Newbie to sports photography

I own a Canon 40D with a 70-200 Canon EF lens (white, professional series). A friend asked me to take some action shots of her son's peewee football game yesterday. The game was 12:30 in the afternoon, and the day was mostly overcast, some breaks of sun, and a bit windy. I've never photographed football before. Most of my sports shots are of my children's summer outdoor swim meets.

I shot the game using the 70-200 lens. I used the Tv mode and had the shutter speed set to 1000 or 1600 with an iso of 400. Many of the shots were blurry. Some seemed as if the autofocus couldn't figure out what to grab, because the trees behind the action were in focus, but the players were not. Others, the entire photo was blurry. I did hit some nice shots, but I deleted a whole lot of fuzzy shots as well.

I have noticed that even with the swimming shots, which I can usually get some sharp images of, were fuzzier this summer (I deleted more than usual). I did play around with the settings during swim season; I was feeling more secure with the camera and lens I guess. I am wondering if I messed with a setting and didn't realize I did, and now it is impacting other situations. I am getting frustrated because even though the image appears to be good on the screen on the back of the camera, when I get home and get it up on the computer screen, I see the fuzziness and want to scream.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Welcom to POTN! When shooting the game, make sure you use center focus point only,and set the camera for AI Servo. Be sure to not use AI Focus. Your shutter speed was plenty fast. Also check the switches on the lens. If you have an IS version, IS should be off.

I hope this helps.

Next time shoot in AV mode and set your aperture to 2.8. Also, try using the back * button as your autofocus button.

What AF point are you using? Hoping it's not auto point selection...

xchangx wrote in post #15296894
Next time shoot in AV mode and set your aperture to 2.8. Also, try using the back * button as your autofocus button.

Not always a good idea. In good light stick to f5.6 at least - otherwise you are going to have such a thin depth of field you will probably also have fuzzy pictures. Back button focus isn't for everyone, get some experience under your belt before launching into even more buttons! I always use Manual mode, centre point focus and AI Servo.

Hannya wrote in post #15319535
Not always a good idea. In good light stick to f5.6 at least - otherwise you are going to have such a thin depth of field you will probably also have fuzzy pictures. Back button focus isn't for everyone, get some experience under your belt before launching into even more buttons! I always use Manual mode, centre point focus and AI Servo.

I disagree. For one thing, you have a 2.8 lens so use it at 2.8. If you wanted to shoot at 5.6 then don't waste your money on a 2.8 lens.

Second, you want to isolate your subject from the background. Shooting at 5.6 will not do that.

Third, your DOF at 30ft, 2.8 and 200mm is 0.72 ft. That's plenty enough to get the body/face in focus.

xchangx wrote in post #15319920
I disagree. For one thing, you have a 2.8 lens so use it at 2.8. If you wanted to shoot at 5.6 then don't waste your money on a 2.8 lens.

Second, you want to isolate your subject from the background. Shooting at 5.6 will not do that.

Third, your DOF at 30ft, 2.8 and 200mm is 0.72 ft. That's plenty enough to get the body/face in focus.

Hmmmm...I shot this past weekend at 6.3 and every background is blurred.
At 200mm approx 20 yards away your DOF is just about 3 yards which is great for full body closeup action.
At 100mm approx 20 yards, DOF is 15 yards which is great for wide angle of the whole team.

You buy a 2.8 lens to use in every situation possible, indoors and outside. Stopping down a bit also improves sharpness. Multiple ways to shoot but I prefer to have more than 8" of DOF to shoot sports.

Hannya wrote in post #15319535
Not always a good idea. In good light stick to f5.6 at least - otherwise you are going to have such a thin depth of field you will probably also have fuzzy pictures. Back button focus isn't for everyone, get some experience under your belt before launching into even more buttons! I always use Manual mode, centre point focus and AI Servo.

I agree, stop down for more "DOF" (unless you're going to a tighter isolated shot on one player) AI servo (while half pressing the shutter button), center AF point. I generally use f6.3 for soccer, football, lacrosse, etc with the 100-400

My biz is shooting sports and generally here's what I set up.

Av mode - aperture f/4 in good light usually offers sufficient background separation
ISO whatever it takes to maintain 1/1000
AI Servo
Centre focus point
Continuous shutter, usually fast setting

I used * for focusing at weddings, but with sports the action is often too fast. Use the shutter button for focus & exposure but use EC to manage backlit or tight in camera cropped subjects where jersey colour might throw off exposure.

Do you have a couple of examples to share with exit?

Rubi Jane wrote in post #15320011
I used * for focusing at weddings, but with sports the action is often too fast.

Could you expand on that point?

xchangx wrote in post #15320277
1/2500
f4 (400 2.8 w/ 1.4tc wide open)
ISO 1600

not sure of the relevance of that photo, the OP has a completely different lens (70-200 zoom) , a different camera (40D) , etc.

watt100 wrote in post #15321866
not sure of the relevance of that photo, the OP has a completely different lens (70-200 zoom) , a different camera (40D) , etc.

It's a little tough for me to follow, but I believe that photo was in response to Rubi Jane's request for samples.

waterrockets wrote in post #15321954
It's a little tough for me to follow, but I believe that photo was in response to Rubi Jane's request for samples.

OK, but "Rubi Jane" was probably asking for samples from the OP, not another poster !

I posted that to show that you can shoot wide open with enough DOF. But fine, if you want to shoot at 5.6 go for it. I was in between things at work when I posted it and I guess I misinterpreted Rubi Jane's reply.