michael_huizenga

I've shot quite a few children's soccer games and I'm a big fan of auto-focus. The trick seems to be to know when to use which autofocus mode. Sometimes closest priority works best, other times it's using a single focus point. You need to be able to switch back and forth quickly, though.

A bigger help is an auto exposure mode. Let's face it, most of your shots are going to be exactly what the light meter suggests, so it's nice to have that done automatically. I find that aperture-priority works the best for these fast moving games.

So you have an equipment reference, I use a Nikon F100 and a Nikon D50. Both work very well for me.

As for thinking about the photo, sports like soccer tend to move so fast that I need to be thinking more about what I want to capture more than each camera setting. Good luck.

Quick note to keep your camera clean. I used a pillow case in Africa this summer when shooting. I kept it inside til I was ready to shoot, and then pulled it out and fired away. It worked extremely well for my F100. Almost no dirt at all. Cheap too. Keep safe.

I buy almost everything from the local Richmond Camera store. The prices are higher than the mailorder places, but I like having a local camera store where I can get B&W film NOW. If we don't support them, they will go away. Thanks for being there, Merry.

I shoot surfing photos as a hobby. I use a Nikon F100 and a 70-300 lens. I'll carry my camera down to the beach in a Tamrac backpack and leave it in there 'til I'm ready to shoot. I'll wear a tank top with a button-up shirt left unbuttoned. In between shooting, I'll hold the camera with my right hand and place it underneath my shirt under my left arm. My left arm will hold the shirt closed over my camera. It's not a perfect seal, obviously, but it keeps the spray off very well. My UV filter almost never needs cleaning until I get back home. The camera is always ready for the next shot. Give it a try. -Mike

Not wanting to drag an F100 everywhere I go, I recently bought an olympus 100 wide. It's very nice for taking to parties, the beach, anywhere that I would like to be a bit more discrete.

I wouldn't confuse the quality with the nikon, but for what I bought it for, I am very pleased. -Mike

When I travel by air, I put my camera backpack into a slightly larger school backpack. This gives me a bit more space for other things, it disguises the camera bag, and when you reach your destination, you have your favorite bag with you.

I'm a mailman. Yes, we had a mountain, but not everyone who receives the regular book got one.

Don't listen to the digital crowd, stick with film. For one, that's what your husband wants. Two, by the time your film camera is obsolete, so too will be any digital camera that is on the market today. You'll probably need a new camera either way.

As far as lenses go, how about a Nikon 28-105ED. It sounds as if that would cover the range that he needs and you could save for the 70-300ED for his next birthday. That's if he's a good boy. -Mike

May I suggest a Pentax ME Super. This is a small aperture priority camera that can also be used in full manual mode. I have three and use them when size and weight are a concern. I bought a mint one with a 28-105 vivitar series 1 for $115 a few months ago on ebay. They are solid as a rock, have a 1/2000 shutter speed, easy to find with a 50mm and are pretty inexpensive to boot. Good luck.

Many people give the 50 a bad rap, but I think that it is undeserved. A 1.8 50 is a wonderful, inexpensive low-light lens that lets you take photos that a variable apeture zoom won't let you think of. Most of my photography is available light and my 1.4 50 is often the only lens that allows me this opportunity. Nikon's 1.8 goes for 99 bucks at my local Richmond camera store, making it the least expensive low-light lens by far.