# Ai Servo Advice for 5D3 and Air Racing



## scottkinfw (Sep 5, 2014)

Hi all.

I will be attending the Red Bull Air race this Saturday, which will be pylon races (two laps I believe) with some other fast action air events. 

I am planning to use the back button focus and the second case "Continue to track subjecs, ignoring possible obstacles". I will likely also use the 5 or 9 focus points in the center. I will be sitting near a pylon and not sure exactly how far so I will take my 300 2.8 II and 70-200 2.8 II.

Anyway, I haven't had great results with back button focusing, and haven't experimented much with the "cases". Any suggestions or recommended tweaks would be appreciated. I will also take a monopod.

Thanks all.

sek


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## RustyTheGeek (Sep 5, 2014)

You must live in the DFW area.


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## Dylan777 (Sep 5, 2014)

Scott,
Both expansion and zone modes will be fine when shooting the planes flying between the pylons.

To track the plan in the sky, you might want to consider 41(cross only) or 61 AF, Ai servo-tracking. . Looking through some youtube videos, these planes seem to make erratic twists and turns at same-high-speed. I would give case5 a hard look over case2.

I would start my camera something this:
Case5
Tracking Sen: -1
Accel/Decl: 0
AF pt auto switching: 2

***FINE TUNE the AF at the location is the key***

If you can, track the plane from far out. Allow the 41/61 AF pts to pick up the plane and track it. Wait for right moment, since the buffer on 5D III is not that great.

Look forward to see your photos.

Best,
Dylan


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## aardvark (Sep 5, 2014)

I went to the UK (Ascot) RB air race a couple of weeks back. The Saturday I think is the qualifying races in Texas as it was in the UK. At Ascot that was a busy day, but nothing like the Sunday which was wall to wall with people - almost to the extent you couldn't move. So for Photo's the Saturday in my opinion was the better day.

Its an obvious point, but they are moving fast, I calculate even at 1/2000 they will have moved about 3 cm, so ideally even at that shutter speed a good panning action is important. 

I use One shot and AI-Servo (on a 7d) - I am not sure that Back Button is the way to go for this, I believe the 5D's focusing system is supposed to be better than the 7D so I might be inclined to let the camera do the work...the pylons did cause some issues when I was in AI Servo when tracking the plane through them.

There are quite a few warm up sessions in any case, so I would experiment if I were you, I found it a good day to try to improve my technique with fast moving objects.

As to which lens, If the placement of the planes is anything like Ascot (and for Safety reasons I think it will be), I doubt that the planes will be too close so you will not be zooming on the 200, just max'd out. I think I would tend towards the 300,but that's assuming the extra weight doesn't impede your panning ability.

In any case I am sure you'll have a great day and far too many shots!


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## scottkinfw (Sep 5, 2014)

I Do!

I live about 5 miles from the track. I watched it being built but have never been. It is about 11 years old now, and after all these years of Nascar traffic jams, I am finally going to see the inside of the stadium. I chose seats near the end/exit pylon.

There will be lots of other stuff tomorrow too, so I am stoked.

Next few weeks will be an annual air show down the road at Alliance Airport, so lots of stuff to shoot, after a hot summer.

sek



RustyTheGeek said:


> You must live in the DFW area.


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## scottkinfw (Sep 5, 2014)

Surapon would likely go to his Rube Goldberg book of gizmos and get a contraption out. What say you Surapon?

sek



RustyTheGeek said:


> You must live in the DFW area.


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## scottkinfw (Sep 5, 2014)

Good info.

I have a photo class on Sunday that conflicts sadly, so I have to make the most of tomorrow.

I will get my gear set up tonight.

Thx.

sek



aardvark said:


> I went to the UK (Ascot) RB air race a couple of weeks back. The Saturday I think is the qualifying races in Texas as it was in the UK. At Ascot that was a busy day, but nothing like the Sunday which was wall to wall with people - almost to the extent you couldn't move. So for Photo's the Saturday in my opinion was the better day.
> 
> Its an obvious point, but they are moving fast, I calculate even at 1/2000 they will have moved about 3 cm, so ideally even at that shutter speed a good panning action is important.
> 
> ...


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## scottkinfw (Sep 5, 2014)

Thanks Dylan.

I will be studying up and setting camera settings tonight.

sek



Dylan777 said:


> Scott,
> Both expansion and zone modes will be fine when shooting the planes flying between the pylons.
> 
> To track the plan in the sky, you might want to consider 41(cross only) or 61 AF, Ai servo-tracking. . Looking through some youtube videos, these planes seem to make erratic twists and turns at same-high-speed. I would give case5 a hard look over case2.
> ...


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