p.3 #1 · Am I asking too much of a 50d plus 70-200 f/2.8
This one does look like the grass behind her feet could be in focus - like I said I never really trust grass because it is tough to discern sharp from not sharp.
Re: moving toward vs. sideways - I hadn't heard that, but will do some research. Thanks.
Re: low contrast - the example I showed was in the all blue area, but I've got the same problem when focused on the letters (white on blue) and one that's even got the little white logo right above the letters dead center in the focus point. It's small but with the letters right below it and her face right above it, I'd think there was enough contrast there.
This will be my 6th year of Nutcracker, so for better or worse I know exactly where she'll be and when. But yes, picking times when they pause is better. They are in the same auditorium all of the time so I also know where the brighter parts of the stage are.
And it is Franklin MA - been here for about 12 years.
patriot wrote:
Looking at the one image you posted, would have to agree with others here that the focus does seem to be just behind your daughter's feet. Canon should have calibrated to factory specs when you sent everything back. That lens will be a little soft at either end, wide open. That said, and as someone else pointed out, you may want to consider MA wide open at 200mm if that's where you shoot a lot.
You've also got your daughter running towards you. You said you were in al servo. Target moving directly away or towards you is, I believe, most difficult for Al servo, which is better with targets moving sideways. And clothing is not always high contrast, even if there are numbers, like on her shirt. Soccer shirts are often shiny, therefor reflective, which can appear as lower contract to the AF, especially compared to sharp contrast like the grass. One suggestion to try: using Al Focus, have your daughter run towards you at the same speed. The AF may be able to do a better job with the subject running directly towards in Al Focus.
For dance, like Nutcracker, she is more likely to be moving side to side. My daughter does a lot of dance and theater. Look for the stationary moments in the scene she is in when you can. If there is lighting, you may be able to get faster shutter speeds in better lighted scenes. I mostly use Al Focus in dance.
p.3 #2 · Am I asking too much of a 50d plus 70-200 f/2.8
FSPA? If so, I might be there. I have the same lens as well as a 50D if you want to try a another lens.
volyrat wrote:
This one does look like the grass behind her feet could be in focus - like I said I never really trust grass because it is tough to discern sharp from not sharp.
Re: moving toward vs. sideways - I hadn't heard that, but will do some research. Thanks.
Re: low contrast - the example I showed was in the all blue area, but I've got the same problem when focused on the letters (white on blue) and one that's even got the little white logo right above the letters dead center in the focus point. It's small but with the letters right below it and her face right above it, I'd think there was enough contrast there.
This will be my 6th year of Nutcracker, so for better or worse I know exactly where she'll be and when. But yes, picking times when they pause is better. They are in the same auditorium all of the time so I also know where the brighter parts of the stage are.
And it is Franklin MA - been here for about 12 years.
p.3 #3 · Am I asking too much of a 50d plus 70-200 f/2.8
I think the combo needs to go back to Canon for another look. That being said, didn't I read somewhere that the Canon cameras (perhaps not the pro series) don't continue to focus in burst mode? I think it only focuses on the first frame of the burst, not the subsequent ones. So if the subject is moving toward the center of the DOF, then all is good, but if the subject is moving away from the center of the DOF, the each additional shot will be worse. It might be worth a try to take it out of burst mode and see what you get.
p.3 #4 · Am I asking too much of a 50d plus 70-200 f/2.8
Bearmann wrote:
That being said, didn't I read somewhere that the Canon cameras (perhaps not the pro series) don't continue to focus in burst mode? I think it only focuses on the first frame of the burst, not the subsequent ones.
Barry
That's true for 'One-Shot' auto-focus, but not for 'AI-Servo' where the camera tracks (tries to predict focus) and adjusts the focus between shots.
p.3 #5 · Am I asking too much of a 50d plus 70-200 f/2.8
Andrew Reid wrote:
That's true for 'One-Shot' auto-focus, but not for 'AI-Servo' where the camera tracks (tries to predict focus) and adjusts the focus between shots.
The key words there are "tries to predict focus".
Prediction is prone to error. You'd probably get best results with AI-Servo on something like a racecar moving towards you at fairly uniform speed.
p.3 #6 · Am I asking too much of a 50d plus 70-200 f/2.8
walter23 wrote:
The key words there are "tries to predict focus".
Prediction is prone to error. You'd probably get best results with AI-Servo on something like a racecar moving towards you at fairly uniform speed.
Indeed. I tried AI Servo with my 5D on dogs that were moving around a little, but not a lot and the camera managed to back and front focus quite frequently.
p.3 #7 · Am I asking too much of a 50d plus 70-200 f/2.8
More random thoughts from someone who really doesn't know anything: I believe I read somewhere - possible on these forums - that cameras and lenses sent to Canon will be calibrated back to "within range" rather than calibrated to each other. So even after getting them back from Canon there might still be some work to be done with MA to achieve the best focus.
p.3 #9 · Am I asking too much of a 50d plus 70-200 f/2.8
I'm having a bit of a battle with Canon right now regarding sending it in again. Basically I got the "just stop it down, it will be fine" email. If that's the case, I'll sell the 2.8 and go back to an f/4.
I tried low burst today (rather than H burst) and we'll see how that worked out.
