Damn it, soft sigma 120-300 f/2.8

Gatorboy wrote in post #2002732
For shooting sports and using AI-Servo, the best tip is to use the back button (*) for focusing. I can't remember the custom function off the top of my head, but it changes the focusing from the shutter to the back button. This way you can track your subject without having to hold the shutter halfway down.

CF4-1
or
CF4-3

4-1 locks exposure on the half shutter press and 4-3 sets the exposure as it takes the shot.

malla1962 wrote in post #2002934
Good point ed.Bye the way,for action I allways use A1 servo.

Malla -- which camera are you using? i use AI servo too but i don't seem to be getting more keepers.

i suppose if i shoot in bursts i'd get more keepers just on sheer volume .

ed rader

ed rader wrote in post #2004133
Malla -- which camera are you using? i use AI servo too but i don't seem to be getting more keepers.

i suppose if i shoot in bursts i'd get more keepers just on sheer volume .

ed rader

Hi ed 1dmk2 mate even when I had a 20d it was A1 for jets and powerboats,what I found bad on the 20d was A1focus now that was crap.

malla1962 wrote in post #2004370
Hi ed 1dmk2 mate even when I had a 20d it was A1 for jets and powerboats,what I found bad on the 20d was A1focus now that was crap.

Malla -- yeah i never use focus. so how does the AI servo compare between 1dmk2 and he 20d?

ed rader

ed rader wrote in post #2004421
Malla -- yeah i never use focus. so how does the AI servo compare between 1dmk2 and he 20d?

ed rader

It is a lot better on the 1 series and if I shoot a airshow or any action where things don't get in the way I will set it for all AF points and it realy is bang on,but when I shot a uk football match servo was a pain as you would end up locking on to someone geting in front of the target,mind you it was a small pitch so it was a bit crouded.

My experience with the 120-300 F2.8 is that it takes some mastering.
I think it took me a few good lenghy shoots to get used to the lens and to get the best results.
But now I use t sucessfuly on dogs in action and sometimes motorsports with AI servo on the 20D

malla1962 wrote in post #2004456
It is a lot better on the 1 series and if I shoot a airshow or any action where things don't get in the way I will set it for all AF points and it realy is bang on,but when I shot a uk football match servo was a pain as you would end up locking on to someone geting in front of the target,mind you it was a small pitch so it was a bit crouded.

Thanx Malla -- i figured the pro body had to be much better. i had the same problem with AI servo shooting the cyclists at the triathlon. i was near the turnaround so they cyclists were both coming and going which really messed with focus.

well, i'll keep practicing. team RBR (run **** run) are doing the sentinel triathlon in santa cruz this weekend and they have requested my presence .

ed rader

ed rader wrote in post #2004757
Thanx Malla -- i figured the pro body had to be much better. i had the same problem with AI servo shooting the cyclists at the triathlon. i was near the turnaround so they cyclists were both coming and going which really messed with focus.

well, i'll keep practicing. team RBR (run **** run) are doing the sentinel triathlon in santa cruz this weekend and they have requested my presence .

ed rader

One thing to remember is A1 servo is not that reliable with things coming right at you,best if it is at a slight angle.

Gatorboy wrote in post #2002732
For shooting sports and using AI-Servo, the best tip is to use the back button (*) for focusing. I can't remember the custom function off the top of my head, but it changes the focusing from the shutter to the back button. This way you can track your subject without having to hold the shutter halfway down.

I also suggest all-point focusing rather than just center point. If you use just center point, you have to be much more accurate in your holding and panning of your subject. With all points, the center point is used first and if your subject moves out of the center point, the other points will lock and track your subject.

I shoot 85% of the time in M-mode, but if not then it's Av-mode for sure.

Finally, practice. The more you shoot, the better you will get.

"but it changes the focusing from the shutter to the back button. This way you can track your subject without having to hold the shutter halfway down"

obviously the way i did track my subject was by holding the shutter down half way - why is the way you recommend better? so in real terms, im tracking the player(s) while my thumb is continually pressed against that * button and then at the time i want to shoot, i assume i still have to half way press the shutter - wait and fully press??

