Setting 7D for tracking sports

<p>I have now shot two cross country meets with my 7D, involving approximately two thousand shots. I'm getting inconsistent autofocus results (though no worse than my 20D), and am wondering if I'm using the right settings. I'm using AI Servo with center point preference, and 1/1600 of a second on shutter priority mode. I consistently get results like the posted pair of images, where, while tracking a single runner, the runner keeps going in and out of focus. Looking at the ground (trust me on this, it's quite visible at 100%), I can see that camera movement isn't an issue, but that the camera is focusing either in front of or (in this case) behind the runner. I'm wondering of changing my custom function settings could help with this problem. Currently, I have servo tracking sensitivity set at medium. The Canon manual (page 209) suggests that setting it at slow would help in tracking moving objects. On the other hand, I'm wondering if setting it at fast would make the camera track more quickly.<br /> Also, I currently have the tracking method set on continuous AF track priority (see manual at 210). I'm wondering if that might explain what happened in the posted images; i.e., whether the camera decides to track the ground rather than the runner.</p><div></div>

<p>And now the runner out of focus, but the ground behind her in focus.</p><div></div>

<p>What lens are you using? I suspect a lens like the 70-300 may simply be unable to focus fast enough.</p>

<p>I've taken a lot of photos of high school cross country runners with a 70-200 2.8 L lens and a 40D. I find it particularly difficult to take vertical pictures and consistently keep the focus point on the runner. The first time I tried using a monopod, I got almost every photo so sharp you could read the runners name clearly on the break-off tab at the bottom of their number. I never expected a 40D to focus so well. The 7D should certainly focus better. Your shutter speed is fine and typical of what I shoot at.</p>

<p>I'm using a 70-200 4.0 L, so there shouldn't be too much trouble with focus speed. Interesting, though, that you have a hard time with the vertical shots, and that you have such good luck with a monopod. I may want to try that.</p>

<p>I also shoot with a 7d. Very different from my 40D. I do not shoot track, but do shoot flying birds. To easily allow me to move from shooting things other than flying birds, to being quickly ready to shoot them, I set up Custom Function3 as follows: ISO 1000 F8 AI Servo Manual select center zone Exposure Comp +1 Raw Evaluative Metering AWB Landscape AV . This way, as my subject moves within the center cluster, the camera will allow the subject to move from point to point within that cluster and retain focus as long as the subject remains within the cluster...</p>

<p>Now when I want to shoot something moving fast, I go to Custom Function 3. If I want to shoot something with a blured background, but a moving subject, I do those settings under custom function 1. Otherwise I shoot on Manual. I have been amazed at how good the 7D works as you learn about the focus system. It is totally different than my 40D. There is a great article on the canon site that covers the focusing in much better detail than in the manual.</p>

<p>Try center point with AF point expansion (p. 89 of your manual). I find it works better with moving subjects than plain single point and zone AF.</p>

<p>Well, I've tried some experimentation. I tried expanded center point AF, slow-tracking AF, and expanded center point and slow tracking together. I had my son run by me three times at each setting (plus three times at my normal setting), and took a total of 169 pictures. I think the expanded center point AF and slow-tracking AF together worked best, but I still wasn't blown away at the sharpness. Almost all the images looked a bit soft, particularly around the face, except for some where he was very close to me and the face almost filled the frame. Those, oddly, tended to be very sharp, even though if there was going to be motion blur, it should have been in those images. Also, oddly, the worst-focused images tended to be the ones where he was the farthest away. This is odd, because I locked focus on him each time before he even started running.</p>

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<p>A presentation on canon’s autofocus system is available at the B&H event space, online at:</p>

 

 

 

 

<a href="http://www.video.bhphotovideo.com/?fr_story=6705482e45f83bfb581744e6bbf1bee3836e657f&rf=sitemap">http://www.video.bhphotovideo.com/?fr_story=6705482e45f83bfb581744e6bbf1bee3836e657f&rf=sitemap</a>

<p>(you need to type “canon autofocus” in that site’s search box to access the three part video.)<br>

