Tips needed...

[ROMEO.XK]

TOmorrow I'm planning on going to the New York Yankees parade, and I was hoping some of you guys could give me some tips, like a good idea on speed, aperture, focus... I'm fairly new to photography, and don't want to mess it up.

I'm gonna be taking my 7D, and 70-200 F/2.8 IS, I also have 18-55 IS, 28-135 IS, nifty 50 and the 55-250 IS but I haven't used it since I got the 70-200 2.8 L

I tried the 7D 70-200 2.8 combo at the NY marathon and didn't have much success, so I figure I would ask for some tips.

Your help is very much appreciated... and some what needed... :o

[Mike]

Why did you fail at the Marathon? Post some ppics with exif so we can see where you went wrong. What were your settings?

The 7D+70-200 should be a great combo for this. Some general tips - use a single focus point, Av or M, RAW.

Post pics though of your previous outing.

[Veemac]

Use the aperture to get the depth of field you want (low number such as 2.8 will give you less, higher number will give you more), set the camera in AV and let it choose the shutter speed. Start with 100 ISO (assuming it's sunny) and adjust ISO upward if your chosen aperture isn't giving you a fast enough shutter speed - you want roughly 1/FL (if shooting at 200mm, use 1/200 sec, etc.) As Mike said, use a single focus point and shoot RAW.

If you're new to it all and just can't seem to get your settings to work, take the easy way out - put it in 'P' mode and let the camera worry about your settings while you worry about taking the photos. An event you want to preserve memories from is not the time to be experimenting and trying to learn your camera.

What problems did you have at the marathon?

[JCH77Yanks]

Keep in mind that in that section of lower broadway, there's gonna be alot of dynamic range between the sky and the street due to the shadows being thrown by the buildings... you'll either get alot of blown out skies or underexposed buildings if you try to get both in one shot... If you want any wide angle shots of falling ticker tape, fill the frame with a building and use that as your background.

[Markitos]

I would also shoot in AI servo, with a single AF point that you choose. Otherwise I agree with the above points. If the parade isn't moving quickly, then you could use one shot, but this seems to me to be a good opportunity to learn how the new AF works in the 7D!

[ishmelly]

k i might get bashed for this but ... I'd say leave everything at home except the 70-200 and the 18-55 (and obviously the body). I say this because it might be cumbersome to carry all that extra glass when really the range on the 70-200 would give you the zoom you'd want, The 18-55 would be just be convenient to have for some up close wide angles.

[Markitos]

k i might get bashed for this but ... I'd say leave everything at home except the 70-200 and the 18-55 (and obviously the body). I say this because it might be cumbersome to carry all that extra glass when really the range on the 70-200 would give you the zoom you'd want, The 18-55 would be just be convenient to have for some up close wide angles.

Why would you get bashed? I think that's excellent advice. I'd suggest something wider than the 18-55 if the OP had it, but I don't think he does.

[tzalman]

I agree with Markitos. There are two possible scenarios: either you manage to get a spot up front with nobody in front of you (don't forget to bring your elbows), in which case you will want a wide lens, or you will find an elevated vantage-point where you will need the long lens.

Find an exposure that gives enough speed to freeze mild motion, say 250, and just avoids clipping the brightest elements, put it in M to lock in that exposure, shoot RAW and brighten shadows and darken highlights in post.

[nicksan]

TOmorrow I'm planning on going to the New York Yankees parade, and I was hoping some of you guys could give me some tips, like a good idea on speed, aperture, focus... I'm fairly new to photography, and don't want to mess it up.

I'm gonna be taking my 7D, and 70-200 F/2.8 IS, I also have 18-55 IS, 28-135 IS, nifty 50 and the 55-250 IS but I haven't used it since I got the 70-200 2.8 L

I tried the 7D 70-200 2.8 combo at the NY marathon and didn't have much success, so I figure I would ask for some tips.

Your help is very much appreciated... and some what needed... :o

You will probably be using your 70-200 the most. I'd also either bring the 18-55 or 28-135.

As for the 7D, AI servo, shoot in bursts, faster shutter speed the better. 1/250 or faster for instance... Don't be afraid to boost the ISO...1600, 3200, whetever. I would first try ISO800 and see what happens. If you need more speed boost it to ISO1600. Stop your lens down to f4 if you want more "margin for error" in terms of focus/DOF.

Canyon of Champions is in-between tall buildings so it maybe shaded despite the fact that it's sunny outside.

I would also try M mode first, especially if there are no clouds. Get there, take a few test shots, then just shoot away. Change setting if the lighting changes a lot, which it probably won't if it's clear outside.

Since the parade will start at 11am, the lighting might be harsh. If you have a speedlight, perhaps use that as well for fill.

[ROMEO.XK]

Wow, thank you guys, I will post some of the pics from the marathon later, and some from today as well, thank you for te tips, I will give them a try, I'm out now...

[ROMEO.XK]

Well, here is one of the pics I was talking about the marathon, the main problem I had was that a lot of times the faces look out of focus, even when using single point, one mistake I might have made was that I had the lens wide open, I guess that since I had just gotten it, I wanted to see what it could do and see the difference over the 70-200 F4 IS

Full pic

http://item.slide.com/r/1/201/i/vsOoh81w0D_LTq8kbSLKmpjKROiWFnNA/

100% crop

http://item.slide.com/r/1/64/i/YuYxfmKy0T9nTS7Oh2R0hFg_6KHgMJDx/

ISO 100 - F/2.8 - 170mm - 250.

