Shooting Baseball 10u

bokster

Hello all:

This is my first year shooting 10u baseball and I am thoroughly enjoying it! I am using a Canon 30D with a Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 without any TC. I shoot usually from the 1st base side.

I have a question regarding using the back focus with AI Servo to shoot the outfielders. I find that it's hard to focus on an outfield player because the lens always ends up focusing on the fence instead. What can I do? I know I should use a longer lens but this is only what I have and can afford at this point. Any advice would be appreciated.

Cheers!

Bokster

aktse

How many focus points are you using? which focus modes?

Try center point only and track the player with that focus point.

bokster

aktse wrote: »

How many focus points are you using? which focus modes?

Try center point only and track the player with that focus point.

Sorry I forgot to mention that yes, I am using the center point only.

8ball

Are you shooting with a monopod, or free handing the shots? When my wife first started out she had a Canon XSI and a 70-200 2.8 and was using the same setup. She was free handing without a monopod and would occasionally stray slightly off the center focus point on the player to either the right or left just far enough to have the focus shift to what was behind the player.

If you aren't using a monopod try to remain as stable as you can through tracking the player and keep the center focus point on them. She was able to cut down on the number of back focused pics significantly when she was shooting stable, and kept the center point on them.

bokster

8ball wrote: »

Are you shooting with a monopod, or free handing the shots? When my wife first started out she had a Canon XSI and a 70-200 2.8 and was using the same setup. She was free handing without a monopod and would occasionally stray slightly off the center focus point on the player to either the right or left just far enough to have the focus shift to what was behind the player.

If you aren't using a monopod try to remain as stable as you can through tracking the player and keep the center focus point on them. She was able to cut down on the number of back focused pics significantly when she was shooting stable, and kept the center point on them.

8ball:

Yes I shoot with a monopod.

I think using 70-200mm lens is harder to track the player in the outfield because the target is small due to the reach of this lens.

Thanks.

aktse

bokster wrote: »

I think using 70-200mm lens is harder to track the player in the outfield because the target is small due to the reach of this lens.

In general, focus miss is usually due two issues. 1) back focus issue of the lens 2) photographer's skill

Also, 200mm is usually too short for the outfield; usually, 300mm/400mm tends to work better for baseball.

Posting some samples might be useful....