Last Gymnastics set of the year - ISO 1600+

[GBRandy]

This was the last meet just before my vacation so I am behind...I was going to re-process these as several are a tad over sharpened, but the slideshow / banquet is done and everyone felt these were more than adequate (?) so why bother...they are what they are....they all had a good year so the girls are happy and that is what it is all about!

The entire set with EXIF is here...(not my best efforts, but thekids liked them) STATE2007 (http://www.ymcagymstars.com/2006_07_events/State%202007/State_2007.html)

1DMKIIN and primarily the 85 f1.8....1600 & 3200 ISO throughout......

Critiques / comments / suggestions are always welcome.......

#1
http://www.ymcagymstars.com/2006_07_events/State%202007/slides/RandyTess039.jpg

#2
http://www.ymcagymstars.com/2006_07_events/State%202007/slides/RandyTess066.jpg

#3
http://www.ymcagymstars.com/2006_07_events/State%202007/slides/RandyTess128.jpg

#4
http://www.ymcagymstars.com/2006_07_events/State%202007/slides/RandyTess173.jpg

#5 ISO 3200
http://www.ymcagymstars.com/2006_07_events/State%202007/slides/RandyTess288.jpg

#6 ISO 3200
http://www.ymcagymstars.com/2006_07_events/State%202007/slides/RandyTess378.jpg

#7 ISO 3200
http://www.ymcagymstars.com/2006_07_events/State%202007/slides/RandyTess490.jpg

[kpyke]

I think #5 is great!! I think, if you're shooting in that light, you should stay with ISO3200. The images (at least on this forum, don't know how big you want to go) seem to not be horribly noisy, and the action is stopped much better.Very nice!

[kpyke]

OK, so just checked out your pics on the other forum. Noise comes out a little more there. Are these post processed? I guess in particular I'm asking if you passed them through noise ninja?

[tghaines]

I agree that #5 is the best here. I think the hard thing with gym shots, is to get a clean background. Try different angles to get a cleaner bg, bout otherwise, great stuff!!!

[Galaxy99]

Man, That's what a Mark II n can do!!!!. My 400D's Ai Servo will let me down 50% of time to make this kinda of sharp focus. NICE!

[GBRandy]

Man, That's what a Mark II n can do!!!!. My 400D's Ai Servo will let me down 50% of time to make this kinda of sharp focus. NICE!

Thanks all....I appreciate the kind words.

Galaxy99: Don't get too wrapped up in equipment my friend....#5 & #6 are manually focused....all pre planned and waited for the correct point to pull the trigger

This was a bit of an experiment as I have only owned Canon gear for around 4 months...In this set I shot raw, ran them through DPP for noise reduction and then Bibble Pro with a little more noise reduction, sharpening and resizing. The Bibble pro pass ruined the shots and created the weird texture you see in the OOF areas.

Doing it right gets you stuff like this:
ISO 1600 on both:
http://www.ymcagymstars.com/2006_07_events/DoorCty/DoorCtyJalbum/slides/RSTRRST3000.jpg

http://www.ymcagymstars.com/2006_07_events/DoorCty/DoorCtyJalbum/slides/RSTRRST3016.jpg

[bwolford]

Very, very nice crisp shots.

So, did I read that right, you manual focused some of 4/5. What about the rest? Did you use AI Servo or did you just one shot focus them? Did you set the customer function to use AE to set your focus? Did you rely on IS? Were you pannig during some of the floor shots?

I just got my IIN and I'm really nervous about my shoot in 2 weeks. First time at gymnastics with this camera AND I'm still trying to figure out which focus method is going to be best. Sorry for all the questions, but you have something to offer as far as experience and I want to tap it all I can. LOL

From what I can see from your vault images, manual focus might be the right idea, especially if I am to side and trying to capture the table action.

BTW, I missed it. Did you do any noise reduction with these?

Spill the beans! :D

Brice

[GBRandy]

Whew...lots of questions!

I set the AF to single point. I have one defaulted to center and the second one I move around as required. I use the thumb buttons to select and focus, not the shutter button. The shutter button locks my AE setting...I forget the custom setting number as I am at work at the moment.

I use manual focus (and manual exposure) for certain bar and vault shots. I will focus on a part of the apparatus that is in plane with the gymnasts face and then wait. As they approach I rattle of a bout 4 frames. Tracking at f1.4 or f1.8 and getting focus lock is a tricky deal and I'll bail on it if there are certain spots that I can. Bars & Vault offer that situation for me.

I am new to Canon so this may not be the best trip for PP work...but here goes. I shot RAW as the WB in these gyms is all over the place. I adjust WB & apply sharpening in DPP. I save the set as Jpegs out of DPP and cull, crop and re-size in Aperture. I take the selected set and run through J-Album for watermark and web page coding. I then post the files. Got to be a better way!

[bwolford]

Bingo,

Just what I was looking for. I too have set the custom button to allow * button on the back of the camera to lock focus, but exposure (C.fn-04-3). I was just furious if you were using AI Servo and answered that too! I've set a second thumb button for the default focus mode, but neither kicks in unless I press the button. Beauty of this, as you know is you can press the button to set focus, lock it in that position and shoot away without having to worry about refocusing. Kind of the best of both worlds (Auto and manual).

I'll have to practice my manual focusing for those situations where the thumb button doesn't work out. Only experience will tell.

Thanks for your help!!!

Brice

Whew...lots of questions!

I set the AF to single point. I have one defaulted to center and the second one I move around as required. I use the thumb buttons to select and focus, not the shutter button. The shutter button locks my AE setting...I forget the custom setting number as I am at work at the moment.

I use manual focus (and manual exposure) for certain bar and vault shots. I will focus on a part of the apparatus that is in plane with the gymnasts face and then wait. As they approach I rattle of a bout 4 frames. Tracking at f1.4 or f1.8 and getting focus lock is a tricky deal and I'll bail on it if there are certain spots that I can. Bars & Vault offer that situation for me.

I am new to Canon so this may not be the best trip for PP work...but here goes. I shot RAW as the WB in these gyms is all over the place. I adjust WB & apply sharpening in DPP. I save the set as Jpegs out of DPP and cull, crop and re-size in Aperture. I take the selected set and run through J-Album for watermark and web page coding. I then post the files. Got to be a better way!

[S.Horton]

#5 A+

Great exposure control at high ISO, sharp stuff -- thx for sharing!

[convergent]

I am liking number 5 the best, followed closely by 7. Great work.