HS Basketball with new 40D

[GLM]

Ok, folks. I was at our local high school roundball game last night playing with my new 40D.

I was using a 24-70mm 2.8L and a 70-200mm 2.8L IS (with IS turned off).

Other than the horrible composition of the shots (shooting my first basketball game), I am quite disappointed with the focus on the images.

Most of the shots were set on Manual using ISO 3200, F 2.8, with various shutter speeds (mostly 1/500).

I would appreciate any input from those of you who [unlike me] know what you are doing when it comes to shooting this sport.

I know this camera and lens setup is capable of handling the situation. I just don't know what to do to make it happen.

Below are some images taken from the batch. The remainder are in my gallery (http://garymillerphoto.smugmug.com/Sports/663607).

Thanks in advance.

- Gary

http://garymillerphoto.smugmug.com/photos/429534550_mV46C-L.jpg

http://garymillerphoto.smugmug.com/photos/429538023_esp9B-L.jpg

http://garymillerphoto.smugmug.com/photos/429543196_XSveL-L.jpg

http://garymillerphoto.smugmug.com/photos/429556293_HBLjg-L.jpg

http://garymillerphoto.smugmug.com/photos/429581302_8LXNX-L.jpg

[TopGear1Ds]

what were your AF settings?

you'll get the best results with AI Servo and center point only. Of course, you'll have to keep your subject centered on the center AF point or the camera will jump and focus on the background.

and as a compositional opinion, I would have shot all of these waaaaaaaaaay tighter, and more of them in portrait orientation.

[snyderman]

Gary:

I'm really new to DSLR gear and more new to shooting basketball. It's a LOT harder than it looks, isn't it?!

Same thing here ... not getting really good focus on the subjects and don't really understand why other than the action is moving quicker than AI Focus can track. Plus, beginning to shoot earlier than I think is necessary.

Agree with the other poster that bball is a 'vertical' game and should therefore be shot as such.

We both have similar lenses. You shorter lens, like mine, probably isn't a real good tool for the task. I'm considering swapping out my smaller lens for the Canon 85mm f/1.8. Should be able to get tighter, better lit, higher shutter speed shots with that lens.

Next game for me is Saturday. Look for some (hopefully!) better shots than I got LAST game!

Hang in there. Maybe it'll get better for both of us. :)

dave

[lauderdalems]

My 2 cents here. shoot portrait, with the 85 shoot at 2.0 and the 70-200 shoot at 2.8
Shoot early also.

What I found help me was looking at other BB pictures and get ideas from them. I usually shoot 250-350 pictures per game and that is probably low, so keep on shooting.

Look at my bb pictures and let me know if you have any questions.

http://gamedayphotos.uwa.edu/

[GLM]

Thank you all for your replies. I realize my shots need help in the area of in-camera cropping and composition. I am hoping that will improve with time/experience and checking out other shooters' images.

The thing that is troubling me is the apparent lack of focus in the images. Is it something I am doing (or not doing), or am I just expecting too much from the equipment?

Thanks again.

- Gary

[lauderdalems]

Thank you all for your replies. I realize my shots need help in the area of in-camera cropping and composition. I am hoping that will improve with time/experience and checking out other shooters' images.

The thing that is troubling me is the apparent lack of focus in the images. Is it something I am doing (or not doing), or am I just expecting too much from the equipment?

Thanks again.

- Gary

Just takes practice and more practice. Many use the back button for focus. My suggestion is shoot, shoot, shoot, and try different setups to see what works best for you.

[luigis]

I see all the pictures underexposed here.
About the focus using AI focus you should be ok as long as your shutter speed is enough to freeze a moving subject, kids move very fast and if your lens is not fast enough you may just not have a solution to the problem except buying a faster lens.

Luigi

[DDCSD]

Do not use AI FOCUS. Use AI Servo.

It will help if you shoot much tighter. As mentioned earlier, use the center focus point only and keep it pinned out what you want in focus.

It looks like you dropped the focus point off of the players in many of your shots. In a couple of them the wall looks like it is in focus. By shooting tighter, it will be easier to keep that focus point on target.

[DDCSD]

Also, remember that at ISO 3200, things aren't going to look as sharp as they might actually be.

