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Photo Forum / General Photo Topics / General Topics / September 2007Focus mode for shooting sports (Soccer)
Obviously I want to use Auto Focus... but I am looking for other experienced photographers, shooting fast moving sports such as soccer, recommendations as to useing Single Area, Dynamic Area or Closest Subject? By accident I have tried Closest Subject, but it often focuses on a different subject then what I wanted to capture, so I most often use Single Area and attempt to make sure my subject is in the middle of the shot. Silly me, as I am typing this I am referring to the manual and I see that Dynamic Area is described as: User selects focus area manually, but camera uses information from multiple focus areas to determine focus. If subject leaves selected focus area even briefly, camera will focus based on information from other focus areas. Use with erratically moving subjects. Thanks for any advise. > Obviously I want to use Auto Focus... but I am looking for other > experienced photographers, shooting fast moving sports such as soccer, [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > will focus based on information from other focus areas. Use with > erratically moving subjects. I presume you're using Nikon, based on the terms. As you've found, Closest Subject AF mode presents a problem when the subject is in a crowd. Single Area solves this, but generally at the expense of shooting a wider shot (i.e., cropping more later) in order to keep the focus zone on top of the subject. As for Dynamic Area AF, I shoot with it on for good measure, but I've never seen it work like Nikon suggests. The examples Nikon shows seem to be static scenes with only the subject moving between focus zones, as opposed to panning with a moving subject (entire scene moving). For my purposes, that's not very useful. If you shoot with a large aperture / shallow depth of field, the results look better if you can keep the focus zone on the player's face, but that's easier said than done. I also prefer (for kids soccer) to shoot from a low angle, usually sitting on the ground; it gives the visual effect of being part of the game. Maybe obvious, but AF needs to be set to continuous-servo mode (AF-C) when the scene is dynamic. Cheers, Richard > Obviously I want to use Auto Focus... Why? I have photographed sports for decades with manual focus. You don't need it. > but I am looking for other > experienced photographers, shooting fast moving sports such as soccer, > recommendations as to useing Single Area, Dynamic Area or Closest > Subject? It's hard to use autofocus with soccer because the players move in front of each other. You have to understand the sport to photograph it well. Get a Leicaflex and a Telyt 400 or 560 6/8. These lenses are sliding tubes. > By accident I have tried Closest Subject, but it often focuses on a > different subject then what I wanted to capture, so I most often use [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Thanks for any advise. > > Obviously I want to use Auto Focus... > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > well. Get a Leicaflex and a Telyt 400 or 560 6/8. These lenses are > sliding tubes. http://cgi.ebay.com/Leitz-Leica-Telyt-1-6-8-560-lens_W0QQitemZ190152931360QQihZ0 09QQcategoryZ30030QQcmdZViewItem > Obviously I want to use Auto Focus... but I am looking for other > experienced photographers, shooting fast moving sports such as soccer, [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > > Thanks for any advise. On a Canon, you use the center dot for focusing and shut the other ones off. Then you keep the center dot in the middle of the player's chest. If someone is running by between you and the subject, you take your finger off the shutter so it doesn't adjust the focus to the newer, closer subject. With a big lens it can become tricky because the player isn't very big at 100 yards so slight movements can take you off player. As another person suggested, get low. Set up slightly in front of the goal you team is going at so you get the front of people, not their backs. > > Obviously I want to use Auto Focus... but I am looking for other > > experienced photographers, shooting fast moving sports such as soccer, [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > goal you team is going at so you get the front of people, not their > backs. This is easier to do with a manual focus system. > > > Obviously I want to use Auto Focus... but I am looking for other > > > experienced photographers, shooting fast moving sports such as soccer, [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > > This is easier to do with a manual focus system. Been there. Done that. It ain't easier. Thank you all for your input and advise. I agree I need to get a faster stronger zoom lens then my older 70-210, with barrel slide zoom, but I need a few more paying customers and save up some money. I too often sit on the ground, for the 6 and 7 year olds. I can't imagine manual focus being any easier