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Archive 2022 · Canon R5 / 400f2.8 setup for surfing

BobnJake
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Canon R5 / 400f2.8 setup for surfing

Hurricane season is here for the east coast, a friend of mine has asked me to take pictures the next time NJ gets some of the bigger swells.This is all somewhat new to me, so I'll be renting a Canon 400 f2.8 lens for my R5 and I have a 1.4 extender if needed. Shooting with a monopod, my concern is which AF method to use. Expand AF Area: Around, or one of the zone selections. If I'm following the surfer with my BB focus and I lose him, do I have to release the BB and reacquire or if I get back on him will I be OK. I think you can see I'm looking basically for any tips/setting that may help, these opportunities don't come that often and I'm just trying to improve my odds. Thanks in advance

Sep 18, 2022 at 01:13 PM

artsupreme
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Canon R5 / 400f2.8 setup for surfing

Surfing is pretty easy to shoot from land but you might want rent a 500 or 600 instead depending on how far out the break is, especially If he's going to surf the "bigger" swells. I would also use a tripod instead of a monopod so you can attempt some speed blurs. Try to shoot at a 45 degree angle so if your buddy gets barreled you can shoot him coming down the line inside the barrel toward you. Try to stay as low as you can without the beach break or reform obstructing your view of the waves outside.

Freezing action is easy, I would just use single point with the 4 expansion dots and the standard Case 1 servo AF settings. Crank the shutter speed up high to freeze action and drag it down to 1/40th-1/60th to attempt difficult speed blurs. If he's riding a longboard speed blurs are much easier than someone who's riding a shortboard.

You don't have to use BB for this application, I would just keep it on the shutter button to avoid human error.

Sep 18, 2022 at 01:52 PM

BobnJake
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Canon R5 / 400f2.8 setup for surfing

Thanks, appreciate the tips

Sep 18, 2022 at 02:26 PM

dolina
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Canon R5 / 400f2.8 setup for surfing

I'd rent a RF 1200mm when possible

Sep 18, 2022 at 02:42 PM

artsupreme
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Canon R5 / 400f2.8 setup for surfing

dolina wrote:
I'd rent a RF 1200mm when possible

I've never had a need for a 1200mm. If I was shooting a New Jersey hurricane swell I would be using a 600 with tripod/gimbal and would bring the extender just in case. Shoot facing south into the right hand barrels since the swell will be coming from the South East.

And OP, don't be afraid to shoot into the light in the AM. Backlit shots are some of the most beautiful, especially if you are lucky enough to get offshore winds. Surfing is hard to time properly if you don't surf but nowadays it doesn't matter with the machine guns and unlimited buffer. But you want to shoot bottom turns, let off, and then shoot the whole top turn at the lip allowing the surfer to fully extend his rotation or finish his cutback. If you are shooting good surfers they will be blasting airs and getting barreled.

Sep 18, 2022 at 02:55 PM

dolina
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Canon R5 / 400f2.8 setup for surfing

artsupreme wrote:
I've never had a need for a 1200mm. If I was shooting a New Jersey hurricane swell I would be using a 600 with tripod/gimbal and would bring the extender just in case. Shoot facing south into the right hand barrels since the swell will be coming from the South East.

And OP, don't be afraid to shoot into the light in the AM. Backlit shots are some of the most beautiful, especially if you are lucky enough to get offshore winds. Surfing is hard to time properly if you don't surf but nowadays it doesn't matter with the machine guns...Show more →

I made the suggestion as the tech is there and new tech tends to allow for a new perspective.

Odds are the location you suggest has been favored by other photogs and as such will have similar angle of view and perspective.

By suggesting the RF 1200mm would allow the photog to place themselves that few, if any other photog, have used before.

Sep 19, 2022 at 01:36 AM

BobnJake
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Canon R5 / 400f2.8 setup for surfing

Thanks guys for taking the time to help me

Sep 19, 2022 at 10:01 AM

bobbytan
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Canon R5 / 400f2.8 setup for surfing

Might be too tight. And besides, 600 + TC would be a lot less expensive.

dolina wrote:
I'd rent a RF 1200mm when possible

Sep 19, 2022 at 10:39 AM

Uarctos
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Canon R5 / 400f2.8 setup for surfing

And more flexible.

Sep 19, 2022 at 10:48 AM

AmbientMike
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Canon R5 / 400f2.8 setup for surfing

Fiona moving off the east coast might get nice conditions soon. Idk much about surf photography just depends on how far out the break is I guess.

https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at2+shtml/150115.shtml?cone#contents

Sep 19, 2022 at 11:15 AM

artsupreme
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Canon R5 / 400f2.8 setup for surfing

dolina wrote:
I made the suggestion as the tech is there and new tech tends to allow for a new perspective.

