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DPChallenge Forums >> Photography Discussion >> Lowest shutter speed for group photo & other ?
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07/14/2008 11:55:30 PM · #1
Can you please assist with the following questions.

1. What is the lowest shutter speed you would use to shoot a group of around 20 people (three rows of 7 - team sport shot)?

2. If shooting with three rows and using 30mm on a canon 30d (making it effectively a 50mm lens) which apeture would you use to ensure all rows are sharp - f8 or f11?

3. Would you focus on the face in the front row or the middle row?

Many thanks in advance.

07/15/2008 12:41:46 AM · #2
I would shoot it lowest at f/60, try f/11 and then see. Also I would focus on the face in the middle. the key is multiple test shots though :)
07/15/2008 01:13:54 AM · #3
Originally posted by RamblinR:

Can you please assist with the following questions.

1. What is the lowest shutter speed you would use to shoot a group of around 20 people (three rows of 7 - team sport shot)?


How much is the ambient light contributing to the exposure? That's going to be an important thing to consider, and you will need to work around that (unless it's not contributing at all, in which case you can set the shutter speed to whatever you want).

Originally posted by RamblinR:

2. If shooting with three rows and using 30mm on a canon 30d (making it effectively a 50mm lens) which apeture would you use to ensure all rows are sharp - f8 or f11?


How far away are you shooting from? You should try a test shot to see how much focus you can keep at a given distance. Do you have the flash power to pull off f/11 (or even f/8, for that matter)?

Originally posted by RamblinR:

3. Would you focus on the face in the front row or the middle row?


It's usually safe to assume that your depth of field will cover between 40/60 and 60/40 around the focus point (although it will depend on your equipment), so you'd be safer to focus on the middle rather than the front. However, if you're shooting at f/11 from 15-25 feet away, you'll have no issues with focus no matter who you focus on. You'll be more concerned with getting enough lights out of your flash.
07/15/2008 01:36:45 AM · #4
About the aperture... here's a quick trick that you can do with your 30D: Set the camera to A-DEP mode, point the camera at the person in the center and take a look at what aperture and shutter speed the camera picks. As long as the shutter speed isn't too slow, set the camera to manual and use those settings. (my reason for setting the camera to manual is so that those settings don't change from shot to shot, that makes it easier to combine exposures if someone blinks or moves)

A-DEP works by selecting the largest aperture that can still get everything on which a focus point rests to be in focus. So even though this is generally meant for landscape work, it makes it kinda handy for gauging the aperture required to shoot a group.
07/15/2008 04:24:29 AM · #5
technical stuff aside, might wanna consider moving heads and blinking eyes for group photos over long exposures.
07/15/2008 02:04:37 PM · #6
Originally posted by crayon:

technical stuff aside, might wanna consider moving heads and blinking eyes for group photos over long exposures.


If the flash dominates the exposure, moving heads won't be an issue (since the flash occurs over a very quick time frame).
07/15/2008 07:22:31 PM · #7
Thanks for the info so far.

Was really wishing to know what the lowest shutter speed is that you would use for ambient light for a group shot and which row you would initially focus on out of three rows (front, or middle). Also it you would go f11 or would you think f8 would do the job.

David, thanks for the idea of A-Dep will give that a try. :)

Thanks

Message edited by author 2008-07-15 19:23:37.
07/15/2008 07:51:25 PM · #8
Try this link it will tell you a lot about what aperture to use.

I would focus on the middle person in the middle row, but that's just me... I reason that if I am shooting at f8 or greater, this would put the people behind them in focus as much as the folks in front :)

Anyway, try that link, it may help with your f-stop conundrum :)
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