General Discussion Forum

I'm not sure if any of you are into photography but I was. In high school, I had taken many photo classes all with manual film cameras.

I've been trying to get using digital, there's a lot of buttons & switches. Tomorrow night I will be bringing out my dad's Canon Rebel XTi to Milestone mx track. Going to try and take some photos of him while it is still light and maybe even play around with it at night.

Do any of you have a Canon Rebel XTi?
If so, have you shot any motocross with it?
What settings do you use?

I figure why not ask, maybe I'll be able to capture some cool shots with the help of you guys and girls.  
- Lindsey

I don't use the XTi, but most Canon Digital cameras share similar controls. For shooting action the best setting is the TV mode. In TV you set the shutter speed you want, and the camera automatically selects the correct lens opening. If you have shot action with a film camera, I would start but using a shutter speed that is twice as fast as you normally use with film. I don't fully understand why, but digital is more prone to motion blur than film is.
If the are shooting motorcycles coming toward you at any speed at all, I would shoot at 1000 to 1600. The light will be going away, so I would start with the iso at 400. If you are shooting bikes as they go by, you can shoot at 400 to 800 shutter speed and pan with the rider. Make sure that the autofocus system is set on AI Servo rather than on one-shot. That way you can hold the shutter button down halfway and let the camera focus as you follow the rider. If you have questions that are more specific, let me know.
Karel Kramer  

Thanks Karel, I really appreciate the recommendations!

I'm going to go home and play around with the camera a little bit and get to know it better before tomorrow.  
- Lindsey

I have a question for you Lindsey. What is the best-inexpensive digital camera?  
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Nobody's gonna hurt anybody. We're gonna be like little Fonzies here. And what's Fonzie like? Come on what's Fonzie like?

Yikes, I'm not sure.  My dad waited til 'Black Friday'(the biggest shopping day of the year that falls the day after thanksgiving) and purchased our Canon Rebel XTI pretty cheap. I would search for a good camera on craigslist.  
- Lindsey

chud, I'll ask some photog friends and get back to you on that...  
- Lindsey

The XTi is a phenominal camera, Lindsey!  I used one for a while, but now I shoot a 20D and a 40D.

You can set it in TV mode, as Karel so keenly suggested, or you can do it the professional way

All photographers will do this different.  For me, in daylight, I'd set the ISO to 400, and I believe that's what Karel recommended too.  I'd set the speed at 800-1600 - the highest the prevailing light will allow.  If it won't allow at least 1/800 then crank the ISO up (the Canon sensors are not noisy at high ISO at all).
Personally, I like to use a very narrow aperature to ensure I have enough depth-of-field to keep a moving rider in focus (you're going for as high a number (small an aperature) as the conditions will allow.  I set my focus to AI servo, same as Karel suggested.

Good luck!  
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Here we go again!

Thanks Lindsey!

Skip, dude! Is there anything your not well versed in?  
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Nobody's gonna hurt anybody. We're gonna be like little Fonzies here. And what's Fonzie like? Come on what's Fonzie like?

Tigger psychology  
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Here we go again!

Funny , he has a degree in psychology , associates in 84. I still can't take him any where!  
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Ruff!

He's a thug - what do you expect?

 
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Here we go again!

Hijackers!!  
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Nobody's gonna hurt anybody. We're gonna be like little Fonzies here. And what's Fonzie like? Come on what's Fonzie like?

chud:
I have a question for you Lindsey. What is the best-inexpensive digital camera?

My friend Philip says the new Canon XS.  
- Lindsey

Thanx! I'll check it out.  
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Nobody's gonna hurt anybody. We're gonna be like little Fonzies here. And what's Fonzie like? Come on what's Fonzie like?

i have a cannon Eos rebel K2 35mm
and i just recently checked out a cannon eos digital and i was so impressed with the speed it takes action shots so now another thing is added to the list of things i want but cant afford  
=====================i eat the desert and the dessert