with all that is going on in the game. > Thank you all for your input and advise. I agree I need to get a > faster stronger zoom lens then my older 70-210, with barrel slide > zoom, but I need a few more paying customers and save up some money. > I too often sit on the ground, for the 6 and 7 year olds. I can't > imagine manual focus being any easier with all that is going on in the > game. That's because you don't have enough experience. You focus on the player with the ball and ignore all the distraction of the other players. It's actually easier with manual focus. Trust me. I've been doing it for 43 years! > Thank you all for your input and advise. I agree I need to get a > faster stronger zoom lens then my older 70-210, with barrel slide > zoom, but I need a few more paying customers and save up some money. > I too often sit on the ground, for the 6 and 7 year olds. I can't > imagine manual focus being any easier with all that is going on in the > game. Take a look at this: http://www.photographyboard.net/images/zoom/zoom-photo/viewsize/rugby_right.jpg Taken with the Leitz 560mm f/6.8 Telyt-R. The focus is perfect, right on the half-back's nose. > Thank you all for your input and advise. I agree I need to get a > faster stronger zoom lens then my older 70-210, with barrel slide > zoom, but I need a few more paying customers and save up some money. > I too often sit on the ground, for the 6 and 7 year olds. I can't > imagine manual focus being any easier with all that is going on in the > game. For 6 and 7 year olds, a 210 might work. For older kids it won't. I take a LOT of pics for my kids, which play every sport known to man and I think they make up a few just to p*** me off. So I put up EVERYTHING so the kids can look through them, including the crap shots. It's a great inspiration for the kids. It's all this kind of stuff. I call it "Refrigerator Photography". http://www.salamancasports.com/2007_Warriors/v/2007_at_Hinsdale/IMG_9628.JPG.htm l?g2_imageViewsIndex=2 http://www.salamancasports.com/2007_Warriors/v/2007_at_Hinsdale/IMG_9654.JPG.htm l?g2_imageViewsIndex=2 http://www.salamancasports.com/2007_Warriors/v/2007_at_Hinsdale/IMG_9676.JPG.htm l?g2_imageViewsIndex=2 http://www.salamancasports.com/2007_Warriors/v/2007_at_Hinsdale/IMG_9679.JPG.htm l?g2_imageViewsIndex=2 > Thank you all for your input and advise. I agree I need to get a > faster stronger zoom lens then my older 70-210, with barrel slide > zoom, but I need a few more paying customers and save up some money. > I too often sit on the ground, for the 6 and 7 year olds. I can't > imagine manual focus being any easier with all that is going on in the > game. Kid's soccer field is usually lot smaller than adult, so I think 210mm is plenty good. The only problem that *if* the lens if sharp and fast enough to capture the movement. And it's hard to capture any good sport photo from kid but probably some cute photo. And since you mention you need faster lens, then I guess your current isn't very sharp .. cuz usually sharp often go with fast. > > Thank you all for your input and advise. I agree I need to get a > > faster stronger zoom lens then my older 70-210, with barrel slide [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > And since you mention you need faster lens, then I guess your current > isn't very sharp .. cuz usually sharp often go with fast. I'm not sure I would go with fast=sharp but fast usually = expensive which usually = sharp. Where fast gives you an advantage is that fast lenses usually focus quick and follow better because they let in more light. > > > Thank you all for your input and advise. I agree I need to get a > > > faster stronger zoom lens then my older 70-210, with barrel slide [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > lenses usually focus quick and follow better because they let in more > light. Expensive = good glass, and good glass often capable of capturing good IQ at poor condition, and be able to capture good IQ at poor condition often require fast focus. You won't see fast lens on cheap price, and cheap price won't often give you good IQ at poor condition (and especially long zoom). <snip> > Kid's soccer field is usually lot smaller than adult, so I think 210mm is > plenty good. The only problem that *if* the lens if sharp and fast enough > to capture the movement. And it's hard to capture any good sport photo from > kid but probably some cute photo. <SNIP> However children are smaller than adults, it might balance out... > <snip> > > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > However children are smaller than adults, it might balance out... Another interesting thought! children are more innocent than adult too <bg> > > <snip> > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > Another interesting thought! children are more innocent than adult too > <bg> Heer's what you need. This is what I use. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250170011020&ssPageName=ADME: B:SS:US:1 |
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