EOS 300D/Rebel shutter speed overrides?

[cbrbiker]

Hi all! I've got a passion for pictures, but I'm relatively new to it all and would definitely class myself as an amateur!!

I'm a keen motorcyclist and love taking action photos of motorcycles on road and track. The main problem I have is the background and wheels appear static in the shots I take, leaving me to blur them manually in Photoshop afterwards. I'd rather they were blurred in the actual shot, to give the impression of speed.

I currently use the automatic settings on the camera and take action shots using the "Sport mode" setting, which captures some fantastic shots, but I'd just like to add that impression of movement.

Can anyone help me please??

Thanks!

[jeisner]

Panning is what you need to learn....

"Panning is a technique where the camera is moved to follow a moving subject, keeping it in the same position in the viewfinder. It is more effective when the subject is moving across the picture than when it is moving towards (or away from) the camera. It produces a relatively sharp subject seen against a blurred background and can be very effective in giving an impression of movement and speed. "

http://www.photozone.de/4Technique/compose/panning.htm

EDIT: bigger article

http://www.photographic.com/sportsti...hy/0505sports/

[cbrbiker]

Thanks jeisner. I have been panning the camera with the subject, but it still manages to capture the image perfectly still.

eg:



As you can see, the background and wheels are perfectly static...

[jeisner]

Your shutter speed must be too high, what was it?

read the second article I linked, they talk a fair bit about different shutter speeds..

[cbrbiker]

Ah, nice one J! That's exactly what I need to know!

I have no idea what shutter speed I'm using, as I haven't started playing with them yet, so I think it's time to RTFM and read up on the EOS' shutter speed settings...

[TheObiJuan]

1/2000th!!
That will freeze movement.

When I shoot cars, I usually keep it from 1/80th-1/250th.
It depends how fast they are going.

[timmciglobal]

Well.. with the 300D you need to install the hacked firmware to get AI servo I belive in TV mode but once you install it use TV mode and shoot at half the shutter speed the camera automatically indicates in P mode.

IE: 1/2000th then shoot at 1/1000th or 1/300th shoot at 1/150th.

See if you like result, if not, half it again.

Be warned though slower shutter will increase visible camera shake and produce "softer" images due to its appearence of non defined edges.

Tim

[cbrbiker]

Erm, what are you guys talking about??

When I say "amateur", I really, really mean it!! lol

Tim, would you know where I can get the hacked firmware from and how I go about installing it? - thanks bud

[timmciglobal]

http://www.bobatkins.com/photography...ware_hack.html

Here is an article and link to firmware hack and what it is/does.

Keep in mind, installing it voids your factory warentee (not a problem really if its past 1 year old) it can be uninstalled but I've heard it leaves a tell tale sign (the red eye redux light stays on) if you do.

AI Servo is constant autofocus, the setting that gets autoenabled in the sports mode when you hold down shutter halfway. (AIFocusAF is setting you would use since AIservo still disabled, that will "engage" AIServo is the camera detects the subject is moving)

Tim