Second Attempt using the Tamron 70-200 at Soccer

[taat2d]

Please take a look at these shots i took tonight. I took my time, and tried not to rush any shots I took tonight. I tried to be VERY conscience of my every more. Let me know if these are any better. As always CC is NEEDED, WANTED, and ALWAYS WELCOMED!!
Thanx for looking

1/1000, f5.6, ISO400, FL 200mm

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1/1000, f5.6, ISO400, FL 200mm

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1/1000, f5.6, ISO400, FL 200mm

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1/1000, f5.6, ISO400, FL 150mm

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[flash3flight23]

looks a little soft?

 

[topher04r1]

Joe i like shot 3 but it looks like the focus picked up on the grass behind the kids just a bit ....

also if you can, try keeping your back to the sun, it should help a bit with the shadows

 

[taat2d]

Joe i like shot 3 but it looks like the focus picked up on the grass behind the kids just a bit ....

also if you can, try keeping your back to the sun, it should help a bit with the shadows

When I checked the focal point in NX it showed right between my son and the other kids faces. I shot that in AF-S, AF/ON. Have any idea why it would lock focus on the grass?

 

[taat2d]

looks a little soft?

I thought so too. It looks like the 200mm end EVERYTHING came out a little soft.

 

[topher04r1]

why af-s and not AF-C

 

[taat2d]

why af-s and not AF-C

I was shooting in both to see if there was any difference with my performance. :biggrin:

I also tried shooting in SP for a few, and M. USUALLY I forget that I can change settings. So finally I tried to do a few different things tonite.

That shot i used AF-S because they weren't moving.

 

[topher04r1]

strange..... that it didn't focus correctly.... im starting to wonder if you have a bad copy....

here's what i think you need to do ....

set up a controled test or some sort to check the lens ... tape some newspaper up to the wall and setup your camera on a tripod (single point af) and take a few shots from f/2.8 - 8 (each time with a new focus lock) and check to see your results....

 

[taat2d]

strange..... that it didn't focus correctly.... im starting to wonder if you have a bad copy....

here's what i think you need to do ....

set up a controled test or some sort to check the lens ... tape some newspaper up to the wall and setup your camera on a tripod (single point af) and take a few shots from f/2.8 - 8 (each time with a new focus lock) and check to see your results....

Just checking some more shots i took tonight in NX. I checked focus point on the shots. The focus point showed my sons head. When I look at the ACTUAL focal point, it's WAY in front of my son and the grass blades are tack sharp. Is that front focus?

 

[Anthony8858]

Mind if I chime in?

Many times, people accuse the lens of front or back focus, when in fact it's so easy to focus, then move a inch or two while trying to brace a heavy lens.

Try a tripod with a nice swivel head, and follow the action.

 

[taat2d]

The worst thing is that I'm NOT having FUN!!!!!! This is REALLY starting to bother me.

 

[topher04r1]

i dont know what else to tell ya man, at f5.6 your lens should be dead sharp and if it's not then you have a problem .... set up a controlled test and find out if the problem is you or the lens and then go from there

 

[cleoent]

Hi Joe, dont give up! In a few months when you're a pro at this you'll look back and laugh at all the troubles you had starting out, and next season you'll laugh about it even more!

Let me ask you a few Q's....

1) Picture one, looks overly sharpened, did you sharpen it? If not, what is your in camera sharpening set to?

2) Pic 2, there's some noise in the background, any sharpening done to this one?

3) Pic 3, is this a fairly heavy crop? There's not much detail in the pic at all. Do you have any kind of noise reduction running in camera? Or did you use any in PP? Your son's face looks like clay, no detail at all.

4) I like pic 4, but it looks like there is some kind of quality issue with the resizing software/settings you're using. What software are you using to shrink your pics for the web? Maybe this is a major problem with your PP.

I also would always use AF-C when photographing kids, they dont stay still for a second and a few inches makes a big difference.. IMO of course.

 

[cleoent]

Forgot.. one more Q:

What time of day are his soccer practices at? Are they later in the day (say 3pm or later)?? If so, are you using the sun to your advantage? (IE at your back, lighting up your subjects?)

Is it possible for you to move a bit closer to the action?

 

[DJVCuda]

IMO you can never shoot action with AF-S -


AF-S - Single will focus ONCE and let you recompose your shot

AF-C - Continuous will keep focusing as the subject moves.

When I first got my D80 I tested this out on a moving object.
AF-S made the background sharp while I was tracking a moving object
AF-C or AF-A tracked the object and kept it in focus and made the background blurred.

 

[taat2d]

Hi Joe, dont give up! In a few months when you're a pro at this you'll look back and laugh at all the troubles you had starting out, and next season you'll laugh about it even more!

Let me ask you a few Q's....

1) Picture one, looks overly sharpened, did you sharpen it? If not, what is your in camera sharpening set to?

2) Pic 2, there's some noise in the background, any sharpening done to this one?

3) Pic 3, is this a fairly heavy crop? There's not much detail in the pic at all. Do you have any kind of noise reduction running in camera? Or did you use any in PP? Your son's face looks like clay, no detail at all.

4) I like pic 4, but it looks like there is some kind of quality issue with the resizing software/settings you're using. What software are you using to shrink your pics for the web? Maybe this is a major problem with your PP.

I also would always use AF-C when photographing kids, they dont stay still for a second and a few inches makes a big difference.. IMO of course.

1. My PP skills are worse than my photography skills!!
2. Yes VERY minimal.
3. Yes the kids were pretty far away. No noise reduction in cam. That was my feeble attempt at PP. Yes I agree my sons face looks like clay. Haha
4. I crop using CS3 and just starting using NX. I hope that's what you meant.

 

[taat2d]

Forgot.. one more Q:

What time of day are his soccer practices at? Are they later in the day (say 3pm or later)?? If so, are you using the sun to your advantage? (IE at your back, lighting up your subjects?)

Is it possible for you to move a bit closer to the action?

The practices are are 6PM. The sun is coming from my right at that time of day. Next practice I plan on keeping my back to the son and see if that yields better results.

And yes I plan on TRYING to get closer for my next try.
Thanx Leo for pointing out these lil things.

 

[cleoent]

The practices are are 6PM. The sun is coming from my right at that time of day. Next practice I plan on keeping my back to the son and see if that yields better results.

And yes I plan on TRYING to get closer for my next try.
Thanx Leo for pointing out these lil things.

oh man, you definitely have to shoot with your back to the sun. 6pm should lend itself some pretty gorgeous shots and you're goign to love the results just with that one change.

 

[cleoent]

1. My PP skills are worse than my photography skills!!
2. Yes VERY minimal.
3. Yes the kids were pretty far away. No noise reduction in cam. That was my feeble attempt at PP. Yes I agree my sons face looks like clay. Haha
4. I crop using CS3 and just starting using NX. I hope that's what you meant.

When using CS3, do you use save for web to save your jpgs? If so what quality setting do you use?

I always save mine at 100% quality with save for web, or perhaps if using the save as, select maximum.

Everyone has dial up now a days. Also check to see if smugmug does anything to your pics (shrinks em, sizes them) that could also be the problem.

 

[taat2d]

When using CS3, do you use save for web to save your jpgs? If so what quality setting do you use?

I always save mine at 100% quality with save for web, or perhaps if using the save as, select maximum.

Everyone has dial up now a days. Also check to see if smugmug does anything to your pics (shrinks em, sizes them) that could also be the problem.

Leo what do you mean by saving for web? I've never done that, didn't know I should. I just do my limited PP crop the shot then save it and then eventually post it.