I've got the perfect tree in my front yard for testing the focus. I'll take a look and report back. Read through Scott's instructions and will try to put them to use after I see where my lens is at....and determining if this is all just operator error
This is with the 70-200 zoomed all the way out, all focus points "on," and the center focus point in the middle of the birdhouse. Looks pretty crisp. I did a burst of 2 photos and they both look the same. I didn't do any PP, but I did crop down to just show the birdhouse and tree.
Next I focused off to the side, with the center focus beam centered on that tan chunk that's missing in the bark.
Focus seems pretty dialed in, so I guess my out of focus shots are just operator induced. I think I'll try some tests at the gym using the monopod and see if that helps.
I actually cannot tell how dialed in the lens is. On the first, it may be that the back side of the feeder is more in focus. Same with the second if you look to the layered stuff down and slightly right of the knot. But hard to really tell.
I use a 'continuous target' where I can tell exactly where the focus might be. Following is an example with my 70 - 200 f/4 lens (focus is on small plant in the knothole):
Okay, played around with shooting a tape measure to see what that would look like. This first photo is hand held, using center focus point only, and the focus point is right on the black 8F arrow. To me, especially looking at the blur on both sides of the tape measure, it looks like the lens is back focusing about and inch or so...
Here's a second attempt, using the monopod, and the focus point is spanning from just "above" the 9 in the red "96" box, to just below the 9 at "97" inches. Again, to me, it looks like the best focus is about an inch behind this.
C.FnIII: Autofocus/drive
Function 7: AF Microadjustment
Menu item 2: Adjust by lens
Hit the "INFO" button to get the adjustment scale and rotate the round wheel on the back of the camera to move the indicator to the left on the screen which is considered moving the focus point "forward" and it says so on the scale (or move to the right if you need to move the focus point backward).
I kept shooting the tape measure from the same location and tried -5 and then -10. At -10 I got this, and I think I'm pretty close to being on the gnats a$$ :
Like the gnat's ass. Don't forget to try the focus on the distance that you will shoot in the gym as sometimes focusing is not entirely consistent at different distances. But I agree that if anything, your lens had a little backfocus from looking at many of your pics.
Too bad I didn't find this thread back when it was originally posted, or I would have jumped in already.
I shoot gymnastics quite regularly (many local and state meets). Here are my pointers.
1) It's all about the autofocus. Frankly, for Canon, anything less than a 1-series autofocus is not going to be great. I've shot several different cameras in the Canon system, and only with the 1-series would I be happy.
2) You need 1/500th minimum. Set your camera to manual, ISO 3200, 1/500th, and wide open. If you're underexposed, drop the shutter until you're properly exposed. If it's under 1/400th, you're going to get motion blur, period. If you're overexposed at 3200/500/open, raise ISO until you are properly exposed. Only if I get to ISO 800 will I consider raising the shutter. Exception: Only levels 9-10, I prefer 1/640th or 1/800th shutter speed as they're moving with a faster angular velocity in the feet and hands.
3) Must shoot manual mode; Av will just screw you up when shooting lighter or darker leos.
4) Must find decent backgrounds. Sometimes you're stuck, but try to get a good background.
5) Unless you're the pro shooting the meet, be aware you're not going to have the best access during the competition, so the pros shots will (should!) be better than yours.
Oh, and in post #40, the vault shot by the supposed D80 with the 18-200/3.5-5.7, the EXIF states it was taken with a D200, 1/2500, 85mm f/1.8 wide open. I think someone is pulling your leg.
Hi John,
Thanks for climbing aboard the gymnastics photo train
I'm learning to agree with all your points and if it weren't such a money game, I'd have a 1D MkIII right now. The only things I don't like about them are the big grip at the bottom (I don't like to hold like that for vertical shots, nor do I want the extra bulk) and I don't like the LCD resolution. Otherwise...
Re: the vault photo on #40, yeah, if you read a couple posts further into the fray, I found out what the deal was. That shot was taken by an employee of our local camera store, who attended our home meet with a camera and lens borrowed from the store. She was comparing how this much more expensive Nikon shot in our gym, with how the D80 gal's photos were turning out, because the D80 was doing such a great job. It was sort of a test of, "Is it the camera or the photographer."
