German Shepherd running settings help

[TerryL]

Hello Sony friends,

A while ago, a member posted a thread about losing his dog and how much the pictures meant to him. That was a sad thread and it inspired me to take some pictures of my Son’s pet German Shepherd for him. What my Son and his friends will remember the most about Eley is how well she could fetch a tennis ball. So, I want to get a picture doing just that. I would like a picture of Eley running back once she has gotten the ball. I need your help with the best settings for this kind of shot.
What I have set so far is the following: focus mode afc, drive mode continuous shooting Hi+, focus area wide. Will a shutter speed of 2,000/sec be fast enough? There doesn’t seem to be enough focus points in wide. Am I missing something here? In all my years taking pictures, I’ve never done anything like this. I’m concerned that my camera’s focusing won’t keep up. Should I increase the focus points? if I can. Right now, there are only a few. I really want to do a nice job for my Son and your help will be appreciated. I plan to use my Sony 135 GM.
Terry

 

[Tim Mayo]

Your settings sound good to me. I'd go with 1/2000sec minimum for them running towards you. I prefer using zones instead of a wide area as it makes it easier to pick them up from afar, otherwise the camera will most likely lock onto the grass until they get much closer to you. The A7R IV with the 135 1.8 should have no trouble nailing these shots. I took this shot a while back with my A7R IV + E 70-350

• ILCE-7RM4
• E 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G OSS
• 350.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/2000 sec
• ISO 1250

 

[TerryL]

Your settings sound good to me. I'd go with 1/2000sec minimum for them running towards you. I prefer using zones instead of a wide area as it makes it easier to pick them up from afar, otherwise the camera will most likely lock onto the grass until they get much closer to you. The A7R IV with the 135 1.8 should have no trouble nailing these shots. I took this shot a while back with my A7R IV + E 70-350

View attachment 64144

That’s a great picture, Tim. I don’t understand what you mean by zones.

 

[Ralph]

I got shots of my Red Heeler who was my mate and one day we were stripping the bathroom and here the house was on stumps.
I was luck and I could get under there to work laying down in I had to.
Well one day I dropped my hammer. I said to Lacey, Go and get it.
Out the door she ran off the veranda under the house, grabbed the hammer and came back running.
Bring it back. We always said Thank you for our dog to drop things out of their mouths.
Once those words were said the hammer was back in my hand.
I am so please to have photo's of her.

• DSC-P73
• 18.0 mm
• ƒ/5.2
• 10/500 sec
• ISO 100

 

[TerryL]

Your settings sound good to me. I'd go with 1/2000sec minimum for them running towards you. I prefer using zones instead of a wide area as it makes it easier to pick them up from afar, otherwise the camera will most likely lock onto the grass until they get much closer to you. The A7R IV with the 135 1.8 should have no trouble nailing these shots. I took this shot a while back with my A7R IV + E 70-350

View attachment 64144

Hey Tim,

Will you please explain zone af to me and where to set it? Is it in focus area where I have wide set?
Thank you.

 

[TerryL]

Hey Tim,

Will you please explain zone af to me and where to set it? Is it in focus area where I have wide set?
Thank you.

Shouldn’t I use the focus area tracking wide?

 

[Tim Mayo]

Shouldn’t I use the focus area tracking wide?

You can use wide but you will probably find that the autofocus locks onto other objects such as grass when they are far away from you, using a zone instead helps to reduce the AF errors.

MENU → (Camera Settings1) → [Focus Area] → Zone or Zone with Tracking.

I generally prefer zone without tracking as if it locks onto his nose or ball it will typically stay locked on, whereas I prefer the focus to be on the eyes. It won't matter too much when they are far from you as you'll have enough depth of field to get all of the head in focus, it's only an issue when they are much closer.

I'm guessing you won't be lying on the floor to get these shots. But if you are then moving the zone to the top of the frame will help prevent the camera from locking onto the grass.

 

[TerryL]

You can use wide but you will probably find that the autofocus locks onto other objects such as grass when they are far away from you, using a zone instead helps to reduce the AF errors.

MENU → (Camera Settings1) → [Focus Area] → Zone or Zone with Tracking.

I generally prefer zone without tracking as if it locks onto his nose or ball it will typically stay locked on, whereas I prefer the focus to be on the eyes. It won't matter too much when they are far from you as you'll have enough depth of field to get all of the head in focus, it's only an issue when they are much closer.

I'm guessing you won't be lying on the floor to get these shots. But if you are then moving the zone to the top of the frame will help prevent the camera from locking onto the grass.

Thank you Tim. I got to focus area, but there’s no zone or zone with tracking.

 

[TerryL]

You can use wide but you will probably find that the autofocus locks onto other objects such as grass when they are far away from you, using a zone instead helps to reduce the AF errors.

MENU → (Camera Settings1) → [Focus Area] → Zone or Zone with Tracking.

I generally prefer zone without tracking as if it locks onto his nose or ball it will typically stay locked on, whereas I prefer the focus to be on the eyes. It won't matter too much when they are far from you as you'll have enough depth of field to get all of the head in focus, it's only an issue when they are much closer.

I'm guessing you won't be lying on the floor to get these shots. But if you are then moving the zone to the top of the frame will help prevent the camera from locking onto the grass.

