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DPChallenge Forums >> Photography Discussion >> Help with focusing
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 03/09/2012 09:02:11 PM · #1
For some reason, this year I'm having trouble with focusing during basketball games. Example, on the free-throw line, the kid is in focus but the ball isn't. I've used various lenses (28-135, 20-300 Tamron, 85) and am using aperture priority. ISO, anywhere from 1600-6400.

I know someone will ask me to post a picture or two, but I'm so embarrassed by the product that I just want to crawl in a hole.

Thoughts about focus settings? IS on the lens? A new hobby?
 03/09/2012 09:31:40 PM · #2
gonna need photos to diagnose your problem...
 03/09/2012 09:36:08 PM · #3
Photos will def help but also you mention you use AV mode but not your Aperture setting. But given the lenses (without looking them up) I would guess you are pushing 5.6? If the 85 is the 1.4 or 1.8 and you are shooting wide open that would do it.
 03/09/2012 09:41:20 PM · #4
Originally posted by PuppyDogMom:
For some reason, this year I'm having trouble with focusing during basketball games.

Lack of sleep? Too much caffeine?
 03/09/2012 09:47:43 PM · #5
Yes we need to see photos. And second you need to turn off IS while shooting sports, unless you are shooting still shots only.
 03/09/2012 09:50:59 PM · #6
No worries, post what you've got, I can gurantee I have at least a 1000 shots like you are describing...
 03/09/2012 09:57:55 PM · #7
Originally posted by MattO:
And second you need to turn off IS while shooting sports, unless you are shooting still shots only.


I'm not sure I understand this Matt, can you elaborate? Are you going for some motion blur due to camera panning? If not, I don't see a reason to turn off IS while shooting sports.
 03/09/2012 10:12:37 PM · #8
Also, do you have problems with focus on other shots? Are you shooting RAW?
 03/09/2012 10:30:46 PM · #9
If you are shooting manual focus, make sure that the diopter adjustment for your viewfinder is set correctly for the eye that you use when shooting.
Other than that, it sounds like shutter speeds may be too slow for the action going on or possibly shooting wide open with a "fast/ large aperture" lens, and getting very shallow depth of field.
If you are lined up where the ball and the kid are same distance from your camera when you shoot, then they should both be in focus, so I suspect motion blur.
ETA, check for smudges or finger prints on the lens elements, and possibly on the camera sensor.

Message edited by author 2012-03-09 22:32:26.
 03/10/2012 08:04:16 AM · #10
OK, here are some examples from Thursday night tournament game.









Absolutely all comments are welcome.
 03/10/2012 08:05:08 AM · #11
Originally posted by scalvert:
Originally posted by PuppyDogMom:
For some reason, this year I'm having trouble with focusing during basketball games.

Lack of sleep? Too much caffeine?


I think you might be on to something.
 03/10/2012 08:06:23 AM · #12
Originally posted by MattO:
Yes we need to see photos. And second you need to turn off IS while shooting sports, unless you are shooting still shots only.


That is something that I didn't do. I'll give that a try tonight (Regional Final).
 03/10/2012 08:09:01 AM · #13
Originally posted by goinskiing:
Also, do you have problems with focus on other shots? Are you shooting RAW?


Not shooting RAW. Should I be?
 03/10/2012 08:56:36 AM · #14
The blurry ball is not missed focus, it is motion blur... the only way to solve that is to up your shutter speed, or get them before they start the shot....
 03/10/2012 01:46:59 PM · #15
I agree with both the motion blur, and the IS suggestions. The entire images look like they are within normal focus for the aperture that you were using, and the blurred ball appears to just be motion blur. The only other solution would be to shoot with a faster lens, which is an expensive solution if you are just doing this for your own enjoyment.
If you want to pan, then IS needs to be off, otherwise the lens will be trying to maintain stability while you are moving the camera, which will cause a problem when it gets to the limit of it's ability to do so.
IS may also increase the time for the camera to be ready for the shot unless you are holding the shutter in the "ready" position to keep the IS running, which is a battery drainer as well.
If you were getting sharp shots in this venue earlier, then the lighting may not be as bright as it has been in previous shoots there. If you were shooting in the daytime before, and at night now, then there may have been enough light coming from windows or skylights to make the difference. Compare shutter speeds on the earlier and current shots.
03/10/2012 02:02:37 PM · #16
Are you using Servo AF, Puppydogmom?
 03/10/2012 02:53:18 PM · #17
I'd say the first "fast action" shot was missed focus...the people in the stands are sharper than the players.

The others look mainly like soft focus...likely to be from noise reduction. These are ISO 6400 and show very little noise...but I'm guessing that they are JPEGs so NR is already applied very heavily. A good reason to shoot RAW+JPEG or RAW to give yourself more control.
 03/10/2012 07:28:07 PM · #18
The free throws are motion blur, you can see the trails on the ball in the second shot. Shutter was only 1/160.
 03/10/2012 07:45:24 PM · #19
When I shoot basketball games for my colleges newspaper, I have a minimum shutter speed of 1/500, and usually have 1/640 or more if I can (light permitting).
Yours seems to be 1/250, which in my opinion is too little. Most of the blur appears to be motion blur, as has been mentioned
 03/10/2012 11:57:33 PM · #20
Speeding up the shutter will help. If you don't want to push your iso further. You can try shooting with a wider angle lens. Or at a greater distance. This loss of subject magnification, will show less motion blur. Then crop the image to the desired size.
03/13/2012 11:28:06 AM · #21
if you use a wider lens, then crop, it is the same as using a longer lens.. thats how it works.. the reason it looks better on a wide is because you see less of it....
03/21/2012 12:27:44 AM · #22
Originally posted by giantmike:
Originally posted by MattO:
And second you need to turn off IS while shooting sports, unless you are shooting still shots only.


I'm not sure I understand this Matt, can you elaborate? Are you going for some motion blur due to camera panning? If not, I don't see a reason to turn off IS while shooting sports.


IS is turned off while shooting sports, unless you are panning, for the following reason, it actually slows down autofocus unless you stay on the AF button and keep it going all the time which will run your battery down. At the shutter speed that sports are shot, IS is pretty useless anyway, again unless you are shooting panning shots. I typically won't shoot any ball sport at less then 1/500 shutter speed. Even at my longest lens 400MM F2.8 I can handhold that shooting sports at 1/500, most times I'm at 1/640th for basketball and you certainly don't need IS at those shutter speeds.

IS won't stop motion blur of a fast moving object such as an athlete playing sports, so unless you are taking still photos and want to keep the ISO down for them IS should be turned off for shooting action in sports, or shooting panning shots.
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