Suggestions

[RJG5]

I currently have an Olympus e500 w/ 50-200mm 2.8. I have tried the sports modes and this weekend tried shutter priority at 1/600 with continuous focus. I set the focus to center. I tend to watch my girls play so timing is one area I need to improve, I seem to get a fair percentage of pics off focus...Here are a couple samples. Suggestions are appreciated.

[JETA]

With the first pic is says your iso is 100, ss 250 and aperture 4.0.

If it was me I'd raise my iso, raise my shutter speed and open up the aperture more. If you can go to f2.8 do. I find it essential to shooting sports. Even if you set it to aperture priority of f2.8 and iso of 400 on a clear day I think you'll see a big difference.

I am not familiar with your camera at all so I do not have any idea about the focusing issues.

[RJG5]

Thanks for the input.

I just took the camera outside (sunny). I can use 2.8 to about 85mm. At 200mm I am 3.5 with ISO 400 and it gives a 1/1250 shutterspeed. Does that work or do I need to look for lenses that have constant 2.8?
BTW - where do you see the settings on my pics?

Thanks - Steve

[JETA]

I look at the exif datawith a mozilla extention.

I get what's going on with your lens. My Tamron is like that.

I'm talking about aperture priority. It's the first setting I used when I was trying to get off of shooting auto. You get the pick the aperture (and iso I'm assuming) and the camera picks the shutter.

When I shoot football I night my shutter speed is usually 250. I only go that low because at that point I need all of the light I can get. At that point my iso is at 3200 (or higher) and my aperture is at 2.8.

I wish someone else would chime in here because I've only been at this for 2 years.

[SmartWombat]

I have an EXIF viewer plug-in for FireFox, just right click on an image and it's there in the menu.

[tadrscin]

I use Opanda Iexif2. http://www.opanda.com/en/iexif/index.html

[mn shutterbug]

I use Kuso exif viewer.

[RJG5]

Thanks for all the replies! With regard to my original post, I should use Aperature Priority and set at 2.8 and have ISO at 400. Should be sunny this weekend so I'll try again. I notice I get a higher percentage of clear pictures with my youngest as the game is slower. Might that have anything to do with AF speed as well?

[JETA]

If it's a bright sunny day my iso tends to hang around 200. It's something you'll have to play with.