I'll be back at the gym tomorrow to try a few more "new" things (our first meet is this upcoming weekend):
1)Your suggestion of 1/500th minimum shutter speed. I already have the camera set for F2.8, and I always leave it there, and I stay in manual and adjust the ISO and shutter according to what the light meter is doing.
2)Try some shots with and without the Hoya HMC Super UV(0) filter on the lens.
3)More shots with the monopod to see if that helps with the camera shake that I know I'm generating
4)It's also been suggested by another pro who uses Canon, that I set the picture settings in the camera to zeros and then do all my enhancements in PP using either my DPP, or PhotoShop Elements(which I just got, but haven't installed yet).
So I appreciate your input alot and if you have other suggestions, hit me.
In the meantime, I think I may be able to use my Australian Cattle Dog to dial in lens focus point micro-adjustments!:D
Hi John,
I'm learning to agree with all your points and if it weren't such a money game, I'd have a 1D MkIII right now. The only things I don't like about them are the big grip at the bottom (I don't like to hold like that for vertical shots, nor do I want the extra bulk) and I don't like the LCD resolution. Otherwise...
But a 1DMkII is around $1000-$1200 used right now, and quite the work horse. Also, holding the camera in portrait mode (vertical) from the landscape (horizontal) grip is 1) a sure sign of an amateur, and 2) going to wear out your arm a lot faster! Learn to love the grip, man, trust me!
1)Your suggestion of 1/500th minimum shutter speed. I already have the camera set for F2.8, and I always leave it there, and I stay in manual and adjust the ISO and shutter according to what the light meter is doing.
ISO3200, f/2.8 and see what you meter. If you can get 1/500th or faster, great. Otherwise, you're going to have to live with the more static shots.
2)Try some shots with and without the Hoya HMC Super UV(0) filter on the lens.
OUCH! All a filter is going to do for you here is increase your chances of flare and decrease your contrast. I never shoot sports with any filter on, period. Protection of the lens is what the lens hood is for (well, and reduce off-axis light from entering).
3)More shots with the monopod to see if that helps with the camera shake that I know I'm generating
At 1/500th, the possibility of camera shake is pretty damn low, so all the monopod is going to do is get in your and other people's way.
4)It's also been suggested by another pro who uses Canon, that I set the picture settings in the camera to zeros and then do all my enhancements in PP using either my DPP, or PhotoShop Elements(which I just got, but haven't installed yet).
Sound advice. Remember, if you tweak in the computer, you can always go back to the original shot you saved. If you tweak in camera, you can't.
Well, I think I'm into the 50D for about $700ish, including grip, extra battery, and a $70 Canon bag. So to make the jump to a 1D is not going to happen right now.
I'll stowe the Hoya Filter and either use the hood, or be careful. Thanks for that tip. I'm not getting any flare, and I tried to buy the nicest filter I could, that would allow the most light through, but I'll run without it this week and see if I like the shots better.
I've been trying to avoid ISO3200, in order to have less noise, but as you know, it's a mixed bag.....stop all motion?........or have less noise?
I'll see what I get tomorrow, and keep trying to learn and progress.
Been a while since I posted anything here, but have been following it. I just picked up a new 1D MKIII and a 70-200 f/2.8 so once I get some shots I will post results. There has been some good advice given here lately that I can't wait to put to use!
I've been trying to avoid ISO3200, in order to have less noise, but as you know, it's a mixed bag.....stop all motion?........or have less noise?
Well, to me, I can't sell a blurry (motion blur) shot, but I can fix a noisy shot and then sell it. Noise Ninja (and the other similar programs) do work wonders on ISO 3200 shots, making them more than usable.
But we're going for different goals. I'll shoot 10,000+ shots at a meet (between all the photographers), and I need as many as possible salable. As a parent, you're just concentrating on your gymnast, and any good ones are a boon.
Rocketman766, I'm looking forward to seeing your shots with the new camera!
John Patrick, I've got noiseware professional, and I do use it. Do you think noiseninja does a better job? I've only used the noiseware, so I don't know.
I'll post back after doing some shooting this afternoon and maybe I'll have some photos worth sharing, or at least worth getting some C&C on.
