Kirislin Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 I am struggling to get good shots with my Canon 400d even on auto sports mode. Yesterday I went to the beach and tried to get some good shots using the sports mode. I thought the camera was supposed to automatically focus itself as the subject was moving. I took tons and alot are blurry. I am feeling very disheartened this was taken using the long lens and I thought maybe there was just too much for the camera to focus on and maybe it was too far away. some were of Lily running towards me and the camera just wasnt refocussing, is it supposed to or am I expecting too much. what am I doing wrong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke W Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 (edited) I am struggling to get good shots with my Canon 400d even on auto sports mode. Yesterday I went to the beach and tried to get some good shots using the sports mode. I thought the camera was supposed to automatically focus itself as the subject was moving. I took tons and alot are blurry. I am feeling very disheartened this was taken using the long lens and I thought maybe there was just too much for the camera to focus on and maybe it was too far away. some were of Lily running towards me and the camera just wasnt refocussing, is it supposed to or am I expecting too much. what am I doing wrong? In the first case - I suspect it's a combination of two things. Firstly, the lens is a consumer lens and you are at the limits of it's performance. Also you're shooting nearly wide open (at f/6.3, not the optimum aperture for this lens). You could have gotton away with f/8 which might have made the image a bit sharper. Secondly, you need to sharpen images after you've resized them. You should also check the sharpening settings on your camera is you are shooting in JPG. Cranking the sharpening setting up a notch might help as well. Sharpening this image certainly helps. In the second case...It's a combination of a few factors again. The lens isn't the fastest focusing lens in the world and the 450D focusing system isn't 'pro-level' either - so your success rate in AI Servo mode, with rapidly approaching objects (and it's a greyhound !!) isn't goint to be high. You need to hold the shutter button down while the camera goes 'chukachukachuka' and hope that one out of every 6 is a keeper. Even with my 40D (better focusing system) and my better lenses, my success rate in these situations isn't 100%. Oh - and make sure you use the center focusing point only in these situations and keep the subject under the center focusing point!!! Hope this helps. Edited August 28, 2008 by Luke W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted August 28, 2008 Author Share Posted August 28, 2008 Um how did you know all that? all the camera settings my photos were taken on? I am a computer dummy as well as a camera dummy! I need to hire you for the day for onsite instruction. Hey, now there's a thought!! A DOL photography day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tess32 Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 EXIF info is contained in the photo by default....it tells us what settings you used Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted August 28, 2008 Author Share Posted August 28, 2008 What do you mean, how do you tell? I dont know what exif is. you have to spell it out to me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tess32 Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 It's information about what settings you took embedded in the photo. If I save your photo to my computer, open it in a photo program and check the settings, I can see what you did. Basically both your issues are technique, not the camera. The running towards the camera shot IS focused, just not on what you wanted Do you have only the middle focus area used (those little red dots that light up when you focus)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted August 28, 2008 Author Share Posted August 28, 2008 Thankyou, even though it is my technique which needs work I am relieved, I'd rather that than the camera be dodgy. I can learn and improve. I didn't know that about the camera setting details. Do you have only the middle focus area used (those little red dots that light up when you focus)? I had it set on full auto (sports mode) so it did what it wanted to do. I am not sure if I can dictate which areas focus but still keep it in auto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tess32 Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 Take it off sports mode. Put it on AV mode (aperture priority) and turn the dial the lowest aperture number you can get and then change the 'focus' area to only be the middle. Make sure it's on AI servo mode so you can track the subject You might need to look those things up in the manual and how to change but they will help You will work the camera better than auto with those kinds of things, trust me ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kymbo Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 Have you a guide book? I got one for my D200 and it is great for explaining stuff. It is called D200 Digital Field Guide. I am sure they would have one for the D400. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted August 28, 2008 Author Share Posted August 28, 2008 Thanks Tess, it's a lovely day here today so I might go and practice at the park. Kymbo I have the instruction manual but sometimes it doesn't explain enough for me. I wish I could ask it questions and it could answer. for example, I've just yesterday discovered something on the long tele lens that I didn't know was there! It's an extra focussing ring on the end. I dont know what you call it but it seems to fine tune the focus and change the depth of field. there is no mentio of it in the manual cause the manual doesn't really talk about the lenses. I think they assume a certain level of knowledge and understanding that I just dont have. Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kja Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 (edited) I know this might seem silly, but are you focusing the camera or are you just tripping the shutter? Autofocus doesn't mean that the camera just does it - you have to tell it to. With some lenses this actually takes a little time to achieve focus so you need to get a feel for your set up. Try focusing on non-moving subjects before you start shooting the doggies. Focus at something close then something farther - switch it up and see how long it takes to focus and if you can nail focus by simply moving your camera and using the half press (or *, whatever you are set up for). It's good practice to get the feel for things - you can always delete the shots as you're not doing it to get photos, just to learn your camera and lens. Faster focusing is why some lenses are way more expensive Many users leave the AF in the default which is a half press of the shutter button and then a full press to take the shot, but some cameras let you move the focus part to the back * button and then use the shutter just to take the shot when you are sure it's in focus. I use the * button almost all of the time, for some reason it just works better for me. Might be something else to try. Moving subjects - especially FAST doggies - are tough so shooting lots of frames is the best way to up your odds! You can also try putting it in shutter priority mode. Tv on Canons. In this mode you set the shutter so you can freeze the action (say 1/800 or higher) and then the camera chooses the aperture (which gives you the depth of field). Good luck! Edited August 29, 2008 by kja Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted August 29, 2008 Author Share Posted August 29, 2008 Thanks Tess, it's a lovely day here today so I might go and practice at the park.Kymbo I have the instruction manual but sometimes it doesn't explain enough for me. I wish I could ask it questions and it could answer. for example, I've just yesterday discovered something on the long tele lens that I didn't know was there! It's an extra focussing ring on the end. I dont know what you call it but it seems to fine tune the focus and change the depth of field. there is no mention of it in the manual cause the manual doesn't really talk about the lenses. I think they assume a certain level of knowledge and understanding that I just dont have. Linda I'm such a duffer, and I didn't explain it very well. I've gone out an had another play and it's that one part is the zoom in and out and the other is the focus, it's just that because I have never got the damn thing out of auto I didn't even know about it. None of my pics today were very good but at least it's not a old film camera that I'd have to pay for rolls of failed shots and wait a week before I found out they didn't work. KJA is yours a Canon? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kja Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 Yup mine are Canons Sorry to hear you didn't get any keepers, but it does sound like you are learning! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted August 29, 2008 Author Share Posted August 29, 2008 can you explain the * button to me. I just had a look and I pressed it and I could see the symbol in the viewfinder window thingy but what does it do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ripley Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 Camera shake? Try and keep yourself as still as possible when taking photos and don't jab the shutter button either. I had a 350D and twin kit lenses (the same ones that come with the 400D I think) and took it to Europe 2 years ago, leaving it on the AUTO settings - Sports, Potrait, Landscape etc the entire trip as I knew nothing about photography then. My photos came out fine so I don't think it's the camera/lens combination. That cheap lens isn't great, but you can still take some perfectly good photos from it. Ok, here is an example - taken with the same lens you have (pretty sure it's the same lens, they still sell it with the 400d) and using Sports mode (as I had no idea back about taking photos back then but the 350D did the trick). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chezzyr Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 I say this to my friends when they want to buy a new u-beaut camera: "Rome wasn't built in a day" Some of them seem to think they are going to get perfect shots straight out of the box. There are numerous variables - as is being pointed out here and elsewhere. Some of them still struggle months on, but haven't read the manual or anything :D Good to hear you are out practicing, its a great day here for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ripley Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 True, chezzyr. I sent my OH off on an introduction to digital slr photography course and paid for it too. The bugger still takes everything on P or Auto mode. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chezzyr Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 Ripley: my OH is even worse, he just picks up a camera I have been using and starts shooting without checking what settings I have had it on :D (you can visualise M, AV etc etc) :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ness Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 I have to say I have only stuck with automode and found I end up keeping most of my shots (well apart from the ones where I have been trying to get agility shots and the dog has left the shot before I have taken it ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted August 29, 2008 Author Share Posted August 29, 2008 I do read the Instrucion manual but I am ashamed to say I kinda feel my eyes, and mind for that matter glazing over when trying to understand it all. I am going to look into a camera course because I want to get the most out of this monster, it's not gonna beat me, well, not just yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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