I've started shooting some semi-pro football games in my area. I was wondering what the best camera settings might be for tracking the action. The games are played mostly in the evening hours under some decent outdoor lights.
Current setup:
Canon 30D
70-200 2.8 IS
AI SERVO
5fps
ISO is set between 100 - 1000 depending on light. (I shot my last game at 800 and it wasn't TOO bad. At ISO 1000 there is some noise to deal with.)
Should I shoot in AI SERVO, AI FOCUS or Single shot with my 5fps? I've had decent luck with AI SERVO, but sometimes it will lose focus on some frames.
Does single shot mode re-acquire focus after each shot if you hold the shutter down?
Samples can be seen on my website under the "Client Proofs" section:
I don't normally shoot sports (I'm a wedding photographer) but I might be able to help you anyway. I use AI Focus mode, which is single shot mode until motion is detected, then it switches to AI Servo mode. Another thing I do is to move the AF function to the * button on the back of the camera, right by your thumb. That's done via Custom Function 4; set it to 1. This way you can track and lock focus independent of the shutter release. You can hold the * button down to continually track focus in AI Focus and AI Servo modes, then release the button if you see someone is going to run in front of you (and throw your focus off). It takes a little getting used to, but once you get used to it you don't ever want to go back! Give it a shot (no pun intended) and see what you think.
Affirmative for A1 servo. I seem to remember my CF4 set to 3 for sports. That's where I got my best images. Hold that * down while the shutter is exposing. My 30D was not that great as far as keeper rate for football. Maybe in the 50% range. Hit or miss.
Servo! Once you lock on with the center focus point, all 9 will track your subject.
personally, I dont like AI focus mode and I don't think it "switches" to servo mode when motion is detected. It is supposed to track moving subjects, but it just doesn't work as well for me (swimming, soccer, baseball)
So... center your subject and keep the shutter half depressed until you start taking pictures. I'm not sure how reassigning the * button works in that situation, try it and see.
That's a great lens to be using, very fast focusing. Try the higher ISO and use a noise reduction plugin to reduce the noise after the fact.
Thom Briggs wrote:
. . .
Should I shoot in AI SERVO, AI FOCUS or Single shot with my 5fps? I've had decent luck with AI SERVO, but sometimes it will lose focus on some frames.
Does single shot mode re-acquire focus after each shot if you hold the shutter down?
. . .
Hi Thom - - I have shot a lot of evening football with my 20D and 70-200 f/2.8 lens.
I use Av mode, lens wide open (2.8), center AF point only (it is the most sensitive, and when using only one point, the computer processes info faster), ISO 1600 (or 3200 if needed) - aiming for a shutter speed between 1/250 and 1/500. I use AI Servo, not AI Focus. Better to have sharp, focused, slightly noisy images than clean but soft images (IMO). If the lighting is really bright, I might pop on my 1.4x converter to get closer. Sometimes if the really dark background causes overexposure of the players, I might put the camera in manual mode to get the best average exposure. You may also discover that the lighting on the field is uneven - - maybe darker at the end zones - - that can be problematic. Sometimes I use flash, and shoot on manual at 1/250 and f/2.8 or maybe f/4.0 (generally ISO 800 or 1600). Even a 420EX can throw a good flame 40 or 50 feet with those settings.
I also use CF-4-3 to put the focus on the * button - - it takes a while to get used to, but it has a lot of advantages. I generally don't do a burst of more than 2 or 3 shots in a row - - and generally am not in burst mode - - you can get off 3-4 shots/sec if you really try without the burst mode - and then you get the shots you want.
If you are using single shot mode, you will have to acquire focus for each shot - - and you will have a lot of out of focus shots, or shots that won't take because the camera says it hasn't acquired focus when you're ready to take the picture. If in single shot mode you don't let up all the way on the shutter button, it will stay at the initial focus distance - - - not what you want for football.
I have heard of using the * for focus before. I guess if I wanted to use AE lock I would have to reset the custom function back, eh? (I don't use AE lock...if ever, but I know its there).
I do use the center point for focusing. Sometimes I'll "pre-focus" and then follow the action with the camera...pressing the shutter when I figure out what's going on. ...I usually have to re-acquire the subject anyway...
At ISO 800, my best (fastest) shutter speed was around 125 (or less!). I think at ISO 1000 I was in the neighborhood of 200-250...but I forget (that was a month ago).