Once again, all the lighting was off for the first 2hrs. I almost left, but then thought, what the heck, I'll try some things.
-No lens filter
-Played around with ISO3200, H1 and H2
-Kept 1/500th most of the time, even when really under exposed, just to see how that speed handled motion
-Used the monopod, and some freehand
About half way through the practice I was reviewing some shots and noticed in the shot settings info, it was saying "3.2." I wondered what that was, because the lens is a 2.8. After a couple minutes of hunting around, I discovered that I'd rotated the rear wheel on the camera while in Manual mode, and that had cranked down the aperture a couple clicks
For the most part 1/500th did a good job of stopping movent, even in the hans and feet. Not all the time, but about 90% of the time.
Looks like a good learning session for you tonight. 1/500 will stop much of the action if not too fast or going straight across the screen. But you have to have the lighting to be able to shoot at correct exposure. (I hope for 1/400 to 1/800, f/2 [with 135 L or 85 f/1.8], ISO 1600 for basketball and volleyball)
Noise is apparent in the picture; probably due to both high ISO and perhaps underexposure (did you bump up brightness?). Still need to check the focus on the lens: the clock on the back wall may be equally in focus as the gymnast, indicating some back focus again.
Yes, that was actually a terrible photo right out of the camera. So that's as good as I could get via DPP and Noiseware Professional. Pretty bad still.
I had the AF Microadjustment turned off, since I'd removed the lens filter. I wanted to see what, if any, difference the filter would make.
And.......the moment we've all been waiting for......
........anyone
Had our first real meet last Saturday in Santa Cruz, CA. Scheduled to start at 5:30pm and wound up starting an hour later, as I watched the great lighting coming through the huged curve ski-lights...:cry
So what did I learn?
1) Buy more/bigger CF cards. Showed up with a pair of 4gb extreme III's and a 2gb back up. Filled both 4gb cards quickly and had to start going back through and deleting shots which were obviously bad or really OOF, or both. I've ordered a 16gb extreme IV, and it should be here in a couple days.
2) Get some overall shots of the gym and the team in the gym, just to give the flavor of the event.
3) I need a 28-70mm/2.8 for the award ceremonies so I can get up close and get candids. I did bring my 28mm/2.8 and used that for some group shots while they were clustered together eating their snacks and waiting for the awards to start.
4) Bars is hard to shoot and I'm having trouble still with shots that are OOF. Between my skill level, the speed of the girls, the fact that they swing about 5-6 feet in each direction, and the camera's ability to focus with only 9 focus points........Bars is going to be my nemisis. I'm probably just going to have to switch to manual focus, wait for them to one thing, and capture just that. Trying to get multiple shots, from both bars is proving to be really tough. But I'm not giving up!
5) I need to continue practicing wth the thumb push focus. Sometimes I'm getting in hurry to capture a shot, and forgetting to hold down the AF-ON, resulting in OOF.
6) I tried to focus on the end of the vault table in some of the flying shots below, with only marginal results. I was shooting 6-8 shot burst, panning, and trying to get them from just before the spring board, all the way to the landing. Got some good running and action shots, but many were slightly OOF, like you'll see below.
These are looking good. Bars is the toughest event to shoot due to rapid movements and rather short duration. Side view does help with focusing, but try different positions for variety. Focusing with the thumb will be second nature after a while.
Wait for good deals and stock up on a few 16GB CF cards.
Cuong
"She Was a Little Taste of Heaven – And a One-Way Ticket to Hell!" - Max Phillips
These are looking good. Bars is the toughest event to shoot due to rapid movements and rather short duration. Side view does help with focusing, but try different positions for variety. Focusing with the thumb will be second nature after a while.
Wait for good deals and stock up on a few 16GB CF cards.
Cuong
Yeah, right now......being Level 5.....the bar routine is all of about 30 seconds. In that time, there's maybe 4 or 5 potential shots at the most. I'm really struggling with the bars!
I hit B&H Photo for the 16GB IV cards at $204 w/ free shipping and a $60 rebate.....and a day later, a dgrinner turned me on to the fact that they are on ebay all day long for under $100. Ebay's sort of been off my radar for a while and I didn't even think to look there. Sure enough, $89, buy-it-now. [EMAIL="D@mn"]D@mn[/EMAIL].
