What’s Your Preference?

Biomech · #1 (**permalink**) 12-20-2010, 01:43 AM

I've discovered that some of my photos are out of focus for the following reason and wonder what you all do / recommend to beat it.

You're in bad light so have the aperture wide open. The background is out of focus, you're subject is moving towards you fast enough that between autofocus and shutter release they move out of the focus zone resulting in everything being OOF ...

.... what do?

BK553 · #2 (**permalink**) 12-20-2010, 01:45 AM

Ai Servo Mode?

If it's too dark for that, sometimes I put a small tape mark on the floor (say, like a church aisle), pre-focus for that spot, then burst as they near it. On my 7D, 8fps has always given me at least one in focus.

candleman · #3 (**permalink**) 12-20-2010, 01:54 AM

not familiar with Sony, what is Servo mode?

is that Single focus and it locks focal length once it gets a focus...., or is it contunuous focus and adjusts according to your subjects movement?

BK553 · #4 (**permalink**) 12-20-2010, 02:01 AM

AI Servo AF: This AF mode sets the camera to follow-focus on a moving subject, whether it’s moving slowly, or at the speed of an Indy race car. The camera expects to see, detect and track subject movement whenever you’re in AI Servo AF.

nickbedford · #5 (**permalink**) 12-20-2010, 03:31 AM

I sometimes have varying results when shooting bands. I obviously use AI SERVO and my settings are practically as high as I want to take them, i.e. 1/60th-1/100th ISO1600 f/2.8 but sometimes it's hard to get a lock on the focus.

I often use one of the outside points on my 50D to frame my shot whilst maintaining focus. The problem is that sometimes the shots will end up at 100% to be slightly out of focus. Just enough to be annoyed at but not to completely ruin the photo's use on the web or something where you can "size down".

The current feature shot on my Band portfolio is an example of this. For my online portfolio it's fine but at 100% it's just out of focus. This could be a back focusing issue or I dunno what. I've heard of the odd 50D back focusing sometimes. And for the record, the SERVO focus point was the top right, sitting right on the drummer when I took it.