what focus mode for person walking down the aisle

camera : 5D2
target : something like this

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …ikecabilangan/5​423750900/

mike cabilangan wrote in post #12519984
camera : 5D2
target : something like this

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …ikecabilangan/5​423750900/
Coin bearer by mike_cabilangan, on Flickr

i used one shot focus for this one (because i couldn't risk using another focus setting because i was afraid of missing the shot due to something i was unfamiliar with)

i'm not a professional btw, this is my kid.

i might have even used focus recompose on that one and just let the FPS rip. (obviously keeper rate was low)

...............

Ai servo center point would have been a better choice

I agree with Jason. I would also use back button focus.

jase1125 wrote in post #12520084
Ai servo center point would have been a better choice

will try this one on sunday

Arteel wrote in post #12520185
I agree with Jason. I would also use back button focus.

thanks, already do the back button focus

well i completely *&^%*&^* that up. was i supposed to hold down the back focus button while shooting? i didn't have a chance of practicing on moving targets, so i did not know something was up. i got zero keepers from the walk.

it was more like a chapel (rather than a church) so the aisle was only a few meters long, didn't get many shots and wasn't able to chimp.
trying too many new things also helped kill my chances...

-i added a bounce flash thinking i could lower the ISO, but it severely killed my fps (every other shot was dark since the flash could not keep up)

AI Servo will only AF for as long as you tell the camera to (ie. you have to keep the back button pressed). Then you rattle off shots using the shutter button as you want them while the AF is doing its thing ( provided you are telling it to do its thing ).

sucks man. you could also have prefocused in manual mode.

hopeefully your kid will get married again someday.

I would like to make a suggestion. If there is any way you could just go to a park or a public street and sit on a bench, do it. Practice shooting folks milling around, away from you, toward you, or even with vehicles coming/going past you, etc. Play with the AF modes and focus modes until you start to get comfortable with what you are getting.

TeamSpeed wrote in post #12557306
I would like to make a suggestion. If there is any way you could just go to a park or a public street and sit on a bench, do it. Practice shooting folks milling around, away from you, toward you, or even with vehicles coming/going past you, etc. Play with the AF modes and focus modes until you start to get comfortable with what you are getting.

I'm pretty sure that's a good way to get arrested. Or at least some really weird looks.

Keyan wrote in post #12557325
I'm pretty sure that's a good way to get arrested. Or at least some really weird looks.

Not too much an issue in our neck of the woods anyways. I agree with the weird looks, but if you have a long lens, it helps, because you are not as obvious in what you are shooting.

I didn't say to take pictures of government buildings, large infrastructure objects, or kids on a playground...

TeamSpeed wrote in post #12557379
Not too much an issue in our neck of the woods anyways. I agree with the weird looks, but if you have a long lens, it helps, because you are not as obvious in what you are shooting.

I didn't say to take pictures of government buildings, large infrastructure objects, or kids on a playground...

Short lens would actually make it less-obvious. If you've got a long lens you need to point it right at a person. If you go nice and wide you can give the impression you're focused on something else (and use an outer-AF point).

And a short zoom would draw less attention than a 70-200 or the like.

FatCat0 wrote in post #12558136
Short lens would actually make it less-obvious. If you've got a long lens you need to point it right at a person. If you go nice and wide you can give the impression you're focused on something else (and use an outer-AF point).

And a short zoom would draw less attention than a 70-200 or the like.

If you are testing AF on subject material coming or going, having a long lens puts you out of sight a bit more. I would not test how to set up AI servo or AF modes using any other point than the center. Once you can master that AF point, then you can move to the outer ones.

When I play with settings, etc, I am usually at a game located on a aisle, and since everyone has a camera in that environment, it is quite easy to microadjust, or set up AF points and test, etc. with no strange looks. I have done this activity in a park though as well, with nary an issue.

In summary there is no bad way to practice this, EXCEPT if you learn how to use these features at an actual event where you want to have some keepers.

reasonable expectation of privacy. in a park, you have none.

shoot away.

mike_311 wrote in post #12558177
reasonable expectation of privacy. in a park, you have none.

shoot away.

Doesn't keep people from feeling CREEPED out. It's a sad testament to our society that everyone has to be so worried about things like that.