How can I improve shooting these ?

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gaurawa

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

05/21/2006 05:27:07 PM · #1

Hi, I was shooting a dance performance last evening and had a difficult time choosing what mode to work in and which focus mode to use. Problems were changing light (intensity as the dancer moves changes and so does backgroung light ). Also very bad yield on focusses photos. So many out of focus images if I used F2.8
Here's a good one

and one example of out of focus

They were all shot with Canon 30D, 70-200 F2.8 L in manual mode at 1/125s and F2.8 at ISO 800 in jpeg (sRGB ). At these sizes, they look ok, but they aren't very well focussed at 100%. Also is there anything I can do in post processing to improve these ?

thanks for your help,
Gaurawa

pidge

Canon EOS-7D Mark II

05/21/2006 06:32:28 PM · #2

Personally, I would have bumped the iso to 1600. What autofocus mode are you in? Make sure you have the one that will adjust as the distance of the subject changes. Also, when photographin movement in the theatre, it helps to know in advance what the choreography will be. It's very difficult to shoot without knowing what will happen. Would you be able to view rehersals in the future? Blocking rehearsals or dress rehearsals?

Also, you may be experiencing a bit of shake. I find with shooting performances, I need to prop my arm on something (a ledge, seat, body part, whatever) or I end up shaking becasue the lens is so large and heavy and after a few minutes, I get the shakes. I'm also assuming you shot full manual. The lights seem bright enough that you could have increased the shutter speed a bit and used curves/levels to bring it up.

As for post porcessing, B&W conversions I find often help 'save' not perfectly sharp photos.

Hope this helps a little. Good luck! They are very colourful lights and costumes. I hope you get to shoot again!

dwterry

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

05/21/2006 07:06:15 PM · #3

Yeah... either use AI Focus or AI Servo. The first one you need to get a focus lock on the subject first, then the camera will track the subject. The second one the camera just constantly adjusts focus to try to keep the subject in focus. I would probably pick AI Focus since you probably have time to pick out the subject. When shooting sports I prefer AI Servo and then I just keep my finger on the button at all times and aim the camera in the general direction of the action, then when I see what I want I snap it.

As for the lighting changes ... if it's changing constantly, why pick a manual exposure mode? Wouldn't Av have worked better? Stick it on f/2.8 if that's the amount of light you need and let the camera figure out the shutter speed.

Also, when shooting sports I use a monopod with my 70-200 lens - even with IS turned on. So you might want to try that as well.

pidge

Canon EOS-7D Mark II

05/21/2006 07:22:27 PM · #4

Originally posted by dwterry:

I agree AV mode should work, but I find with theatre lights, it tends to trick the cameras sensors and will often give un-ideal shutter speeds. If you take a shot with some side boom lights in it, it will underexpose, and if there is a black or dark background, the shutter will slower than necessary to get the shot.

It's defintely worth a try, but my personal experience with it wasn't so great so I prefer full manual control.

dwterry

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

05/21/2006 07:25:49 PM · #5

Good point about the background - that's where a built-in spot meter might really help out.

gaurawa

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

05/22/2006 02:18:42 PM · #6

thanks David and Kiyoko.
I tried Av but even with spot metering, it keeps changing the shutter speed and if it gets below 1/100s, there is motion blur on the dancer.
I tried both AI Servo and AI focus. AI Servo I thought would give me better results, but it didn't. May be I was using it with wrong combination of focus points ? Should I stick to one focus point or keep all active for better tracking ?
I shot most of the shots later in AI Focus only.

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

05/22/2006 02:29:06 PM · #7

Get yourself a trial version of Focus Magic and check it out; it does wonders on slightly OOF images. I have a registered copy of it, I find it so useful.

R.

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

05/22/2006 02:38:10 PM · #8

As far as focus mode, at f/2.8 your DoF is short enough that you'll need to track the subject. You should use AI Servo. That, of course, will mean that you'll either have to take your chances with all focus points active, or use center point and be restricted on composition (need to hold AF point on subject). The risk with multiple focus points is that it locks on a different dancer, or the BG instead of the intended subject.
If you're seeing 1/125s @ f/2.8, you should consider bumping to 1600 ISO. Perhaps shooting in Tv at 1/200 & 1600 ISO would give you what you need. You'd lose some of the camera shake and subject motion, and for the more brightly-lit shots, the camera would compensate by stopping down, giving additional DoF.
Even at 1/200, if you are shooting at full zoom, you're marginal on camera shake to get tack sharp results. Fast-moving hands, clothign, etc., will also still be blurred a bit.

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