Fully auto for a friend

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Stephen
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I take quite a few images of runners, both on the road and on the fells. I use Manual for a number of reasons. It allows me to change the shutter speed/aperture setting for different situations. I move the focus point around when composing shots and I'm pretty good at this. A friend wants to have a go at a race with me. Yes, I know, I should have an idea what to do, but …. If there are a number of runners coming towards you, what FOCUS settings should I set up? Should I LOCK the focus in the centre? Advice please. Yes, I'm a bit thick, but I do live upt'north and I'm a pensioner.
 
Sorry not a Nikon user but what I do is to "frame" the shot before any runners show up and put the focus point/patch on the location where I want the runner to be in the frame using continuous autofocus. Example:

20181111_094728_123 by Maarten D'Haese, on Flickr

Focus patch was pre-positioned in the left of the frame here.

20181117_091050_014 by Maarten D'Haese, on Flickr

Here I put the focus patch in the right button corner because I know the runners will move out of the frame on the right side and I want the closest runners to be in focus.
 
Instead of trying to find some way around a lack of skill? Why not instead in the time between here and the race, teach your friend how to do it properly and practice?
 
I take a lot of photos of runners. I shoot in manual with a fast shutter speed between 1250 and 1600, I set the aperture to be around f5.6 to give a reasonable depth of field - enough to blur the background but not too small to miss focus - (or down to f2.8 if the light is dim), ISO - auto. I use AI Servo (Canon - Case 6) with a center point cross. I may take hundreds of photos in one session and then batch process in LR. For simplicity and time I never move the focus point, if I want a particular shot different to the main batch then I'll crop it to suit. I take mainly close up shots of the runners which suits center focus points. The hardest part for your friend will be the camera tracking and, if you decide to do so, changing the focal point on the fly as this takes much more practice. (I use a Canon 5d4 with 70-200 f2.8 but I think the setup would be similar for Nikon)

BTW - Is that second one a parkrun photo?
 
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As a start, I'd probably stick to the central AF point and frame loosely to allow room to crop - takes some of the difficulty out of the situation for a relative newcomer. Once he's more up to speed, he should be able to sort his own technique.
 
haha of course manual is pretty useless on a cloudy day so before pronouncing that as the way to go maybe check the forecast :)

people look for harder answer than need to be.. As Nod says.. center point focus.... and continuouse focus so you font have to choose a spot for the runner to enter (which sounds like a daft way of doing it) use aperture priority with the fstop you want (this may depend on the lens so hard to advise) or shutter priority (again depends on light but your shooting a moving subject coming towards you so something half decent ..depends on focul leeangth) and away you go ..

You havent really given us enough info.... but the one thing you cant tell us is what the light will be on the day and thats the most important part..
 
Thanks everyone for the advice. Interesting to hear how different people cope with the same situation. Think I'll start with @Nod 's advice for the first one or two shoots.
 
"haha of course manual is pretty useless on a cloudy day so before pronouncing that as the way to go maybe check the forecast"

Most of my shots are on crappy light days and I use manual to a reasonable effect. What works for one person doesn't mean it works for another.
 
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I tend to photograph things a lot faster and less predictable than a runner.
With a D7200 I would normally be using AF-C d51 starting at the center focus point. When things are more consistent/predictable I may reduce the number of points usable (i.e. d9) and set the starting point off-center.
 
"haha of course manual is pretty useless on a cloudy day so before pronouncing that as the way to go maybe check the forecast"

Most of my shots are on crappy light days and I use manual to a reasonable effect. What works for one person doesn't mean it works for another.


So tell me.. you ahve a shot lined up and you have set everyhting in manual,, just as your about to take the shot ..the sun come out or goes back in.... the runner is there you ahve a second to take the shot or miss it... Please do tell me how manual works for you in that situation then ? I just posted its no use in that situation.. you then post saying it works for you.. so please do enlighten me....
 
You are using a wide aperture f2.8 and f3.2 that will cause the focus to be more critical than if you used f4 / f5.6.

With those type of shots (short lens,wide scene,bright light,slow moving subject) you should not have focus problems really.
 
So tell me.. you ahve a shot lined up and you have set everyhting in manual,, just as your about to take the shot ..the sun come out or goes back in.... the runner is there you ahve a second to take the shot or miss it... Please do tell me how manual works for you in that situation then ? I just posted its no use in that situation.. you then post saying it works for you.. so please do enlighten me....


Shoot in raw and rescue in PP? ;)
 
When I'm shooting running for an agency the bottom line is Ap Priority, F/4 and adjust ISO until at least 1/640s. More experience shooters may use manual modes. Continuous focus mode aiming at the bib or centre body mass, aiming to get full body.
 
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When I'm shooting running for an agency the bottom line is Ap Priority, F/4 and adjust ISO until at least 1/640s. More experience shooters may use manual modes. Continuous focus mode aiming at the bib or centre body mass, aiming to get full body.
Shot today at f4/f5 today at a fell race today - it gives me sharper images. Used manual settings with auto ISO. ISO was 100, so I bumped up the shutter speed. One or two good shots.
 
Most of my shots are on crappy light days and I use manual to a reasonable effect. What works for one person doesn't mean it works for another.



