Sport shooting question - Newbie

Hi,

I have 350D , and i tried to understand your tutorials , but still have a question.
On moving subjects , when you put AI SERVO , do you enable all focus points or just use the center focus point?
is it true in 1D case? or 40D?

many thanks!

If your camera can select just the center point, then the recommendation (I think) is to use just the center point for focusing ....

then whats the benefit of using 40D camera or 1D camera if i use only one sensor?
isnt it a waste? or does the 45 sensors of the 1D helps even if the center sensor alone is selected?

20D: If you switch your camera to Custom Function 13-1 to put point selection on the Multicontroller (Joystick), life with AI Servo becomes a lot easier. It only takes a fraction of a second to set the point you need.

PhotosGuy wrote in post #6012578
20D: If you switch your camera to Custom Function 13-1 to put point selection on the Multicontroller (Joystick), life with AI Servo becomes a lot easier. It only takes a fraction of a second to set the point you need.

This is exactly the method I use. It makes life a breeze!

I shoot sports, cricket and rugby mainly, but I don't use AI servo. I use single shot and my reason for this is that I find the number of frames per second I get is less with AI Servo on.

However, the principle is the same either way:

If you have all focus points on you run a high risk of not getting the action in shot, instead you are more likely to get the background/supporters/​car park/whatever in focus and end up with a blurry player.

With a single point selected you can follow the action and keep the subject sharp. Not just with the centre point either - I often use the other points for cricket as it is not as fast a paced game as rugby, so I have time to concentrate on composition a little bit more.

In AL-Servo mode and Automatic AF point selection (all points red in display) the camera will focus with the center point. Focus tracking will then continue as long as the subject is covered by any other focus point. It is best to "hand off" the points so the subject is never "not" covered by a point. Seems to me as though using just center point or only any one of the other points is counter productive to what the camera wants to do. I'm by no means perfect with this, but most times when I have problem is if I frame to quick or in a mountain bike race a tree, bush etc jumps between me and the subject causing my 30d to focus on the wrong thing.

Jack

so , again , it is very unclear.... lets say i want to improve my keepers,
and i will buy a 1Dmk3 with F4.0 lens, and use only the center point ,
will it be better than 40D (with only center point)?

I think in the long run the 1Dmk3 will always win out, it has more focus points to cover the subject. But it still takes practice to get it right. The best thing to so is "run what you brung" as we used to say in racing, meaning which ever you decide, a 40D or 1Dmk3, practice, practice then practice some more. Sports shoots don't get free trips to the Olympic games because of the camera they buy it's all about your ability to make your camera talk the talk.
I use all focus points and try my darnest to get it right; some days it works so easy, then other days I have to work awful hard.
Remember Al-Servo is predictive focus, so if the subject is moving erratically the camera will have a hard time staying with it.

Jack

oassayag wrote in post #6020559
so , again , it is very unclear.... lets say i want to improve my keepers,
and i will buy a 1Dmk3 with F4.0 lens, and use only the center point ,
will it be better than 40D (with only center point)?

I think this is an example of why many sportsshooters use center point only.

I could choose to focus on the letters on the pitchers uniform.

Had I selected multiple points the camera would have chosen the fence--ball--catcher--batter--you get the idea.

Regardless of the body you choose to use--it can be a valuable tool.

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A MK III IS better, But how much better do you need it to be? These are shot through a hole in the fence with the 20D where the AI Focus had about 1/5 second to grab on. Is that good enough?
POTN at Waterford Hills - Open Wheel Club Racing.

Maybe you should just go out & practice shooting traffic for a while.

Dave,

Eagles is that Hudsonville?
This is an excellent example of using the Center Point. I'm usually shooting cycling so many times the subject is all over the place. I usually grab him/her when I get a clear view then track until they are close enough and the image is framed. If I shoot with the wrong side of my brain I wind up bullseyeing the subject dead center of the picture, thus I'm trying different focus points to get better framing. Think I'm going to set the CF so I can use the joystick to move the FP around easier.

Jack

Sure Is

And the team at bat is West Ottawa--my home team

Some of our co-workers had players on the Hudsonville team so it was a natural to cover.

I use custom function 4-3 all of the time with center point only--but traditional stick and ball sports ignore the rule of thirds and want the player dead center and portrait orientation.