Shooting fast action, need help.

My 6 year old is playing baseball now and I have been shooting him for a while. I am shooting with 50d+grip and 70-200 f2.8 IS. I have a good grasp of photography. More of a setup question on camera.

I usually setup camera to use center point focusing. I have tried setting camera to (sorry camera at home) AI servo and the one just above that. The one that locks focus, then will shift if needed. I have my focus button (not shutter, but i hold button with my thumb) on camera set to start focus and I hold that as he is lined up at home getting ready to hit. Lock focus on him. Keep motor set to high speed (6 Frames per second) and when he runs towards me or hits or what ever, just hold down shutter and snap away.

80-90% of the time great pictures. As he runs towards me sometimes I loose focus as my focus points slips off him as I pan when he runs.

Here is the question. (ohh yeah, I try to shoot at f2.8 but keeping focus point on is harder with that limited depth of field) I have tried using all focus points on thinking this will help camera lock focus on the right person and keep focus on that as he moves. Sometimes works.

So, question, what is ideal setting to capture moving action.

Ai Servo, or theone just above that (wish camera was here)
Center focus or all focus points?

How do I tell camera to lock focus on my son, and as he runs, no matter where he goes in viewfinder, that he is the one I want focus to lock in on?

Best results will come with AI-Servo with center focus point. You just need to make sure you keep the back button pressed down as well as keep the center point on your boy as you press the shutter release. Only other option that will help is to slow down the AF tracking. It will be in your custom function settings...maybe CF-III item two...check your manual to make sure. This adjust the length of time before the AF tracks a different target (say you move the focus point off your boy, it will wait a little before locking on the fence). I'd suggest moving this one tick over the slowest speed.

bphillips330 wrote in post #13198451
My 6 year old is playing baseball now and I have been shooting him for a while. I am shooting with 50d+grip and 70-200 f2.8 IS. I have a good grasp of photography. More of a setup question on camera.

I usually setup camera to use center point focusing. I have tried setting camera to (sorry camera at home) AI servo and the one just above that. The one that locks focus, then will shift if needed. I have my focus button (not shutter, but i hold button with my thumb) on camera set to start focus and I hold that as he is lined up at home getting ready to hit. Lock focus on him. Keep motor set to high speed (6 Frames per second) and when he runs towards me or hits or what ever, just hold down shutter and snap away.

80-90% of the time great pictures. As he runs towards me sometimes I loose focus as my focus points slips off him as I pan when he runs.

Here is the question. (ohh yeah, I try to shoot at f2.8 but keeping focus point on is harder with that limited depth of field) I have tried using all focus points on thinking this will help camera lock focus on the right person and keep focus on that as he moves. Sometimes works.

So, question, what is ideal setting to capture moving action.

Ai Servo, or the one just above that (wish camera was here)
Center focus or all focus points?

How do I tell camera to lock focus on my son, and as he runs, no matter where he goes in viewfinder, that he is the one I want focus to lock in on?

I use center point focus and AI servo mode. It's a bit unclear in your post, but are you keeping your thumb pressed on the focus button at all times when he is moving? If you let go, then the lens will stop focusing. If you are doing the above things, then it just looks like it's just a matter of practice to keep the focus point on the player.

The 1D (and I think 7D) bodies do have a "ring of fire" mode where it will track the subject from focus point to focus point as it moves throughout the viewfinder.

I am holding the button the entire time. The 70-200 focuses so quick, I had one picture where he was in focus then ran to the right to throw the ball in, and it immediatly focused on the fence way behind him.

bphillips330 wrote in post #13199864
I am holding the button the entire time. The 70-200 focuses so quick, I had one picture where he was in focus then ran to the right to throw the ball in, and it immediatly focused on the fence way behind him.

Ok, then you are not keeping the focus point on him...which will be hard to do if you are not felling the frame. That is where the CF-III function would come in play as described above.

edit: Hmmm... noticed you have a 50D... hmmm... use the settings below as a model then... sorry!

I copied this stuff from the Internet... blatant plagiarism... enjoy!

"SportsShooter.com 7D Settings
Picture Style - Standard (but sharpness upped to 4)

C.Fn III: Autofocus Drive
1 - AI Servo tracking Sensitivity: Set to -1
2 - AI Servo 1st/2nd img priority - Set to 0 - AF priority/Tracking Priority
3 - AI Servo Tracking Method - Set to 0 - Main Focus point priority (that way the camera focuses on what you want, not what it wants)
4 - Lens Drive when AF impossible - Set to 0
5 - AF Microadjustment - Set to 0 (Most people have said this is ineffective. Even the manual says it needs to be done on location where you are shooting to do any good.)
6 - AF area select mode - I have single point w/expansion selected and single point. Been shooting mostly on single point w/expansion for sports.
7 - AF Manual pt. selection pattern - Set to 1 (Continuous)
8 - VF display illumination - set to 1 (Enable)
9 - Display all AF points - Set to 0
10 - Focus Display in AI Servo/MF - Set to 0
11 - AF-assist beam firing - set to 2 (Enable to external flash only)
12 - Orientation linked AF point - Set to 0
13 - Mirror lockup - Set to 0 (Disable)

C.FN IV: Operations/Others

Shutter button is set to Meter only
AF-ON button is turned OFF (too easy to hit accidentally)
AE lock button (*) is set for metering and AF Start

Q: Diana, what led you to lower the AF tracking and increase the Sharpness that much?

A: Lowering the AF tracking keeps the focus from jumping around so much. Lowering it by 1 keeps it much more stable. I have not seen any more noise or rough edges by increasing the sharpness. The effect is very subtle and just makes the pics pop a little more. It's really personal preference, though."

The 50D does not have tracking sensitivity and most of the other settings on the 7D.

On the 7D you can set it so that if the player goes off the af point it will lag before trying to focus on the background. On the 50D, if the player is not on the af point it will focus on the background real fast.

I would be happy with a 80-90% kepper rate on a 50D.

I've often wished Canon would make a small transmitter that you could put on your subject (your son could wear it), that could communicate with its cameras to determine distance. There would be no need to track a focus point in this situation.

Unfortunately, I don't think they make such a thing... yet.

Dave

tracknut wrote in post #13200089
I've often wished Canon would make a small transmitter that you could put on your subject (your son could wear it), that could communicate with its cameras to determine distance. There would be no need to track a focus point in this situation.

Unfortunately, I don't think they make such a thing... yet.

Dave

I did something similar as a freshmen design project last year.

imsellingmyfoot wrote in post #13200165
I did something similar as a freshmen design project last year.

Cool! Did you get it to work?

Dave

tracknut wrote in post #13200338
Cool! Did you get it to work?

Dave

It worked for the extent that we wanted it to. It was by no means a finished, polished system or anything like that. I'd be more than willing to discuss it with you or anyone else interested somewhere outside of this particular thread. I don't want to hijack the OP's original discussion.

It will help if you try to get the center point on the subject's chest for b-ball; it is easier to pan that way.

You'll get better as you go, too. And shooting in that light/place, that's just tough......