Rugby Focusing Technique

gibtheo

gibtheo

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Steven
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Personally I love photographing rugby league, but I haven't really settled on the best technique of focusing yet, I just wondered if anyone had any thoughts on best practice or what they find works well?

I switch between single point focus and single point with side assist points too, I have it so it's moveable with the joystick.

As a lot of the closer action (when sat behind the try line) is on the ground, my default focus point position on the 70-200 is not centre, but one or two clicks down.

Thoughts anyone?
 
I've just been converted to back button focusing and having great results with it. My kids are as quick as rugby players......

If you can get used to it its perfect for fast moving subjects. Have a google :)
 
Yea thanks Dan, I'm aware of back button focus, tried it a few times and I didn't get on with it. Mainly because my thumb is busy moving the joy stick. Maybe I move the focus point more than most? Maybe I'll persist with it and double up thumb duties. I photograph a fair bit of local footy so maybe I'll persist and shoot the next one with BBF as they aren't really too important.
 
good grief....... use BBF and your focusing will improve and your keeper rate will shoot up... give it a few matches though.. need to get used to it...
 
I never got on with BBF either, and if I'm honest, if the subject is nearly always moving I don't see the point in it. I also now have other functions which I use more assigned to the rear buttons.

If you find that you're moving to a regular focus point (such as 2 clicks down from centre) then try registering that AF point, then with the press of a button you can instantly switch to that point and back again.
 
Toggerman said:
I never got on with BBF either, and if I'm honest, if the subject is nearly always moving I don't see the point in it. I also now have other functions which I use more assigned to the rear buttons.

If you find that you're moving to a regular focus point (such as 2 clicks down from centre) then try registering that AF point, then with the press of a button you can instantly switch to that point and back again.
Click to expand...

That's the exact point (or at least one of them) of BBF. It allows you to track the subject without a shutter half press and continue to track after you've shot off a couple of frames.
 
DemiLion said:
That's the exact point (or at least one of them) of BBF. It allows you to track the subject without a shutter half press and continue to track after you've shot off a couple of frames.
Click to expand...

You can still do that with the shutter button, when you release it you can go straight back to half pressed, you don't have to fully release. I can track a player/car/etc and fire off several 3-4 frame bursts without stopping AF in between, in that respect I can't see an advantage that BBF would give me.
 
I would have thought centre point focussing would be a lot easier, just point at the oval thingy:p
 
Toggerman said:
I never got on with BBF either, and if I'm honest, if the subject is nearly always moving I don't see the point in it..
Click to expand...

eerm but that is the point.. BBF is for moving subjects.. Theres a possibility you have the wrong end of the stick? :)
 
KIPAX said:
eerm but that is the point.. BBF is for moving subjects.. Theres a possibility you have the wrong end of the stick? :)
Click to expand...

Oh for Pete's sake, my response to that is in post #8. A shutter button doesn't have to be fully released, you can keep it half pressed, hence still focussing, after you've rattled off a few shots. Fair enough some people might not have the dexterity in their finger in which case BBF is better. Personally I find it a doddle to do, so again, I can't see the point in BBF myself especially when I can assign that button to another function.

I'm not saying that BBF doesn't work for some people, but it also doesn't work for everyone. The OP had already said he didn't get on with it.
 
Ok, didn't mean this turn into a BBF thread but I did a game of football and three rugby league games this weekend, all with BBF and yes, it is better and I got used to it very quickly. Still went for the shutter a few times before realising there was no focus but by the end it was all good. For any rugby league fans, I was photographing the guy pictured below... can you name him?!

View attachment 32751
 
Bob! I like Bob......::), glad you've settled on a use Steven!. I find BBF hit & miss tbh! but, I do use it mostly for Rugby League, however, my play on it is I have both the back button & shutter button in play & juggle between the 2?. Kind regards Graham.
 
Haha! It's Greg Eden, recently signed for Brisbane Broncos from Hull KR. He's out playing for Wynnum Manly Seagulls at the moment.

Yea, I think I'll continue with it, more footy tomorrow night so another chance to practice. I'm now thinking that I leave my camera set up BBF all of the time, not just sports, just so I don't get confused, I guess that makes sense! It'll be strange leaving the half depress behind after all these years....

Wouldn't having focus still attached to the shutter button make BBF redundant?
 
Tried BBF for the first time last weekend, at a rugby match. Took a while to get used to (missed the 1st try :() but eventually started to get the hang of it. Can see the advantages of it and will keep trying
 
PJS said:
Tried BBF for the first time last weekend, at a rugby match. Took a while to get used to (missed the 1st try :() but eventually started to get the hang of it. Can see the advantages of it and will keep trying
Click to expand...


took me a few games to get proper used to it.. then the original way becomes odd :)
 
I now use BBF for rugby and wildlife! Takes a little time to get used to but I likes it!
 
I've used BBF for ages now, as others have said, takes a bit of time to get used to it, but you get some cracking results...

Even had my first usage in the paper for a long time this week, and its not even from the team I cover :D
 
I love BBF now, makes things so much easier ever since I started using it. Plus it has the benefit of confusing a family member or friend who says "how hard can photography be?" and asks to take a photo with my camera :naughty: Every one they take ends up out of focus, I sit there and laugh quietly to myself...

More on point, yes BBF is good. I don't like to use the single point AF, just in case my subject tracking lets me down, so I go with the single point with assist points, or even zones if it's a big enough subject in the viewfinder. The depth of field is going to be reasonably forgiving at most distances, allowing some minor errors in focus to go unnoticed. (Unlike portrait photography where you might use a 85mm f1.4 and aim the focus on an eye, and end up with razor thin DOF that's easy to miss)
 
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