Yeah, right now......being Level 5.....the bar routine is all of about 30 seconds. In that time, there's maybe 4 or 5 potential shots at the most. I'm really struggling with the bars!
I hit B&H Photo for the 16GB IV cards at $204 w/ free shipping and a $60 rebate.....and a day later, a dgrinner turned me on to the fact that they are on ebay all day long for under $100. Ebay's sort of been off my radar for a while and I didn't even think to look there. Sure enough, $89, buy-it-now. D@mn.
Been a while since I posted here. We start in a few weeks (level 5)....can't wait! For bars, I focus on the bar, not her. I try to get her from the front. This is from October 2008.
Here's probably the best bar shot I got as far as action, and focus goes....of course, it's lame because there's no face. All of my others were OOF and/or real grainy
I think one problem I have on the bars is shooting wide open at 2.8, my DOF is probably only 18"-24". So even if I'm locked on the bar, the majority of the athlete is OOF. I think I'll try shooting bars at 3.2 or higher and see what happens.
Our next meet is at 9am, but I don't think the gym has any skylights, so I may be running around at 320th under the mercury vapors.
Here's probably the best bar shot I got as far as action, and focus goes....of course, it's lame because there's no face. All of my others were OOF and/or real grainy
I think one problem I have on the bars is shooting wide open at 2.8, my DOF is probably only 18"-24". So even if I'm locked on the bar, the majority of the athlete is OOF. I think I'll try shooting bars at 3.2 or higher and see what happens.
Our next meet is at 9am, but I don't think the gym has any skylights, so I may be running around at 320th under the mercury vapors.
I guess that's my only "plus" about my lenses. There all f/4!
This season I'm going to try and shoot some of the other kids on our team and see what happens.
Yeah, right now......being Level 5.....the bar routine is all of about 30 seconds. In that time, there's maybe 4 or 5 potential shots at the most. I'm really struggling with the bars!
I hit B&H Photo for the 16GB IV cards at $204 w/ free shipping and a $60 rebate.....and a day later, a dgrinner turned me on to the fact that they are on ebay all day long for under $100. Ebay's sort of been off my radar for a while and I didn't even think to look there. Sure enough, $89, buy-it-now. [EMAIL="D@mn"]D@mn[/EMAIL].
I wouldn't buy flash memory off ebay. Much of it is fake, fraudulent or in some way compromised.
Your last set of shots (your daughter) look pretty good. A little NR and some levels/curves and they would look great.
I wouldn't buy flash memory off ebay. Much of it is fake, fraudulent or in some way compromised.
Your last set of shots (your daughter) look pretty good. A little NR and some levels/curves and they would look great.
Gene
Well, that makes me feel better. I like buying from B&H because I trust them.
Thanks for the C&C on my recent shots. The sad thing is....they've already been PP'd! I haven't loaded PhotoShop Elements 7 yet, so maybe that will make a huge difference in how my pictures look once I play around and start learning how to use it. I've been thinking about asking if someone who knows what they're doing would consider taking just one of my RAW images, dialing it in, and then sharing the steps they used....to at least get me on the right track.
I was looking at a guys shots from the Visa meet in August and they are just unbelievable. They make my shots look like I'm using a brownie! Seriously just made me think, "I'm wasting my time, and a lot of money!"
Tried a 70-200/2.8IS at the meet this past weekend. Also brought a 28-70/2.8 to give some opportunity for close stuff and candids.
The gym is probably (hopefully) one of the worst lit I've ever encountered. Mercury, or maybe Sodium Vapors, mounted in big silver metal housings. The kind of lighting that makes you feel like you need to wear a sunvisor or ball cap in doors to keep that funny glare/flicker out of your eyes.
Took 644 photos at full resolution RAW and that didn't fill up the new 16GB Extreme IV card. Very pleased about that. Didn't have to sweat the card or the battery this time!
Got some great beam and awards shots. Floor was marginal due to distance and lighting. Vault was a joke because they had a huge roll-up door open right next to the vault table, and cars were parked right outside. The morning sun was blasting off the car hoods and windshields making the camera want to be set at 1/2000th. So I was shooting H1 and 1/500th I think....it was like shooting into the sun. Marginal-fair results at best. Bars was equally bad. They had the bars backward to the 2 levels of audience seating. I went around through a side door and the view was; gymnast in front of a wall of spectators. Got some better shots here once I went to about 200mm, getting in close, and getting better bokeh. Still, marginal for the most part.