"I also suggest all-point focusing rather than just center point. If you use just center point, you have to be much more accurate in your holding and panning of your subject"

i have been using center point. your advice make sense. when i used Av mode with AI Servo, using center point i didnt get any images in focus.
i can also assume my accuracy in panning "sucks"... so that explains my results.....

I am going to take your advice and see what happens next. you and everyone else has been quite helpful. Ya know I dont take pics to make $$, i just want to be able to take quality images of my kids... to me that is what life is about and you and others ( especially fstopjojo ) have made mine more enriched by helping me so i have to say THANK YOU!!!

troy

I found with my 20D with my 120-300 was to track the subject for a couple of seconds to let the camera lock on properly then it would focus good enough if I didn't the camera would lose lock way to easily and I would end up with very soft shots, this is mostly cars and on a very sunny day this year and on black cars it was the worst (lack of contrast).

windoze wrote in post #2008274
Obviously the way i did track my subject was by holding the shutter down half way - why is the way you recommend better? so in real terms, im tracking the player(s) while my thumb is continually pressed against that * button and then at the time i want to shoot, i assume i still have to half way press the shutter - wait and fully press??

I see CF4-1 as seperating the focus and exposure.
Focus with your thumb (or even pre-focus) and the half press sets the exposure, the full press takes the shot.
CF4-3 means the half-press does nothing and the camera sets the exposure as it takes each shot.

Focus/recompose becomes easier as well.

"i assume i still have to half way press the shutter - wait and fully press??"
Give it a half push while you're tracking and push the rest of the way when you want to take the shot.
I treat it as a 2-stage trigger

I have mine set at 4/1 and find it works well for me,I just bang the shutter down as soon as I want the shot.

ed rader wrote in post #2004757
Thanx Malla -- i figured the pro body had to be much better. i had the same problem with AI servo shooting the cyclists at the triathlon. i was near the turnaround so they cyclists were both coming and going which really messed with focus.

well, i'll keep practicing. team RBR (run **** run) are doing the sentinel triathlon in santa cruz this weekend and they have requested my presence .

ed rader

Edward, the only way to shoot RBR properly is to have the 1D/1DMkII/1DMkIIN in Servo AF mode.
The 20/30D Servo AF can not handle RBR.
I do not know for sure, but I doubt it the 5D could either.

lensview wrote in post #2009267
Edward, the only way to shoot RBR properly is to have the 1D/1DMkII/1DMkIIN in Servo AF mode.
The 20/30D Servo AF can not handle RBR.
I do not know for sure, but I doubt it the 5D could either.

actually the gals are some of the slower moving targets out there. the more competitive classes are harder to track. that and small, levitating dogs on th beach.

i'll try some of he suggestions i've gotten off this thread....short of spending thousands on a new camera .

btw, i always pity the poor guy who stumbles onto this forum and asks a simple question which is usually greeted with multiple expensive answers.

we do love spending other people's money !

ed rader

ed rader wrote in post #2009615
actually the gals are some of the slower moving targets out there. the more competitive classes are harder to track. that and small, levitating dogs on th beach.

i'll try some of he suggestions i've gotten off this thread....short of spending thousands on a new camera .

btw, i always pity the poor guy who stumbles onto this forum and asks a simple question which is usually greeted with multiple expensive answers.

we do love spending other people's money !

ed rader

That's a dark side of photo gear forums....the peer pressure, the advice which usually propels credit cards into k-dollars balances in an absolute nonchalant manner as if there is no tomorrow.

What I do with the 20D servo AF.......I look for steady focus maintenance first (by eyeballing the target and verifying it is locked on), then I start firing. The key is to have that center AF sensor on the contrasty/desired part of the target as steady as possible...again, STEADY is the word ! Before I came up with that little startegy I was concentrating too much on capture and firing first at the expense of attaining/maintaining/​verifying the focus....all too often the focus was either not attained or it fell out in the process.
I like to describe the 20D servo AF as "wobbly"....relatively slow to attain and then one loses it easily.

Let me try to illustrate the above with a mistake I have made today (again).....came accross a resting hawker, so I stated firing hastily before even checking if I could get more DoF or verifying focus ....just driven by fear that I might lose the bug any moment (one shot AF on 20D, 70-200 f/4)...as a result, I got six OoF shots as opposed to geting one or two which would be properly focused, with sufficient DoF.

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