How to focus on fast incoming subject?

[sin77]

Imagine a cyclist from far riding a bicycle towards you face front.

In 20 secs, how do you get a sharp image on him while there is considerably shallow depth of view for the background?

Quickly switch to manual, C-AF, AF tracking, multi-focus points, face-detection or still on Single AF (but with multiple half-press)?

Sorry, there's no 3D focusing on my G3.

 

[miaoteh]

i think i will just pre-focus on a point in front of the cyclist, switch to manual focus, wait for the cyclist to go near the pre-focused area, burst shutter all the way until you are sure that he/she is out of the focus area, then pray hard that you have at least one photo with perfect/decent focus, dunno if this can work, just an idea.

 

[sin77]

i think i will just pre-focus on a point in front of the cyclist, switch to manual focus, wait for the cyclist to go near the pre-focused area, burst shutter all the way until you are sure that he/she is out of the focus area, then pray hard that you have at least one photo with perfect/decent focus, dunno if this can work, just an idea.

Thanks! Thats a very good idea.

 

[SyncGuy]

Err... If you know how it works, I actually shoot both eyes open for these kind of things.. Dunno how to explain here.. But shooting both eyes open allow me to see like my normal view, only that there is a "frame" within it...

You should try...

 

[Cowseye]

i think i will just pre-focus on a point in front of the cyclist, switch to manual focus, wait for the cyclist to go near the pre-focused area, burst shutter all the way until you are sure that he/she is out of the focus area, then pray hard that you have at least one photo with perfect/decent focus, dunno if this can work, just an idea.

To add on, if you have a fast FPS camera AND under good light, u can do the above. If otherwise, it's better to snipe than to rapid fire.

 

[coolthought]

pre-focus at the spot where he will pass and you want to shoot or set AF to continuous focus

 

[farbird]

Can try trap focus if your camera's firmware supports it

 

[ijnek]

C-AF, and focus point on the point tat u wan the cyclist to be in the frame
pan and burst shoot

 

[UncleFai]

You need this... the D4...

CP+ 2012 NIKON D4 BURST BUFFER!! | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

[sinned79]

go infront of the cyclist and block his path and u will get to shoot his shocked face :x

 

[Cowseye]

go infront of the cyclist and block his path and u will get to shoot his shocked face :x

And bicycle wheel thread over your face....

 

[ijnek]

go infront of the cyclist and block his path and u will get to shoot his shocked face :x

epic...remember to burst shoot...lol

 

[farbird]

a little read for trap focus but may be more applicable to macro instead.

EOS Documentation Project - Almost Trap Focus