This weekend is our own in-house meet, so I'm hoping for better results.
Your shots of Sept 16 were your best yet by far (sorry so late on the reply -- I lost track of the thread and it just surfaced with today's post). Looks like you got over a hump and should be on your way to getting better and better shots.
I look forward to seeing this weekend's shot at your home meet. And let me know if your daughter ever has a meet in the SF Bay Area -- it would be fun to bring my camera and compare notes and tips while shooting.
Your shots of Sept 16 were your best yet by far (sorry so late on the reply --
Thanks for the kind words. I was going to post a couple examples from this past weekend, but was almost too embarrassed because they're either noisy (still) or slightly OOF, or both, or sort of washed out...even after PP. Sent a bunch over to Costco for prints and at 4x6 glossy they actually look pretty good. But here on the forum at 900xwhatever, not so much....
ISO 6400? That place must be a dungeon as you described. Result shows definite improvement over previous attempts. Good luck at your home meet this weekend.
Cuong
"She Was a Little Taste of Heaven – And a One-Way Ticket to Hell!" - Max Phillips
Comments
Canon 7D... Canon 70-200/2.8L IS... Canon 28-70/2.8L... Canon 135/f2L... Canon 85/1.8... Canon 50/1.4... Canon 28/1.8
This is with the 70-200 zoomed all the way out, all focus points "on," and the center focus point in the middle of the birdhouse. Looks pretty crisp. I did a burst of 2 photos and they both look the same. I didn't do any PP, but I did crop down to just show the birdhouse and tree.
Next I focused off to the side, with the center focus beam centered on that tan chunk that's missing in the bark.
Focus seems pretty dialed in, so I guess my out of focus shots are just operator induced. I think I'll try some tests at the gym using the monopod and see if that helps.
Canon 7D... Canon 70-200/2.8L IS... Canon 28-70/2.8L... Canon 135/f2L... Canon 85/1.8... Canon 50/1.4... Canon 28/1.8
I use a 'continuous target' where I can tell exactly where the focus might be. Following is an example with my 70 - 200 f/4 lens (focus is on small plant in the knothole):
By the way, your photos is just a red x....at least on my computer.
Canon 7D... Canon 70-200/2.8L IS... Canon 28-70/2.8L... Canon 135/f2L... Canon 85/1.8... Canon 50/1.4... Canon 28/1.8
Oops! Just turned on external link. Hope you can view it now.
Here's a second attempt, using the monopod, and the focus point is spanning from just "above" the 9 in the red "96" box, to just below the 9 at "97" inches. Again, to me, it looks like the best focus is about an inch behind this.
Canon 7D... Canon 70-200/2.8L IS... Canon 28-70/2.8L... Canon 135/f2L... Canon 85/1.8... Canon 50/1.4... Canon 28/1.8
C.FnIII: Autofocus/drive
Function 7: AF Microadjustment
Menu item 2: Adjust by lens
Hit the "INFO" button to get the adjustment scale and rotate the round wheel on the back of the camera to move the indicator to the left on the screen which is considered moving the focus point "forward" and it says so on the scale (or move to the right if you need to move the focus point backward).
I kept shooting the tape measure from the same location and tried -5 and then -10. At -10 I got this, and I think I'm pretty close to being on the gnats a$$
Canon 7D... Canon 70-200/2.8L IS... Canon 28-70/2.8L... Canon 135/f2L... Canon 85/1.8... Canon 50/1.4... Canon 28/1.8
I shoot gymnastics quite regularly (many local and state meets). Here are my pointers.
1) It's all about the autofocus. Frankly, for Canon, anything less than a 1-series autofocus is not going to be great. I've shot several different cameras in the Canon system, and only with the 1-series would I be happy.
