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Is There a "Sports Mode" shooting mode for Canon Mark iii 5 D like the T3i?

JPhardboiled
Contributor

The T3i has a "sports mode" and when shootign in it basiclly it captures everything well

 

Is there a "sports mode" or an equivalent on the Mark iii 5 D?

4 REPLIES 4

TCampbell
Elite
Elite

No "sport" mode.  Here's why.

 

All camera exposures are really just a combination of three exposure elements - aperture size, shutter speed, and ISO setting.  

 

The scene-based modes found on Rebel and mid-range bodies are really just using those same three values, except selecting the values that a photography might use if shooting that particular type of image.

 

For example... if I'm shooting a portrait and I wanted a blurred background, I might choose a very large aperture size (which means a low "focal ratio" value since lower numbers = large opening) and then adjust the shutter speed until the light meter indicates a correct exposure.  

 

If I want to shoot a "landscape" then I probably want everything in focus (not a blurred background), so I'd select a very tiny aperture opening (such as f/16) which creates a much broader "depth of field" (the range of distances at which things will seem to be acceptably focused.)  And again... adjust the shutter speed until the light meter indicates I have a correct exposure.

 

If I want to shoot action photography, then I might want to freeze the action to avoid motion blur -- so I'd set the shutter speed to a something fast enough to freeze action (usually at least 1/500th or faster) and then adjust the aperture until the meter indicates a correct exposure.  But the camera lens is limited in just how large that aperture size can go... when I run out of the ability to increase it's size, I'll probably have to start boosting the ISO setting.

 

New photographers may not be accustomed to this, but it's second nature to experienced photographers.  Consequently, nearly all entry-level camera bodies include "scene" modes which allow you to tell the camera what type of shot you intend to take and the camera chooses settings that tend to work better for that type of photography.  The mid-range bodies (such as the 70D) include features found in the high-end / pro bodies, but still continue to include features found in the entry-level bodies.

 

When you get to the high-end / pro bodies such as the 5D III, the cameras drop the entry-level features.

 

If you want to shoot action photography / sports, I'd suggest setting your camera to Tv mode, setting a shutter speed to at least 1/500th second, and setting the ISO to "Auto" and you'll get pretty much the same effect that you'd get if you used "sport" mode on the T3i.  

 

When I suggest 1/500th, it's because that tends to be the minimum speed -- but this is a generalization.  Sometimes you can freeze action (if the subject isn't moving too quickly and/or if the subjet is moving toward/away from you instead of moving laterally.)   But sometimes even 1/500th is not fast enough and you might need to go to 1/1000ths sec.  If you were shooting hummingbirds in flight, then you'd probably shoot at an even higher speed.

 

For any given shot, there are numerous combinations of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO setting that will achieve the same "exposure" with respect to light... but these images will look different (somtimes VERY different.)  The question is... how do experienced photographers know that one combination of settings will actually get a better result than a different combination even when those two different combinations are in theory "equivalent exposures".  The answer is... they understand the fundamentals of exposure.

 

If you are not familiar with this, then I'd highly recommend you pick up a good book such as Bryan Peterson's "Understanding Exposure" and you'll never need to rely on a scene-based mode again.  In fact, you'll find you have much more control than you can achieve using the scene-based modes because you'll understand how to tune the exposure for the shot at-hand.  

 

 

Tim Campbell
5D III, 5D IV, 60Da

ebiggs1
Legend
Legend

You can make your own.

EB
EOS 1DX and 1D Mk IV and less lenses then before!

To make my own mode what setting about should I use?  I'm pretty new so what would you suggest at a regular ISO of say 200-400?

 

I figure 1/500 shutter which has been said to stop the action is that correct?

 

 

Then what or how would I determine what apperture to use?

 

 

OK remember you can't set all three, Av, Tv, and ISO, as fixed settings.  That would be "manual" mode.  Right?

The best thing to do without restating everything is the re-read Tim Campbell's reply.

A good starting example would be Tv at 1/500, ISO at 400 and auto Av. 

EB
EOS 1DX and 1D Mk IV and less lenses then before!
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