focus problems w/10D

[david_smart]

I'm having problems getting stop action pictures that are not blurry.

I just purchased a sigma 2.8 70-200 lens and was hoping maybe I could

get some suggestions as to how I can get some sports (volleyball and

football) pictures that are not so blurry. I am using a 10D and am

new to digital photography so forgive me if I sound like an amateur,

I am! Any help?

[brideday]

David, try setting your AF Selector to the center point and set your focus mode to servo. Shoot one frame as the action gets close to it's peak so that the af system begins tracking and then begin shooting. Also, your shutter speed should be at least 250th of a second, preferably higher if you have enough light. Hope this helps...

[johnrwoods]

You can also try a monopod or tripod even. Or if there is a nearby tree or sturdy object to brace yourself on, you should be able to get sharper pics.

[digitmstr]

1) post some (one) picture here so we can see what you mean.

 

2) use a FAST shutter speed (1/500) and above).

 

3) blur from camera shake (or subject motion) is NOT a "focus problem" but a function of the shutter speed vs camera and/or subject motion.

[rick_diaz3]

Good suggestions from others, but start at the beginning. What exposure setting are you using on the Command Dial, Creative Zone or Pic Zone? What focus settings, MF or AF? What focus point(s)? What ISO? What picture quality setting? How close are you to the action? Generally, you should be using the Tv setting with a shutter speed of about 250-500 to freeze the action. At that speed you should have no problems with camera shake. The center focus point will give you the best result, but if you are following the action waiting for the right moment, I find using all the focus points active with Servo mode works best. If any of this sounds like Greek to you, some time reading the manual is in order.

 

Rick A. Diaz

www.mcjournalist.com

[steve_dunn2]

<p>The most important thing I can think of is to determine why the pictures are blurry. Is it a focus problem? Shake from trying to handhold at too low a shutter speed? Blurred subject because the shutter speed isn't high enough to freeze the subject's motion? These are different problems, with differences in how they might be solved.</p>

 

<p>Post a sample or two, and tell us a bit about how you're shooting - what mode you're in, what settings you're using, etc. That will help us figure out what the problem is and suggest an appropriate solution.</p>

[ribook]

David,</p>The suggestions you've received are all relevant, and until you've ruled out shutter speed, camera shake, camera mode, etc., you cannot know what the problem is. But I'll tell you that I've ruled out all of these (using a monopod, shooting in AV mode with shallow depth of field [for my taste, it's not worth having my target in focus if that means that everything in the frame ends up in focus] and high shutter speed, using the center focus point, nailing the center focus point on the target, following the action and shooting multiple photos to give the AF system a chance to get its act together, etc.) and I've come to the conclusion that the 10D leaves a little something to be desired in this area. I'm not saying my technique is perfect, but I've been working very hard at this and the proportion of sharp-focused shots I get shooting soccer (and even baseball!) are frustratingly low, even though I can see in EOS viewer utility that in many of these cases, the focus point is exactly where I would have wanted it to be. It seems to me that the norm is for the camera to come very close to getting it right, but not quite close enough. </p>Here's an example. A shot I took today with the 10D and a Canon 70-200mm f/2.8, with tripod. This subject isn't even moving! but the "almost-but-not-quite" focus is what I typically get when I'm shooting action sports. I'll also post the screen shot from the viewer utility to show the focus point. (And yes, of course I would sharpen this before printing it, but it still wouldn't look as good as the few photos where everything works as it should). I should add that in other respects I think this is a great camera, but I'm not quite satisfied with its (or my) ability to capture action. --Russ<div></div>

[ribook]

Here's the screen shot to show the focus point.<div></div>

[ted_reyes]

How do you sharpen your images? Which Un Sharp Mask Settings?

[ribook]

Varies from photo to photo, but I usually use as my starting point the following settings: Amount = 250%, Radius between 0.5-0.7, Threshold = 0.

[mike_morgan1]

Try this focus test.

[Spearhead]

I'd recommend a tripod long before a focus test.

[mike_morgan1]

I'd recommend a tripod and a focus test at home before going out with your tri-pod and risking having more out of focus shots. A lot of statements that focus problems on the 10D can be chaulked up to user error are as reliable as marketing literature. Do the test at home, save yourself from the very real possibility of going out and getting more out of focus shots.