Wild Anticipation

[Loupey]

As much as I would like to say my dog has uncanny abilities, I think the implied actions of these two elements was more the result of the "crazy bounce" than anything else.

[Frog]

I love it. Especially the eyes and tongue.
I hope I can match the shot one day with my dog.

[draymorton]

Wow, talk about the right moment! Amazing, uh, catch.

[Loupey]

Frog & draymorton - thanks for the comments!

[OldClicker]

Loupey, what lens do you normally take to the dog park? - TF

[Loupey]

The only lens I take, even if it is going to be dark soon, is my 70-200mm f/2.8. I have the IS version so I can use it, with the ISO cranked up, in ridiculously low light if needed.

[AgingEyes]

OK, somebody has to ask it: MF or AF?

In case you don't know, Loupey luvs MF

[Frog]

I don't know how it could be MF unless Loupey is quicker than greased lightning.

[AgingEyes]

I don't know how it could be MF unless Loupey is quicker than greased lightning.

Do you not know Loupey shoots flying swallows using MF??

[Loupey]

My Dog Park Series is being compiled completely with one lens and with AF - the latter for two reasons: 1) because I need to get practice using AF, and 2) simultaneously zooming and manually focusing with the 70-200mm is near impossible.

It has been interesting. I don't like the servo AF as I cannot override and fine-tune the focus. I often get stomachs and butts of running/leaping dogs in focus with the head and eyes OOF. I've also found out that the 70-200mm is not well suited for shooting while zooming - the IS mechanism "rattles", for the lack of a better term, if it is engaged when the focal length is changing.

It also isn't near the sharpness that I'm used to with my wildlife lenses.

Another shot from this series:

[Frog]

Another great one, Loupey.

[readingr]

Teriffic shots, I love the facial expressions.

Roger R.

[Loupey]

Guys, I appreciate the comments!

I must say that I'm really enjoying shooting dogs - they never have a bad day

[gahspidy]

Great work, Loupey. I was interested in your answer about AF or MF as I find that I almost always focus manually. I just have a hard time trusting AF to get the eyes and it seems to be equally challenging to select focal points in the viewfinder as opposed to just focusing manually. I have that lens and I do see your issue with zooming while MF, it is quite the challenge.
That lens is probably the best investment I have made yet. Just amazing,
Loupey, have you tried replacing your standard focus screen with the precision matte?
I just switched to the precision screen on my 5D mk2 and although the viewfinder is darker now, focusing manually is much easier than ever. Even in the dark, I can tell right away when my subject is in focus. With the standard screen, everything is bright and nice but it was not usually easy to tell if I were dead on focus or not.
Great shot, love the crazy tongue and eyes

[SmartWombat]

In that situation, I'd shoot with IS off.
I'm not sure that mode 2 (panning) recognises portrait orientation.
Even in mode 2 I still see lateral jumps from the IS, though smaller, in landscape.

Are you using off-centre focus points on the dog's eyes?


They're great images !

[Loupey]

Gary - thank you and a very great point about the focusing screens. I have looked into them but there aren't a lot of choices for the 50D (my primary action camera) nor the 5D (my macro and "other" camera).

Having a bright viewfinder is important to me but I'd love to give a precision matte (or super precision matte) screen a go. Even with small birds and dragonflies, I use the catchlight in the eyes to target my focusing.

... I just have a hard time trusting AF to get the eyes and it seems to be equally challenging to select focal points in the viewfinder as opposed to just focusing manually.

My thoughts exactly. The few times I tested it before, I blew the shot (important ones at that) while the AF either hunted or targetted the wrong part of the subject.

Still, the AF is turning out to be very enjoyable. I can carry on a conversation and instantly drop down to shoot and get back up without missing any gossip

[Loupey]

In that situation, I'd shoot with IS off.
I'm not sure that mode 2 (panning) recognises portrait orientation.
Even in mode 2 I still see lateral jumps from the IS, though smaller, in landscape.

Are you using off-centre focus points on the dog's eyes?


They're great images !

I'm a little embarrassed to say that I've never really turned of IS on any of my lenses. Furthermore, I've never ever used mode 2. Mode 1 seems to work whether shooting a stationary subject or moving one.

As far as I can tell, I'm using any/all of the available focusing points with the servo mode on the 50D. I know that the center one is the most sensitive so I try to position that on a running dog but that means I lose a lot of the image during the final crop.

The shots of my dog here were staged so I did previously select the specific focusing point where I wanted him to be in the frame during the jump.