Which mode is best for shooting live bands??

[I Simonius]

Which AF mode is best for shootiung live bands?

I enclose a couple of pics taken with the 85 @ 1.8, one shot AF, using central AF point.
My problem was that if I focussed on the central focus point and then recomposed the players had moved in that time so the face I had focussed on was no longer quite in focus

[smudge]

I'd imagine that everyone that responds to this will probably do something different, but here's my bit anyhow.
I generally use two methods when it's really dark. No...I lie, three.

1. Get auto focus on the point where the subject is...if its a band, say lead singer this is normally the mic. Then whilst holding down the shutter I then switch off auto focus, leaving the lens focused on the distance to mic. The every time my subject moves into that focus bracket I snap away. I guess the distance and use it around the same area. Works pretty well, where a subject returns to an area often say a singer or drummer.

2. Use auto focus centre point(most sensitive) but allow space in the shot to crop for composition afterwards.

3. Where flash is allowed, the AF assist beam on the 580 ex is fantastic. Very often I will point the flash straight up, because I don't actually want the light. The af assist will still help to focus your lens. Obviously this isn't a great help if your far away.

[I Simonius]

I'd imagine that everyone that responds to this will probably do something different, but here's my bit anyhow.
I generally use two methods when it's really dark. No...I lie, three.

1. Get auto focus on the point where the subject is...if its a band, say lead singer this is normally the mic. Then whilst holding down the shutter I then switch off auto focus, leaving the lens focused on the distance to mic. The every time my subject moves into that focus bracket I snap away. I guess the distance and use it around the same area. Works pretty well, where a subject returns to an area often say a singer or drummer.

2. Use auto focus centre point(most sensitive) but allow space in the shot to crop for composition afterwards.

3. Where flash is allowed, the AF assist beam on the 580 ex is fantastic. Very often I will point the flash straight up, because I don't actually want the light. The af assist will still help to focus your lens. Obviously this isn't a great help if your far away.

Thanks Smudge,
-method 1/ is what I would normally use when I only had manual,
-method 2/ I tried that but with a band like this where no one is in the same spot for more than a split second it was difficult to do that . Not ideal.
-method 3/ no flash allowed.

The lens focusses OK with the central point, I wasn't going to try the other points as I had done some experiments in daylight and found in strongly differning lighting conditions across the shot, it could be way off. ( I used tne left most point to focus on a woman in direct sunlight surrounded by trees in the shade, she was very OOF).

The thing is though that I wanted to use 1.8 to keep the shutter speed up without upping the ISO too much, and also as a technical experiment. I don't know if it is clear inthe first shots but the faces weren't quite in focus, close but not spot on. The shots below perhaps give a better idea, some nice in focus drums but not the faces which is where I focussed then recomposed as fast as I could

What I had hoped was that there was a method where perhaps using AI servo, if you focussed using the central point the camera might keep whatever was in focus, in focus, even though it moved.

I don't know, I habven't used AI servo yet, I am slowly , and I mean slowly, working my way through the various functions. I have found that to date it takes approx 4 readings of the manual to get it actually into my head.

--incidentally this was the 'BollywoodBrassBand'.co.uk FANTASTIC dance music, Indian music but not done with indian instruments , but witha brass band - Far out! EVERYONE was dancing! :D

[Andy_T]

I really like the last 2.

In the first 2, the metering was quite difficult, obviously. The black looks overexposed, but if you underexpose, the subject will be dark. Maybe PS is the only way to fix that (apart form fill flash).

Best regards,
Andy

[fotogeek]

haha... that last one is great, looks like they forgot what they were playing, or they're trying to figure out what song another band member is doing.

"hey, do you know what she's playing? Sounds like 3 blind mine, did we practice that?"

:D

If you've got lots of movement I always use AI Servo with all focus points active, but tend to prefer one shot for everything else.

[I Simonius]

haha... that last one is great, looks like they forgot what they were playing, or they're trying to figure out what song another band member is doing.

"hey, do you know what she's playing? Sounds like 3 blind mine, did we practice that?"

:D

If you've got lots of movement I always use AI Servo with all focus points active, but tend to prefer one shot for everything else.

:lol: might look like that but the high shutter speed stopped the action,they were drumming complex fast sequences, there was no break and it was stomping! They were just keepint time not confused! :D

[I Simonius]

I really like the last 2.

In the first 2, the metering was quite difficult, obviously. The black looks overexposed, but if you underexpose, the subject will be dark. Maybe PS is the only way to fix that (apart form fill flash).

Best regards,
Andy

I used partial metering and the Central AF point on the subject, the same method as for the last pics

[5artstudio]

Is it me or is no one mentioning shutter speen, picture style: if any etc
Steve

[adamreading]

http://www.adamreading.com/v/ui/1136050/d1138.jpg?1258118583
I take well over 50,000 live band shots a year - mostly in small clubs with inadequate lighting and 3 songs "no flash" rules.

If it helps anyone here are my default settings:

Canon 5Dmk2 TV mode somewhere between 60 and 125 depending on the style of the band - for metal its 125 for folk its 60 - lol.

Autofocus set to one shot - using the centre point for focus - watching the movement pattern of the performer - half clicking at a known point (nr mike stand for example) and then waiting patiently for them to return to that before the final release. On C1 and C2 (see below) flash (580exii) is set to focus assist but not fire. (This increases the focus speed dramatically and also raises your % of in focus shots).

Iso - between 800-3200 dependant on the lighting set up - normally end up on 2000

Lenses - 50mm f1.2, 85mm f1.2 24-70l f2.8 70-200L IS f2.8 I try and swop about a bit during the 3 songs to get variety and again much depends on the lighting that night.

I always set up the 3 custom c1/c2/c3 at the start of a show with an 800 iso setting as above, a 2000 iso setting as above and then on C3 a flash based setting at manual/60/iso800/f5.6/flash on, rear curtain sync which I use if all else fails and for crowd shots. Having all that set up on the custom settings frees your normal manual/av and TV buttons for a couple of other banker settings so that you are sure to get something.

I don't claim to be an expert - but my shots regularly get picked up and used by local press etc and I'm getting there - the above settings came through trial and error over thousands of sets.

You can check out my results at http://www.adamreading.com have a look at the Music page - let me know what you think.

I'd be very interested in any pointers people have to share back with me to improve my work!

Best

Adam

adamreading photography
www.adamreading.com (http://www.adamreading.com)
07825 077666