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D2XS slow for sports

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Fireman911

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Can someone help me here, i shoot motocross, fast action pictures, i have been shooting for 3 years now and my D2H gets great pictures, it focuses fast and shoots 8FPS every time. I decide to buy a D2XS off of EBAYith 4000 actuations, when i get a picture in focus its great, such as a still portrait, 99% of the time its out of focus when it come to sports, i have set the settings the same as the D2H, it seems it focuses slow and definately will not get 8FPS.

NMMXphotos.com
 
Sounds like poor technique and relying too much on the 8fps to get what you need. Be that as it may, the D2x is 5fps @ 12mp, and you will get your 8fps at 6mp in High Speed Crop mode (HSC).

I'm sorry... But some photographers today are just getting way too lazy. In the days of manual and AF only (non S type) you needed to learn to anticipate the action. I don't see the old sports photographers complaining when they didn't have 8, 9, 10, 11fps. They got the shots they needed.

Ripping off 8fps is fun, sure, we ALL do it. But you should not rely or complain about it when you miss a shot, it's only your own fault.

Sorry for the vent, nothing personal.
--
Rich
Nikon D2x
NAPP Member
 
Fireman911 said:
Can someone help me here, i shoot motocross, fast action pictures, i
have been shooting for 3 years now and my D2H gets great pictures, it
focuses fast and shoots 8FPS every time. I decide to buy a D2XS off
of EBAYith 4000 actuations, when i get a picture in focus its great,
such as a still portrait, 99% of the time its out of focus when it
come to sports, i have set the settings the same as the D2H, it seems
it focuses slow and definately will not get 8FPS.
Click to expand...
The D2Xs has a much higher density than the D2H so out of focus images are much more apparent. There are several possible issues.

It might be possible that the auto focus adjustment on the D2Xs is out and it needs service.

The custom settings on the D2Xs are not the same as the D2H. (That might be dependent on which version of firmware you have on the D2H but I sold mine right after I picked up a D2X.) If you want fast adjustment, set lock on to off. (a4) To shoot at 8 fps, set you AF-C focus priority to fps. (a1)

Lastly, in 2x mode, remember that you get a 6.9 mp image from a 12mm x 18mm area. On the D2H, you're getting 4 mp from a 16mm x 24mm area. The D2Xs will need to focus better for you to get images that you consider as sharp.

--
Tony

http://www.pbase.com/a5m/ http://AnthonyMedici.naturescapes.net/
 
What lenses are you using?
Fireman911 said:
Can someone help me here, i shoot motocross, fast action pictures, i
have been shooting for 3 years now and my D2H gets great pictures, it
focuses fast and shoots 8FPS every time. I decide to buy a D2XS off
of EBAYith 4000 actuations, when i get a picture in focus its great,
such as a still portrait, 99% of the time its out of focus when it
come to sports, i have set the settings the same as the D2H, it seems
it focuses slow and definately will not get 8FPS.

NMMXphotos.com
Click to expand...
 
What is a1 set to ? I would suggest Focus. It's better to have a couple of in-focus shots than 5 out of focus . . .

--
Take a look at my album . . . http://www.F1Album.com
 
What may also be happening is that I have noticed with my D2x the off centre focus points definately don't focus correctly (they may be able to be adjusted but I just change my technique to compensate). I don't shoot much fast sports so I don't know how that would affect you.
--
John
 
I'd read the camera manual - you might perhaps need to use the rear AF-ON button, as well as the shutter button. What might be happening is that you are'nt focussing between a burst of frames, keeping the AF-ON depressed will adjust focus between frames.
--
Derrick
 
--Derrick,

99% out of focus sound not good. There is something wrong with the camera or the settings. I don't think it's the technique as assumed by previous posters

I have both and had to get used to the d2x, but 99% out of focus never happened to me.

Just check the setting wich are described over here :
http://www.nikonians.org/nikon/multi-cam2000/review.html

Any more questions ?? , just ask !!



Gear : Just two eyes ..........................
 
Anthony is correct, especially when it comes to the CSM-A4 setting. The defaults of the D2x and D2h are different. Check this out.

