I recently posted "Need Advice" and quite a few of you provided excellent advice, but unfortunately I'm below novice and made a mess of things.
Please take a look at a couple of picture taken today. It was very sunny and around 91 degree's.
I used to put my camera in sports mode, AF and called it a day. Based on the advice I received this is what I set my camera for today:
Shutter speed 800, auto ISO, AI Servo, and single point focus.
Everything looked clear through the view finder, and a few shots I either took under a tent (group pictures) or I shielded the view finder. A good portion of the pictures I took were pretty much washed out. I know I made quite a few mistakes, but don't know exactly what! Your opinion will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Cookie
Well, I would select shutter priority and ISO high enough to keep the shutter at/above 1/1000. Without your lens info, this is all I can suggest.
mleuck wrote:
Well, I would select shutter priority and ISO high enough to keep the shutter at/above 1/1000. Without your lens info, this is all I can suggest.
The lens is a Canon 70-200. 2.8L IS USM
Thanks
OK. Your images are overexposed and your shutter speed is too slow. For a fast moving sport, keep your shutter speed above 1/1000, I use a specific ISO to maintain shutter speed. I am cluless regarding Canon cameras as I use Nikon.
Thanks, I'll try a higher ISO for the next outing.
First error: "I put it in sport, mode, AI servo and AF and called it a day."
You need to understand the basics of exposure before letting the camera do ALL the work. There are not shortcuts to obtain good images.
chaman wrote:
First error: "I put it in sport, mode, AI servo and AF and called it a day."
You need to understand the basics of exposure before letting the camera do ALL the work. There are not shortcuts to obtain good images.
Chaman, I totally agree but my post stated "I used Too" today it was on manual using the settings I posted.
Thanks
jj56
Loc: Londonderry, NH
I am assuming you have a decent Canon DSLR based on the lens info you provided....
AI Servo is good as long as you keep the shutter half depressed as you follow the subject and fully depress it when you want an image. ( I suspect you are not using "back Button" focusing )
You can stay in manual mode at 1/1000 sec and set your aperture to say F8 or a stop or two lower if light is lacking and set your ISO to automatic.
The camera will then vary ISO to maintain exposure!
Make sure your image stabilization is turned on (on the lens) and fire away!
Hope this helps you
Thanks JJ56,
This all new to me, but eventually I'll get the hang of it.
Cookie223 wrote:
Chaman, I totally agree but my post stated "I used Too" today it was on manual using the settings I posted.
Thanks
You input the settings the camera gave you manually. Thats EXACTLY the same as letting the camera do the work. Its you who need to intervene and actually identify what is wrong and change the setting accordingly.
jj56 wrote:
I am assuming you have a decent Canon DSLR based on the lens info you provided....
AI Servo is good as long as you keep the shutter half depressed as you follow the subject and fully depress it when you want an image. ( I suspect you are not using "back Button" focusing )
You can stay in manual mode at 1/1000 sec and set your aperture to say F8 or a stop or two lower if light is lacking and set your ISO to automatic.
The camera will then vary ISO to maintain exposure!
Make sure your image stabilization is turned on (on the lens) and fire away!
Hope this helps you
I am assuming you have a decent Canon DSLR based o... (
show quote)
I agree with everything you said, except the image stabilization part. If he is able to maintain 1/1000 sec shutter speed (or above 1/500th), I would stay away from the image stabilization. He would be shooting at a fast enough shutter speed (easily) with his 200mm zoom. Image Stabilization in the case of dynamic sports, such as Lacrosse, may actually increase blur. His owners manual, Page 41 states that it should be used for static images.
Chaman & Spider,
Thank you both, I'll keep playing around with the settings until I get this right. I did notice that the best pictures were the ones I took under the tent, and when I shielded the view finder from the sun light.
jj56
Loc: Londonderry, NH
Spider223 wrote:
I agree with everything you said, except the image stabilization part. If he is able to maintain 1/1000 sec shutter speed (or above 1/500th), I would stay away from the image stabilization. He would be shooting at a fast enough shutter speed (easily) with his 200mm zoom. Image Stabilization in the case of dynamic sports, such as Lacrosse, may actually increase blur. His owners manual, Page 41 states that it should be used for static images.
You've got a point there Spider.
Before image stabilization existed, higher shutter speed was the solution to an unsteady hand and freezing motion.
I see longer battery life as an additional benefit as well with IS turned off .
Cookie223 wrote:
Chaman & Spider,
Thank you both, I'll keep playing around with the settings until I get this right. I did notice that the best pictures were the ones I took under the tent, and when I shielded the view finder from the sun light.
At the higher shutter speeds you are shooting, the viewfinder being shielded shouldn't gave anything to do with it. Your last photo tourn out well, though your depth of field put the further player in focus, and the closer one slightly out of focus (that's the f2.8 narrowing your depth of field). That photo was shot at f2.8, but your shutter speed was 1/800th of a sec, and your ISO was set at 100, which normalized your shot, and didn't wash everything out, in comparison to the others being shot at f2.8, ISO 400, and 1/640the sec.
So by speeding the shutter speed up, and slowing your ISO down, you had a pretty nice shot. If for instance on your first photo, you had slowed the ISO to 100, instead of the 400 it was set at, left your shutter speed at 640, and closed the aperture down to a 5.6~8 you may have been good to go. Figure at f8, both of the targeted players should have been in focus.
TriX
Loc: Raleigh, NC
Cookie,
Let's take your second shot. The EXIF information show you shot in manual at ISO 400, f2.8 and 1/640 sec, and manual WB - not the exposures you thought, so way overexposed and blurry. Instead try 1/1000, f4 or 5.6 and auto ISO. That assumes you understand the the effects of your shutter speed, aperture and ISO. If that's not the case, then use shutter priority (Tv), 1/1000, ISO 400 and let the camera pick the aperture. Use AI Servo, sport mode, evaluative metering, and auto WB or daylight instead of manual WB. Make sure the AF is turned on (on the lens), and I would turn off the stabilization (IS) at this shutter speed (I'm sure some will debate this). Keep the shutter half depressed while keeping the AF blocks on the subject, and then shoot. That will give you a good starting point for outdoor sports.
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