2) You need 1/500th minimum. Set your camera to manual, ISO 3200, 1/500th, and wide open. If you're underexposed, drop the shutter until you're properly exposed. If it's under 1/400th, you're going to get motion blur, period. If you're overexposed at 3200/500/open, raise ISO until you are properly exposed. Only if I get to ISO 800 will I consider raising the shutter. Exception: Only levels 9-10, I prefer 1/640th or 1/800th shutter speed as they're moving with a faster angular velocity in the feet and hands.
3) Must shoot manual mode; Av will just screw you up when shooting lighter or darker leos.
4) Must find decent backgrounds. Sometimes you're stuck, but try to get a good background.
5) Unless you're the pro shooting the meet, be aware you're not going to have the best access during the competition, so the pros shots will (should!) be better than yours.
Oh, and in post #40, the vault shot by the supposed D80 with the 18-200/3.5-5.7, the EXIF states it was taken with a D200, 1/2500, 85mm f/1.8 wide open. I think someone is pulling your leg.
John
Canon shooter
Thanks for climbing aboard the gymnastics photo train
I'm learning to agree with all your points and if it weren't such a money game, I'd have a 1D MkIII right now. The only things I don't like about them are the big grip at the bottom (I don't like to hold like that for vertical shots, nor do I want the extra bulk) and I don't like the LCD resolution. Otherwise...
Re: the vault photo on #40, yeah, if you read a couple posts further into the fray, I found out what the deal was. That shot was taken by an employee of our local camera store, who attended our home meet with a camera and lens borrowed from the store. She was comparing how this much more expensive Nikon shot in our gym, with how the D80 gal's photos were turning out, because the D80 was doing such a great job. It was sort of a test of, "Is it the camera or the photographer."
I'll be back at the gym tomorrow to try a few more "new" things (our first meet is this upcoming weekend):
1)Your suggestion of 1/500th minimum shutter speed. I already have the camera set for F2.8, and I always leave it there, and I stay in manual and adjust the ISO and shutter according to what the light meter is doing.
2)Try some shots with and without the Hoya HMC Super UV(0) filter on the lens.
3)More shots with the monopod to see if that helps with the camera shake that I know I'm generating
4)It's also been suggested by another pro who uses Canon, that I set the picture settings in the camera to zeros and then do all my enhancements in PP using either my DPP, or PhotoShop Elements(which I just got, but haven't installed yet).
So I appreciate your input alot and if you have other suggestions, hit me.
In the meantime, I think I may be able to use my Australian Cattle Dog to dial in lens focus point micro-adjustments!:D
Canon 7D... Canon 70-200/2.8L IS... Canon 28-70/2.8L... Canon 135/f2L... Canon 85/1.8... Canon 50/1.4... Canon 28/1.8
But a 1DMkII is around $1000-$1200 used right now, and quite the work horse. Also, holding the camera in portrait mode (vertical) from the landscape (horizontal) grip is 1) a sure sign of an amateur, and 2) going to wear out your arm a lot faster! Learn to love the grip, man, trust me!
ISO3200, f/2.8 and see what you meter. If you can get 1/500th or faster, great. Otherwise, you're going to have to live with the more static shots.
OUCH! All a filter is going to do for you here is increase your chances of flare and decrease your contrast. I never shoot sports with any filter on, period. Protection of the lens is what the lens hood is for (well, and reduce off-axis light from entering).
At 1/500th, the possibility of camera shake is pretty damn low, so all the monopod is going to do is get in your and other people's way.
Sound advice. Remember, if you tweak in the computer, you can always go back to the original shot you saved. If you tweak in camera, you can't.
John
Canon shooter
I'll stowe the Hoya Filter and either use the hood, or be careful. Thanks for that tip. I'm not getting any flare, and I tried to buy the nicest filter I could, that would allow the most light through, but I'll run without it this week and see if I like the shots better.
I've been trying to avoid ISO3200, in order to have less noise, but as you know, it's a mixed bag.....stop all motion?........or have less noise?
I'll see what I get tomorrow, and keep trying to learn and progress.
Thanks!
Canon 7D... Canon 70-200/2.8L IS... Canon 28-70/2.8L... Canon 135/f2L... Canon 85/1.8... Canon 50/1.4... Canon 28/1.8
Well, to me, I can't sell a blurry (motion blur) shot, but I can fix a noisy shot and then sell it. Noise Ninja (and the other similar programs) do work wonders on ISO 3200 shots, making them more than usable.
