sharper/better focused images, fast sports?

[shadowlands]

OK, to make a long story short, I want more "keepers" when I shoot sports. My son plays football. I stand on the sidelines and try to capture images of him in action, etc...
I get some keepers, but just as many out of focus captures to toss.
What gives? Could use some pointers. Not looking for better equipment. Just looking to nail focusing more often.
D800 & 70-200 VRI
I use "C" continuous and I've tired 9 points, 51 points, 3D, etc.. can't seem to master this aspect of shooting.

 

[weepete]

Try a single point, or group area af (5 point) make sure he is big enough in the frame to get the focus locked and keep the shutter speed up! Also try and trip the shutter just before the peak of the action rather than randomly burst shooting.

The nature of sports and wildlife though means you will be trashing a lot of shots anyway.

 

[shadowlands]

Try a single point, or group area af (5 point) make sure he is big enough in the frame to get the focus locked and keep the shutter speed up! Also try and trip the shutter just before the peak of the action rather than randomly burst shooting.

The nature of sports and wildlife though means you will be trashing a lot of shots anyway.

Appreciate it. Thanks for taking the time. I shoot in AP at 2.8. Would I be better off shooting in SP?

 

[shadowlands]

I swear I once got sharper images with moving sports. I just restored my camera to factory defaults. My glass tests just fine.
It's something with focusing ability, and or my technique, lack of.

 

[weepete]

Appreciate it. Thanks for taking the time. I shoot in AP at 2.8. Would I be better off shooting in SP?[/QUOTE]

Ah, that could be it. In my opinion, yes though there are a lot of people who shoot that way. Personally I prefer shooting in manual with auto ISO so I can set the DOF and keep the shutter speed high enough, I control exposure through the metering mode. I'm a canon shooter so dont know the nikon metering modes but I normally use Centre Weighted Average, possibly a spot meter if the lighting is really difficult but it can be very hard to control. Some places are just too dim lighting wise for sports and you are allways on to a looser unless you can get some flashes in there, but a lot of places that is just not allowed.

 

[smoke665]

Ron Lane another TPF member does some fabulous sport shots. Here is a link to the posting where he describes his technique. Will need to scroll down some, post #5. HS Football - week 3 I learned something thanks to him.

 

[SCraig]

Single-point autofocus, turn the multiple points off unless you want your focus jumping everywhere. Manual mode or shutter priority, not aperture priority. Aperture means little unless the area is dimly lighted. Keep your focus point ON THE SUBJECT AT ALL TIMES. Don't let it move off. That means you will have to pan the camera with the subject and that does take some practice. If you want to completely freeze everything in the frame use 1/2000 second shutter speed, possibly 1/1000. Much slower if you want the background to show motion blur, which I personally prefer. Shooting motorsports I typically use 1/125 second. Play with the shutter speed until you get the results you like. If it's dim you'll have to sacrifice some shutter speed to get a decent exposure.

The important thing is to keep the focus point on the subject at all times. Pan with the subject and don't let the focus point get off him.

 

[ronlane]

@smoke665 pretty much made my comment for me on this one, huh???? lol.

The advice you have been given is solid and will help you. I would really suggest the single point focus area to help with the camera from moving the point on you.

The big thing that I would add to what has been said here is to use back button focus if you aren't already. It will take some getting used and jumping from QB to WR you have to remember to lift and acquire focus again but give it time.

I will add this as far as keepers. I have a decent keeper rate but there are still nights that I take 325 images and end up keeping only about 100-125.

 

[Derrel]

My suggestions:
3) Read The Manual 2) practice. 1) buy the Thom Hogan Complete Guide to the D800/D810/

MANUALLY select the starting AF area using the button pad on the back of the camera is a key part of Nikon AF.

There is a 90% chance you have the LOCK ON setting set to the wrong value, since it is in Japanese English, and is utterly backward from what most people think it means.

 

[shadowlands]

My suggestions:
3) Read The Manual 2) practice. 1) buy the Thom Hogan Complete Guide to the D800/D810/

MANUALLY select the starting AF area using the button pad on the back of the camera is a key part of Nikon AF.

There is a 90% change you have the LOCK ON setting set to the wrong value, since it is in Japanese English, and is utterly backward from what most people think it means.

LOCK ON? I will look into that.

 

[shadowlands]

Thanks!

 

[shadowlands]

Single Point Focus it is, moving forward.

 

[astroNikon]

Yes from all the above.

I learned long ago when doing sports on my D7000 that Single Point focus is the way to go. After all, you want to focus on ONE particular subject. The camera's computer doesn't know that. The camera wants to focus on the best contrast detected image out there. I learned that with the 70-300 nikon lens which, because of contrast issues, liked to focus on background fences and other subjects with more contrast. Nikon's also like the cross detection points in the middle of the frame (on the older AF systems).

