Best setting for multiple moving objects (dancers) REBEL XS?

[bbml4]

My camera seems to only catching one or two moving objects clearly and my camera is set on action multi shot.  HELP because I've got a dance recital coming up and need some really clear photos!

[bbml4]

Thank you for all this info. Now I need to find some kids playing to test the different settings on.

[TTMartin]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

You do NOT want AI-Servo.

You do want a large DOF (depth-of-field).  Your lighting may make it impossibile.  Even the best DSLRs have a limit.

Try the highest ISO setting you can accept.  1600 possibly.  Set the Rebel to Av and select f8 or so.  The best bet is to bracket and/or try different settings.  But this is the basic concept you need to use.

Re-read jrhoffman's post.    It is spot on.

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You want both AIServo to continuously track your moving subjects and a larger depth of field to get more dancers in focus.

If you were to just rely on depth of field why use auto focus at all? Why not just manually focus near the center of the stage? I'm being factitious, of course. But, unless you use AIServo for your moving dancers you might as well.

[ebiggs1]

"Why not just manually focus near the center of the stage?"

Exactly!  This is the correct way to do it.  Unless you are tracking a single dancer.  The OP is going to have to rely of DOF if several dancers are the goal.  AI-Servo will not work here.  Possibly not even AF at all.

And Tim Campbell is off the mark about lenses too.  There is no need for a f2.8 lens here either.  Unless one dancer is the goal.

The camera set to Av and f8 with the ISO as high as can be accepted will work.  Like I said, all cameras have a limit and this may be beyound it. 

The OP has the right idea, try it.  Trying several different exposure settings will tell the tale.

"I need to find some kids playing to test the different settings on"

Yes, now you are thinking.  This will tell you if you can do it.  Remeber the larger the f number the greater the DOF will be.  Also the higher the ISO number the less quality you will see.  You need to find this balance.  With the camera set to Av mode, it will select the fastest shutter speed possible.