Got it. It’s under Focus Area Limit

 

[TerryL]

You can use wide but you will probably find that the autofocus locks onto other objects such as grass when they are far away from you, using a zone instead helps to reduce the AF errors.

MENU → (Camera Settings1) → [Focus Area] → Zone or Zone with Tracking.

I generally prefer zone without tracking as if it locks onto his nose or ball it will typically stay locked on, whereas I prefer the focus to be on the eyes. It won't matter too much when they are far from you as you'll have enough depth of field to get all of the head in focus, it's only an issue when they are much closer.

I'm guessing you won't be lying on the floor to get these shots. But if you are then moving the zone to the top of the frame will help prevent the camera from locking onto the grass.

So, you like just zone?

 

[TerryL]

You can use wide but you will probably find that the autofocus locks onto other objects such as grass when they are far away from you, using a zone instead helps to reduce the AF errors.

MENU → (Camera Settings1) → [Focus Area] → Zone or Zone with Tracking.

I generally prefer zone without tracking as if it locks onto his nose or ball it will typically stay locked on, whereas I prefer the focus to be on the eyes. It won't matter too much when they are far from you as you'll have enough depth of field to get all of the head in focus, it's only an issue when they are much closer.

I'm guessing you won't be lying on the floor to get these shots. But if you are then moving the zone to the top of the frame will help prevent the camera from locking onto the grass.

Now that I have zone set, should I set eye auto focus?
Thank you Tim.

 

[TerryL]

You can use wide but you will probably find that the autofocus locks onto other objects such as grass when they are far away from you, using a zone instead helps to reduce the AF errors.

MENU → (Camera Settings1) → [Focus Area] → Zone or Zone with Tracking.

I generally prefer zone without tracking as if it locks onto his nose or ball it will typically stay locked on, whereas I prefer the focus to be on the eyes. It won't matter too much when they are far from you as you'll have enough depth of field to get all of the head in focus, it's only an issue when they are much closer.

I'm guessing you won't be lying on the floor to get these shots. But if you are then moving the zone to the top of the frame will help prevent the camera from locking onto the grass.

Hey Tim, once I finish this project, what are the default settings so I can go back to the factory settings? Thank you.

 

[TerryL]

Do I check 2 boxes, zone and zone tracking?

 

[Tim Mayo]

So, you like just zone?

Sorry for the slow reply Terry. How are you getting on?

I mostly use zone for shooting dogs yes. It works for me but you might like to experiment with other focus areas.

Zone should be visible under the FN menu and Focus Area. The Focus Area Limit option allows you to restrict the focus areas that you can flick through when Switch Focus Area is assigned to a custom button. So you could set it up to switch between wide and zone when pressing a custom button.

I typically just zone without tracking for shooting dogs with Animal Eye AF enabled. Although Eye AF performance will vary from dog to dog, you really need a good contrast between the eyes and head for it to work well.

 

[TerryL]

Hi Tim,
I plan to use your method. It’s been so raining here lately that I haven’t been doing anything lately. Thank you for your advice.

 

[TerryL]

Hi Tim,
I have one last question. I think I remember having single spot focus area. Do you know where I will find it.
Thank you

 

[Angus Cameron]

Hi Tim,
I have one last question. I think I remember having single spot focus area. Do you know where I will find it.
Thank you

ILCE-7RM4A | Help Guide | Focus Area

 

[Old Al]

I had just bought My A1 & 200-600 lens. My friend has two English Springer Spaniels. Set them 35 yards away, he tossed a tennis ball in my direction while holding the dogs (one at a time) until I was ready. They sprinted toward me - shot at 30 FPS @ 1/2000. Had trouble following them, but thread are two runs, one of each of the dogs, on this SmugMug link. Welcome to it.

Chris's Dogs - Al Warden

This gallery hosted by SmugMug; your photos look better here.

amwarden.smugmug.com

 

[TerryL]

Great job. That’s exactly what I’m after. What focus settings did you use?

 

[TerryL]

I had just bought My A1 & 200-600 lens. My friend has two English Springer Spaniels. Set them 35 yards away, he tossed a tennis ball in my direction while holding the dogs (one at a time) until I was ready. They sprinted toward me - shot at 30 FPS @ 1/2000. Had trouble following them, but thread are two runs, one of each of the dogs, on this SmugMug link. Welcome to it.

Chris's Dogs - Al Warden

This gallery hosted by SmugMug; your photos look better here.

amwarden.smugmug.com

What focus area did you use?

 

[Old Al]

Great job. That’s exactly what I’m after. What focus settings did you use?

Good morning: I shot that 18 months ago with my A1 brand new. Sorry, I can't remember what the AF settings were, but at age 81, if I shot it yesterday I probably wouldn't remember . Just remember what the great Red Sox hitter TED WILLIAMS said about the Golden Years. - they should've named it THE TARNISHED YEARs.

 

[TerryL]

Good morning: I shot that 18 months ago with my A1 brand new. Sorry, I can't remember what the AF settings were, but at age 81, if I shot it yesterday I probably wouldn't remember . Just remember what the great Red Sox hitter TED WILLIAMS said about the Golden Years. - they should've named it THE TARNISHED YEARs.

We share some of the same problems Al. But I have Dementia and use a wheelchair.️. Obviously, I have a collection of tripods.