Double fisted Sports Photography - Help?

[dmwierz]

I recently acquired a second body, and started using it last weekend to shoot my regular r2 HS football games under the lights. I have my Canon 20D on a monopod with a Sigma 120-300 f 2.8, and my Rebel XT coupled to a Canon 70-200 L f2.8 slung around my neck.

At first, I thought I should keep the 20D on C-Fn 4-1 to utilize the back-button focus, and since the XT is on a neck strap, I figured I'd never be able to quickly swing it into place, frame the shot and be able to back button AI Servo focus and squeeeze the shutter all with one hand (while balancing my monopod against my shoulder) so I put it on shutter button focus.

Well, after 4 games, I have found that this set-up hasn't work very well. Too many of my XT shots were OOF. I ended up putting the XT in back button focus, and just putting the 20D/Sigma/Monopod combo down when I anticipated needing the XT/70-200 . In so doing, I missed the flexibility of using the 20D/Sigma/Monopod at all times, and only using the XT/70-200 when things got close.

So, after all this, what is my question? Well, since I see pro's using a similar set-up to mine to shoot football all the time, let me ask how you guys do it? If you swing your neck-strap body up as needed, how do you do focus? Whatever button you use, which AF mode (One Shot or AI Servo) do you employ?

Thanks,

Dennis

[Red]

Just an idea, but have you thought about putting the 20Ds neckstrap around your neck and the XT on your shoulder? Then you can let go of the 20D without having to put it down or balance it against your shoulder, the strap will keep it close

[dmwierz]

Thanks for the thought. The issue with putting the monopod camera's neckkstrap around my neck is I once saw a photog who did this get creamed on the sidelines, and while he would have been shaken up otherwise, the fact that he had his camera connected to his neck caused him to get severe neck trauma. His incident went from bruising to potentially crippling. Fortunately, he eventually recovered. If i were to get hit by a large human running at high speed, I'd prefer that there be nothing atached to me. I can replace my camera gear, but my body has a limited lifespan.

[Red]

You call that a reason? :rolleyes:


:lol:

[dmwierz]

You call that a reason? :rolleyes:


:lol:


Ha!
:)

[jonathans9]

I was watching NFL football today, and many of the photogs had 3 cameras around their neck. During a touchdown run, the TV camera showed a guy with a long Canon lens on a monopod resting on his left shoulder and another camera with a smller zoom in his left hand which he was using. Their were probably another 4-5 photogs doing the same thing.
I have two cameras and shoot hs football at nite. when I want to use the second camera I put the monopod down. I am not that talented or quick to do what the pros do!
JS