[40Dude6aedyk]

What I found help me was looking at other BB pictures and get ideas from them. I usually shoot 250-350 pictures per game and that is probably low, so keep on shooting.

Look at my bb pictures and let me know if you have any questions.

I have some BB pictures with a 40D and the 70-200mm and 85 mm at http://twsp.zenfolio.com They include a game without any flash and games with flash bounced off the ceiling with a few photos of direct flash sprinkled in. A main difference between your gallery and mine is tightness of original photo and cropping. It appears you used your 24-70 most of the time. I would not use it at all.

[GLM]

Thanks again for all the input. I have another opportunity next Tuesday. I will be putting all this to the test and post the results.

- Gary

[JimTx]

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c374/JimTX/Cecilly1_filtered.jpg

I use the 70-200 F2.8 IS with the IS turned on ... I am old and I want the edge... my pictures are fairly sharp but I always sharpen them in PP. I also use Noise Ninja .. at 3200 I want the minimum noise I can get. I resharpen after using NN ... seems to help.

I shoot almost everything with the 2.8 ... vertical ... it's a vertical game... and follow the action from the time they cross the center line ... any player can shoot .. so I follow closely .. focus locked on the ball carrier.

Here is a recent shot with the 2.8 ... at 3200 ...

[GLM]

Sweet shot, Jim. Thanks for sharing. Man am I getting eager to get back to the game.

:)

- Gary


I use the 70-200 F2.8 IS with the IS turned on ... I am old and I want the edge... my pictures are fairly sharp but I always sharpen them in PP. I also use Noise Ninja .. at 3200 I want the minimum noise I can get. I resharpen after using NN ... seems to help.

I shoot almost everything with the 2.8 ... vertical ... it's a vertical game... and follow the action from the time they cross the center line ... any player can shoot .. so I follow closely .. focus locked on the ball carrier.

Here is a recent shot with the 2.8 ... at 3200 ...

[DDCSD]

I use the 70-200 F2.8 IS with the IS turned on ... I am old and I want the edge... my pictures are fairly sharp but I always sharpen them in PP. I also use Noise Ninja .. at 3200 I want the minimum noise I can get. I resharpen after using NN ... seems to help.

I always find that having IS on when you following action (except when panning in mode 2) leads to blurrier shots. The IS attempts to compensate for the movement of the lens when it doesn't need to. It really isn't designed to stabilize a moving lens except for actual camera shake.

[JimTx]

I always find that having IS on when you following action (except when panning in mode 2) leads to blurrier shots. The IS attempts to compensate for the movement of the lens when it doesn't need to. It really isn't designed to stabilize a moving lens except for actual camera shake.

I hadn't heard that ... but thanks for the tip.

[Dmab]

I find that even though the 40D is usable at IS03200, the % of in-focus shots using AI-Servo dropped considerably. Not sure if it was coincidence. Now the highest I go when shooting indoor sports is 1600.

[nphsbuckeye]

I'll self promote with this: http://media.www.thelantern.com/media/storage/paper333/news/2008/11/17/Multimedia/Slideshow.Ohio.State.Mens.Basketball.Vs.Walsh.Univ ersity-3546271.shtml
You can ganderize other slideshows there of mine: Hartford, Butler, and the Crew (although I might have missed one). Other than the Crew game, I used a kit lens with 1600 ISO, EXIF ought to still be intact.

If you can, try to get behind a basketball and use the 24-70, because you won't get any shots in the paint with the 70-200; however, you'll also miss most shots at the other end also.

[Zivnuska]

If you can, try to get behind a basketball and use the 24-70, because you won't get any shots in the paint with the 70-200; however, you'll also miss most shots at the other end also.

Here are shots taken IN THE PAINT with a 70-200 and an 85 from right under the hoop (4 feet off the baseline).


70-200 at 70mm layup
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q225/zivnuska/_D3E1711.jpg

70-200 at 200mm blocking out on a free throw
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q225/zivnuska/_D3E1779.jpg

at 70
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q225/zivnuska/_D3E1784.jpg

at 70
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q225/zivnuska/_D3E1771.jpg

The 70-200 can be used successfully.

[nphsbuckeye]

I should have specified by trying to get a full body shot of a 7' center (or not even that tall) at the near side of the baseline dribbling towards the basket.