Regarding the AI SERVO...if I use the center point to focus....does it grab the other 9 points and focus in that area, or does it really only focus on the CENTER point? Can I point the center point at the guys chest, or does it have to be his head...to get him mostly in focus?
What about metering modes? I was using the "Center Weighted" mode for my last game. Is there any one mode that's better than the other?
Regarding the use of flash...I asked a ref...and he said it might freak the players out if they are wearing face shields....so I don't use my flash (580EX II).
Did any of you check out my images on my website? Just curious.
I've been shooting sports for a number of years, mainly soccer. High school lighting is not that good and requires maximum settings in order to get acceptable shutter speeds. 1/125 does not get it, at least not for this sport. Uncertain what the foot candles are at your events, hopefully better. Couple things are very standard.
1. Use only the center focus spot for speed of focus, it has the most sensitivity.
2. Setting the star button helps with focusing and provides an added option to set the focus and leave it (good for corner shots on goal from accross the pitch).
3. Speed, speed, speed, when it comes to lens and shutter. Use lenses wide open i.e. f/2.8 and try anything to keep the shutter at 1/400 or above. At a certain point in an evening match where the only light source is the floods I find myself going to manual settings on the body with the shutter at 1/400 and aperture wide open, i.e.2.8.
4. Under the lights I set the iso to max, for me that is 3200. While it gets dark I find myself working the ISO up the scale from 100 to 3200 in order to kept the shutter above 1/1000. Obviously you reach a point that the speed drops no matter the settings, ergo the move to manual at the end.
Thom Briggs wrote:
Regarding the AI SERVO...if I use the center point to focus....does it grab the other 9 points and focus in that area, or does it really only focus on the CENTER point? Can I point the center point at the guys chest, or does it have to be his head...to get him mostly in focus?
What about metering modes? I was using the "Center Weighted" mode for my last game. Is there any one mode that's better than the other?
I only rarely use all 9 points - - usually when a uniform jersey has so little contrast that I can't get a focus lock. I have found using all 9 points to be a bit slow & inconsistent - - but other photogs I know use the "sport" setting which then uses all 9 points - - and they claim very good results. I generally put the center point at a person's waist - - but I'm also shooting vertically most of the time. Using only one point can let you "thread the needle" when you're wanting to focus on something like the center or the quarterback - otherwise it might focus on players closer to you.
I have mostly used the "evaluative" metering mode - - I do have my flash mode set to "averaging".
Regarding your photos - - I would encourage you to get tighter on your shots - - most of them seem to show at least a half dozen players - - and it's hard to find a primary focus of the action. Also try mixing it up a bit and shoot more vertically (in addition to all the horizontal shots). Just my $.02 worth.
johnecon wrote:
Regarding your photos - - I would encourage you to get tighter on your shots - - most of them seem to show at least a half dozen players - - and it's hard to find a primary focus of the action. Also try mixing it up a bit and shoot more vertically (in addition to all the horizontal shots). Just my $.02 worth.
John
Thanks for the suggestions. I will try to shoot vertically next time! I usually shoot a little wide and then crop as needed. Perhaps not the best solution, but it's pretty tough to follow the action and keep it in frame. I've heard from one of the players that I should try to get tighter, but with only a 70-200....you take what you can get.
I have been shooting fully manual for the past several months (for everything). One day I tried manual to get a shot, and somehow it all just "clicked" (pun intended), and I've never looked back. Granted, I may be a bit slower to setup than if I shot in Av or something, but I guess I like the control?
I have been shooting at 2.8, and on the 30D, noise becomes quite noticeable at 1200 - 1600 ISO. I haven't tried 3200 (I have the custom function turned on)...so I'm not sure of those results.
I think I'll try the magic * custom function and see how that works. The idea of pre-focusing on an area and only having to shoot as the action gets going seems interesting.
I've only shot two games in terms of "action sports," and I like it, but it's pretty difficult to track the action. Thanks for the input guys!
Tracking is something you learn over time. Repetition is the key. Start by trying to put the focus point on the player a bit prior to the full action, this gets the tracking focus on target and you in position to hit the shutter.
...I usually have to re-acquire the subject anyway...
I've heard from one of the players that I should try to get tighter, but with only a 70-200....you take what you can get.