Snowboarding Pictures / advice / results...

[mpkirby]

You may remember from a couple of weeks ago that I was going to take a snowboarding trip, and take some pictures...Well that went off today.

A couple comments on technique.

I found that TV mode worked best. set it at 250 (or slower, if I wanted motion blur), and let the camera do the rest of the work.

Of course, everything came out underexposed a bit. I used exposure compensation in raw conversion to fix that. Is there a way to set up the camera in something other then manual to have it overexpose by a 1/2 a stop or so? Or does exposure compensation in the camera do the same thing as it does in raw conversion?

DO other people have difficulty getting focus lock? I shot abotu 30 pictures, and maybe 5 or 6 were keepers. Many were out of focus. It is incredible difficult. I was shooting with AI servo mode in continuous shoot. (of course, I'm shooting a black body coming down a white hill at 40 mph, so I can't really expect miracles from the auto-focus system).

My favorite is this:

http://www.fototime.com/F2F747F2FFDB587/standard.jpg

Followed by this, if I hadn't cropped it a bit close

http://www.fototime.com/94C728B66B9B7F3/standard.jpg


Mike

[robertwgross]

What camera?

---Bob Gross---

[timmyquest]

What camera?

---Bob Gross---

I dont get why equpiment matters so much all the time :roll:

Anywyas, the pictures are pretty cool, could be sharper and there isnt much color in the picture. The grey sky matched with his black outfit really makes that so.

Otherwise i'd say they arent bad, i'm sure he'll love em.

[Belmondo]

What camera?

---Bob Gross---

His, probably.

[robertwgross]

I dont get why equpiment matters so much all the time

Different cameras have different features and capabilities. Granted, many EOS digital cameras are somewhat similar, but some of these have known limitations. Further, a different kind of user will have a 1D as opposed to a Digital Rebel.

I'm sure as hell not going to tell him to try X, Y, or Z, unless I have a mental image of what camera he had, and therefore what its limitations were.

When in snow country, I shoot my D60, so I've tried shooting an action sequence in sports mode. It's fun.

Oh, a side note. When up on the snow slopes, very few of us carry a tripod, right? I'll have my two cross-country ski poles, so when I need a little stability, I stick the zoom lens through the wrist strap on one pole, and use that as a monopod. Now all I have to do is to figure out how to get my monster lens mounted on a sled so I can move it up the hill.

---Bob Gross---

[rick barclay]

Top one is excellent. Too bad about the lower one.

We ask about equipment for comparison purposes. At least I do. I'd like
to know how the pictures taken with such-and-such camera using
such-and-such lens stack up against the pictures I took using the
same or similar configuration. I would especially be happy to hear that
he took that top pic with a Drebel, since that's what I use, and as a newbie
photographer, I'm interested in learning as much as possible about my
own equipment and also products I may wish to upgrade to in the future.

[theflyingkiwi]

I am no expert on photography by any means, but by looking at the exif data from the picture posted I have found out the he is using a 10D, at the focal length of 65mm

the camera settings at the time was ISO 100, set at 1/125 sec and F/6.7

I hope this help those that can help with the best way of imporving the picture.

[gsmx2]

Don't know how to adjust Exposure compensation on a D10, but it's a menu item on the DRebel. Should be in your manual if you can't figure it out with the menu.

gsm x2

[mpkirby]

>
> What camera?
>

Sorry. I was using the 10D. I mean...It was sitting right next to me..You guys didnt see it? :-)

>
> the camera settings at the time was ISO 100, set at 1/125 sec and F/6.7
>

The top picture indeed, I was shooting in P mode at the time. I then thought of moving to Av in order to try to increase my depth of field. Unfortunately, it seemed the shutter speend moved all over the place, and I didn't want it to be in focus but blurred because of movement.

Most of my final pictures were in Tv (unfortunately, I didn't get any as good as this one in the final batch).

