friday night football pictures!!!

[WAREK78]

I have a canon 7d and I am taking action shots of 6 man football. I can always get a great picture with the camera if they are still. I can get a good picture 50% of the time. What I mean by a good picture is that it is not grainy or fuzzy looking. It is in focus. I really think that focus is my problem. I have my camera set in manual mode and am switching it back and forth from several options in the first 2 quarters when it is just starting to get dark. But in the 2nd quarter and especially after half time I can pretty much leave it on something. Last night I left it shutter speed of 1/250 aperture f2.8 and ISO at 6400. I forgot to say that I have a canon 70-200 2.8 lens. Half of pictures were decent, a few were great, the rest were unfocused... I NEED HELP!! Some of the shots would have been awesome but they were not focused. Any suggestions would be very helpful and appreciated greatly!

[PhotoByLeal]

First of all do you have it on AI- Servo?

[WAREK78]

Yes...

[PhotoByLeal]

If I am correct Andrew had the same problem with focus issues, but I am just guessing.........to freeze action @ the slowest shutter speed would have to be @ least 1/500 to 1/1000.......... depending what your looking for

The 7D you have might have focus issues, you might have to take it back where you got it and try out another body to see if it has the same issue as your 7D....

[Kalrog]

To really stop the action in HS football - I really need it at 1/400 or faster. But my glass isn't fast enough for that. So I have started using the flash to stop the action (it fires well faster than 1/400 but only syncs at 1/250. So I use 1/250 and ISO 400 with the max aperture for the lens. This will get me some good shots when they are close, but the flash isn't nearly powerful enough to do this half way across the field.

Switch to 1/500 and see if it doesn't improve.

[WAREK78]

Thanks for the tips...is there any specific reason that you think it might have focus issues? Did you read it somewhere? Someone tell you? Just would like to do a little research into this. I used to have a 30d and rarely had this problem.

[tropicpine]

Kimberly:

Are these photos bing taken at night?
If so what you may be experiencing is the fact that in darker environments the shutter has to stay open longer. If you camera is not on a tripod or resting on some other fixed object your whole image will appear blurred due to movement of your camera.
Possible solutions; 1. Try shooting in daylight. 2. Try setting the ISO setting on your camera (assuming it has one) to a higher number. 3. Try shooting from a tripod with a cable, and triggering your shutter with a cable release or remote. This last option will produce a clear image of the field & stands but will blur the players & fans. This can produce some really good images.

Keep Clicking
Lee

[WAREK78]

I am not using a tripod but I bought one... So I will try that this friday. The only bad thing is that my only practice is every Friday night! Thanks!

[Kalrog]

Be careful when trying a tripod on the field... don't get run over! Monopods are common in my area, but not tripods.

[jleyendecker]

last year i shot with a canon xt all my equipment got stolen, i know have a 40d which in retrospect its fast, but i had to go back to shooting like i had the xt im takeing my time with following the players as they move im shooting at iso 1600 at a shutter of between 320 and 400 with a 70-200 2.8f. they look dark when you look at them on the camera. sometimes i use a monopod sometimes i dont, my problems are in post processing. so i would say take your time be steady following the players

[AndreWest]

The faster the shutter speed the better. Over 1/500 is prefered. Also, concentrate on the player your focusing on with AI-Servo or use a different focusing point with AI-Servo for different compositions. It takes a second for the focus to lock on, so start focusing before a play even starts. Hope this helps.

[WAREK78]

I really appreciate all of your post! Last Friday nights pictures were a lot better! I think the monopod helped the most! Still need practice but I guess that is where all the fun is!

Thanks again!

[joycemb]

I have a Canon 10D and am trying to shoot highschool football game photos. I could really use some help. Does anyone know of someone that might be able to tutor me? I'm shooting 4000, and 1600 iso, ai servo with a 70-200 mm, 2.8 lens. I have the setting on TV.

[darrenwilson]

Kimberly,

Check into using the back focus button with your right thumb. This is single best trick I have come across so far. In servo mode you can keep your thumb on the focus button and use your index finger to take the photos. This allows the focus to follow the action regardless of what the shutter is doing. Its worked out great for me. Worth a try in addition to the other great advice here.

BTW, I am shooting six man football on Friday nights for our team in Guthrie, TX. Six man is great fun. Maybe our paths will cross at some point.

[Maggie Baldwin]

I think most of you guys covered every issue.

Kimberly already said she was shooting 6400 ISO so that's about as high as she can go. It was the 1/250th that was killing it and the fact that she was hand holding. Now that she shoots at 1/500th or faster and uses her tripod she should be ok.

The other thing is focus mode..I don't know how it all works on Canon, but she needs a spot focus rather than a focus mode that tries to get the entire frame in focus.

Also, if she's on a tripod/monopod, she shouldn't use IS on the lens as that will seriously damage the lens.

Good luck!!