Soccer focusing is killing me!

[73rocks]

I have been shooting with an XTi for a couple of years now and I have the same problem . . . volleyball is a real struggle for me. I do shoot with Al Servo as this keeps the camera focusing while the subject is moving. This might be the source of the problem? But what I have found that seems to cut down on the problem is to switch from autopoint focus to single point focus. This switches from the camera averaging out the focus based on the points in the veiwfinder to using the very center point to focus. Do this by pressing the AF button on the camera and then pressing the set button to set to single point focus. Hope that helps you out some. To reset to multi point focus just press the AF button again and press the set button.

[mikedugganphotography]

Originally Posted by wamplers

Perhaps it's motion blur instead of focus (hard to tell from the small image), but 1/400 is pretty slow for soccer...marginal at best. I would have upped the ISO to at least 800 to get 1/800 minimum shuter speed.

I have to agree with Steve. Pump up the ISO and you should see an improvement. Number 11 seems somewhat sharp so I agree with the montion blur.

[alphasco]

Lacking more telephoto, you can also do the old-fashioned thing: get closer. Are you shooting from the stands, or down on the sideline of the field? If they allow it, and you are not already doing it, get down there along the side of the field (on the side opposite the coaches' box and the sideline referees), and move with the action. When they go to the end of the field toward the goal, you move accordingly.

Definitely use spot focusing, and pre-focus (shutter button part way down), following the action. I use "burst" shooting mode, too, as I follow the action. I may shoot a dozen or more rapid-fire shots at a time, then later cull down to one or two good ones. For a typical youth soccer game, I usually shoot over 400 images. Hey, film for digital cameras is cheap!!!

[dhparsons]

Originally Posted by photog1107

I agree briandee... , but I am maxed out with my 70-200 and I need that 2.8 in the evening or I'd swap for my 75-300 (but only 4-5.6)... so until i can shell out for the 100-400 I guess this is my best effort. I am moving up to a 7D in a week or so.. so maybe the higher resolution will help somewhat with crops like these.

However, I am a little confused about the Al Servo...and would appreciate any advice from sports shooters, because I have read it's great for side to side motion (like a fast car, horse, etc...) but I am not sure about soccer, which moves in every direction. I do seem to miss a lot of focuses. Could the Al Servo be hindering me in some way, or do you think it's still my best setting? Or maybe it's just practice, practice, practice...

The 7D has a better autofocus system and the tracking servo gives you some additional options. For example you can set a custom function so that when you are tracking a player if a closer player (or object) comes into the cameras view in front of your subject it will not change focus to the closer subject The raw speed of the 7D at 8fps will impove your win rate also...

[Jim Bryant]

When shooting sports.............use center point focus.