Serttings for dog racing(hurdles)

very very fast dog racing. typical shot(very very average-just for example):

id say 70-200 at like iso 400 if its sunny... f/4 is plenty is you have light.

AI Servo, but i like AI Focus more, metering mode id just keep it on the standard one. AF points are personal preferance.

It may take a couple of races to get things just right, but here's where I'd start:

marysia wrote:
very very fast dog racing. typical shot(very very average-just for example):

They will be outside this time so I hope of doing better job than the last time.

Have the following questions:

1. Which lense: 70-200 mm f/4 or 50mm f/1.4? It is going to be very sunny day. I can get very close to the hurdle.

70-200 - f/4 on a sunny day is fine. I'd bump the ISO up to 400 though, as Stealthlude suggested.

As long as it's sunny, I'd use Av, ISO 400, and keep the aperture around f/4 - f/5.6. Watch your shutter speed, but it should still be OK in bright conditions.

I'd try a few each way. First, AF on the hurdle and then set the lens to manual. If you can keep the shutter speed up, stop the lens down a bit to enhance DOF. I'd also do a few in AI Servo, using a single focus point (probably the center one as it's the best one) and track one dog as it approaches the jump. Hold the shutter 1/2 way to keep the camera AF system tracking it, and then release at the right moment.

Yes

Depends on the background. Evaluative is relatively safe, but a high difference in brightness between the subject and background might give you problems. If it does, use something more selective like partial or spot metering.

Generally, the center AF point is the most sensitive sense it's a cross-type sensor. But if you subject is going to be towards the right of the frame or the left, select one of the AF points that matches the dog's position.

Thank you SO MUCH for your help. I have been taking these kind of pictures for long time but, for some strange reason my only experience with 30D set me back and photos taken with this great new camera were a lot worse than photos I took previously with my FujiFilm S7000. I have so much to learn.

Thanks again for taking time to respond,

m

Tom - you say that the 30D has a cross type autofocus sensor in the central position. Unless it's changed from the 20D (and it may have), I thought that sensor only worked in cross mode with a f/2.8 or faster lens.

David

Hmnn, not sure on that characteristic with the 30D. I know that the cross sensor on the 5D is effective with f/5.6 lenses, but a secondary, more accurate sensor operates with f/2.8 lenses. I don't have first-hand knowledge of how the 30D does it.

My 10D had a center cross-type sensor as well, though it didn't have enhanced sensitivity with faster lenses.

The manual indicates the same setup as the 20D, but isn't awfully clear:

The EOS 30D's AF sensor has nine AF points. The center AF point is a high-precision, cross-type sensor sensitive to both vertical and horizontal lines of the subject. The top and bottom AF points are vertical line-sensitive, and the remaining six AF points are horizontal line-sensitive AF points.

With f/2.8 and faster lenses,* the vertical line-sensitive sensor at the center AF point will also function to attain high-precision focusing.

* Except with the EF28-80mm f/2.8-4L USM and EF50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro lenses.

The centre sensor isn't included in the "two plus six" comment - but the text, to my reading, implies that the centre sensor only works in cross mode for "high precision" with a f/2.8 or faster lens.

I know on my 20D the centre sensor is the most sensitive, but all my glass is f/2.8. I can't find a downloadable EOS 10D manual to compare the text.

David