Odds are the location you suggest has been favored by other photogs and as such will have similar angle of view and perspective.

By suggesting the RF 1200mm would allow the photog to place themselves that few, if any other photog, have used before.

The RF 1200 might be new but 1200mm is not. I've used my 600 with 2x TC over the years a few times to get artsy shots shooting over multiple jetties or something similar but 1200mm is not something you would use to shoot a friend surfing a hurricane swell. When the waves are big there's more haze in the air from the water vapor and if it's hot you get heat shimmer so you would not want to position yourself to use 1200mm unless you could not get closer.

OP - if you can't get out to the location to gage your position relative to the surf break to practice it might be best to rent a 500 as it can be a sweet spot for most beach breaks. But if you have only RF TC's then I would lean toward the RF 600 and move back if you need to. Most beach breaks can be shot in the 400-500mm range when waves are small or even less when smaller. But as the big swells roll in they break farther outside and a 600 would be the better tool. But it all depends on the specific break your friend is planning to surf so maybe get out there before the hurricane swell arrives and figure out which focal length would work best.

Sep 19, 2022 at 11:38 AM

jpeter
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Canon R5 / 400f2.8 setup for surfing

Every day that I surf, I like to document the day with a photo session. I use my 100-400mm. Most shots at 400mm, but nice to zoom out for some to take in more perspective.
As already mentioned, where you set up angle wise is important. Also can be helpful to get some height if at all possible. Sometimes the front curling wave blocks the view of surfer behind.
NJ has alot of beach breaks, which usually means the action is closer to shore than say a reef or rocky shoal. I think 400 prime you have reserved will work fine.
JP

Sep 19, 2022 at 08:53 PM

Zenon Char
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Canon R5 / 400f2.8 setup for surfing

Are you not planning to try subject detect and perhaps eye AF? I've set my R5 so I'm using the shutter for both AF tracking and exposure. My AF mode is Face with Eye AF on or off depending on the situation. I've set the BBF buttons to standard AF modes. You can set them up for both Expansion and Zone AF. If Subject recognition is not working for you BBF is there to take over.

I use my BBF buttons to assist the shutter button which is set for Face/Eye. Watch this video where the Fro actually uses Expansion AF to hone in on the subject if Face/Eye is not picking up the the one he wants. It's an R3 vs Sony shootout but its all the same. Watch the Canon clips between minutes 2 - 6.

With my setup I can override the shutter button with a BBF if I don't feel like using Face/Eye. Be sure to leave the shutter programmed to factory so it does both AF and Exposure. Make sure Subject is set to Person. You can set it so you quickly turn Eye detect on and off. For your purpose I'd use the AF point select button because your thumb will be in that area anyway. Also you will be further away so don't set your lens for the full focal length. That makes a big difference and I think it is more sensitive with ML camera's. They seem to hunt more than my DSLR'S did.

If you want to go old school and just use Expansion or Zone. For Case numbers I suggest Case 2 with TS set to -2. If your friend moves out of the AF points area the system will not try to refocus on something else and give you a second to get the AF points back on the subject. I'd also set Accel/Decel to +2. You can do that using Case 2 as well. Actually these case number settings will apply to both Face/Eye AF and the traditional AF modes.

f you plan on using the traditional AF mode like Expansion and Zone. Yes holding the BBF and moving the camera to the AF points onto the target should do the trick. If it is struggling then yes lift the BBF and press it again. We call that pumping the BBF. I did that for years with my DSLR's when needed.

You have nothing to lose trying Face/Eye using my method because if it doesn't work, you will be using BBF with the traditional AF method anyway. If you are interested in trying Face/Eye let me know and I'll explain how to set up your camera so that a white pre focus square appears looking for a Face/Eye without you pressing any buttons. If while burst shooting you lift your finger more than halfway off the shutter button the prefocus square kicks in and the system continues to track your subject.

Edited on Sep 20, 2022 at 06:24 AM · View previous versions

Sep 20, 2022 at 06:21 AM

BobnJake
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Canon R5 / 400f2.8 setup for surfing

Thanks JP

Sep 20, 2022 at 06:21 AM

jpeter
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Canon R5 / 400f2.8 setup for surfing

FWIW, I keep my R5, c3 fn, right back button set up for animal detection. When I use it for surfing, it seems to work great. When shooting windsurfing, sometimes the animal detect will pick up something on the sail. I have not played with people detection for the windsurfing yet. Will have to try it some time this fall.

The smart detect focus can be helpful if regular AF is picking up wave spray in the sun, which sometimes happens.

JP

Sep 20, 2022 at 06:29 AM


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