Canon DSLR

[DirtyRat]

 

[DirtyRat]

I have to follow the subject and with the shutter half way depressed can hear the auto focus adjusting. A shot like the one here, with canon software, will show me the focus point in the shot. And it sets on the blur!?
You'll note the cars in great focus, the people behind the subject looking good. The subject, the one my camera lens is following and pointing at is blurred.

 

[Overread]

I would say that that looks like back focusing problems -
the horse does not appear to be moving too fast to track, and it is in the dead centre so the AF point should have picked it up - even on auto section points it would probable have selected the horse and rider.
Methinks its time to give canon a call!

 

[table1349]

This helps. I shoot lots of sports. I have highlighted some of the problem areas. The photo is in focus, it is soft.

[Image]
Make = Canon
Model = Canon EOS 40D
Orientation = top/left
Date Time = 2008-07-26 17:46:11

[Camera]
Exposure Time = 1/1500" 1/250th would have been plenty fast enough for this photo. 1/1500th is not a killer here but not needed. For most sports I am trying to stay in the 1/250 to 1/500 range to stop action. That allows me more latitude with aperture and ISO.
F Number = F2.8 Bright daylight. Stop down a step. While a nice bokeh is preferable for sport/action shots in this photo you are further away from the subject then the background is from the subject. That exteded the DOF causing the infocus background. Stopping down would not have made any great difference in bokeh in this shot, however it would have sharpened the photo. All lenses tend to be a bit soft wide open. The Canon and the Sigma 70-200 f2.8's both are. The Sigma tends to be a bit more so from my experience, but I have only shot that lens twice as I own the Canon. It could have been the particular lens that I shot.
Exposure Program = Aperture priority
ISO Speed Ratings = 200 A simple way to help control the other two above is shoot at 100 ISO. I always shoot the lowest I possibly can and bump it up to achieve the shutter speed and aperture I want.
Exif Version = Version 2.21
Date Time Original = 2008-07-26 17:46:11
Date Time Digitized = 2008-07-26 17:46:11
Shutter Speed Value = 10.5 TV
Aperture Value = 3 AV
Exposure Bias Value = ±0EV
Metering Mode = Pattern
Flash = Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode
Focal Length = 103mm
Maker Note = 7686 Byte
User Comment =
Subsec Time = 0.2"
Flashpix Version = Version 1.0
Color Space = sRGB
Exif Image Width = 800
Exif Image Height = 533
Custom Rendered = Normal process
Exposure Mode = Auto exposure
White Balance = Manual white balance
Scene Capture Type = Normal

Your focus point is on the fender skirt/cinch area. Getting the focus point on the riders face would be helpful. You could either do this by sticking with the center focus point and shoot to crop or select a different focus point. With the 40D shoot to crop is very common. The mulititude of focus points on the 1D MIII makes it a different matter and much easier to pick a focus point exactly where you want it. But that it 4X the money then the 40D.

If you have to shoot wide open, shoot raw and in DPP do an automatic sharpen to 5. The default I believe is 3. The bump up will help nicely with out over sharpening in most cases. If you are not doing so, shoot in AI-Servo mode, and using the full time AF button on the back for focusing and either use Center Focus point or sellect the best one for your subject. I prefer a Custom Function setting of IV 1-3 in AI Servo mode personally.

One way to check or rule out back focus issues is to do a focus test with the camera and subject static. If it is back focusing at that point it is a lens issue. If it is not back focusing in the static test, it will not be a back focusing issue in AI Servo mode either.

 

[DirtyRat]

Unless there is a setting somewhere, 200 ISO is the lowest setting. I see in aperture priority the camera set the shutter speed high. I'll have to shoot to crop more and get those riders faces in focus. I tend to shoot in aperture mode when it gets dark. Riders like that I don't flash their horse(s).
You can view some of my other shots at, http://favorites.smugmug.com
I appreciate your help.

 

[table1349]

Unless there is a setting somewhere, 200 ISO is the lowest setting. I see in aperture priority the camera set the shutter speed high. I'll have to shoot to crop more and get those riders faces in focus. I tend to shoot in aperture mode when it gets dark. Riders like that I don't flash their horse(s).
You can view some of my other shots at, http://favorites.smugmug.com
I appreciate your help.

Page 59 in the manual. ISO speeds and adjustments. In factory default you have from 100-1600. With a custom function you can get 3200. Make sure you are not in Auto ISO mode. Personally I find it to be a useless setting. The only thing more useless is the AI-Focus mode (It doesn't work as advertised) and the Print button.

If you are not using the dedicated AF button, give it a try, but practice with it. It takes a bit of getting used to but is well worth learning.

 

[Mystwalker]

Unless there is a setting somewhere, 200 ISO is the lowest setting. I see in aperture priority the camera set the shutter speed high. I'll have to shoot to crop more and get those riders faces in focus. I tend to shoot in aperture mode when it gets dark. Riders like that I don't flash their horse(s).
You can view some of my other shots at, http://favorites.smugmug.com
I appreciate your help.

One of those 3 (4? one button is for tiny light) buttons on top of your camera is for ISO+something else. If it's "stuck" at 200, you have another problem with camera.