File :-(, x, )
Anonymous
There were some cats outside my window, they spent about 20 minutes mooing at each other during which I got out my 55-200mm sigma and took some pictures.
Then, just as I wasn't expecting it, one of them suddenly jumped on the other!
I hit the shutter, of course, and got a picture.
The problem is with my lens, 1/100 was about the best I could do without a dark image, and in 1ms those cats move fucking fast.

Anyway, thoughts on the picture? Ideas on how I could do it next time without the horrific blur?
>> Anonyfag of Borneo !bHymOqU5YY
No EXIF, no talk.
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
Huh, sorry about that. Uploading with EXIF now.

Camera-Specific Properties:Equipment MakeCanonCamera ModelCanon EOS 400D DIGITALCamera SoftwaredigiKam-0.9.1Firmware VersionFirmware 1.0.5Owner NameunknownSerial Number0930556964Lens Size55.00 - 200.00 mmImage-Specific Properties:Image OrientationTop, Left-HandHorizontal Resolution72 dpiVertical Resolution72 dpiImage Created2007:06:17 18:54:45Exposure Time1/100 secF-Numberf/5.0Exposure ProgramAperture PriorityISO Speed Rating400Lens Aperturef/5.0Exposure Bias0 EVFlashNo Flash, CompulsoryFocal Length140.00 mmColor Space InformationsRGBImage Width3888Image Height2592RenderingNormalExposure ModeAutoScene Capture TypeStandardCamera Actuations-1873870704Color Matrix130Color Temperature5200 KExposure ModeAv-PriorityFocus TypeAutoMetering ModeEvaluativeSharpnessUnknownSaturationNormalContrastNormalShooting ModeManualImage SizeLargeFocus ModeOne-ShotDrive ModeSingleFlash ModeOffCompression SettingFineMacro ModeNormalWhite BalanceAutoExposure Compensation3Sensor ISO Speed224
>> Anonyfag of Borneo !bHymOqU5YY
You could increase the ISO, or increase the ISO, switch to Shutter-Priority and use a faster shutter speed. A dark picture is better than no picture at all (or a dark picture with motion frozen is better than... whatever)
>> Anonymous
I need it to stay in the lowest aperture, so Tv won't work, but I suppose manual would have. I wasn't really expecting this or I'd have swapped to manual and cranked the shutter time down.
Changing the ISO's a good point, I didn't think of that.

(I have to keep the aperture to the lowest because of shitty old Sigma lens that's not really EF compatible)
>> Anonyfag of Borneo !bHymOqU5YY
     File :-(, x)
>>56373
Sort of the same thing I face when shooting cats. I used Av during this shot because the weather was really, really cloudy (it rained heavily that night) and bumped my ISO to 800. It came out ok (but not nice) since my plan was to shoot cats posing, not playing around.

Camera-Specific Properties:Equipment MakeCanonCamera ModelCanon EOS 400D DIGITALCamera SoftwareAdobe Photoshop CS2 WindowsImage-Specific Properties:Image OrientationTop, Left-HandHorizontal Resolution72 dpiVertical Resolution72 dpiImage Created2007:06:18 03:13:51Exposure Time1/80 secF-Numberf/5.6Exposure ProgramAperture PriorityISO Speed Rating800Lens Aperturef/5.6Exposure Bias0 EVMetering ModePartialFlashNo Flash, CompulsoryFocal Length55.00 mmColor Space InformationsRGBImage Width683Image Height1024RenderingNormalExposure ModeAutoWhite BalanceManualScene Capture TypeStandard
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
>>56374
I suppose ideally I'd have taken the pictures from a bit nearer the cats, not from a second floor window with a big zoom.
Then I could've used my f/1.8 50mm prime and hopefully get a bit less blur.

Here's another picture of the cats, a bit before they attacked each other.

Camera-Specific Properties:Equipment MakeCanonCamera ModelCanon EOS 400D DIGITALCamera SoftwaredigiKam-0.9.1Firmware VersionFirmware 1.0.5Owner NameunknownSerial Number0930556964Lens Size55.00 - 200.00 mmImage-Specific Properties:Image OrientationTop, Left-HandHorizontal Resolution72 dpiVertical Resolution72 dpiImage Created2007:06:17 18:47:00Exposure Time1/60 secF-Numberf/5.6Exposure ProgramAperture PriorityISO Speed Rating400Lens Aperturef/5.6Exposure Bias0 EVFlashNo Flash, CompulsoryFocal Length200.00 mmColor Space InformationsRGBImage Width3888Image Height2592RenderingNormalExposure ModeAutoScene Capture TypeStandardCamera Actuations-1874001856Color Matrix130Color Temperature5200 KExposure ModeAv-PriorityFocus TypeAutoMetering ModeEvaluativeSharpnessUnknownSaturationNormalContrastNormalShooting ModeManualImage SizeLargeFocus ModeOne-ShotDrive ModeSingleFlash ModeOffCompression SettingFineMacro ModeNormalWhite BalanceAutoExposure Compensation3Sensor ISO Speed224
>> ac !!VPzQAxYPAMA
>>56373
Man, I hate that. I wish Canon would have just given them the specs to make the lenses properly. I really don't think that it would cost them a lot of lens sales. I know that lenses are their big moneymaker, but having third parties making cheap lenses will just increase the sales of their bodies...

I sold my can't-stop-down 35-135 to a friend of mine for about $20 after I picked up a Geniune Canon 80-200mm f/4.5-5.6 for like $45 at a flea market. You can get 'em used (e.g., from Adorama) for about $100. I'd recommend doing so if you want a 200mm zoom that can use an aperture other than its max.

Incidentally, you can increase the shutter speed in Av mode by setting an Ev adjustment to give you less exposure. Also, don't be afraid of ISO800 on your 400D. ISO800 on that camera is about as noisy as a reasonably good P&S at ISO100.
>> Anonymous
>>56366
Totally crappy.
>> Anonymous
>>56373
if f/5.0 is the lowest aperture you could get at that zoom, if you were to go into Tv mode and set a faster shutter speed, the camera would set your aperture to the lowest itll go anyway trying to get it to expose correctly.
>> Anonymous
>>56366
"they spent about 20 minutes mooing"

Cows go "moo"
>> Anonymous
>>56423
Honestly, they were making the strangest noises. Mooing, making baby noises, I didn't know what the hell was going on.

It sounded nothing like cats normally sound, for the first time I wished I had a p&s so I could have got some shitty video with sound.
>> Anonymous
>>56579
No, I think you were just drunk when you wrote "mooing" and are trying to save face or were tripping balls when you photographe the cats.
>> ac !!VPzQAxYPAMA
>>56421
While that's technically true, there's always the chance that it'll catch a highlight or something and try to stop down a notch, fail, and lock up your camera. Which is really annoying when shooting something fast moving like a kittycat.

Better to go the other route. Av mode with EV compensation or full manual.