High speed continuous shooting

[Maximus]

What are some settings and techniques you use for this?

[cicopo]

Generally speaking it's used to either increase your chances of getting a specific shot or series of shots where fast paced action is involved. It's handy when shooting many types of sports, birds in flight or aviation etc. You match an appropriate shutter speed to get the right effect & set the AF to AI Servo & carefully pan with the target in frame and shoot in bursts.

This link will show you 1 of the many sequences I use it for.

https://picasaweb.google.com/TCPRCphotos/BombDrop02?authkey=Gv1sRgCOPN2J78jtqaWQ

[Maximus]

If a shoot 7 continuous shots, will they ALL be in focus or will only some?

[cicopo]

Sometimes yes, most times no. It depends HEAVILY on your skills to follow the action with a smooth pan, having the camera  set properly for the action & having a camera & lens capable of shooting action under whatever circumstances. The more you practice the better your keeper rate. Cameras designed to shoot sports & action will give better results than regular consumer grade cameras, and the same applies to the lenses chosen to shoot the event / action.

Buying a race car doesn't make you a winning driver, nor does buying all the tools in the Snap On truck make you a great mechanic. You improve with practice & when your gear is holding you back you upgrade to a better body or lens etc.

[Maximus]

Totally understand what you are saying. As far as a setting or two go. Lets start with a focus point. Would you use a single? Case in point. My family coming down the drop on a roller coaster. No obstructions. Sunny day. I have a Canon 70-200 2.8. What are your iso thoughts and aperture. I used 5.6. Would you go to 9 or 11? I got one or two good ones each ride they took.

[cicopo]

Use Tv mode & a fast shutter speed to freeze action rather than Av. In good light shoot at 1/1000 to 1/2000 for that kind of thing. Also you can use just the center AF point & try your best to keep it on something specific like a head of one passenger. The better you can stay on that head the better your chances of getting the perfect shot. People who shoot BIF (birds in flight) try to place the AF point on the eye which obviously takes great practice but it helps keep a smooth pan. Also be sure to set the AF system to AI Servo so it's tracking all the time you pan (either half press the shutter button or assign AF to the rear button but keep it tracking throught the panning sweep.) When you've finished shooting the burst continue panning for a second or 2 more (follow through).

[Maximus]

What would you do as far as aperture I set it at 5.6. A little more, a little less? What do you think.

[cicopo]

By using Tv mode the camera picks the aperture required for the ISO used. You may have to use some Exposure Compensation to make minor adjustments to the exposure but when shooting any form of fast paced action it's the shutter speed you need to control. IF you prefer to use manual & set both the Tv & Av then use the light meter reading to match the appropriate Aperture to the set shutter speed.

[Maximus]

Interesting. I will try the TV. Up until now I was going all manual and setting it myself. That's way I asked about aperture. I'm asking because I don't know. If I did it that, would the camera pick 2.8-if it did, I would imagine there will be much out of focus. I will experiment. I appreciate your help immensely!

[cicopo]

You shouldn't need to worry about the camera selecting f2.8 in decent light and you can prevent it from happening by raising the ISO so you're shooting in the f5.6 - f11 range. You can also lower your shutter speed a bit. This R/C jet was going well over 200 MPH & I shot tha frame at 1/800

https://picasaweb.google.com/TCPRCphotos/The2010SmithsFallsZoneGFunFlyDay1TheJets#552065333362702560...