Baseball/Softball Batted Ball on the Bat?

I know some of you will say that talent is key to getting the ball on the bat or just coming off the bat (and that's probably true). I'm also hoping that burst rate of a body has something to do with it!

I'm shooting with a 30D and am continually disappointed to most often miss having the ball in the frame. Aside from a 1D Mark, would I benefit from upgrading to a 40 or 50D to get improved burst rate?

Thanks!

Nic

Most of my bat on ball shots are the first image of the swing. Even 10 fps won't catch on the scond frame. I try to time it one the first one.

Talent is a myth. (http://michaelmistrett​a.com/2009/the-myth-of-talent/)
Burst rate has very little to do with it (besides if it did, you'd only ever get a ball on bat shot with something like a 1D). Virtually none of my own ball-on-bat shots happened on a second or 3rd frame of a burst (even with a 1D). The ball is only in frame for one shot ... generally the first if I timed it right.

Practice is the solution.
There are a couple indicators that you can practice on watching....
1) Practice seeing the pitcher and batter at once. When setup near 1st or 3rd base, it's possible to have one eye on your finder looking at the framing of the batter, and your other eye seeing the pitcher (looking outside the camera). This way you can watch the pitch release and time your shutter press based on the pitch. In this way, you actually time yourself the same way the batter does (you just don't have to aim to hit the ball with a bat).

2) Watch the batter's shoulders and practice timing your shutter press just when the batter starts to move. The batter is timing his/her swing to anticipate the arrival of the ball ... you've got a split-second to read that move and shoot in time with the ball's arrival.

I agree with the others. Burst is not needed to get the ball on or near bat. I find it helpful to pay attention to the suttle movements a batter makes just prior to the swing. If you hear the hit, you missed it.

This is very interesting and I thank those of you who have shared. So, do some of you actually just shoot in one-shot mode and not even bother bursting?

Nic

8 fps on the 7D and 10 fps on the MK3
Check this out.
https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=874726

As you may have discovered, the 30D doesn't record what is actually happening at the time of shutter actuation. If you're trying to time your shot when the ball enters the hitting area, too late. Heck, even the 50D has a decent lag. Not sure if the 30D is any slower, but to get the shot you're looking for you have to start shooting when the batter starts his/her swing.

dave

Just slow your shutter-speed down to 1/1600. You'll get it every time.

This is very interesting and educational - thank you to all who have contributed!

nicshow wrote in post #10197180
I know some of you will say that talent is key to getting the ball on the bat or just coming off the bat (and that's probably true). I'm also hoping that burst rate of a body has something to do with it!

Not really either, more of timing and knowing your camera while having the right settings dialed in to achieve a good BOB shot - yes, there's good and bad ones. Spray in a little luck as well.

MT Stringer wrote in post #10197202
Most of my bat on ball shots are the first image of the swing. Even 10 fps won't catch on the scond frame. I try to time it one the first one.

With all my bodies except the Mark III this is true, for some reason with the III I get BOB and release point photos with the second frame, just how I learned the timing with the thing and not sure how it happened! IIn it's always the first shot, III it's always the second. Strange...

NickJushchyshyn wrote in post #10197330
Talent is a myth. (http://michaelmistrett​a.com/2009/the-myth-of-talent/)
Burst rate has very little to do with it (besides if it did, you'd only ever get a ball on bat shot with something like a 1D). Virtually none of my own ball-on-bat shots happened on a second or 3rd frame of a burst (even with a 1D). The ball is only in frame for one shot ... generally the first if I timed it right.

Practice is the solution.
There are a couple indicators that you can practice on watching....
1) Practice seeing the pitcher and batter at once. When setup near 1st or 3rd base, it's possible to have one eye on your finder looking at the framing of the batter, and your other eye seeing the pitcher (looking outside the camera). This way you can watch the pitch release and time your shutter press based on the pitch. In this way, you actually time yourself the same way the batter does (you just don't have to aim to hit the ball with a bat).

2) Watch the batter's shoulders and practice timing your shutter press just when the batter starts to move. The batter is timing his/her swing to anticipate the arrival of the ball ... you've got a split-second to read that move and shoot in time with the ball's arrival.

Talent is not a myth, I know some that have studied like mad, know a LOT about the gear they have, have all the best gear, and still don't put together consistent professional results. They might work their a$$ off learning this and that but still just don't "have it". You need a certain amount of talent, hell some would say being able to study and learn is a talent because others don't have the patience for it!

Watching the pitcher and hitter makes no sense at all to me, zero. You're not timing it like a hitter does in any sense. It's all about timing the hitters back shoulder and hip action, nothing really at all to do with the pitcher except he happens to be there somewhere throwing the ball to hit.

jacuff wrote in post #10203197
Just slow your shutter-speed down to 1/1600. You'll get it every time.

Ok, not really, but dragging it just a little bit helps.

I rarely go for BOB shots, they simply do NOT sell editorially or stock wise, but if anything you want your shutter as high as humanly possible. I will NOT go for a BOB shot unless my shutter is at 1/5000 or above. You want the ball/bat frozen, not blurry. Often times even 1/5000 or 6400 isn't enough for that. I've got some at slower shutters and just not good BOB shots IMO.

All of you are so helpful - would you mind answering 2 more questions?

At the kind of focal lengths used for shooting from the typical sideline positions, what is your "typical" aperture? at 200 to 300 mm, I've always felt safe with f4 although at times have gone a little bigger.

And, are all of you using the * button to focus or does anyone rely on autofocus (I saw someone mention autofocus somewhere I think)

Thank you!

nicshow wrote in post #10214656
All of you are so helpful - would you mind answering 2 more questions?

At the kind of focal lengths used for shooting from the typical sideline positions, what is your "typical" aperture? at 200 to 300 mm, I've always felt safe with f4 although at times have gone a little bigger.

And, are all of you using the * button to focus or does anyone rely on autofocus (I saw someone mention autofocus somewhere I think)

Thank you!

I always shoot wide open ( 2.8 ) and use the * button to auto focus.

Even 30fps is worthless for getting a BOB shot.

http://www.sportsshoot​er.com …_feature/30fps/​index.html


If you really want to get fairly consistent BOB shots, you're going to have to work on your timing. While I think that most BOB shots are just about worthless, it does work as a great exercise in timing your shots.

Kind of like how target shooting helps for hunting. It is good to get to where timing is second-nature and you can concentrate on the other things that are vital to a great photograph.

nicshow wrote in post #10214656
All of you are so helpful - would you mind answering 2 more questions?

At the kind of focal lengths used for shooting from the typical sideline positions, what is your "typical" aperture? at 200 to 300 mm, I've always felt safe with f4 although at times have gone a little bigger.

And, are all of you using the * button to focus or does anyone rely on autofocus (I saw someone mention autofocus somewhere I think)

Thank you!

What you shoot at depends on what you want, what gear you have, what focal points you're using, how close you are, etc. If you have a 400 you're going to be a lot closer than a 200 so could go to f/4 or 5.6 and get the same or better background blur than the 200 at 2.8 if they're standing right next to you - it's all dependent on several factors and no perfect answer. In any given game I shoot from 2.8 to even 22 at times (rare, but happens)...usually top out around 11, which is one more than 10.

Always use the * button to focus to, helps a lot!