BTW, today was the example of why I want f/2.8 to work. A 3:15p game time - golden hour light but at f/5.6 (had a 1.4 tc plus stopped down) at ISO 1600 I got shutter speeds of 1/800. Sometimes fast enough, but barely on the edge. At f/2.8, I would've had excellent lighting at the correct shutter speeds and a decent ISO.
The last paragraph isn't specific to your post but many others suggesting "stopping down" as an alternative.
Bearmann wrote:
I think the combo needs to go back to Canon for another look. That being said, didn't I read somewhere that the Canon cameras (perhaps not the pro series) don't continue to focus in burst mode? I think it only focuses on the first frame of the burst, not the subsequent ones. So if the subject is moving toward the center of the DOF, then all is good, but if the subject is moving away from the center of the DOF, the each additional shot will be worse. It might be worth a try to take it out of burst mode and see what you get.
p.3 #10 · Am I asking too much of a 50d plus 70-200 f/2.8
Maybe true on calibration. Long ago, I did send a 17-40 f/4 and Rebel XT to canon and got great results after their calibration. Maybe my expectations are high, but in that instance it really worked well.
thanks for the message.
DrScott wrote:
More random thoughts from someone who really doesn't know anything: I believe I read somewhere - possible on these forums - that cameras and lenses sent to Canon will be calibrated back to "within range" rather than calibrated to each other. So even after getting them back from Canon there might still be some work to be done with MA to achieve the best focus.
p.3 #11 · Am I asking too much of a 50d plus 70-200 f/2.8
Was that a 5d or 50d? Didn't know if it was a typo or not...
kakomu wrote:
Indeed. I tried AI Servo with my 5D on dogs that were moving around a little, but not a lot and the camera managed to back and front focus quite frequently.
p.3 #12 · Am I asking too much of a 50d plus 70-200 f/2.8
Put a can of corn on your counter top, put your rig on a tripod, take a shot at it.
My $$$ is on the previously mentioned theory that the AF doesn't have enough contrast to grab onto and track an onrushing winger, preparing to curl one into the top corner.
p.3 #13 · Am I asking too much of a 50d plus 70-200 f/2.8
gpsphoto wrote:
>>Put a can of corn on your counter top, put your rig on a tripod, take a shot at it.
Stills are better - maybe it is the new Uni's, but previous was same Navy with yellow letters - really no better. I had little trouble with a 20d and 200 2.8 prime.
>>My $$$ is on the previously mentioned theory that the AF doesn't have enough contrast to grab onto and track an onrushing winger, preparing to curl one into the top corner.
So you've seen my daughter play?? She's tough like her mom.
p.3 #14 · Am I asking too much of a 50d plus 70-200 f/2.8
My daughter has been going to FSPA since she was 4. This is the first year she's not in Nutcracker. Well, dancing that is. She will be in the choir and helping the little kids back stage. She's in Humbug and a few other things they have going on right now.
I'll look for your email. I usually shoot at the dress rehearsal from the front, then back stage during one of the shows. Last year I think I took pictures at all the shows because my daughter is friends with the Clara's in both casts, and FSPA likes the pictures.
Any of these look like your daughter? A few other shots from the show below.
p.3 #16 · Am I asking too much of a 50d plus 70-200 f/2.8
Will Patterson wrote:
It's backfocusing. The grass behind her is in perfect focus.
+1 The girl in this image is just plain old not in focus. There is definitely a plane of sharp focus behind her, visible in the grass. That part of the image is sharp. It is unfortunate that Canon didn't deliver when you sent in your equipment for calibration, but your camera has a feature included specifically to mitigate circumstances like this. I think you really should expend some more effort in adjusting your lens' focus with your camera body. Learn to use the micro focus adjustment, and calibrate your lens for the focal length you use most. Unfortunately complicated pieces of high tech equipment like this have a bit of a learning curve.
And I would like to reiterate that a subject moving quickly directly towards or away from you is definitely the most challenging circumstance for the camera's AF. You should be able to get an in focus shot, but you will still have some misses.
p.3 #17 · Am I asking too much of a 50d plus 70-200 f/2.8
Dawei Ye wrote:
The culprit here is misfocusing, one explanation could be because the AF point had hardly any contrast to lock on to, I think you would have had better luck if your point was on the shirt rather than the shorts. If everything has been calibrated then it's either user error or one or both of your items are messed up
p.3 #19 · Am I asking too much of a 50d plus 70-200 f/2.8
Anyone in this thread that says F2.8 is too thin a DOF for that photo obviously doesn't shoot sports. There is either a lens, camera issue, or operator error(ie not giving proper time to gain proper focus before starting the burst)
p.3 #20 · Am I asking too much of a 50d plus 70-200 f/2.8
Great captures - my daughter (the one in the original soccer picture) is in the first picture you posted - she's the one on the far left edge.
patriot wrote:
My daughter has been going to FSPA since she was 4. This is the first year she's not in Nutcracker. Well, dancing that is. She will be in the choir and helping the little kids back stage. She's in Humbug and a few other things they have going on right now.
I'll look for your email. I usually shoot at the dress rehearsal from the front, then back stage during one of the shows. Last year I think I took pictures at all the shows because my daughter is friends with the Clara's in both casts, and FSPA likes the pictures.
Any of these look like your daughter? A few other shots from the show below.
She's tough like her mom.