Help with aperture? F-Stop? for sports/action photography with a Nikon D80

[p3rfect]

I am an "amateur" photographer whose images have recently been noticed and asked for... That said, I am having a couple of issues.

Most of my photography is at horse shows (hunter/jumper shows to be exact) and I am encountering a couple of issues with focusing specifically. I am using a Nikon D80 and when I use the 18-55mm lens my photos seem fine... as long as I'm "on top" of my subject (the subject being the horse and rider in motion), but when I switch to the 55-200mm lens I can't seem to get the moving object sharply focused. The jump, background and foreground are all sharp and clear, it's just the horse and rider (as they are going over the jump) are just a bit blurry.

Help

 

[Vtec44]

If you post a picture with exif information, I'm sure others will be able to tell you what's wrong. Blurry moving picture is typically caused by not fast enough shutter speed for that particular scene. If you're letting the camera selecting the shutter speed then either your ISO, aperture, or both are not properly set/not supported for that shutter speed.

 

[gsgary]

If you don't know how to use manual switch to aperture priority, 55-200 use your widest aperture which i think is F5.6 at 200mm and aim it at a piece of grass that is lit the same as the horse will be lit, and it will give you a rough idea what your shutter speed will be if it is not at least 1/500 adjust your iso from iso100 to 200 or higher untill your shutter is high enough get as close as posible to the jump to fill the frame the further you are away the more DOF you will have. I usually shoot at 300mm but i don't shoot lower than F4 because i want horse and rider in the DOF
here's a close up shot

 

[imagemaker46]

Sounds like you're just missing the rider with the autofocus.

 

[480sparky]

Turn off the autofocus and prefocus on the spot where you want to take the shot. Wait for the subject to arrive at that spot and fire away.

 

[table1349]

That lens should have a fast enough focus motor to keep up with the action so it is probably user error. To add to what Gary already stated. Single focus point, center focus point will probably be the most responsive. Set your focus to track moving subject. Sorry, don't know what Nikon calls it. If you can get the focusing off of the shutter button and on to a button on the back of the camera under your right thumb. That would be a custom function, read the manual.

Here are some things that will help you capture the action. 1. If you are there with some one else, shut the hell up and ignore them. You can't shoot sports and chat at the same time. If you are not trained on the action all the time you will miss it. 2. Put that camera to your face and keep it there always following the action through the viewfinder and keep that center focus point on the subject of interest. This is where the focus on a back button helps. Keep focusing on the action at all times. 3. Anticipate...Anticipate....Anticipate!!! Be prepared for the action. If you are waiting for the action to happen it is already too late. You have to anticipate and be prepared.

 

[flea77]

If you can get the focusing off of the shutter button and on to a button on the back of the camera under your right thumb. That would be a custom function, read the manual.

I have heard several people mention this now but I guess I just don't understand how this helps. I have shot baseball, basketball, roping, swiming, diving, football, hockey and track & field for years and have never had a desire to take the focus off the shutter button. What does it make better?

Allan

 

[table1349]

If you can get the focusing off of the shutter button and on to a button on the back of the camera under your right thumb. That would be a custom function, read the manual.

I have heard several people mention this now but I guess I just don't understand how this helps. I have shot baseball, basketball, roping, swiming, diving, football, hockey and track & field for years and have never had a desire to take the focus off the shutter button. What does it make better?

Allan

Reduces lag time for one. When you have both on the shutter button there can be a slight lag in focusing when transitioning from focus to shutter release. If they are controlled by two different buttons there focusing never pauses for the shutter release.

 

[imagemaker46]

If you can get the focusing off of the shutter button and on to a button on the back of the camera under your right thumb. That would be a custom function, read the manual.

I have heard several people mention this now but I guess I just don't understand how this helps. I have shot baseball, basketball, roping, swiming, diving, football, hockey and track & field for years and have never had a desire to take the focus off the shutter button. What does it make better?

Allan

Reduces lag time for one. When you have both on the shutter button there can be a slight lag in focusing when transitioning from focus to shutter release. If they are controlled by two different buttons there focusing never pauses for the shutter release.

I shoot sports and have never used the back button, inspite of being told by others that it is the best way to shoot sports. It all comes down to comfort and personal control. If you are good enough, and understand what you are shooting, antisipating and knowing when to shoot is all the matters, like I said, personal control.

 

[gsgary]

I use back button for shooting everything even in the studio

 

[JClishe]

I shoot sports and have never used the back button, inspite of being told by others that it is the best way to shoot sports.

The "best" way is the way that allows you to capture the exposures that you want to capture. What's best for one photographer may not be best for another.

It all comes down to comfort and personal control. If you are good enough, and understand what you are shooting, antisipating and knowing when to shoot is all the matters, like I said, personal control.

Slow down there, turbo. This has nothing to do with being "good enough". It's personal preference.

 

[DiskoJoe]

you need a better lens. the 55-200 does not have a quick enough aperture for some motion shots. I'd suggest a sigma 70-200 f2.8 apo. Costs a bit but the results would be just what your looking for. My friend James uses his for his sports reporting jobs. a 135mm f1.8 would be nice if you wanted to go prime but youd probably like the variable range of the 70-200 more.

 

[p3rfect]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Time to head to the barn and do my homework. I'll let you know what works for me

 

[RacePhoto]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Time to head to the barn and do my homework. I'll let you know what works for me

Yes a faster lens would be nice, higher ISO and faster shutter speed, but the part of the first message that has the answer, is right there.

"The jump, background and foreground are all sharp and clear, it's just the horse and rider (as they are going over the jump) are just a bit blurry."

You need to pan with the subject and follow through. If you are getting the background clear, you are not doing this. It's that simple. Follow the subject.

This is extreme but figure the car is traveling over 100 MPH, the shutter speed is 1/30th of a second. If you pan with a jumper, even at 1/250th you should be able to stop the motion. Of course at 200MM it's more difficult than at 35mm, so there's the second half of your answer.

I'll add that IS does nothing for panning shots or motion, it's for things that have tiny movement or shake, not for stopping action. In fact I turn the IS off, because it slows down focusing, or can cause an IS shift.

Pan and follow. (if you pan and stop, you defeated the purpose of panning) Smooth... Try that, have fun. Take lots of shots, electrons are much cheaper than film. One might say, virtually free!

Straight sideways is more movements, things moving towards you, even if at 45 degrees are not traveling as fast. Use that to your advantage. This one was probably at 1/320th of a speeding race car. Because it's almost straight on, there's less motion.

Oh I suppose I should mention, I shoot manual, so I can control the exposure for the desired effect and situation. All that money for a fancy electronic camera and I shoot sports on manual?

 

[imagemaker46]

I shoot sports and have never used the back button, inspite of being told by others that it is the best way to shoot sports.

The "best" way is the way that allows you to capture the exposures that you want to capture. What's best for one photographer may not be best for another.

It all comes down to comfort and personal control. If you are good enough, and understand what you are shooting, antisipating and knowing when to shoot is all the matters, like I said, personal control.

Slow down there, turbo. This has nothing to do with being "good enough". It's personal preference.

Sorry, I was just making a personal statement about my abilities.