But we're going for different goals. I'll shoot 10,000+ shots at a meet (between all the photographers), and I need as many as possible salable. As a parent, you're just concentrating on your gymnast, and any good ones are a boon.
John
Canon shooter
John Patrick, I've got noiseware professional, and I do use it. Do you think noiseninja does a better job? I've only used the noiseware, so I don't know.
I'll post back after doing some shooting this afternoon and maybe I'll have some photos worth sharing, or at least worth getting some C&C on.
Canon 7D... Canon 70-200/2.8L IS... Canon 28-70/2.8L... Canon 135/f2L... Canon 85/1.8... Canon 50/1.4... Canon 28/1.8
Once again, all the lighting was off for the first 2hrs. I almost left, but then thought, what the heck, I'll try some things.
-No lens filter
-Played around with ISO3200, H1 and H2
-Kept 1/500th most of the time, even when really under exposed, just to see how that speed handled motion
-Used the monopod, and some freehand
About half way through the practice I was reviewing some shots and noticed in the shot settings info, it was saying "3.2." I wondered what that was, because the lens is a 2.8. After a couple minutes of hunting around, I discovered that I'd rotated the rear wheel on the camera while in Manual mode, and that had cranked down the aperture a couple clicks
For the most part 1/500th did a good job of stopping movent, even in the hans and feet. Not all the time, but about 90% of the time.
Canon 7D... Canon 70-200/2.8L IS... Canon 28-70/2.8L... Canon 135/f2L... Canon 85/1.8... Canon 50/1.4... Canon 28/1.8
Noise is apparent in the picture; probably due to both high ISO and perhaps underexposure (did you bump up brightness?). Still need to check the focus on the lens: the clock on the back wall may be equally in focus as the gymnast, indicating some back focus again.
Keep working on it!
I had the AF Microadjustment turned off, since I'd removed the lens filter. I wanted to see what, if any, difference the filter would make.
Canon 7D... Canon 70-200/2.8L IS... Canon 28-70/2.8L... Canon 135/f2L... Canon 85/1.8... Canon 50/1.4... Canon 28/1.8
........anyone
So what did I learn?
1) Buy more/bigger CF cards. Showed up with a pair of 4gb extreme III's and a 2gb back up. Filled both 4gb cards quickly and had to start going back through and deleting shots which were obviously bad or really OOF, or both. I've ordered a 16gb extreme IV, and it should be here in a couple days.
2) Get some overall shots of the gym and the team in the gym, just to give the flavor of the event.
3) I need a 28-70mm/2.8 for the award ceremonies so I can get up close and get candids. I did bring my 28mm/2.8 and used that for some group shots while they were clustered together eating their snacks and waiting for the awards to start.
4) Bars is hard to shoot and I'm having trouble still with shots that are OOF. Between my skill level, the speed of the girls, the fact that they swing about 5-6 feet in each direction, and the camera's ability to focus with only 9 focus points........Bars is going to be my nemisis. I'm probably just going to have to switch to manual focus, wait for them to one thing, and capture just that. Trying to get multiple shots, from both bars is proving to be really tough. But I'm not giving up!
5) I need to continue practicing wth the thumb push focus. Sometimes I'm getting in hurry to capture a shot, and forgetting to hold down the AF-ON, resulting in OOF.
6) I tried to focus on the end of the vault table in some of the flying shots below, with only marginal results. I was shooting 6-8 shot burst, panning, and trying to get them from just before the spring board, all the way to the landing. Got some good running and action shots, but many were slightly OOF, like you'll see below.
C&C always welcomed!
Here's some of my daughter.
Canon 7D... Canon 70-200/2.8L IS... Canon 28-70/2.8L... Canon 135/f2L... Canon 85/1.8... Canon 50/1.4... Canon 28/1.8
Wait for good deals and stock up on a few 16GB CF cards.
Cuong
Yeah, right now......being Level 5.....the bar routine is all of about 30 seconds. In that time, there's maybe 4 or 5 potential shots at the most. I'm really struggling with the bars!
