Advice needed

[SuperKev]

I've been trying to get some snaps of the dogs and although I think I'm doing allright they are still a bit out of focus.

I've increased the shutter speed but any other advice or tips would be appreciated.

P.S. Cheers in advance

[Roger]

You are doing the right sort of things (higher ISO, faster shutter speed), but 1/250 isn't really that fast for an action shot - I'd be looking at something closer to 1/500th second to freeze the action.

Also look at the focusing modes on your camera - its the dogs you want to focus on, so single point focusing might be best and also does it offer continual focusing to track them if they are coming towards you?

A good way of getting the fastest shutter speed for the conditions is actually not to use shutter priority at all, but to use aperture priority, open the aperture wide and let the camera pick the shutter speed to match. That way you get the fastest possible in the given light conditions.

Start on a bright day as well and out of the woods, it will make it easier. I could be wrong but I think some of the fuzzyness in them photos is digital noise from the ISO 800 setting you have.

[AB22 Easy Tiger]

Do you have an AI Servo auto focussing mode n your camera (Sorry I think you have a Nikon and I've never used one). If so that would help as it continually refocuses on moving objects.

[gooftoof]

Is it wrong to find those pics erotic?

[Roger]

Originally Posted by gooftoof

Is it wrong to find those pics erotic?

Yes.





They aren't even in focus

[not spavin]

Are you panning with the dogs - i.e. following them with the camera before taking the shot? It looks like you did on shot 3, but not so much with the others. By panning, you should get a blurred background and sharp(er) subject. You can get away with a slightly slower shutter speed when you get the hang of panning.

[SuperKev]

Originally Posted by Roger

You are doing the right sort of things (higher ISO, faster shutter speed), but 1/250 isn't really that fast for an action shot - I'd be looking at something closer to 1/500th second to freeze the action.

Also look at the focusing modes on your camera - its the dogs you want to focus on, so single point focusing might be best and also does it offer continual focusing to track them if they are coming towards you?

A good way of getting the fastest shutter speed for the conditions is actually not to use shutter priority at all, but to use aperture priority, open the aperture wide and let the camera pick the shutter speed to match. That way you get the fastest possible in the given light conditions.

Start on a bright day as well and out of the woods, it will make it easier. I could be wrong but I think some of the fuzzyness in them photos is digital noise from the ISO 800 setting you have.

Cheers Roger I'll have a bash at that and see what the results are.

Originally Posted by AB22 Easy Tiger

Do you have an AI Servo auto focussing mode n your camera (Sorry I think you have a Nikon and I've never used one). If so that would help as it continually refocuses on moving objects.

It has a sport mode - which is what I had it set to (not sure if that is similar or not)

Originally Posted by gooftoof

Is it wrong to find those pics erotic?

leave my dogs alone

Originally Posted by not spavin

Are you panning with the dogs - i.e. following them with the camera before taking the shot? It looks like you did on shot 3, but not so much with the others. By panning, you should get a blurred background and sharp(er) subject. You can get away with a slightly slower shutter speed when you get the hang of panning.

I was definately panning on No 2 and 3 but to say I was struggling with it would be an undertsatement - the pics directly before and after the those ones were either of the dogs tails or noses (or blank).

Once I panned that quick I nearly fell over and the other I whacked in to our lass

[AB22 Easy Tiger]

Originally Posted by SuperKev

It has a sport mode - which is what I had it set to (not sure if that is similar or not)

NOt sure it's the same thing - but a Nikon user would have to confirm that.

My 50D has a sports mode on the dial but also has a menu to set the Autofocus mode: One Shot, AI Servo (for moving objects) and AI Focus that automatically switches between the two.

I'd be surprised if you don't have something similar and it's really helpful when shooting dogs.

[not spavin]

Originally Posted by AB22 Easy Tiger

NOt sure it's the same thing - but a Nikon user would have to confirm that.

My 50D has a sports mode on the dial but also has a menu to set the Autofocus mode: One Shot, AI Servo (for moving objects) and AI Focus that automatically switches between the two.

I'd be surprised if you don't have something similar and it's really helpful when shooting dogs.

My DSLR doesn't have preset modes, but afaik the modes only control aperture and shutter speed - focusing is a separate setting.

EDIT - here you go

Half way down this tells you how to select between the various AF modes. Assume you'd need AF-C.

This is from the bottom of that page;

Sports

For most sports, you can just shoot at the D90's defaults.

If I was shooting sports all day with the D90, I would force the AF Mode to AF-C (use the top switch), which will always track motion. The default AF-A mode will figure it out for itself, unless the players are standing still when you first start to hold the shutter to compose.

If you prefer to tell the D90 on which player to focus, use MENU > Custom Setting Menu > a Autofocus > a1 AF-area mode and select 3D-tracking. Now the D90 will focus where you tell it, and as your selected player runs around, the D90 not only will track him as he gets nearer and farther, the D90 will track him as he runs around from left to right inside the frame!

[APB]

Can't believe nee ones asking the question - why the silly coats