Need Help Shooting College Baseball
Mar 20, 2019 14:52:51 #
Have a Nikon d7500 with a 80-300mm f4.5/6.3 zoom lens and a 70-200mm f2.8 zoom lens; shooting college baseball. Getting excellent focus and clear shots last year. Had the settings written down and have lost them. Now experimenting with settings. Mostly daytime shooting to 3rd base or short, runner and retrieving ball action shots. Having focusing problems. Some are clear others are soft/fuzzy. Have made so many changes to settings, not sure which one(s) are now causing me the problems. Usually shoot at 1/2000 to 3200; ISO 200-800 (depending on which lens I am using and sunny or overcast day) with spot metering or 9-point, continuous - high, AF-C. Any recommendations on how to correct the settings would be so appreciated. Losing so many shots once I get back to review the shots after the game. Miss being able to just pick and choose without worrying about the "softness".
Mar 20, 2019 15:10:30 #
Mar 20, 2019 15:46:34 #
Mar 20, 2019 15:54:29 #
Mar 20, 2019 16:50:51 #
Ednsb wrote:
back focus....
Back Button focus prevents the camera from refocusing on a spot you don't want. DOF is very thin at telephoto focal lengths. Also, camera shake. I found I pushed my bbf button harder than I did my shutter since I'd changed myself to "squeeze" that one.
Mar 20, 2019 23:28:14 #
You said that some photos are clear and some are soft/fuzzy. Check menu option a1: AF-C priority selection and a2: AF-S priority selection. Those can be set to Release or Focus. If set to Release, the photo can be taken even if it's not is focus. I have mine set to Focus.
Mar 21, 2019 06:40:24 #
billnikon
Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont
Taz1 wrote:
Have a Nikon d7500 with a 80-300mm f4.5/6.3 zoom l... (show quote)
Your D7500 has GROUP AUTO FOCUS. I suggest you try that one. It works very well for sports. When I photograph a basketball game, I get there early and have a person stand on the court and I adjust my exposures until I have it correct. Or when the teams are warming up.
Usually the lighting is fairly even, so I choose manual and once my exposure is set I am good to go on the entire court. I also use continuous auto focus, aperture priority usually one to two stops down from wide open and I like to shoot at least 1/1500 sec. and better yet at 1/2000 sec. Your 70-200 lens should be fine.
Mar 21, 2019 07:16:03 #
Back button focus with AI SERVO (canon), not sure on Nikon. With spring coming I too will be shooting college baseball, getting excited!
Mar 21, 2019 07:49:33 #
Roytheboy
Loc: San Diego, CA
From my sports photo experience: Speed priority, probably 1/800 to 1/1000 because the baseball moves very fast, spot focus (requires you to aim carefully), auto focus, ISO 100 to 400 depending on sun vs. cloudy and adjust to get a good aperture setting. I use a Nikon 70-300 lens which adjusts focus very quickly, and I use a monopod, and get good results. 70-200 lens will not let you get good shots in outfield, and 2.8 is not needed for daylight photos.
Mar 21, 2019 08:06:43 #
Look at the EXIF info on good pix from last year. Start from those settings. That's my WAG.
Mar 21, 2019 09:58:49 #
Taz1 wrote:
Have a Nikon d7500 with a 80-300mm f4.5/6.3 zoom l... (show quote)
When I shoot BB, I set my aperture to either f/5.6 or f/8 and 1/2000 shutter speed. I also let the ISO float on auto ISO setting. Have you checked your "Focus Tracking with Lock-on" setting. I keep mine on 4 and lock onto the target with BFF before the money shot starts. Also, I have my D500 set for 25 focus points for BB. For soccer, I will sometimes track with 3D setting.
One other thing to check....is the accuracy of that lens still true? Sometimes lenses will get out of cal. Put it on a tripod and shoot a stationary subject and see if it's still sharp. If it is not, then repeat with a second and third lens that you know have been sharp. If that 2nd shot is OOF, then consider it could be the camera. A third possibility is that it could be you---I find that I have lost my touch over the past 3-4 years and I don't get as many Sports Illustrated cover shots as I used to. I try to compensate by anticipating the money shot earlier.....
Mar 21, 2019 09:59:24 #
twowindsbear wrote:
Look at the EXIF info on good pix from last year. Start from those settings. That's my WAG.
A GREAT idea. That would reveal where he was and now is.....
Mar 21, 2019 10:42:28 #
mas24
Loc: Southern CA
I haven't shot any baseball games yet. But, I have shot one inside basketball game with poor lighting, and a not fast enough lens. I have done several summertime outdoor kids soccer games. The suggestions of auto focus or back focus appear to be good advice. I saw a video last year where pro photographer Tony Northrup, was using back focus, when his daughter, playing softball, was running towards first base. He was positioned at first base though.. Because of how a baseball field is spread out. I would think that photographing a baseball game would be more difficult than say football, soccer, and basketball. A 70-200mm f2.8 is a good lens for practically any sports.
Mar 21, 2019 11:10:36 #
Jaackil
Loc: Massachusetts
Taz1 wrote:
Have a Nikon d7500 with a 80-300mm f4.5/6.3 zoom l... (show quote)
You may want to reach out to Jules Karney who is a member here. He shoots a lot of baseball you can find his work in the sports photography section. He is a good guy and always very helpful. He is a Nikon shooter and shoots with a D500 which is very similar to your D7500. He may be able to assist you with the settings and your issues with sharpness.
Mar 21, 2019 11:59:44 #
My choice for baseball is the 70-200/2.8 along with a 300/4PF and perhaps a 400/2.8. The 70-200 is my go to lens for sports. I normally shoot between 1/500 to 1/1000th, sometimes slower for batters so the ball streaks a bit (depicting motion). ISO varies as needed and I often set aperture and shutter speed and leave ISO on auto. I normally use Group Focus and Matrix metering. My camera is almost always set to CF, shutter priority and I normally shoot in short bursts. Personally, I do not like BBF and use the standard method. Best of luck.
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