Used manual settings with auto ISO. ISO was 100, so I bumped up the shutter speed. One or two good shots.


So you use an automatic mode after all.
 
More experience shooters may use manual modes.


Really? In the UK we have a lot of days where the weather (lighting) is unpredictable.. the sun can be out one minute and in the next.. Why would anyone with half a brain ( let alone more experienced ?) use manual in those conditions?

you can't choose a shooting mode based on the sport/subject.. Choose shooting mode based on the conditions ..
 
Really? In the UK we have a lot of days where the weather (lighting) is unpredictable.. the sun can be out one minute and in the next.. Why would anyone with half a brain ( let alone more experienced ?) use manual in those conditions?

you can't choose a shooting mode based on the sport/subject.. Choose shooting mode based on the conditions ..

Usually on a running job - 5k, 10k, half marathon, marathon, 24hr ultra marathon or my brief is to try and catch as many runners as possible, usually 2 per runner per position to assist with tagging. They are usually either full length or top 2/3 body shots. Usually two locations, one near the start, and then I have to move to somewhere closer to the finish, whilst there may be other colleagues out on course. If its a rural course there may be shadows cast by hedges and trees, and on an urban course buildings.

The brief usually asks us to shoot at a constant f/4 aperture, whilst maintaining a shutter speed of at least 1/640s to avoid excessive motion blur, to give a 'house style' amongst a team of sometimes one, occasionally ten photogs. The brief usually states to use aperture priority and adjust ISO accordingly to achieve the shutter speed required, applying exposure compensation if necessary to ensure the runner is visible. If the weather is terrible there is leeway to adjust, either f/2.8 or by dropping shutter speed slightly. With possibly 5,000-10,000 runners passing through in quick succession, there is little time to review photos, and if the weather changes you can find yourself shooting and your settings have drifted due to the change in conditions.

The alternative is to use manual mode - dial in the aperture and shutter speed you want and use auto ISO. The problem with this is that many cameras don't allow exposure compensation at the same time, and sometimes its handy to do so.

Whichever mode you happen to be shooting in, you need to be able to quickly review the images during the shoot, without missing any action, in order to present memory cards full of usable images that need little post processing apart from standard recipe, and then go through the tagging phase with race numbers so runners can locate their images easily.

I've shot for a number of agencies in this field and the brief has been broadly similar between each of them.
 
Dear @andrewc :)

I had no issue with your brief.. sounds sensible enoug.. and I made no comment about how you photogrpah.. also seems the most sensible way... i would shoot the same...

what I replied to was your comment that "More experience shooters may use manual modes. " thats the only thing i quoted so you would know that is what i was replying to.. Not sure why you took the time to put your whole brief in and add bit to convince me thats the way... when I never had an issue or commented on the brief.. :)

ta:)
 
Hello @KIPAX,

I thought a broader explanation would be more helpful to other readers. As these photog teams have a mixture of experience levels and cameras they have to have a system that works for everybody. If you choose to deviate away from it, there is a risk it will backfire...

The key thing is to pay attention. Its very easy to zone out and not pay attention to the conditions - or to allow your mind to wander. Its one reason why I prefer not to wear headphones - I know some listen to music etc.,
 
Can I just clear something up please. I do have at least half a brain and I'm happy with the "stuff" I shoot from time to time. I choose MANUAL so that I have control over the shutter speed AND aperture for a number of reasons. I use AUTO ISO, so I suppose I'm not totally MANUAL as it were. Image isn't bad for an old bloke.


32054833457_e88624e581_z.jpg
 
Can I just clear something up please. I do have at least half a brain and I'm happy with the "stuff" I shoot from time to time. I choose MANUAL so that I have control over the shutter speed AND aperture for a number of reasons. I use AUTO ISO, so I suppose I'm not totally MANUAL as it were. Image isn't bad for an old bloke.
I do the same when I want to fix a slower SS...
But yes, there is that confusion as to manual mode setting and full manual...
 
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Cant someone simply have multiple settings banks saved in memory and toggle them. The d7200 can do that but I might be wrong.

So you start on manual if you wish and if conditions become changeable then turn a dial and hey presto an auto set up you prepared and saved earlier that day.
 
Cant someone simply have multiple settings banks saved in memory and toggle them. The d7200 can do that but I might be wrong.

So you start on manual if you wish and if conditions become changeable then turn a dial and hey presto an auto set up you prepared and saved earlier that day.

I use that on my D7200 for bike shots - panning and NOT panning
 
It WAS cold, out for three and a half hours. Raised nearly £200 so far from donations - supporting my local mountain rescue team.
 
Can I just clear something up please. I do have at least half a brain and I'm happy with the "stuff" I shoot from time to time. I choose MANUAL so that I have control over the shutter speed AND aperture for a number of reasons. I use AUTO ISO, so I suppose I'm not totally MANUAL as it were. Image isn't bad for an old bloke.


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Thanks so much for this tip Stephen, this is a settings combination I have never thought of using before, but in fading light at a football match it's perfect! No more constant checking whether Im running out of light. I previously used AE with aperture set to 4.5 or so but as the light disappears you're forever checking that the shutter speed is still high enough for the chosen ISO.
 
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