Sports Focussing Suggestions

[drinkeii]

Hi - I am learning more and more about using my lenses with various sports events, which I shoot for many reasons (teacher - have students playing, sports official, former students I coached, sports programs I run, etc...). I am trying to find the best way to get around a problem I run into all the time, and experienced again today in taking some indoor basketball shots. It seems like the camera prefers to focus on the background rather than the player the majority of the time, or at least 50%. I have tried limiting the AF points to the middle or one of the side ones, and still don't seem to have much luck. I'm not quite fast enough to manually focus the lenses effectively, and although sometimes it works to pre-focus on a specific distance, often this changes as the action moves.

I have had this problem in both recent times with basketball, as well as last year with flag football in a municipal stadium.

Any other suggestions?

I'm using the Canon 75-300, the 18-55mm lens that came with my digital rebel, and a Sigma 70-200 2.8EX DG.

Thanks in advance!

Dave

[liza]

I just use center point focus and shoot wide open at ISO 1600. Focusing can be tricky with fast paced sports action, and anticipating the action is often the key to success. The Sigma lens you listed would be the best of your current line-up for sports action photography. I recently invested in the 85mm f/1.8 for gym sports and feel it was money well spent. You might consider taking this route, especially with the Canon rebates going on.

[grego]

AI Servo + center point focus

Although there are exceptions, and sometimes using another point is valuable. Like I change the point in soccer sometimes to fit more into the picture, but that takes practice to do it quickly while during the action sequences(even I'm still learning).

You do need to get faster, better quality lens though.

Some options for.....

For indoor(basketball):
50 1.8 or 1.4(1.4 is better of course, but the 1.8 is a bargin).
85 1.8
70-200 2.8
16-35 2.8
24-70 2.8

Outdoor(football):
70-200 2.8 - During day, slap on a 1.4 tc.
300 2.8, 300 4
Sigma 120-300 2.8, Sigma 100-300

[drinkeii]

Well, I do have a 50mm 1.8, and have tried that one time (today, since I got it yesterday), and didn't have a whole lot of luck - almost every picture I tried to take focussed on the background instead of the players themselves. I like the feel of it... but wasn't happy with the results.

I was using the sigma 70-200 2.8, and had pretty good luck with this. I was running maybe 50-60% in focus... 1600 iso helped a lot, and locking the shutter speed at 1/160 helped too - i was able to get decent quality pics that photoshop cleaned up nicely later. The only issue I seem to have at this point is focus.

BTW, can I expect the same results if I get the sigma 28-70 2.8 as well? It seems like a natural extention to the 70-200, and I am happy with the results of the 70-200 (even if I do feel I need to do a bit of weightlifting to get good at handling that lens - haha).

Thanks!

Dave

[liza]

It's usually better to use a faster lens than 2.8 for indoor sports. It sounds like you just need to practice a bit more to get the focusing down. I've had some problems getting used to the razor sharp focus of the 85/1.8, but it's getting better as the season progresses. I'm somewhat of a fixture at all our high school games, too, as I'm a teacher and the yearbook advisor.

[grego]

Well, I do have a 50mm 1.8, and have tried that one time (today, since I got it yesterday), and didn't have a whole lot of luck - almost every picture I tried to take focussed on the background instead of the players themselves. I like the feel of it... but wasn't happy with the results.

I was using the sigma 70-200 2.8, and had pretty good luck with this. I was running maybe 50-60% in focus... 1600 iso helped a lot, and locking the shutter speed at 1/160 helped too - i was able to get decent quality pics that photoshop cleaned up nicely later. The only issue I seem to have at this point is focus.

BTW, can I expect the same results if I get the sigma 28-70 2.8 as well? It seems like a natural extention to the 70-200, and I am happy with the results of the 70-200 (even if I do feel I need to do a bit of weightlifting to get good at handling that lens - haha).

Thanks!

Dave

Something that might help you is forcing manual at faster than 1/160. You need at least 1/300 ir not more, to get some stop action.

That will help you a lot.

[drinkeii]

Something that might help you is forcing manual at faster than 1/160. You need at least 1/300 ir not more, to get some stop action.

That will help you a lot.

I've noticed that 160 seems to be the minimum I can get decent stop action at - if I have better lighting, i'll up it, but anything slower than that and it is a blur... for almost all my action, 160 stops it.

Outside, flag football? heh - 800-1200 works great! But indoor doesn't have the light for it.

[Dante King]

Welcome to POTN!

The faster the lens, the better your AF will be. Not sure if the TX has special focus points that respond to fast glass like the 20D. One reason I went for a pro body camera is for the much, much (ok, far superior) AI servo mode.

I think your 50-60% in focus rate is pretty good fo rthis camera body and glass combo.

Sure some XT owners can chime in here with some of their real life experiences in this situation.

[kidpower]

I've been shooting semi-pro basketball for the past couple of months with my 350XT and a Canon 85 1.8. Indoor lighting is certainly a challenge. I use center point focus and try to have a minimum shutter speed of 1/500 (ISO at 800, F2.2). I clean up later. Someone said it earlier, anticipation is a key. These guys move fast. Many of my shots are blurred and a few are excellent, but I find I'm getting smarter and better each time. Try all kinds of settings and locations in the gym if you can. Before I'd get "lucky" with some good shots, now I'm actually getting some good ones by design. Last game I ran out the door with my EFS 60 2.8 macro by mistake. Some of my best shots were taken with it. I think a fairly fast lens, high shutter speeds and experience are all anybody needs.

[drinkeii]

Well, I am finding that i really don't see much of a difference in quality when i set it for 1600 ISO instead of 800 - i do get a faster shutter...and don't see a whole lot of the "noise" people talk about.

But I do see your point about anticipating the action.

Thanks again for the advice!

[Jetmech1]

I also suggest the 85mm 1.8 for indoor sports. I've used mine with good results. Even with my 300D at ISO 1600 I still get good results. Noise Ningia is great at filtering out some of the noise from high ISO settings. My 75-300 takes good outdoor shots, but is terrible at indoor sports.

[DavidEB]

>>>click me<<< (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=114832)

I feel your pain.