M50 AF question for AF nerds

Advi wrote:

Hi.

phazelag wrote:

I am asking two questions here:

1. Which AF mode with my M50 for low light skating rink photos of my daughter? Any technique input?

Between 1 photo setup and servo mode, you must pick servo mode, that will track your daughter while she is moving.

M50 has 2 high speed modes:

a) the fastest, that takes 10 pictures per second;

b) the tracking priority mode, that takes 7 pictures per second; prefer this one, as your subject is moving. Out of focus pictures are beyond repair.

Imagine you are trying to take a picture of a baseball player trying to hit the ball. The player is in the same place. In this case, use the fastest mode.

Imagine yourself trying to take a picture of someone running and jumping into a pool.

If you are looking at your subject's side. Use the fastest mode, as is not moving a lot closer or away from your camera.

If you are in front of your subject, use the tracking prioriy mode.

2. Do I need more than 1/125 - 1/250th? When you see how dark they are you will understand.

I could usually get my older daughter on stage with 1/125-1/160th. Sometimes even with stage lights there was not enough light. So 160th would freeze 80% of the photos decently.

Your camera sensor is craving for light.

Looking at your pictures, I would get a 56mm f/1.4 or 85mm f/1.4 prime. When you get your seat, try which lens works better for your position.

Then you can crop later. f/1.4 is 2 stops of light faster than f/2.8. It means a photo taken at 1/250th with 6400 ISO can be taken at 1/500th with 3200 ISO when using a f/1.4 prime.

After you zoom (in or out), your camera has to focus again to a moving subject. So, using a zoom doubles the work of the Auto Focus.

Using a prime lens, there is not the issue of focusing after adjusting the zoom.

Your nifty fifty is not known to be sharp at f/1.8. It gets sharper at f/2.8 on.

And, my friend, if you are shooting action, your shutter speed has to go higher. Try 1/400th or 1/500th to get the jump. Maybe 1/800th or even 1/1000th. Your daughter pictures, when jumping, have motion blur. It means the shutter speed must go higher.

In the end, what do you prefer? To get the picture with grain or not get it at all?

Maybe you find it is acceptable to even shoot at ISO 12800 and later clean the picture with DxO. And get an impossible shot. Put it in black and white, leave some grain. It may look epic!

Some how missed this    Thank you