Jesu S

I have always been interested in portrait and landscape photography, where I can take the time to set up a shot. However, this past season both my girls signed up for their lacrosse team, and I've been taking some action shots of their games.

My problem is that in addition to taking photos of the players in action, I like to take some candid shots as well, like the umpire, or a parent celebrating a good play. This means having to switch between Evaluative metering and AI Servo for the action shots; and One Shot metering and Spot focus for the candids.

My question is, is there a quick and easy way to switch between the two?

I have tried a couple of methods, both of which are somewhat cumbersome:

(1) To use C-1 for action shots and C-2 for the candids. This is time consuming, requires lowering the camera from your eye in order to turn the program mode dial.

(2) To reprogram the * (AE Lock) button to toggle between One Shot and Servo. This just feels uncomfortable, as I need to keep the button pushed down in order to obtain the Servo mode.

(I'm ruling out taking a second camera, because I want to look like a parent and not a paparazzo.)

Does anyone have any suggestions for a simpler solution? I'd like a solution I can implement on my 5D4, so I would be particularly interested in hearing from Canon users.

juan_uy Loc: Uruguay

I don't have Canon, I have a Nikon D7200. As far as I know, I think that your option (1) is the best solution if using evaluative metering and AI Servo is not giving good results for candids.

RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

When shooting motor sport (and drivers) I used the same focusing and exposure method as you do for your action shots. I do not change anything except to switch to aperture priority (away from shutter priority) for the non action shots (and exposure compensation dialed in if needed).

PaulR01 Loc: West Texas

Leave it in AI Servo. I never switch when in studio.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Simpler: use BBF and AI Servo 100% of the time. Simply set your single (or group) of focus points on the subject, hold the BBF at all times when shooting. AI Servo doesn't care if the subject is moving or stationary.

Changing between metering modes (evaluative vs spot vs other) is a personal decision and an unnecessary level of complexity you've added to your situation.

Pick one metering mode and stick with it. You didn't talk about your shooting mode. Whether you use Manual or Aperture or Shutter, the metering mode is not as important as your active and effective use of Exposure Compensation (EC) when in the semi-auto A or S (or P) modes. I've found staying in one metering mode, you'll train you mind to be 'in tune' with the camera and develop your instincts to adjust the exposure to the situation (backing of the highlights or opening the shadows, etc).

Given your 5DIV offers EC in Manual with AUTO-ISO, I'd shoot in that mode always. Use your meter in the viewfinder and the EC dial to move the ISO up / down for minor tweaks to the static values of shutter and aperture.

Jesu S

I will try BBF. I have never used it before since I was doing mainly portraits and landscapes. If I understand you correctly, for a moving subject I would find the focus point, press BBF to lock it in, and take the shot as normal. If switching to a stationary subject, I would release the BFF, choose the new focus point, then recompose the shot, then press the shutter. Is this correct? Recomposing the shot would not affect the focus even though I am in AI Servo?

One question about BBF. If I prefocus at a point where I expect the action to be, say the goal, would the focus point shift from the goal to the player (when the player comes into view) if I'm using BBF and AI Servo?

To answer your other questions, for the lacrosse games I'm usually in shutter priority (Tv), and since the games are usually in bright sunshine, my typical settings are:

- 1/500 or 1/1000, since I like to freeze the action;
- f/8 with the 100-400; or f/4 with the 70-200;
- ISO 400
- EC generally at 0 (or between -1/3 to +1/3). I prefer to change the shutter speed rather than adjusting the EC.

Thanks for your help.

Jesu S

Thanks for your reply. I'm curious as to why you switch to Av for non action shots. Is it for better control of depth of field? How do you compensate for not being able to focus and recompose? Appreciate your help.

Cheese

If you are in Tv mode, changing EC will change the shutter speed, won't it?

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Your EOS 5DIV has 61 AF points (41 cross-point). Your best, sharply-focused images will come from placing an AF point on the exact point of focus when the image is captured. But, maybe I'm misunderstanding your choice of words, where you mean moving the AF point rather than moving the camera? I'm very anti "focus and recompose", so I have difficultly following your comment / questions.

I shoot primarily with a single point set to where I want the focus to be. I'll typically look at the subject and determine where in the frame I want the composition, such as in upper left, center, upper center, upper right, lower right, etc. I position my focus point and then work how I hold the camera and position myself so the subject is covered by that AF point. I find this more efficient that trying to move the AF point around the frame to find / follow the subject.

Let's expand on your example of a lacrosse player near the goal. It might be easiest to keep a zone or large zone (page 106 of your 5DIV manual) at the center (or upper center) of the frame, then crop the results, as needed, to create more interesting compositions. Your 5DIV has Canon's best AF system short of the 1DXII. You can adjust the tracking characteristics on whether it will dynamically shift between subjects in AI Servo (see pages 127-140).

It's hard to generalize on lacrosse action near the goal as the attackers can come from any direction. Some decisions would be driven by the photographer's position relative to the goal (more straight-on vs more at the side). I'd seek to have the goal in the center of the frame, but my AF group to the left or right side of the frame so I was focused on the attacking player. But, if the action is too fast for this framing, I'd lessen the zoom focal length and use a center point / group, again following the attacker and then crop that player to the left / right of the frame in post.

It's hard in words to go through exactly how BBF behaves given there are numerous example videos on utube. If you consider half pressing the shutter release causes the camera to engage the auto-focus, you're simply moving that 'focus activation' function to a button on the back of the camera. As long as your thumb is pressing / holding that BBF button, the camera / lens are actively focusing in AI Servo. When you don't want the focus to change, just lift your thumb off the button.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

No, you have manual control of the shutter in shutter priority, so the EC changes the aperture and / or the ISO, depending on the ISO mode. In Aperture priority, where the photographer has control of the aperture, moving the EC changes the shutter or ISO to maintain the same exposure. AUTO-ISO can make the camera response a bit unpredictable other than to say the camera controls the other two sides of the triangle from the priority control the photographer has selected to manage.

Cheese

You're correct, of course. I was confused.

Why are you anti focus and recompose for stationary subjects? Just curious.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Your best, sharply-focused images will come from placing an AF point on the exact point of focus when the image is captured. period.

ggab Loc: ?

What he said

Cheese

So if you focus on the eye using the center focus point, then recompose, the focus moves? Very slightly, I imagine.

Jesu S

Thanks for taking all the time and trouble to respond. I appreciate it. I have just set up the camera for BBF and will try out your techniques at an upcoming game this weekend. I'm not very good at "un-learning" so I think it is going to take some time before BBF becomes intuitive.