>
> Don't know how to adjust Exposure compensation on a D10, but it's
> a menu item on the DRebel. Should be in your manual if you can't
> figure it out with the menu.
>

I know how to adjust it. But the question is whether or not there is a difference between adjusting it in camera and adjusting it as part of the raw conversion. Specifically, if I do it afterwards, I am loosing a lot of information because the histogram is pushed to the left. I, in effect, push the histogram to the right using exposure compensation. But in the camera there are only 3 ways to increase exposure, increase shutter, increase aperature, or increase iso. I don't think exposure compensation does anything with those, so what exactly does it do?

Mike

[BobbyC]

If you are in Tv, then EC will adjust the Aperature.

If you are in Av, then EC will adjust the Shutter Speed.

Not sure what it does in the automatic modes, I never use them.

Is that what you were saying? You weren't sure what the camera adjusts when using EC?

[figment]

What camera?

---Bob Gross---

I dont get why equpiment matters so much all the time :roll:
maybe cause this is the EOS forum...

[mpkirby]

One thought I had as I was reviewing the images. It seems to me that the 10D focus system as a few flaws. And I wonder if someone who has a 1D or higher might be able to comment.

1) 7 point focus just isnt' enough. Not even close when dealing with fast moving objects.

2) I noticed that even though I think the 10D is fast at taking a shot, I am comparing that with a G1. WHen I am taking pictures of a snowboarder on a racing board comming at me at 30 mph, I find the time between the autofocus and actual picture is long enough to move the subject too close and he is out of focus.

Any ideas on how to compensate for these things?

Mike

[ilya]

One thought I had as I was reviewing the images. It seems to me that the 10D focus system as a few flaws. And I wonder if someone who has a 1D or higher might be able to comment.

1) 7 point focus just isnt' enough. Not even close when dealing with fast moving objects.

2) I noticed that even though I think the 10D is fast at taking a shot, I am comparing that with a G1. WHen I am taking pictures of a snowboarder on a racing board comming at me at 30 mph, I find the time between the autofocus and actual picture is long enough to move the subject too close and he is out of focus.

Any ideas on how to compensate for these things?
Mike

I told you it wasn't going to be easy :lol:

There are a few issues here ~

1) Focus. Using the auto 7-point select. For fast moving precision, you want to stick to centerpoint only. Majority of sport shooters only work with one focus point.

2) Speed. How come you wouldn't go faster then 125? Just push ISO up to 400; I notice you shot with ISO 100. For action, there really isn't any need to do that (in fact a 1D doesn't even have ISO below 200). You need speed of about 1/500 or faster in that type of action to freeze the snow. The background blur works better for objects you can easily and predictably pan across. For stuff coming at you its not ideal.

3) Less important then the first 2, but what lense are you using. Your exif for one of the shots says 65mm, so I assume something mid-range. You really benefit from having a using a longer focal length, like from a 70-200 or longer. That way, once you get used to the fact that an object is coming at you at 30 mph, you would actually be able to zoom back while maintaining focus and shooting at the same time. Takes a bit of practice, but you get a lot more chances to get the shot.

One more thing, try the Auto Sports mode on a few shots next time. You may be surprised how good that mode works.

But it takes practice, faster shutter, and a good telephoto lense.

Ilya

[mjordan]

I use the center point only for focus and metering and one shot continuous focusing. The only problem I have sometimes is that I forget to lift my finger from the button enough to allow the camera to obtain focus again (half way down it locks focus and stays locked until I release the shutter button). I've tried moving the focus to the * button, but it's too slow and clumbersom back there for the stuff I shoot... fast moving agility dogs, dogs herding sheep and cattle, wind surfers and kite boarders... and the occasional jet plane at air shows when I can get to them.

You will find that it takes practice to get the timing down of your shots... and pre-focus as much as you can. A snow boarder coming down a trail is no different than a agility dog running a course. Pick a spot that you want to take your first shot and pre-focus there. Then when the boarder gets to that point, start taking pictures. I will pick a jump or piece of equipment and pre-focus on the bar. Then when the dog gets their I take about a 3 picture sequience. Then if I have another spot, I'll swing over to it, focus and lock and wait for the dog to get there. It takes practice to get the timing sequences down and knowing what the dogs are going to do. If you have pre-arranged the moves with the snow boarder, you can pick out good spots as your primary points to shoot at. Just don't fill up your buffer and miss the next point waiting for a shot to free up.

Mike