Fran Loc: Northeast, United States

The high school baseball team in our town has made it to the championship game. We have a minor league baseball team in town and they are letting our high school use their field for the game which is tonight. One of the coaches asked if I would take pictures of the game.

I recently purchased a Canon D7 and I am still working my way through all the bells and whistles. One of the features is the ability to auto focus track (not sure if that’s the official way to describe it). I’ve played around with the different focus modes and I am not sure which one would be best to capture a moving target. For example, someone sliding into a base. Which focus mode should I use on the Canon D7 to track the action?

Thanks so much for your help.

birdpix Loc: South East Pennsylvania

On the 7D it's called AI-Servo AF

barry.lapoint Loc: Colorado

And that AI-Servo works GREAT! I've been using it on my 1D mark3 for years.

Fran Loc: Northeast, United States

Awesome pics!!! Do you have a preference of the af mode? Af expansion, zone, auto select?

barry.lapoint Loc: Colorado

I do Fran. When I'm using AI-Survo I have my camera in AF priority/Tracking priority. I also have it set to Main focus point priority (which I will shift to comply with the direction the action is going) and I set the Focus search to ON but give it a short delay so it isn't jumping from player to player while I'm trying to track only one player. I also one more thing in focusing...I like to use the 9 point surround assist to the focus will catch the action if I'm not perfectly on center and lock on with the delay I was mentioning earlier. It seems like a lot of trouble but, once its set up you can forget about it. On my 1dm3 I set all this stuff in the Fn I, II, III, and IV screens in the menu.

Fran Loc: Northeast, United States

T

Thank you. This is very helpful. I just finished a 3 part video presentation through b&h and the covered af/priority tracking so I know exactly what you are talking about. I need to locate the Focus search as well the surround point focus. They covered this as well and it appeals to me. Have much to learn, but am on my way. Many thanks!!!

Fran Loc: Northeast, United States

One more question, what is the difference between main focus and continuous?

Also I don't think my camera has the option to select surround focus. I need to research that.

Thanks again. Fran

barry.lapoint Loc: Colorado

Sure Fran. Your main focus is probably the default. it focuses on the subject and, as long as the shutter is held halfway down, will hold that focus point until you release the shutter. This means you can focus on the eye (if you are using spot focus) then recompose the shot and it will hold focus.

Continuous focus will constantly search and lock on something near the center mass of your viewfinder and hold it in focus no matter where the subject moves (very handy when shooting sports like basketball when players are rapidly approaching your position).

Lastly, your 7D does have a kind of center surround focus. You can select an eleven point matrix to use to focus in the center of your viewfinder that will disregard the remaining eight points on the left and right (page 83 and 84 in your manual).

Festina Lente Loc: Florida & Missouri

Outstanding and easy to understand explanation Barry!
Perhaps you should be writing a book.
I learned something that I had understood incorrectly previously. Thanks!

barry.lapoint Loc: Colorado

Thanks! Ya never know who's listening out there...sorry, who's reading out there.

Fran Loc: Northeast, United States

Festina you are so right!!! He just entered my lifevtodayvandbalready hevhasvhelped so much!!! He should write a book!!!

Barry YOU da bomb!!!

barbkelly Loc: Delaware

Thanks Barry! Every day is a school day!

chef arno Loc: San Diego

If someone could only walk me through the same steps for my d7000 !!!! I also have been trying to figure out best settings for indoor basketball. Anyone have a d7000 and willing to give feedback on this? If so thanks in advance.

oldtool2 Loc: South Jersey

Morning Fran,

First, you own a 7D, not D7. I haven't shot a baseball game yet but it is on the to do list. I did get to a rodeo, which has very fast action. Here are the settings I used, pretty much what has been suggested so far. Don't look for the 9-point surround assist; our 7D does not have it.

I use AI servo and AF expansion. In the menu go to C, Fn III. Under C, Fn III, 1 (AI Servo tracking sensitivity turn the large wheel counter clockwise one click. Under C, Fn III, 2 select 0, AF priority/tracking priority. Under C, Fn III, 3 select 1, continuous AF tracking priority. Under C, Fn III, 6 make sure the AF expansion is checked. Under C, Fn III, 10 enable focus display in AI servo.

Now exit the menu and press the Q button (top left corner) and use the joystick to select spot metering in the metering mode. Make sure you are shooting in continuous mode and have plenty of memory. At 8 fps you can take a lot of photos!

These settings have been pretty much suggested by a few UHH members, including birdpix, to use for BIF. I have found them to work very well for most fast action photos. I also have watched the 3 videos on B&H and these are the same setting suggested in them by Canon.

Here are a couple of shots taken using these settings.

Jim D

ishootthings Loc: Western shore of Lake Michigan

Hi Fran! What Barry wrote is all such good advice! I too have the Canon 7D and it is a college education in itself, just about anyway!
May I suggest a very good book to purchase is "Canon 7D, From Snapshots to Great Shots" by Nicole S.Young. It is very well written and the author puts it all in user friendly language! You can get it through Amazon! Good luck and enjoy your 7D !