HUGE group shot... help needed 7D settings/lens etc

Damon016

Okay, so I did look around just could not find anything that really got to the bottom line here...

I shoot sports but shy away from group shots just because I never really had the folks patient enough to work with me on this so it was difficult. However tomorrow I have to shoot a team photo (approximately 100 people or more) for a college.

Equipment is as follows. Canon 7D, 17-40, 24-70, 70-200 2.8L... I know I would not be using the 70-200, the 17-40 when I have shot smaller group shots (roughly 40 kids) its VERY soft around the edges. OR the people on either corner are just blurry or you're not able to see who they are. This is shot at f-8, f-11, etc and it's still like that. The people in the middle are perfect... So I am assuming the 24-70?

I am open to suggestions here, I would prefer owners of Canon products who are familiar witht he 7D's settings that maybe can walk me through some autofocus adjustments etc if you would not mind.

Thank you in advance! :thumb

BrettDeutsch

It totally depends on how deep your group shot is going to be and how much depth of field you'll need. Use the longest length lens that you can depending on how much room you have to work with (if you could shoot at 70mm with the 70-200 at f/8 or so, that would likely be a good option). Focus about 1/3 of the way back into your group. Use a tripod but keep the shutter speed fast enough that a little movement by your subject won't matter. Keep your ISO as low as possible. And ideally leave some room on the edges so that you don't have to worry about the corner softness.

Damon016

Thank you Brett! Can you maybe share some settings as far as focus etc? =/

Cowboydoug

groups are what I do.... No need to be nervous and for sure don't get all caught up on your equipment... I'll send you a PM with my number... if you want to talk you can call me...

Hackbone

As Brett said, don't focus on the first row. Try to focus on the second row. Depending on your focal length and f stop there is a range that will automatically be in focus. From the point where you focus 1/3 of the distance in front of that point and 2/3 behind that point will be in focus. I can't say those distances because it depends once again on your f stop and foal length setting.

Cuong

I have a couple suggestions: shoot from above and shoot a pano.

It would be ideal if the group can line up on bleachers in as few rows as possible. A higher camera position would make the plane of your sensor closer to parallel with the plane of the group faces -> more faces will be in focus.

Instead of using a wide angle lens for a single 18MP image of the whole group, use your zoom lens to take multiple images across the whole group then stitch them together into a large pano with much more details in an enlargement print. The trick here is to have people hold their pose as you pan across. HTH.

Cuong

Cowboydoug

I'm anxious to hear how your group went. Time for Show Tell...