I know we all have different styles and that one style is not necessarily better than another. I shoot motorsport with both a D2x and a D2h and I love them both. But, if I want an image of an indy car to blow up to poster size or to make a double truck, I shoot with my D2x. I have no problem with the focus following an Indy car coming at me at 230 with either camera. I will say that they do seem to focus differently and you have to take that into account, but I like both.

--
John Cote
http://www.johncotephotography.com

'Cameras are just cr@p we have to lug around because there is no direct brain to printer connection...yet!'
 
If it is already off, then, others have given you great pointers on how it should be better at focussing.

Although a D2H and a D2X share the same CAM 2000 engine, they think differently for focussing, not slower ...
Fireman911 said:
Can someone help me here, i shoot motocross, fast action pictures, i
have been shooting for 3 years now and my D2H gets great pictures, it
focuses fast and shoots 8FPS every time. I decide to buy a D2XS off
of EBAYith 4000 actuations, when i get a picture in focus its great,
such as a still portrait, 99% of the time its out of focus when it
come to sports, i have set the settings the same as the D2H, it seems
it focuses slow and definately will not get 8FPS.

NMMXphotos.com
Click to expand...
--
Yves P.
Share the Knowledge

PBASE Supporter

Some pictures I like:
http://www.pbase.com/yp8/root
 
RachFavinger, its not technique, i shoot for 2 motorcycle magazines, no its not personal, any advive is greatly appreciated. I am using a Nikon 80-200F2.8, i am shooting in high speed crop mode, never get to sue the 8FPS due to the focus is so slow, Aperture priority, CH, continuous on the focus mode selector and dynamic area focus point with the center focus selected and on lock.
 
a1 was set to focus, i changed it to FPS, i am going to try Anthony Medici suggestions, i really appreciate the help, i have gotten great pictures with the D2H, including blowing them up to poster size, but couldnt crop them due to the file size. The reason i bought the D2xs was to allow me to crop. I love the camera for still shots, great detail but i am wondering if its defective, thats where the experts like you come in, i am hoping its a simple fix such as a setting instead of a defect. I will try this weekend at the races with Anthony's settings. Thank you for the help.
 
Did you check the firmware? There was a firmware update for the D2X which improved AF performance (I think it did).
--
HansV
http://www.schoendoos.be
 
your camera is fine, i submit it is your technique.

are you using af-c, what focus mode?
group dynamic or single reticle?.

are you using af-on to focus?

are you shooting head on? or from the side and panning.

what ISO, aperture, shutter speed?

In af-c+cch, the camera will often miss a frame maybe 2, while it is continuously trying to keep up , with what is coming straight at it. In chh the mirror is moving quickly and the focus system is continuously reaquiring. The camera just cannot focus fast enough to keep all the frames sharp.

Point the center reticle on your subject, keep your thumb on the af-on, your shutter depressed and shoot. as long as you keep the subject in your sights, you must get good keepers, just not 100% no really good sportsshooter expects 100%. try what i have suggested, ii am sure this will give you what you want.
 
I use D2X for professional sportsphotography and it is certainly not slow. It sounds to me like you have come closer to the optimal settings. If your new knowledge dont help significantly you need to have your camera checked.

Mine are faster and more precise than f.ex. Canon 1D mkII. I have a very high hitrate. I shoot mainly soccer and handball, but sometimes motorsports too.

My only problem with speed is ISO speed. But we just got a sollution to that problem with D3 I hope.

Would you be so kind as to let us know what you find out.

--
Lars T.
http://www.larstroels.dk

 
I go to work tonight in the Fire Dept, so i cannot shoot motocross tonight, when i get off this weekend i will try your suggestions. I shoot various styles from head on and from the side, yesterday i took 150 shots to get used to a new track design layout, i wanted to scout some areas to get ready for this weekend, all the pictures came out bad except 10, upset on why, most of the corner shots are slow enough that a kid could get the shot. I am using the same technique, lens F2.8 80-200 and f stop as i do on my D2h. Why would it be technique? i am thinking and hoping camera settings. I took a look at the Nikonians website and got to read some great technical help that someone linked me to from here. You have all been great help.
 
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