shooting American football matches

[galone]

What combination of autofocus settings do you use for American football ?

One Shot - AI Servo - AI Focus

and then :

Manual Autofocus Point selection versus Automatic Autofocus Point selection

I have a Canon 6D

 

[hotdog321]

What combination of autofocus settings do you use for American football ?

One Shot - AI Servo - AI Focus

and then :

Manual Autofocus Point selection versus Automatic Autofocus Point selection

I have a Canon 6D

AI Servo. Use center point focus until you get the knack, especially with your 6D.

Personally, I move the focus point(s) up so they hit closer to the player's face instead of the belt buckle. But I use 5D III bodies which have a decent off-center cross-point autofocus--I've read the 6D edge points aren't as good. No first-hand knowledge.

The anemic frames per second of the 6D will be a problem, but you should get some decent stuff. Make sure you only stand in the permitted areas on the sidelines.

 

[galone]

AI Servo, and then Automatic or Manual selection of focus point ?

I am not sure whether these options are available on the Canon 5D mark III

 

[hotdog321]

AI Servo, and then Automatic or Manual selection of focus point ?

I am not sure whether these options are available on the Canon 5D mark III

No. You manually choose focus points with the 5D III, but I would not want the camera choosing focusing points for me. I could see the focus locking onto a nearby player instead of the player with the ball.

 

[galone]

Thank you, Craig. I find specially useful your tip of selecting the upper focus points, closer to the head of the player

 

[hotdog321]

Thank you, Craig. I find specially useful your tip of selecting the upper focus points, closer to the head of the player

My pleasure. It works well for other sporting events, too. Took me forever to "discover" this technique. Handy when you don't have the leisure of focusing and recomposing.































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photojournalist

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[Phil214757]

Thank you, Craig. I find specially useful your tip of selecting the upper focus points, closer to the head of the player

The pro-sports shooting guides when you contract out for sporting events has you stopping down a bit to extend the DOF and targeting near waist so the AF system doesn't get pulled of by target hand motions. If I don't get enough separation off the background I use an adjustment brush in LR to sharpen the subject or soften what I consider a distraction.