Newbie Question

[Carter13]

I have been messing around with my new 50d and I have the kit lens 28-135. I was doing some action shots of my dog running tonight out in the yard about a hour before dark and the shots were blurry. Is that from the low light? I did have the IS on?
Sorry if this is a stupid question.

[OneEyedJack]

can you post your camera settings that you used? sounds like a slow shutter speed or mis focusing to me.

[Carter13]

I was shooting in the automatic mode. The ISO was 1600, 5.6
When focusing a moving target, is there a trick?

[PhotosGuy]

The ISO was 1600, 5.6 Shutter speed?

Sports Shooting Tutorials and Advice (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=135417)

[mrfixitx]

What was your shutter speed? Or post a photo with EXIF info intact.

Generally if your shooting near sunset f5.6 is not going to give you anywhere near the shutter speed you need to freeze a running Dog.

Keep in mind IS is only for preventing CAMERA SHAKE it does nothing to stop a moving subject. If your indoors and you want to take a picture of a flower hand held etc.. then its great, if you want to freeze a child, dog, or speeding car, IS does nothing for you.

You need to use a high shutter speed typically 1/200th or faster depending on the subject. For focusing you would want to put your camera in servo focusing mode.

[ironchef31]

Just a guess.
If the dog was running towards you when you are shooting, you may be out of focus because the time it takes for you to half press the shutter button to when you take the shot, the dog is 2 strides closer to you. Your focus was where the dog was and has now moved off your focus plane.

I've set my focus to the * button on the back of the camera. Switch to Ai Servo mode.
What that will do is constantly adjust focus independently from the shutter button.

[Carter13]

Thank you for your help. After reading more last night I realize I need to change into AI servo mode. Boy do I have a lot to learn...

[Carter13]

Ok, I tried to get it in AI servo mode by putting the dial in creative mode then pushing the AF*drive button. But from there I don't know how to make sure I am in AI servo mode. I have read the manual twice. What am I doing wrong. It still says AI focus mode.

[Carter13]

I figured it out. What mode do you think would be the best for that type of shot?

[yanny13]

I would use AI Servo and switch to the centre point for focus. I also tend to put it into burst mode and either shoot just one frame at a time or a little burst if I need it.

[Tigerkn]

It's must be great to have the 50D to mess around with. I am drooling. Have fun learning, I am having a blash :)

[timbop]

I figured it out. What mode do you think would be the best for that type of shot?

If you want the camera to worry about everything, then sports mode. Or, set it on Av mode and set the aperture to the widest (lowest F number) available for your lens so the camera sets the fastest possible shutter speed