High speed pics - Ducati.ms

orangerocket · Dec 19th, 2008, 9:44 am

I have a Digital Canon Rebal with the standard equipment, I would like to get better at taking pics of bikes and cars when they are at high speed. I have no idea what setting to have the camera at and I seem to always out of focus or late on the capture. I really like to take pics of dirt bikes jumping and from when I press the shutter button to when the pic is taken it always seems to be to late.

Any suggestions on how to get better?? Setting, lenzes......

thanks.

tye1138 · Dec 19th, 2008, 10:15 am

The faster the subject, the higher the shutter speed needs to be. Have you tried to set it to the "sports" mode on the dial? Otherwise, it may be time to read the manual and learn how to run the camera manually. There also shouldn't be a delay between when you push the button and the camera fires, unless its on the complete wrong mode. Check that mode dial and go from there.

plato · Dec 19th, 2008, 10:35 am

The stock lens with the digital rebel is rather slow, exposure wise.

Cheap fix: Canon 50mm f/1.8 (~$80)
Not cheap fix: Canon 200 F2 L

But before this, read the manual. What is the point of buying a DSLR if you aren't going to use the controls?

I like AV, or Aperture Priority.

Try this: at a distance from your subject, set to AV on your mode dial, set Aperture to as low of numerical value as possible by rolling the clicker, set your ISO to 400, maybe set your exposure compensation one click to the left, and fire. That will be about as fast as your camera can do without getting the photos noisy.

Again, I urge you: read the manual! they are very informative and easy to read!

orangerocket · Dec 19th, 2008, 10:51 am

Read the manual??? I'm a man and I would never do that. Well maybe this one time, but don't tell anyone.

**scott** · Dec 19th, 2008, 11:46 am

My tips:
Set the camera to manual focus and prefocus on the point where you will be taking the picture.
Use a lens that has a fast aperture, I use a 70-200 2.8
Most important is to pan the camera as your subject goes by and take the photo as close to the prefocus point as possible.
You can use a slower shutter speed when you pan which will blur the background and keep your subject sharp.

TopiToo · Dec 19th, 2008, 3:44 pm

hello orangerocket

fair play with the photos and leaning the camera.
As to the pictures if you get stuck with the final image
I could have a look for you.

TopiToo

SS904 · Dec 19th, 2008, 4:42 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by tye1138

There also shouldn't be a delay between when you push the button and the camera fires, unless its on the complete wrong mode. Check that mode dial and go from there.

If by wrong mode you mean wrong focus mode, I'm with you...

If you're experiencing shutter lag with an SLR in the situation you describe, my guess is you're trying to shoot a fast moving object in "one shot" mode. One shot mode is designed for stationary targets. The camera expects your target to not move... It will attempt to focus, find a lock, stop focusing then allow the shutter to fire. If your target moves in between focus lock and the shutter firing stages, your target will no longer be in focus. The lag is probably due to your poor camera trying to achieve a focus lock in a mode that expects a stationary target. No lock, your shutter will not fire, delay! Switch to AI Servo and try again. AI Servo is specifically for shooting moving targets. It continues to focus as long as you have the shutter at half press. There is MUCH more to write about concerning how to properly use this mode, but...... Read the manual!

Tip (learned the very hard way). Before you go and spend a crap load of money on better camera equipment, learn to use your current equipment. There are several good places to find information online.

Here’s one: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/

plato · Dec 19th, 2008, 5:26 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by SS904

Here’s one: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/

+100

tye1138 · Dec 19th, 2008, 5:34 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by SS904

Tip (learned the very hard way). Before you go and spend a crap load of money on better camera equipment, learn to use your current equipment. There are several good places to find information online.

Here’s one: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/

I think a lot of the DSLR guys wouldn't have the foggiest clue how to use a "film" camera. Gotta learn the basics of photography and then move forward. Photography is photography, its just the newer hardware allows the photographer to be lazy, thats all.

I use my rebel in automatic mode all the time, yet I use to shoot professionally with 35mm. I like the convenience of the quick snap, but the ability to run full manual if I actually care about the pix taken. I also don't shoot much crap. I take my time, get focus, snap a few pix and move on. None of this 5000 pix a weekend sorta deal, it wastes my time having to look though the final images to pick the best one. Its just made us all LAZY!

SS904 · Dec 19th, 2008, 6:11 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by tye1138

I think a lot of the DSLR guys wouldn't have the foggiest clue how to use a "film" camera. Gotta learn the basics of photography and then move forward. Photography is photography, its just the newer hardware allows the photographer to be lazy, thats all.

I use my rebel in automatic mode all the time, yet I use to shoot professionally with 35mm. I like the convenience of the quick snap, but the ability to run full manual if I actually care about the pix taken. I also don't shoot much crap. I take my time, get focus, snap a few pix and move on. None of this 5000 pix a weekend sorta deal, it wastes my time having to look though the final images to pick the best one. Its just made us all LAZY!

I guess... Not much a difference in the picture taking mechanics IMHO. I had an Elan 7 that had basically the same automated features as the current crop of mid range DSLRs (with the exception of the digital stuff, of course). My last film cam was a Canon 1N. With the booster it would crack out 6 FPS. My current Camera is a 1DMK2. It will shoot 8.5 FPS... Difference? I don't care about how much developing is going to cost me and I can shoot in low light with out having to deal with high speed film and grain the size of baseballs! The rest pretty much works the same.

I am shooting for a high school hockey team this season (big time, I know!), I'll come away with 700 images per game average. I end up putting up 90 to 100 on my website. Why? Do the rest suck (well, they probably all suck)? I'll shoot a burst of 3 or more for a fast sequence. It's not that most don't come out, or that I have trouble timing the shot, it's more me looking for the best 1 or 2 shots from that sequence to post. Clear face, puck in shot, nothing cut off, no ref in the way, good player posture. It just gives you more to choose from with basically no additional cost. Work flow is fast once you figure out what works for you. I can pile through a game and post to my site in about two hours. So, I don’t necessarily think the new technology is making us lazy, I think we just have more opportunity to "get the shot" with out going broke buying film and dealing with developing. The automation has been there for a long time, whether to use it or not has been up to the photographer since about the time the Canon AE-1P came out or the first EOS with regards to auto focus.