Moving objects

ShayK · Jul 14, 2023

I've just bought a Canon EOS 4000D with an EFS 18-55 lens. Primarily I want to take action shots of my dogs. For example, jumping into water. The problem is, by the time the camera focuses and is able to take the shot, the subject is long gone. I've tried Auto on sports mode and I've tried Tv on one shot, AI focus and AI servo. nothing seems to help, it just takes too long to focus. Where am I going wrong?

Strodav · Jul 14, 2023

I am not familiar with your camera, but there are techniques you can use that might help. Before AF cameras, we set the aperture for a large depth of field, like f/8 or even f/11, turn off AF and pre-focus to where you believe the dog will be when you want to take the shot and set to the highest frame rate. Start shooting before your subject gets to your target point and a little after. Hopefully, you'll catch a shot that you'll like. Looking at the specs of your camera, it does have face detection and tracking, so you might want to search the internet for a tutorial on how best to use your camera's AF system.

The other option is a much more modern camera with a very fast AF system with animal eye detect and a high frame rate, but even my older D850 dslr without without animal eye tracking did a pretty good job of capturing our dogs on the move. Here's a shot I took of a neighbor's GoldenDoodle with the D850 and Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 lens. I used a slower shutter speed (1/160s) to capture the feeling of motion.

Don't give up. With a little study and planning you'll get the shots you are looking for with your camera and lens.

wfooshee · Jul 19, 2023

The 4000D has a pretty old AF system, only 9 sensors, so not very good coverage of the screen. I had a Nikon D5000 some years ago, and about half of my shots at air shows were not focused. I got a D7000, and had an almost 100% success rate at the next air show.

The D5000 had an 11-point AF system, the D7000 had 39.

You're up against the age of the camera in this situation, and the suggestion about turning off AF, prefocusing to the general distance, and using a small aperture (high f-number) to maximize depth of field will maximize your chance of getting usable shots.

ShayK · Jul 19, 2023

wfooshee said:
The 4000D has a pretty old AF system, only 9 sensors, so not very good coverage of the screen. I had a Nikon D5000 some years ago, and about half of my shots at air shows were not focused. I got a D7000, and had an almost 100% success rate at the next air show.

The D5000 had an 11-point AF system, the D7000 had 39.

You're up against the age of the camera in this situation, and the suggestion about turning off AF, prefocusing to the general distance, and using a small aperture (high f-number) to maximize depth of field will maximize your chance of getting usable shots.

Thanks, I've actually returned the camera and I'm getting a Nikon D7500 instead.

jeffashman · Jul 19, 2023

Unfortunately, that camera-lens combo won't give you what you want. I started with a similar setup, the 2000D with the same lens, and it is just too slow, both the lens and the camera, and I went through the same frustrations. I would see these wonderful images of birds in flight from other photographers but could never match them. I ended up moving to a 90D and getting a Tamron 18-400mm zoom, because I do bird photography, and need to have a camera-lens combo that would react quickly, since birds like this egret don't wait for one to compose the shot. The speed of the lens itself makes a difference, and can compensate for the camera to an extent, but ultimately it is the combo of a fast processing unit in the camera plus a fast reacting lens that really bring out the shots.

This was taken in manual mode (for the camera) and auto focus at f/11, 1/2000s, and auto ISO, panning the camera with AI servo mode on the bird. I got my 90D refurbished, and they are out there, but still on the pricey side, but you really do need equipment that can react quickly to the moving object.

jan08202307 by Jeff Ashman, on Flickr

Grandpa Ron · Jul 22, 2023

Well you can do what we did in the film days. Manually set your focus to cover the expected depth of field.

It is referred as the hyper-focal length and varies with the f stop. Aperture Priority will let you pick the f stop, then the digital camera will select the shutter speed and ISO.

Obviously if you want a longer depth of field, the smaller apertures will limit your shutter speed and/or increase your ISO. If that is a problem then you have to switch to manual and balance aperture, shutter and ISO individually as best you can, with-in the capabilities of the camera. Usually, the camera's auto-ISO works okay, but it can get noisy in low light.

Just be happy that you are shooting digital and each attempt does not waste any film.

Good luck