Running dogs, which lens/settings: I have a very long, narrow yard and medium sized fast dogs who can run the length towards me in seconds. I mostly use a Nikon 200-500 VR lens on a...

Red Sky At Night

I have a very long, narrow yard and medium sized fast dogs who can run the length towards me in seconds. I mostly use a Nikon 200-500 VR lens on a D850. A friend told me this lens is too slow to capture sharpness at that speed. Is there a better lens for this? (I’m sure it’s actually more the lack of skill on my part.) Also recommended settings would be helpful. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Possibly, you mistyped or misheard? The comment probably was about the focal length, where a 70-200mm zoom might be more useful to cover a closer range as the dogs gets closer to your position. If you're already having success, what would a comment from someone else have to do with your equipment? Are you shooting at least 1/1000 and probably around 1/2000sec to freeze the action? That's a camera setting without regard to lens being used.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Pre-focus on the midpoint and use rapid fire with a small aperture.

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

The lens is too long. Fast doesn't have much if anything to with it. Use something like a 35mm or 50mm with a shutter speed set to 1/1200. ISO 100 to 400, continuous high speed, and an f/stop between f/2.8 and f/8.

User ID

Red Sky At Night wrote:

I have a very long, narrow yard and medium sized fast dogs who can run the length towards me in seconds. I mostly use a Nikon 200-500 VR lens on a D850. A friend told me this lens is too slow to capture sharpness at that speed. Is there a better lens for this? Also recommended settings would be helpful. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Browse the “Scene” modes for one that approximates running dogs. I’d agree that such a long zoom will screw up the AF for the type of action you describe.

After finding a scene mode that gives a good “keeper” ratio, you can read the exif for your best keepers. That will reveal the best ISO, aperture, and shutter settings.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

jerryc41 wrote:

Pre-focus on the midpoint and use rapid fire with a small aperture.

That is what I do / have done. Though I usually only take one shot. And yet, three times I have images of my girl American Foxhound with all four feet off the ground. Those images were taken elsewhere. My back yard is narrow too.

Red Sky At Night

CHG_CANON wrote:

Possibly, you mistyped or misheard? The comment probably was about the focal length, where a 70-200mm zoom might be more useful to cover a closer range as the dogs gets closer to your position. If you're already having success, what would a comment from someone else have to do with your equipment? Are you shooting at least 1/1000 and probably around 1/2000sec to freeze the action? That's a camera setting without regard to lens being used.

No, it was definitely a comment about this specific lens. But I think you are right that I should stick with the shorter lens. And higher shutter speed. I’ve had success with this lens for the couple of moments when they run on the width, but not coming at me. Thanks.

Red Sky At Night

jerryc41 wrote:

Pre-focus on the midpoint and use rapid fire with a small aperture.

Great suggestion. Thanks.

Red Sky At Night

DavidPine wrote:

The lens is too long. Fast doesn't have much if anything to with it. Use something like a 35mm or 50mm with a shutter speed set to 1/1200. ISO 100 to 400, continuous high speed, and an f/stop between f/2.8 and f/8.

I’ve never even considered a prime lens. I will try it. Thanks. I appreciate the settings suggestions as well as midpoint rather than following the dogs the length of the yard while firing away on continuous.

Red Sky At Night

User ID wrote:

Browse the “Scene” modes for one that approximates running dogs. I’d agree that such a long zoom will screw up the AF for the type of action you describe.

After finding a scene mode that gives a good “keeper” ratio, you can read the exif for your best keepers. That will reveal the best ISO, aperture, and shutter settings.

Thank you.

Red Sky At Night

lamiaceae wrote:

That is what I do / have done. Though I usually only take one shot. And yet, three times I have images of my girl American Foxhound with all four feet off the ground. Those images were taken elsewhere. My back yard is narrow too.

Thank you. I will try that. Give your girl a pat and feel free if you would like to attach a picture of her in air.

Orphoto Loc: Oregon

As others have mentioned a high speed will help. You should try this first at the shorter end of your zoom range (200) until you get the hang of it. The dogs will be too fast for anything in manual mode, analogous to birds in flight. Try A aperture priority mode fairly wide open and a high iso, maybe 1600. The key group of settings to fiddle with will be the auto focus ones. Press the button inside the AF lever and then rotate the back and front command dials. You definitely want afc rather than afs. Try one of the larger group area selections first, but experiment. Finally put the release mode into a burst, CL or CH. Repeat until dogs refuse to run anymore.

Red Sky At Night

Orphoto wrote:

As others have mentioned a high speed will help. ... (show quote)

Great suggestions. Thank you.

via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP

Red Sky At Night wrote:

I have a very long, narrow yard and medium sized fast dogs who can run the length towards me in seconds. I mostly use a Nikon 200-500 VR lens on a D850. A friend told me this lens is too slow to capture sharpness at that speed. Is there a better lens for this? (I’m sure it’s actually more the lack of skill on my part.) Also recommended settings would be helpful. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

First off, beware what "friends" tell you about photography! Photographing your dogs running is like photographing anything else in motion, a fast shutter speed is your best friend! It is easier to get focus with an animal running directly toward you than running across your vision and you can shoot with a somewhat slower shutter speed. In general, I'd use around 1/1500 at minimum and then adjust as needed once you view the images. I've photographed many dogs on public beaches and they do move pretty quickly! You may find you need a much faster shutter speed or you can get away with something a little bit slower. As others have said, it's the lens size that is the problem: you most likely will quickly run out of space with that lens (the lens is a very good lens, just what you are doing is not the best use for it).

Red Sky At Night

via the lens wrote:

First off, beware what "friends" tell yo... (show quote)

I appreciate this info. Thank you. I will definitely try my shorter lens as well. Very glad I asked.