Description:<br>

“A Look at The Canon Autofocus System. Bring your subject matter into focus/ Join Canon USA's Rudy Winston for a two-hour session that will remove the veil of mystery, which for many photographers, surrounds their Canon EOS camera's autofocus system.”<br>

I saw it and can recommend it to any Canon DSLR user who has issues with the EOS autofocus. Washington explains why center point is not the best way to shoot sports. Top SI photographers he’s interviewed use the center point, and in the video he notes his recommendation not to do this, and why. The presentation covers cameras up to the 5D Mk II (and not the 7D), but is good advise for any Canon DSLR. Washington also covers details of the autofocus sensors, among many details of the system. The pro level 1D Mk III is discussed briefly at the end, as the presentation is not targeted at users of this camera. The videos is in three parts and lasts for two hours.<br>

One of my favorite tips for focusing fast moving action noted in the video is to use the ‘back focus button’ available thru Custom Function IV.</p>

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<p>I assume you have set the micro Af to make sure the lens focuses correctly. I generally use center plus assist in AI Servo and it works fine for ice hockey (we will see for ski racing) this is 70-200 f2.8 or 300 f2.8 lens. I have AF tracking on medium and it works fine. I find the 7D a little soft and noisy at ISo 1600 or above but have not had AF issues. You could try the center zone as I find this works better than center plus assist in some fast action confused situations (e.g. a scrable on the boards) but this should not be an issues for cross country. I find the 7D AF works really well except when there is not an obvious edge for it to focus on - when this is the case my 5DII actually appears better although this is just a subjective finding.</p>

<p>Omar: thanks for the link. I'll check that out, though it seems like a bit of a project (on the other hand, if my success rate improves, it will be worth it.<br>

Philip: I haven't messed with the micro AF as yet. The idea seems a bit intimidating, though I suppose it wouldn't be much worse than the experimentation I've engaged in so far.</p>

<p>Does the motion of the runner's hands and arms affect the ability to track focus?</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Marc: I've wondered that. An approaching runner is more complicated than an approaching car, because the runner has hands, feet and knees that keep thrusting forward. It seems in some of my images that the knees or feet are in better focus than the rest of the runner.</p>

<p>Hi,<br>

Late to respond, sorry, but I was at the horse race Saturday and using my 7d for the first time.<br>

Setting was on center point with expansion.<br>

Tracking was set to slow.<br>

Continuous tracking was selected.<br>

Metering was set to center weighted.<br>

I found no issues with sharpness in horses front to back coming at me, or head to tail going by me with these settings.<br>

Best Wishes</p>

 

<p>I can not find above any mention of the f stop you use/used...A<em>s they say</em> ....."<em>f.8 and don't be late</em> "<br /> Barry, seems to me that every camera has issues... (a lot like their owners). My first camera and every one after {quiet a few!} have been EOS... To me figurn out each camera body with each lens lens combos always drove me nuts...still does once and a while...Ok usually daily...My 5D has been a good one for me. At the rodeo I shoot iso 500 , f8, anywhere in between 1/250-1/1200,manual exposure, Pattern Al servo focus,Raw, 100-400L Image stabilizer on, seems that f4 is pretty sharp on this lens...but at f8 the level of acceptable focus/DOF... for my eyes increases...Try setting up a shot using your DOF Preview button...then make a shot with the subject moving... left- right or what ever... look on your monitor and see if you focused where you think you did and where it's focused are even close to the same place. I use the Canon DDP just to show where I/me/lenz/camera <em>(it's a zen thing)</em> decided to focus on. Everybody knows that a lens has it's own G spot...or sweet spot (I don't remember well these days ;>) maybe you are off the mark? Besides if your are shooting shutter priority...the auto focus has to work much harder adjusting to big aperture shifts. Manual exposure allows me to think less, focus more... especially if I am not shooting in rapidly changing light...have you tried shooting in aperture priority?<br /> Remember how scary it was with that Eye Calibrating deal for the EOS 3? The directions recommended to use it often so the sensors will get to know you? I wasn't sure if i wanted to be known real well by a computor chip...Now, I have an amazing relationship with one...Hope I have helped you in some way. ....juan</p><div></div>