# Camera for action shots?



## Jojofergy (Jun 27, 2016)

Wasn't sure where to post this I just wanted to ask if anyone recommends any decent cameras or can let me know what I should be looking for in a camera to get good action shots I'm not big in photography don't know anything about it really but want something better than just my phone camera 
Since I know nothing about cameras a point and shoot camera is prob best and one that isn't crazy expensive either would be nice lol 
I want to get sprocket into agility (just for fun not competing)when he's older and would love to take pics of him running without them being blurry 



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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

The problem is, "inexpensive" and "point and shoot" and non-blurry motion pictures don't really go hand-in-hand. Really, unless you are willing to shell out for an entry level DSLR, probably your best bet is a mirrorless, interchangeable lens camera. I have a Panasonic GX85, and I love it. I do most of my "serious" photography with a higher end DSLR, but the GX85 is small, light weight and a great value. You can get one on Amazon, including a kit lens that does a very nice job, for just under $700. You can also get a low-end, "enthusiast" level DSLR like a Canon Rebel for under $600, but they are very plasticky feeling.

Unfortunately, even those cameras will only do a good job of dog action shots if you are outdoors in good light. The sensors are just too small for great indoor action shots.


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## Jojofergy (Jun 27, 2016)

Thank you for the reply I dont even know what dslr or mirrorless lens means lol but at least I now know a kind of camera to research it gets overwhelming not knowing where to start 
I guess I'll be saving a while to get one that can do a decent job
What would I need to look at to get decent pics inside? I care more about getting decent action shots but if I can spend 200-300 more and be able to get good shots indoors too I'd rather save a little longer for that or does that usually cost a lot more? 
I will def look at the Panasonic gx85 too I like small and lightweight  


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Jojofergy said:


> Thank you for the reply I dont even know what dslr or mirrorless lens means lol but at least I now know a kind of camera to research it gets overwhelming not knowing where to start
> I guess I'll be saving a while to get one that can do a decent job
> What would I need to look at to get decent pics inside? I care more about getting decent action shots but if I can spend 200-300 more and be able to get good shots indoors too I'd rather save a little longer for that or does that usually cost a lot more?
> I will def look at the Panasonic gx85 too I like small and lightweight
> ...


Full sensor cameras are what is needed for good indoor action shots, and those cameras are VERY expensive. (Starting around $1500) AND on top of that, the lenses that fit them are ALSO a lot more expensive. (You buy the camera and lens separately at that level) Those are really pro-level cameras.

You can get "decent" shots indoors with either of the other cameras I mentioned, but it takes good technique and learning to use your camera well. That means shooting when the dog is coming straight toward you, pre-focusing, using a high ISO and shutter speed and accepting that the photos may have SOME motion blur and WILL have "noise". (Which is a "grainy" look to the photos.

Here are a couple of photos taken with my DSLR of a friend's Corgi doing obedience. Tomorrow, when I'm on my computer, I'll try to remember to post some from my GX85 that I took at another obedience trial (where the dogs don't usually move as fast as in agility). But it will give you an idea what you can expect from both types of camera in poor (indoor) light conditions.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Here's another. While these are taken with a higher end DSLR than the Canon Rebel I told you about, the sensor size is similar, and, with good technique and practice, you COULD get similar results.

Again, I'll post some GX85 shots tomorrow. The GX85 is CLOSE to as good as a DSLR in many situations, and also hase some things that I have't tried yet that MIGHT get you nice quality photos. You can shoot high def video, and then go in a grab single frames to turn into photos. These would be fine for computer screen resolution, but probably wouldn't have enough quality to blow up into a larger print. Outdoors, that limitation goes completely away, and the GX85 is very capable... even on a heavily overcast day with a long lens. I can show you some of those photos too.


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## Jojofergy (Jun 27, 2016)

I would love to see pics to compare thank you so much! 
Wow I didn't realize they were 1500 plus I think I def want to stay under 1000 I will look into the 2 you mentioned above 
If you could take a pic with yours when I see the difference I think it will narrow it down for me 
Again thank you so much for your help and pics! Spending 600-700 is a decent amount of money I love to see what it's capable of before I decide so I really appreciate it 
Those are great shots I wish I could afford 1500 on a camera lol 


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Here are some indoor action shots taken with the GX85.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

And here are some outdoor shots with the GX85 on a fairly dark overcast day, and with a long lens. (which also steals light) On a bright overcast, or sunny day, the results would be better.


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## Jojofergy (Jun 27, 2016)

Wow those are really good shots I think u sold me on the gx85 lol 
It does a great job on action shots and good on lighting too and I love that it's lighter than the other 
I'm going to start saving hopefully by June I'll have some awesome pics to post 
Thank you so much for taking the time to help me I very much appreciate it 


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

krandall said:


> And here are some outdoor shots with the GX85 on a fairly dark overcast day, and with a long lens.


