EOS 1D & Sports Action

[pressimages]

I have been using my 1D's for many months now and have some general questions about sports settings. When I use the single focus point images are sharp and crisp except when players move (have AI SERVO set). When I use 45 point autofocus setting, almost all of the images are soft.

Anyone have any settings and custom functions that work for them for Football & Basketball?

Thanks,

Don

[jcpr]

I use my 1D mainly for Soccer and Volleyball (both indoor and beach).

I normally use the 45 Points, with crisp results when i set the AISERVO response to changes to Slow or moderatly slow. If i choose fast or moderately fast and the 45 points i generally miss a lot of shots.

I also use another setup...

Use a Single AF Point, generally the center point, with the points extension to 7 or 13, depending on the lens I use, and the AISERVO response to changes to Fast.

This also works very well.

Always in AF SERVO, of course.

Having TC's or slower lens may affect the final sharpness, due to influences in the AF response time!! Please note that this time influences the AF capability, but AISERVO response to changes doesn't. It only affects the sensitiveness of teh AISERVO for changes in target!

Jose Rodrigues

[traveler]

for fast moving objects my best results have been with the setting of the 45 point expanding to 7 when necessary( with a tele like my 70-200 2.8L IS for example). I have my AI Servo set to moderately fast and it works great. I can track fast moving RC Controlled airplaines with great ease. As long as they are in my viewfinder they are in focus, has been my experience. They move faster than what you are shooting so I'd give it a try. The AI Servo speed isn't actually the tracking speed but moreso the way the servo reacts to an object that comes across it's path and how sensitive it is to go out of focus due to that object. Recovery is faster with a moderately fast setting.