Soccer Focussing Problem - Any advice?

I was really puzzled by the results of a few shots taken on Saturday, it seemed to me that the centre figure in the frame was slightly out of focus, whereas the two players either side seemed sharp. In fact I had to discard one or two shots where it was the off centre player that was sharper, problem being they were not my intended target!

I have just put my camera in for service, and I couldn't see that any of the settings have changed but I would appreciate any thoughts you may have.

I have attached a link so that those that have the time can click on the picture to enlarge it.

http://KeeneEye.smugmu​g.com/photos/89353538-M.jpg

Thanx

It's tricky to give a definitive answer from a small image and without knowing the equipment used (there's no EXIF present in the image you linked to)... also you don't mention the way the camera is set up for AF (i.e. what mode and custome functions you were using)...

However, I will chance my arm with a few thoughts nevertheless

Looking at the grass in the image, the plane of focus passes pretty much through the player on the left hand side of the image.

The depth of that plane of focus and the perspective of the image indicate to me that you were shooting with a reasonably long focal length (300mm?) and at a wide aperture (f/2.8 - f/4 perhaps?).

If you're using a camera with a wide focus area (e.g. a 1-series body), it's certainly quite possible that the camera's AF has locked onto the very contrasty stripes of one of the player in yellow/black (Gloucester City?). As a result, the centre player (and ball), being in front of the plane of focus do not fall into the area of acceptable sharpness (i.e. within the DOF) and appear slightly OOF.

If you are using a centre point approach to focusing then it could be as simple as the AF not locking on successfully to the movement of the player in red/white (as he bursts between the other two players) and 'lagging' behind slightly... therefore the players behind appear slightly sharper.

I shoot a lot of football and I've certainly seen and experienced this issue before... so I don't think you've got anything significant to worry about. If you were getting this effect in every image, then you might have a 'calibration' problem, but your post doesn't indicate that.

Hope that's helpful... and welcome aboard.

---- Gavin

Thank you for your reply and welcome, I have only just stumbled on this site and I have to say I am very impressed.

I am also deeply impressed with your own knowledge Gavin, you are spot on I was using a ID Mark2 and a 3002.8.

The exif data I think is available on the website I use if you get chance to look it is picture 3 and this is the link:-
http://KeeneEye.smugmu​g.com/gallery/1793979/​1/89353538 but if not then from memory it was ISO 200, 2.8 and as I think the shutter speed was 1/2000 as it was quite bright.

I haven't really noticed the stripes thing before and I did wonder whether I had a custom setting that may have been causing an issue. So I would be interested to know what custom setting you use and why?

Regards

Nigel

ukhamsterclub wrote:
Thank you for your reply and welcome, I have only just stumbled on this site and I have to say I am very impressed.

I am also deeply impressed with your own knowledge Gavin, you are spot on I was using a ID Mark2 and a 3002.8.

The exif data I think is available on the website I use if you get chance to look it is picture 3 and this is the link:-
http://KeeneEye.smugmu​g.com/gallery/1793979/​1/89353538 but if not then from memory it was ISO 200, 2.8 and as I think the shutter speed was 1/2000 as it was quite bright.

I haven't really noticed the stripes thing before and I did wonder whether I had a custom setting that may have been causing an issue. So I would be interested to know what custom setting you use and why?

Regards

Nigel

Hi Nigel...

I don't think it's a custom function issue. Although the three that could influence the AF behaviour are CF-17, 20 and 21.

I think it's simply that the camera's AF has locked on to a Gloucester City shirt. I noticed that there was a subsequent frame from the same sequence of action in your gallery: In that frame the Maidenhead player looks a teeny bit sharper as he has become slightly more prominent in the frame. That shows that the AF is trying to do its job but it's taking a moment or two to catch up... and, at 300mm and f/2.8, the effect of being slightly off the mark has been exacerbated by the narrow DOF.

Looks like you must be the official tog for Maidenhead United?? I covered the Thurrock vs Maidenhead match last season so our paths must have crossed

--- Gavin

Thanks Gavin

I bow down to your knowledge then, it didn't render the image unusable but I guess I was chasing shadows as my first outing last week produced some really hit and miss images.

Yes I was at Thurrock last season, one of the few matches that Maidenhead won in that season I remember! I suppose I am their unofficial official photographer....still haven't managed to get a pic in Non League though!! LOL

Regards


Nigel

I could be wrong of course Nigel However, it's certainly something I've experienced with the same camera/lens combo, so I'm pretty confident that I'm somewhere near the mark

ukhamsterclub wrote:
Yes I was at Thurrock last season, one of the few matches that Maidenhead won in that season I remember! I suppose I am their unofficial official photographer....still haven't managed to get a pic in Non League though!!

Yep, I remember Maidenhead getting a result at Ship Lane! Sadly not enough to keep you up though... but at least you get some interesting new trips in the Southern League this season!

---- Gavin

gmen wrote:
I could be wrong of course Nigel However, it's certainly something I've experienced with the same camera/lens combo, so I'm pretty confident that I'm somewhere near the mark
Yep, I remember Maidenhead getting a result at Ship Lane! Sadly not enough to keep you up though... but at least you get some interesting new trips in the Southern League this season!

---- Gavin

Don't you just hate it when another tog gets in the way of a shot!

HOSTED PHOTO
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ukhamsterclub wrote:
Don't you just hate it when another tog gets in the way of a shot!

At least I was off to one side of the frame... and you can crop me out I'll have to see if you appear in the background of any of mine!

----Gavin

Aha....

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Motion Blur???

The guy on the left, and on the grass are either moving slower/still than the guy in the middle who looks like he's about to fall down?

Now I really thought I had more hair than that! ......And it could only really be a British football photographer that would sit there on a sunny day still wearing boots and a rain jacket!