I wil post what I got today, but it wasn't much, it was nuts out there!

[nicksan]

250 as in 1/250?
Maybe a little too slow for a runner?
Were you focus on the face or torso?
Is there any part of the frame that is critically sharp?

[ROMEO.XK]

Here are a couple from today, I set up the camera on M, most of the day time I was there I had it at 320 - F/4 - auto white balance - auto ISO... With the 70-200 F/2.8 IS

ISO 100 - F/4 - 200mm - 320

http://item.slide.com/r/1/103/i/EAfQ15B3qj80sEBrBFPAvN9rah3JZ-Op/

100% crop

http://item.slide.com/r/1/123/i/S11FNuTP4j8FpbH93ZupX_eR-94NmkYP/

ISO 500 - F/4 - 70mm - 320

http://item.slide.com/r/1/226/i/x6_VUMHo6j8WJfZbLkkbyFW4GYY-4-hF/

ISO 1250 - F/4 - 320 - 70mm

http://item.slide.com/r/1/234/i/4CJiHKUX2z-17k0p45ja_IfHmLs70Ice/

ISO 2500 - 400 - F/4 - 200mm

http://item.slide.com/r/1/133/i/yktkV1EQ1z_Ngme9K0jtj04pbfFn7-J9/


A lot of times, when I look at the pics on my Mac, is like there is something missing, I do enjoy some of them, but is more for the memory, than because of what it looks like, something else that I can't get over is looking at them on 1:1 , most of the times is almost as if I Can't crop much, just because I see them going bad very quick.

[ROMEO.XK]

250 as in 1/250?
Maybe a little too slow for a runner?
Were you focus on the face or torso?
Is there any part of the frame that is critically sharp?

Yes, 250 as in 1/250, sorry...

Yes, the area on the torso, right about the number is better than the face, but I would expected to be sharper than what it is, I might be asking too much, I might not... CLICK HERE (http://item.slide.com/r/1/154/i/zYURxB_J7D_y1aXiG-sG8WA2SgOxfWpn/)for a bigger version of the pic


Oh, forgot to mention that all this pics are SOOC... And when I do any PP I use lightroom 2 and photoshop...

[yogestee]

Sorry for doing this but I just couldn't resist..

This guy looks like Fat Bastard out of Austin Powers!!

[DStanic]

HAHAHA!!

[nicksan]

Yes, 250 as in 1/250, sorry...

Yes, the area on the torso, right about the number is better than the face, but I would expected to be sharper than what it is, I might be asking too much, I might not... CLICK HERE (http://item.slide.com/r/1/154/i/zYURxB_J7D_y1aXiG-sG8WA2SgOxfWpn/)for a bigger version of the pic


Oh, forgot to mention that all this pics are SOOC... And when I do any PP I use lightroom 2 and photoshop...

You were of course in AI Servo mode correct?
Were you tracking the runner for a good while? I still think that the shutter speed might have been a little too slow for a runner.

As for your parade pics, I would expect a result like that from the 100% of Matsui's float. It's not the sharpest but it seems like 18MP on a crop sensor does have its limits! (Notice you can see "heat waves" coming off the vehicles...pretty cool eh?)

Just as an example, I was at the parade as well. I used the 7D + 70-200 f4 IS, AI servo, ISO800, shutter speeds of at least 1/400, burst mode, single AF point.

This was cropped a little bit.
http://nicksan.zenfolio.com/img/v1/p449680230-4.jpg

http://nicksan.zenfolio.com/img/v6/p567305325-5.jpg

Something to keep in mind is to pay attention to the VF. It may be difficult to tell at times, but you can usually see if the camera is tracking on what it should be tracking. If not, then you bump the AF again. I use the AF-on of "*" button for AF, so I just let go of the button then press again to bump it a little bit to help the camera get back proper focus.

[ROMEO.XK]

Thank you for your tips!!! and you know that now I officially hate you right??? He he J/K, man, did you have a press pass or you got there at 5am...

I will have to start using the AF-on to see if I get better results. Also, one thing that I didn't do on the marathon, and on the parade was to use the burst mode...

[birdfromboat]

damn yankees.

[ROMEO.XK]

damn yankees.

Isn't it funny, how much the yankees are hated, but still, most teams want to be like them... LET'S GO YANKEES!!!!

[nicksan]

Thank you for your tips!!! and you know that now I officially hate you right??? He he J/K, man, did you have a press pass or you got there at 5am...

I will have to start using the AF-on to see if I get better results. Also, one thing that I didn't do on the marathon, and on the parade was to use the burst mode...

You need to separate the AF Start/Stop from the Shutter Button. This way you have finer control. It also allows you to "pump" the AF and also approximate Singe Shot mode even in Servo b/c all you have to do is the let go of the AF-On button to stop AF and since you have that functionality separated from the shutter button, pressing the shutter button won't start AF again...

As far as where I was, I was on the street on Chambers Street right where they make the last turn for City Hall.

damn yankees.

Yeah...Damn Yankees...I hated that band too...:lol:;)

[birdfromboat]

You are right, I wish my team could be like them, they can afford to keep cy young award winners, my team just develops them and lets them go. game 1 had 2 cy youngers going head to head, and my team developed them both, they were teammates on my team. I wish my team could be like the yankees, but I will keep rooting for them anyway. Congratulations to all yankee fans.

[ryant35]

Sorry for doing this but I just couldn't resist..

This guy looks like Fat Bastard out of Austin Powers!!
WOW! he really does!

I'M GONNA EAT YA!!!