I hit B&H Photo for the 16GB IV cards at $204 w/ free shipping and a $60 rebate.....and a day later, a dgrinner turned me on to the fact that they are on ebay all day long for under $100. Ebay's sort of been off my radar for a while and I didn't even think to look there. Sure enough, $89, buy-it-now. [EMAIL="D@mn"]D@mn[/EMAIL].
Canon 7D... Canon 70-200/2.8L IS... Canon 28-70/2.8L... Canon 135/f2L... Canon 85/1.8... Canon 50/1.4... Canon 28/1.8
5D, 300mm f/fL IS, ISO 3200, 1/400, f/4
Images in the Backcountry
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I think one problem I have on the bars is shooting wide open at 2.8, my DOF is probably only 18"-24". So even if I'm locked on the bar, the majority of the athlete is OOF. I think I'll try shooting bars at 3.2 or higher and see what happens.
Our next meet is at 9am, but I don't think the gym has any skylights, so I may be running around at 320th under the mercury vapors.
Canon 7D... Canon 70-200/2.8L IS... Canon 28-70/2.8L... Canon 135/f2L... Canon 85/1.8... Canon 50/1.4... Canon 28/1.8
I guess that's my only "plus" about my lenses. There all f/4!
This season I'm going to try and shoot some of the other kids on our team and see what happens.
Images in the Backcountry
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I wouldn't buy flash memory off ebay. Much of it is fake, fraudulent or in some way compromised.
Your last set of shots (your daughter) look pretty good. A little NR and some levels/curves and they would look great.
Gene
Well, that makes me feel better. I like buying from B&H because I trust them.
Thanks for the C&C on my recent shots. The sad thing is....they've already been PP'd! I haven't loaded PhotoShop Elements 7 yet, so maybe that will make a huge difference in how my pictures look once I play around and start learning how to use it. I've been thinking about asking if someone who knows what they're doing would consider taking just one of my RAW images, dialing it in, and then sharing the steps they used....to at least get me on the right track.
I was looking at a guys shots from the Visa meet in August and they are just unbelievable. They make my shots look like I'm using a brownie! Seriously just made me think, "I'm wasting my time, and a lot of money!"
Canon 7D... Canon 70-200/2.8L IS... Canon 28-70/2.8L... Canon 135/f2L... Canon 85/1.8... Canon 50/1.4... Canon 28/1.8
The gym is probably (hopefully) one of the worst lit I've ever encountered. Mercury, or maybe Sodium Vapors, mounted in big silver metal housings. The kind of lighting that makes you feel like you need to wear a sunvisor or ball cap in doors to keep that funny glare/flicker out of your eyes.
Took 644 photos at full resolution RAW and that didn't fill up the new 16GB Extreme IV card. Very pleased about that. Didn't have to sweat the card or the battery this time!
Got some great beam and awards shots. Floor was marginal due to distance and lighting. Vault was a joke because they had a huge roll-up door open right next to the vault table, and cars were parked right outside. The morning sun was blasting off the car hoods and windshields making the camera want to be set at 1/2000th. So I was shooting H1 and 1/500th I think....it was like shooting into the sun. Marginal-fair results at best. Bars was equally bad. They had the bars backward to the 2 levels of audience seating. I went around through a side door and the view was; gymnast in front of a wall of spectators. Got some better shots here once I went to about 200mm, getting in close, and getting better bokeh. Still, marginal for the most part.
This weekend is our own in-house meet, so I'm hoping for better results.
Canon 7D... Canon 70-200/2.8L IS... Canon 28-70/2.8L... Canon 135/f2L... Canon 85/1.8... Canon 50/1.4... Canon 28/1.8
I look forward to seeing this weekend's shot at your home meet. And let me know if your daughter ever has a meet in the SF Bay Area -- it would be fun to bring my camera and compare notes and tips while shooting.
Thanks for the kind words. I was going to post a couple examples from this past weekend, but was almost too embarrassed because they're either noisy (still) or slightly OOF, or both, or sort of washed out...even after PP. Sent a bunch over to Costco for prints and at 4x6 glossy they actually look pretty good. But here on the forum at 900xwhatever, not so much....
Canon 7D... Canon 70-200/2.8L IS... Canon 28-70/2.8L... Canon 135/f2L... Canon 85/1.8... Canon 50/1.4... Canon 28/1.8
Cuong