Originally posted by Ole Moving subjects are quite difficult. The camera can't guess what you want to focus on, so for best results try centerpoint (spot) autofocus so as to avoid that the wall behind the subject gets in focus, or perhaps the "Select Small" setting, where the 9 centermost focus points are in play.
You'll have to experiment with what works best for you, AF.S or AF.C, and then also experiment with the related custom functions CF15 to CF18, where you can select between release priority or focus priority under various circumstances. There are almost too many combinations of settings that one can experiment with on the K-3. If you find a good, working combination please let us all know!
Yeah I'll make a post if I find settings that seem to give good results, there's definitely a lot to learn with the new AF system. It is a little disappointing to just go back to using the centre point as well, especially when my subject is rarely in the centre, and frequently moves enough to warrant the expanded areas. I did get a lot of good shots this way though.
Originally posted by Miguel Those are not-fast lenses in operation in good lighting, so under the seemingly tough lighting you were shooting under perhaps you reached the limits of their capabilities. Also 1/400 may not be enough to freeze action in roller skating. Did you try ISO 12,800? If the lighting was really poor, expectation for any camera may have to be limited.
Originally posted by rawr So more practice with the camera is probably required to get the best out of it, especially for dynamic sporting scenes under low-light. Lots of experience with the way the game flows and the subject works, and the venue lighting, is also usually handy.
And the 50-135 or 50/1.4 wouldn't be my first choice of optics for shooting sports.
I know but they're the lenses I've got, and my K-5 is falling to bits, it wont turn off unless I take the battery out and it freezes up if you don't play nice with it. I was looking at the Sigma 85/1.4 but I'll have to start saving again for that. And in the mean time shoot more bouts. I've shot quite a few now so I know the game quite well. This was with two totally new teams though, so wasn't sure what they were planning. I'll just keep at it. And I daren't try 12,800, the shots are noisy enough at 6,400 as they generally need a push anyway. This is all in amateur little sports centres so the lighting is terrible.
Originally posted by Adam Generally speaking, in low light the AF speed is a lot slower than in good light. This applies to just about about any camera and could definitely explain things, but as others have said it's hard to say without more specific info.
Yeah I figured as much, there was a guy there with a high end Canon and a 70-200/2.8 who was saying the lighting was shocking for autofocus so I was probably just pushing the system a bit far. AI was hoping some people might have tips on technique for it but I guess it's still early days. I'll keep at it and remark on anything useful I find.
In the mean time here are some of the lousy shots:
To be fair it's not even focusing on the wall in some so it's probably just having trouble keeping up, maybe a fault of the 50-135. Screw drive lenses are blazingly fast on the K-3, so I probably should have converted my SDM ones to screw drive before selling my K-x
ah well.
And for good measure some of my favourite shots from the day: