Kirislin Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 (edited) This Sunday we're having a Whippet Racing training day. I wont be needed to drive the lure, it's a different set up so I am hoping to be able to take some photos of whippets running. So far most of my efforts have been dismal so I thought I'd ask here for some pointers. The whippets will be running towards me, head on, and very fast, about 50ks or more. In the past with my own whippets I can never seem to get the camera to refocus as they get closer. My camera, Canon 400D my lenses: a kit efs 18-55 non is a kit ef 75-300mm non is efs 17-85mm IS USM ef 50mm 1.4 USM. I am assuming the two highlighted ones will be the ones I need but feel free to suggest otherwise. I am also assuming I will need to have the camera on continuous shooting and AI Servo, is that right? If you can give me some advice on what to have the camera set on I would appreciate it. I cant get side on. It's at a different track which is long and narrow and has high black cyclone wire fencing with black shade cloth on it. I will have to get them front on. Edited March 10, 2009 by Kirislin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruthless Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 (edited) Do they have to be running towards you? Can you not position yourself to the side? That's where I'd want to be so I could track them as I'm shooting [turn from the waist]. Your 50mm is your fastest lens. If you can get close enough I'd use that one. Also, just use the centre focus point. Continuous burst with the H, AI Servo. Fast shutter speeds, not too shallow DOF. Good luck! My dogs LOVE lure coursing too! ETA Woops, I'm not an expert and I answered anyway Edited March 10, 2009 by ruthless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted March 10, 2009 Author Share Posted March 10, 2009 Do they have to be running towards you? Can you not position yourself to the side? That's where I'd want to be so I could track them as I'm shooting [turn from the waist].Your 50mm is your fastest lens. If you can get close enough I'd use that one. Also, just use the centre focus point. Continuous burst with the H, AI Servo. Fast shutter speeds, not too shallow DOF. Good luck! My dogs LOVE lure coursing too! ETA Woops, I'm not an expert and I answered anyway I cant get side on. It's at a different track which is long and narrow and has high black cyclone wire fencing with black shade cloth on it. I will have to get them front on. What's H? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruthless Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 There's two types of burst, one has a H beside the icon on your LCD, it's the faster of the two. I'm not sure what to tell you about capturing them running towards you head on at 50kph I think you're setting yourself a very hard task there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted March 10, 2009 Author Share Posted March 10, 2009 There's two types of burst, one has a H beside the icon on your LCD, it's the faster of the two.I'm not sure what to tell you about capturing them running towards you head on at 50kph I think you're setting yourself a very hard task there! I dont think the 400D has H. I've seen some amazing pics people have taken of whippets running head on but maybe they've got fancier cameras than me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruthless Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Any links? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted March 10, 2009 Author Share Posted March 10, 2009 these are greyhounds but you get the idea. still looking for whippets http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showth...ghlight=whippet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruthless Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 See what lens he's using? Could you rent one for the day? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rugerfly Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Use a Nikon D3 and a 80-400mm zoomy :rolleyes: The 'coming towards you shots' are the easiest action shots to take apparantly and I forget why I think i was on 1/1000 for this. A lot of it will depend on your light too so dont forget to bump up your ISO a tad if you need to get some speed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted March 10, 2009 Author Share Posted March 10, 2009 Use a Nikon D3 and a 80-400mm zoomy :rolleyes: The 'coming towards you shots' are the easiest action shots to take apparantly and I forget why I think i was on 1/1000 for this. A lot of it will depend on your light too so dont forget to bump up your ISO a tad if you need to get some speed. Ruger what's your address so I know where to come and shove dog poo under your car door handles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rugerfly Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke W Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 If the AI Servo and tracking isn't working for you, you could try to pre-focus on a spot ahead of the dogs and trip the shutter when they reach the spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubiton Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 These were taken with ai servo - you must keep the sensor on the subject and not slip off. However head on is the HARDEST movement shot to do the side on is the easiest as it can track a lot easier. With head on shots the tracking can fall behind so the butt is focused but not the face. BTW the one above where she looks very nasty is an optical illusion - she just sucking in air to make the run at me!!!!! (think its the whites of the eyes that make her look evil!!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rugerfly Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 Kirs, something else to consider if using manual settings, and it makes it easier being head on if you have lower light situations and you wont have to sacrifice your depth of field. Direction of Movement For a given shutter speed, if your subject is running perpendicular to the camera, then you need a faster shutter speed to capture the shot. If your subject is running at an angle towards the camera, then a slower shutter speed would suffice. An example is a photo of your pet dog. A dog running towards you would require a slower shutter speed then a dog running across you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted March 15, 2009 Author Share Posted March 15, 2009 I listened and I am reasonably pleased with the results. I used the 75-300kit, tried to keep off being fully zoomed, although forgot a few times. ISO 800 so they're a bit grainy, yes I know I am supposed to say 'noisy'. Mostly TV 1/800 I think. centre focus and centre weighted metering too which I haven't used before. anyway have a look here http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?show...p;#entry3505389 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubiton Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 (edited) Pretty good considering it looks pretty dark day for taking pics and those dogs would have been tiny targets to keep the centre sensor on. Dont judge the grain on the ones that are a little lighter like the first one as you'll find if you get prints the grain is not so obvious. Sometimes the image will look grainy if the image is still a little under exposed and will disappear if the conditions lighten enough that you are spot on or a tiny bit over exposed. On a couple that are a a little soft focus see how the dirt they are leaping out of is in perfect focus? Thats why its so hard to get good head on pics the auto focus sometimes cannot keep up. The photos of the black dog I put up before many were soft because the auto focus was being left a tiny bit behind. If you can take them side on the focus will keep up a lot better. Edited March 15, 2009 by rubiton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted March 15, 2009 Author Share Posted March 15, 2009 thanks for the encouragement. Yes they were tiny targets and it is infuriating to see beautifully focussed sawdust in so many! grrrrrr! but overall I am quite happy, these are by far the best action shots I've taken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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