Sports photography: tips for setting up your camera to shoot anything

When shooting sports photography and fast-moving action, you don't have time to change many settings or worry about which mode you're in. There are several basic settings, such as the autofocus, exposure and drive modes, that can be set up before you start shooting, but there are also other settings that can transform your hit rate.

Best camera settings for sports photography

The first is to change the AE/AF-lock button on the back of the camera so it activates the autofocus. This means instead of having to press the shutter release to activate the autofocus, you press the AE-L/AF-L button.

This makes it much easier to track moving subjects, pressing the shutter only when you want to take photos.

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The other camera setting to use is the autofocus area. Opt for Dynamic Area AF mode, where you choose one AF point, but the camera will also use the focus points around that if it detects the subject has moved (learn more about how to choose the best AF mode).

This is perfect for any sport such as cycling, running or motorsports, where you can predict the basic movement of the subject. On the next page our step-by-step guide shows you how to set up your camera to shoot any fast moving subject.

NEXT PAGE: Step-by-step how to set up your camera for sports photography

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