Thank you!! Please Read..

David Evertsen

Someone on the dgrin sports board posted a reply to a thread in the past few weeks and totally made my year!! I apologize and cannot remember who it was but I just want to tell you thank you so very much. You just made my season!! They posted take your lens and shove it all the way out to 200 and leave it there, don't pull back etc. After shooting every game of my local HS LAX team I was looking for something different and said what the heck..

I shot with at Canon 50D and 70-200L non IS, RAW and the difference was amazing, I shot the best LAX game ever. I pushed it out too 200 and left it and the results where amazing.. i will post some of the shots when I get done processing.

Macushla

I remember that, it was from "My shots are lacking the focus I want" I'm trying to memorize that entire thread. Can't wait to see your pics.

Enitsugua wrote:

Put your lens on 200 and leave it there through one entire game. Make yourself shoot there. That's the only way you're going to learn to follow the action with a zoom in front of you. Try to shoot with both eyes open. It can be done (just takes some practice). That will help in following the action. Count on more toss away shots the first game or two you do this. But count on some good shots that you won't need to crop as much.

I'd leave your other settings alone. I'd also shoot RAW and create your own JPGs with Lightroom or something similar. Some other sports shooters here won't agree with me on that, but I come from the old film days and much prefer doing RAW for everything. The post isn't that much if you have consistent settings and consistent environment. Be sure to sharpen with USM in PS or with sharpen in LR.

I wouldn't mess with the AF-ON thread. You don't need it. Use 9 points on the D300 for outdoor sports like soccer. 9 points seems to be about all it can keep up with, given the processor in it.

If you're going to let the camera create the JPGs, then there are some other settings you should probably mess with a little (such as DLighting). Anyway, try RAW. You'll be glad you did. (read this thread on RAW: http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=160124&highlight=raw+processing)

I shoot in WA state; clouds and sun come and go often. So, for outdoor sports, I shoot mostly aperture priority. For indoor, nighttime, and outside days when there's no clouds, then I'll shoot manual.

Again, leave that lens at 200 for soccer. And only shoot the quarter of the field nearest to you. If you want to really have some fun with soccer, rent a 400 (or even a 600) from borrowlenses.com and try that.

David Evertsen

Macushla wrote:

I remember that, it was from "My shots are lacking the focus I want" I'm trying to memorize that entire thread. Can't wait to see your pics.

It is all about the faces and being tight... As much as you think you are getting in tight, this will show you why... I will post in a few days..