Couple leaving the church

[CyberPet]

Oh wow!! so easy and yet so effectful!!

I have another question - techincally... how do you set focus so you're sure you capture them in focus while running AMAZING!!

[Mark McCall]

Good question Petra.

I use Canons and the 20D allows you to turn on or turn off various focusing points.

I use just the center focusing point, turning off alll the rest.

Hope that answers your question.

[deluco]

Just to add a note to the points about focussing (no pun intended). You can also prefocus on a spot but if you are shooting several shots in a row, prefocus doesn't really work. If your camera body has a fast enough focus and you're only dealing with walking or trotting people, it really won't be much of a problem. Plus, with Mark's post-processing technique on these, he's softening the background so much that even if the subjects aren't tack sharp, they will appear sharper than they are because of all the softness.

[CyberPet]

Is the AI Servo to prefer and set the focus point to the middle - and of course have the couple in the middle in your viewfinder?

I know the trick about set a focus point beforehand, but I sense this would be one of those times you just pull the trigger and hold it down for a while, to then select the best emotion and flow of clothes, etc.

[Kevin Barrett]

Originally Posted by Mark McCall

Good question Petra.

I use Canons and the 20D allows you to turn on or turn off various focusing points.

I use just the center focusing point, turning off alll the rest.

Hope that answers your question.

Hey, I thought the 20D wasn't supposed to focus worth a hoot?

[Mark McCall]

Oh, Kevin...the 20D is the fastest, most accurate focusing digital camera I've owned.
Every image I've posted here, with the exception of one, has been taken with the 20D.

But there's a trick to making it work for ya.
You need to "turn off" all of the focusing points except for the center one. Otherwise, the focusing will wander.

Petra,
In servo mode, your flash won't be able to keep up, even at -2 exposure compensation.
Single shot mode is what I use, so I can manually shoot an image every one or two seconds to give the flash time to recycle.

Jim,
I use the prefocusing method when I shoot medium format. Works great.
It's funny...the viewfinder looks like a giant movie screen after looking through a digital camera viewfinder.

[Kevin Barrett]

Originally Posted by Mark McCall

Oh, Kevin...the 20D is the fastest, most accurate focusing digital camera I've owned.
Every image I've posted here, with the exception of one, has been taken with the 20D.

But there's a trick to making it work for ya.
You need to "turn off" all of the focusing points except for the center one. Otherwise, the focusing will wander.

Petra,
In servo mode, your flash won't be able to keep up, even at -2 exposure compensation.
Single shot mode is what I use, so I can manually shoot an image every one or two seconds to give the flash time to recycle.

Jim,
I use the prefocusing method when I shoot medium format. Works great.
It's funny...the viewfinder looks like a giant movie screen after looking through a digital camera viewfinder.

Just "funning" ya' a bit there. I have the 20D and never have had a front-focus, back-focus
problem with it. Yes, I've had OOF shots. Most are attributed to user error more than anything else.
Mine is set to "center point" focus only as well.

[JDArt]

First-rate work.

[Walter Moss]

This picture of week is great. Can you discuss how you lit this? Was this natural doorway or entrance light?

[Rokcet Scientist]

Originally Posted by CyberPet

[...]I have another question - techincally... how do you set focus so you're sure you capture them in focus while running AMAZING!!

Isn't this what "predictive focus" is supposed to address?
http://www.nikon.co.jp/main/eng/port...echnology/caf/
http://konicaminolta.com/products/co...-z6/04_03.html