What settings would you use?

Im shooting football at Ford Field this Friday. I rented the 70-200 f/2.8 IS. Sportshooters say you can shoot at 1/500th f2.8 at ISO 800. What I'm wondering is at 1/500th or faster should I have the IS on? Also what autofocus mode should I shoot in? Any tips you can offer even what I didn't ask are welcomed.

Look at another thread titled "Ford Field Detroit Michigan Lighting."

I'm not asking about the lighting. I looked at that thread and even posted in it trying to help the op with his question. I want to know about using the IS or not and the autofocus mode. It's actually irrelevant what stadium im at with my question.

I would use the following:
- IS on if hand holding.
- AF mode expansion or spot
I would suggest to arrive a little early before the game and shoot while the teams are warming up to dial in your settings.

I will be using my monopod. Do you suggest I shoot in al servo or one shot?

Oh yah, servo for sure because you will be tracking the players.

locky wrote in post #9083184
I want to know about using the IS or not and the autofocus mode.

Autofocus? AI Servo, because AI Focus is inconsistent and the continuous AI Servo works best. Focus point? A matter of preference. Some prefer the center point, but there's a chance that a point at the bottom of the frame may work better with a cluttered background.

Image stabilization? If available, always on, as in these images.

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You don't need IS if you are shooting at speeds of 1/500 or higher with a 70-200.

AI-Servo.

Thanks everybody for the comments so far.

Don't know about the lighting, but I would not shoot slower than 1/1000 if possible.

AI servo, don't bother with IS.

You are an accredited team photog with a press pass right? Otherwise do not expect Ford Field to allow a 70-200 into the stands.

JeffreyG wrote in post #9083482
AI servo, don't bother with IS.

You are an accredited team photog with a press pass right? Otherwise do not expect Ford Field to allow a 70-200 into the stands.

Yes I already have my photo/press pass in hand.
Last year the team wasn't able to get my pass so I actually shot from the stands with my friends Sigma 80-400 with a 1.4x. I was surprised they let me in. Even one of the people working inside mentioned to me they were surprised I got in with it.

Definitely no IS...it is designed for slower shutter speeds and will do nothing for the faster shutter speeds you need for shooting sports. In fact, some will tell you that is will cause softer images because it is trying to counteract the camera movement of you tracking the players. I don't know if that is true; I've never experimented with it. But I never shoot with it on.

IS is OK when you are panning smoothly, but if you jerk the lens off one player and track to another I find it can get messed up and cause the next shot or two to be a blur. Since I'm always shooting sports with shutter speeds well over my personal handholding shake free speed, IS is nothing but a bother for sports.

OK, I can't help myself. I gotta ask: these questions are extraordinarily basic - have you ever shot football at any level before?

Even at the HS level where you'll be, the sidelines can be a pretty dangerous place to be if you don't know what you're doing, don't know where to stand and not stand, don't constantly pay attention.

AI Focus: Definitely no
One Shot: No, unless you only want one shot to be in focus in a burst of many
IS: no, no and NO!
AI Servo: Yes
Monopod: personal preference, but most shooters only use them for lenses > 300mm