in the paddock, which was still quiet at the time but cars were starting to line up. The first IndyCar practice session was set for 8:30 AM but ended up canceled due to weather — specifically, they couldn’t fly the medical helicopter.

That delay pushed everything back, including Indy NXT qualifying. I ended up waiting almost 3 hours just to see something hit the track. It was tough because I was running a single Sony body for both photo and video — with a matte box and external monitor rigged for video — so switching between setups was time-consuming.

But once those cars started flying by… wow. Footage and photos online don’t do IndyCar justice. The raw power, the way the sound rumbles through your chest — it’s something you have to experience in person to fully appreciate.

I focused on getting some motion shots and paddock moments for photo, and aimed for as many flybys and candid team moments for video. But I quickly found out how limited my time — and luck — would be.

While capturing video of some Ferraris over at the Mecum Auctions display, I switched back to photo. My shutter was set way too high to compensate for the bright midday light, and unfortunately, that mistake destroyed my mechanical shutter. Frustrated, I headed back to my car to see if I could troubleshoot. No luck. I left the track and stopped by a camera shop, but they recommended I send the camera directly to Sony.

In the end, I did get some usable content: a mix of IndyCar and Indy NXT video/photo, some Radical Cup paddock photos, and Porsche paddock footage. Still, I was super bummed with how the day turned out — especially after looking forward to it so much.

But it was also the push I needed. When I got home, I finally pulled the trigger on another A7III. The broken one still works great for video (electronic shutter is fine), so now I’ll run one body strictly for photo, and the other for video. Both can back each other up in a pinch, and I’ll fix the mechanical shutter eventually — just not right now.

Despite all the setbacks, I really enjoyed my first IndyCar experience. I’m hoping to catch another race soon — and I’ll definitely be seeing Laguna again.