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07/21/2006 01:31:41 PM · #1 |
I just got into photography at the beginning of the year. I am wondering, how you guys focus high action shots. Like sports and such like that. By the time my lens' focus the action shot I wanted is gone. Should I get it focused then turn it to manual so it doesn't try to refocus? Then I'm stuck at that measurement, so if another shot I want comes by thats too late.
As I said I'm new so pardon my ignorant question. HELP. |
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07/21/2006 01:38:08 PM · #2 |
one method is to prefocus on a spot where you expect the action to take place
ignore everything else for the moment ...
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07/21/2006 01:42:35 PM · #3 |
A couple things come to mind on this.
The D50 is plenty fast enough in it's auto-focus capability, but the lens can make a bit of a difference in how fast it can react.
Another thing is follow your subject, have the camera in burst-mode with a high shutter speed selected, and have the auto-focus point selected in the center instead of a whole scene, and hold the shutter down firing off 3 or more frames per second. Many cameras have predictive auto-focus capabilities too that can actually predict where the subject will be when firing in this mode on a moving target.
I have also found that if you figure out the exposure from test shots, and plan to be in the same scene for a bit, set the exposure to manual and that way you have control over it in rapid shot sequences.
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07/21/2006 02:48:05 PM · #4 |
Shooting sports is all about anticipation. It requires you to know the game you are shooting and anticipate where the action will be.
For sports involving a ball, it usually means you want to be where the ball is going to be.
For instance, shooting American Football, trying to capture a touch down play. If the QB is about to pass the ball for a TD play, you want to make a good guess to which reciever he will throw to and focus on that reciever and be prepared to capture him as he catches the ball inside the endzone.
But wait, what if the quarterback decides to run the ball instead? You also have to be watching other action. You have to have one eye in the viewfinder and the other eye on the game.
It doesn't always happen though, I've been tackled on the side-lines at both soccer and football games. :-) Which is why when I shoot auto racing I am always behind a barricade.
FWIW, when I was shooting for newspapers, I didn't use really tight zooms on my sports images, preferring to crop in post to risking missing a shot.
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07/21/2006 02:51:07 PM · #5 |
I used burst mode when I went to shoot the drag races a few weeks back. I would think your camera should be able to focus just as fast as mine.....at least. BradP is right about the lens. My Sigma 70-200 focused fast enough to catch drag racers from the time they left the line to about the 100 foot line, while I still need to practice getting the WHOLE car in the frame and not blurred, they were in focus.
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07/21/2006 02:58:53 PM · #6 |
Originally posted by MrEd:
while I still need to practice getting the WHOLE car in the frame and not blurred, they were in focus. |
Less tight zoom and higher shutter speed. With racing you want to give yourself a little wiggle room in the frame.
Learn to track the car, keep it in the same place in the viewfinder. If you are tracking well, a shutterspeed of 1/250 is plenty fast enough to stop the car from being blurred.
1/250 will still leave a background motion blur of a car doing >100 mph, but if you are tracking the car, it should be pretty sharp.
Message edited by author 2006-07-21 15:09:31.
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07/21/2006 03:47:51 PM · #7 |
you guys are awesome. great info.
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07/21/2006 06:43:34 PM · #8 |
| You have to realise that your camera is full of these tiny little green people called "Focus Gremlins" I believe that if you shake your camera violently for a couple of seconds before taking a shot it dazes them and they fail to screw up your shot. ;) LOL |
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07/21/2006 06:45:10 PM · #9 |
Originally posted by jtf6agent:
You have to realise that your camera is full of these tiny little green people called "Focus Gremlins" I believe that if you shake your camera violently for a couple of seconds before taking a shot it dazes them and they fail to screw up your shot. ;) LOL |
And if that doesn't work...microwave them.
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07/21/2006 06:49:31 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by Judi:
Originally posted by jtf6agent:
You have to realise that your camera is full of these tiny little green people called "Focus Gremlins" I believe that if you shake your camera violently for a couple of seconds before taking a shot it dazes them and they fail to screw up your shot. ;) LOL |
And if that doesn't work...microwave them. |
Aha... now I know how to take care of those little bastards inside my Coolpix 8700.
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07/21/2006 06:54:28 PM · #11 |
All good advice...and now a shameless plug for some of my racing shots.
   
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