The single focus point will give you focus on the subject that YOU want, not the camera's computer. You do have to keep your aim on the subject.

I also always use Manual Exposure because I want a particular Aperture and a particular Shutter Speed. You can use AP and SP but have to set those other limits to do what you want in your parameters.

ie, you want f/2.8 for subject isolation
and you want a high shutter speed to stop action.
you need both with AUTO ISO to control the ISO

Though one particular person here on TPF showed AP with parameters to counter if it got too bright the shutter would increase if the camera was at base ISO for a proper exposure.

Once I got all that and worked on my finger's ability to push the button half way my capture rate for in-focus shots skyrocketed. Many times I knew when I took a shot that was OOF before looking at it. (I have to Focus Acquire turned off)

As the action moved I also kept the focus throw short by focusing on the moving action but not taking a pic unless I wanted too. This minimized the focus throw distance for the lens and improved keepers once again.

I also try to get the action (primarily soccer) moving towards me. So I'm not in the "middle" of the sidelines but I try to be at the corners to get the action and faces coming towards me.

 

[shadowlands]

Yes from all the above.

I learned long ago when doing sports on my D7000 that Single Point focus is the way to go. After all, you want to focus on ONE particular subject. The camera's computer doesn't know that. The camera wants to focus on the best contrast detected image out there. I learned that with the 70-300 nikon lens which, because of contrast issues, liked to focus on background fences and other subjects with more contrast. Nikon's also like the cross detection points in the middle of the frame (on the older AF systems).

The single focus point will give you focus on the subject that YOU want, not the camera's computer. You do have to keep your aim on the subject.

I also always use Manual Exposure because I want a particular Aperture and a particular Shutter Speed. You can use AP and SP but have to set those other limits to do what you want in your parameters.

ie, you want f/2.8 for subject isolation
and you want a high shutter speed to stop action.
you need both with AUTO ISO to control the ISO

Though one particular person here on TPF showed AP with parameters to counter if it got too bright the shutter would increase if the camera was at base ISO for a proper exposure.

Once I got all that and worked on my finger's ability to push the button half way my capture rate for in-focus shots skyrocketed. Many times I knew when I took a shot that was OOF before looking at it. (I have to Focus Acquire turned off)

As the action moved I also kept the focus throw short by focusing on the moving action but not taking a pic unless I wanted too. This minimized the focus throw distance for the lens and improved keepers once again.

I also try to get the action (primarily soccer) moving towards me. So I'm not in the "middle" of the sidelines but I try to be at the corners to get the action and faces coming towards me.

I appreciate the tips. Hey, 3D tracking is never mentioned. It's over-rated, I'm hearing? I will truly go back to single spot focus for sure. I believe that's what I did in the past with more success.
Auto ISO, note taken.

 

[astroNikon]

Yes from all the above.

I learned long ago when doing sports on my D7000 that Single Point focus is the way to go. After all, you want to focus on ONE particular subject. The camera's computer doesn't know that. The camera wants to focus on the best contrast detected image out there. I learned that with the 70-300 nikon lens which, because of contrast issues, liked to focus on background fences and other subjects with more contrast. Nikon's also like the cross detection points in the middle of the frame (on the older AF systems).

The single focus point will give you focus on the subject that YOU want, not the camera's computer. You do have to keep your aim on the subject.

I also always use Manual Exposure because I want a particular Aperture and a particular Shutter Speed. You can use AP and SP but have to set those other limits to do what you want in your parameters.

ie, you want f/2.8 for subject isolation
and you want a high shutter speed to stop action.
you need both with AUTO ISO to control the ISO

Though one particular person here on TPF showed AP with parameters to counter if it got too bright the shutter would increase if the camera was at base ISO for a proper exposure.

Once I got all that and worked on my finger's ability to push the button half way my capture rate for in-focus shots skyrocketed. Many times I knew when I took a shot that was OOF before looking at it. (I have to Focus Acquire turned off)

As the action moved I also kept the focus throw short by focusing on the moving action but not taking a pic unless I wanted too. This minimized the focus throw distance for the lens and improved keepers once again.

I also try to get the action (primarily soccer) moving towards me. So I'm not in the "middle" of the sidelines but I try to be at the corners to get the action and faces coming towards me.

I appreciate the tips. Hey, 3D tracking is never mentioned. It's over-rated, I'm hearing? I will truly go back to single spot focus for sure. I believe that's what I did in the past with more success.
Auto ISO, note taken.

3D tracking is nice especially if there is only ONE subject you are tracking and it's a clear background. Different 3D tracking/AF systems will vary a bit on that. But in soccer (or whatever), if you use 3D tracking what subject is the camera going to initially focus on? If you are using a large aperture there could be a possibility that the real subject you want is OOF.

So Single Focus puts all the effort on the photographer. If you focus on the Subject that you want, then it's your finger, the lens focus speed, and how quickly you take the shot. Less things to go wrong, hopefully.