SPORTS / LACROSSE AF???

[sumnrfam]

OK guys,, general help regarding AF for general sports, lacrosse, esp,,what set up do you prefer to help produce the most keepers,,
I use my 30D for field action , & the 5D for in close, huddles, facials time outs etc.

The 30D w/ the 70-200 2.8 IS (with or w/o the 1.4x conv. depending on the lighting) ,,I keep the AF set to AI servo, and CF #4 set to 3 (auto focus via the AE lock* button, and I usually select just the center AF point.

Any thoughts / ideas / opinions are welcome,, I just was looking for some feedback from the more experienced .

Thanks, Wade

[pagnamenta]

I shot lacrosse on Saturday and had my 30D and 70-200 f2.8 with me. I used CF #4 set to 3 and used all the AF points in Al Servo mode. I find it gives me more accurate focus. When the action was too far away I used the center point to focus and just pushed the magnification button to quickly select all AF points.

I don't know how much lacrosse you've shot, but be careful of the action, that ball really hurts. Happy shooting.

[Laramie]

Originally Posted by pagnamenta

I used CF #4 set to 3 and used all the AF points in Al Servo mode. I find it gives me more accurate focus. When the action was too far away I used the center point to focus and just pushed the magnification button to quickly select all AF points.

How do you set to "all" point? When I select all then then focus on something, the one shot focus tries to predict my focal object??

[pagnamenta]

If you want to use all the AF points, push the magnifying glass button on the back of the camera in the upper right corner of the body. It's to the right of the asterisk. That will activate all the AF points. another way is to use the command dial on the back of the camera but it takes too much time to do that when shooting sports. When you select all the points, you should see them all blink red.

One Shot focuses and then locks the focus. If you are using one AF point, it focuses using that point and when it locks focus, it will flash the AF point red. If you are using all the AF points, the ones that flash red are the points that have locked focus.

When you are shooting in Al Servo mode, the mode you use to track a subject, none of the points will blink. This is all in your camera manual.

It really depends what I'm shooting. If I have all the focal points set, I believe the camera uses them all to track the subject. Sometimes, if the subject is too small or lacks enough contrast the camera focuses on something else and that's why I use the middle AF point when the subject is smaller.

[Laramie]

Much appreciated thanks!

[Laramie]

Apparently this is only a 30D thing cuz my XTi won't do the ALL POINTS focus.

[S.Horton]

Well, I JUST learned a couple of things:
#1 - Overexpose about +1 to get the faces beneath the helmuts
#2 - Shoot with the sun entering the face, if possible, it really helps

[pagnamenta]

cowboylife, I'm pretty sure you can select all AF points. Look in your manual under Auto Focus or Auto Focus selection. I don't have an XTi to play around with, but I'm pretty sure the feature is there, it's on my old 300D.

Depending on what kind of shots you want. I would stick towards to offensive side of your team. The whole team moves down the field so you'll be able to capture some defense from your position. Most of the action will be right in front of the net.

[Laramie]

Yeah read the manual before posting...couldn't find it myself. Could be there but pushing the button you metionend actually just toggles on/off the AF selection screen.

[Galaxy99]

Originally Posted by cowboylife

Yeah read the manual before posting...couldn't find it myself. Could be there but pushing the button you metionend actually just toggles on/off the AF selection screen.

Of course, you can choose all AF points on XTi. click the botton at right up cornor back of the body, then use dial to choose which single AF point or all points focus.

[Laramie]

I think we're all talking about different things. I assumed the above posters meant you could make all 9 points on the AF focus on something.

[pagnamenta]

What I'm talking about is using all 9 points to AF. You can use all 9 points to track the subject or you can use all 9 points to find a static subject and lock on. Essentially, the camera is using all 9 points to find something in focus.

I've just downloaded the XTi manual from Canon and you should look at page 57. If we're not talking about the same thing, then maybe explain what you had in mind.

[yup talon]

Originally Posted by Galaxy99

click the botton at right up cornor back of the body, then use dial to choose which single AF point or all points focus.

Try this out ^^ it's how it's done. you can pick individual points, OR select them all at once. As you are rolling the dial to pick a point, one of the selections will highlight all 9 focus points.