I'm just enjoying the pictures, regardless of what they are shot with!

I guess I am just about to kiss $700 goodbye. :|

Ricky's Popi


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

If you want to avoid the expense of a high end DSLR, or if you want a smaller, lighter camera, you can't beat the GX85 with a stick.  I did a lot of research (who, ME?!?! ) before choosing it as a smaller travel camera, and I'm more impressed with the quality every time I pull it out. here are a few non-dog photos I've taken, just putting it through its paces.


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## Jojofergy (Jun 27, 2016)

Wow! Beautiful pics!! I can't wait to have one I'm getting all excited 
Looking it up was very confusing for me so will be fun to try figuring it out when I get it lol 



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## KarMar (Jan 14, 2016)

I have been very happy with my Sony a6000, also a mirrorless camera. Thus far, I've done portrait (both human and canine), candids, and high speed action (hockey for the most part...I will try to find some dog photos). The continuous shot is VERY speedy. It was pretty affordable as far as nicer cameras go, with a nice deal with both a kit lens and an extra zoom lens. My only issue is that I am incredibly reliant on auto mode after years on a point and shoot and am still getting used to manual.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

KarMar said:


> I have been very happy with my Sony a6000, also a mirrorless camera. Thus far, I've done portrait (both human and canine), candids, and high speed action (hockey for the most part...I will try to find some dog photos). The continuous shot is VERY speedy. It was pretty affordable as far as nicer cameras go, with a nice deal with both a kit lens and an extra zoom lens. My only issue is that I am incredibly reliant on auto mode after years on a point and shoot and am still getting used to manual.


Yes, that was on my "short list" too, as was the Olympus Pen. But the Panasonic SLIGHTLY beat out both of the others on low light image quality, so that's what I went with. I don't think any of them would disappoint most people, though... especially as a move-up camera from P&S.

Sophie, I've been training myself to go in the OPPOSITE direction. I haven't shot anything but raw in YEARS... Never being happy with the in-camera jpg's. I've been shooting raw AND jpg on the GX85, and it's rare for me to be unhappy with the jpg results the camera offers up. It holds the dynamic range in jpg's better than my DSLR! (by far!) The only thing I don't like is that in low light, the jpg's from the camera use so much noise reduction that they can end up looking smeary... especially when it's flying Havanese hair. I'll take sharp and grainy any day over smooth and smeary.

...And take that camera off "Auto"!  Put on "P" (program) and experiment on changing just ONE variable... For instance, if you want to capture fast movement, set the shutter speed high (like 500) and let the camera determine the other settings. Or, if you want a shallow depth of field to isolate flowers in the foreground for whatever is behind, set the aperture, and let the camera do the rest. BUT... Take a look at what the camera chooses to compensate for your decision. You'll start to get an idea of where you can trade things off. I've shot professionally for most of my adult life, and, honestly, I MOSTLY shoot on "P", setting the parameter that is most important to me, and letting the camera do the rest. Modern cameras do an amazing job! The only times I shoot fully manual are in situations (like a sunny day in the snow) where I KNOW the conditions are going to fool the meter into making bad decisions.


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## Jojofergy (Jun 27, 2016)

Most of that was like a foreign language to me  I sure hope it has a really good instruction manual

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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Jojofergy said:


> Most of that was like a foreign language to me  I sure hope it has a really good instruction manual
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Ha! The paper manual wasn't very good, and was TINY!!! But if you go to the Panasonic website, you can down load the COMPLETE manual as a PDF, so you can read it on your tablet or computer (or phone if you've got better eyes than I do!!!  ) I like having my camera manuals on my iPad, because then they are with me, where ever I go. There is also a pretty good third party guide book to the GX85 on Amazon for the Kindle. You can get a Kindle app for any tablet, so you can read that on an iPad (and I'm sure other devices) also.

... Or, you can do what Sophie has done, set it on "A", which is automatic, and let the camera do everything by itself... At least until you get more daring. It does also have a "scene" mode (these are pre-sets, for people who don't want to learn to control the camera for themselves) for "Freeze Animal Motion". I haven't used this, but every setting I HAVE tried has worked pretty well, so this would be a good place for you to start for your agility pictures.


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## KarMar (Jan 14, 2016)

The place I purchased mine offered free classes with my camera. I haven't been able to fit them into my schedule yet, but I plan on taking a couple this summer  Not sure if that is the norm (my camera was purchased in a holiday package), but classes offered by stores that speciakize in cameras and photography tend to be pretty well done and user friendly if you can find one.


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## 31818 (Oct 29, 2014)

Jojofergy said:


> Most of that was like a foreign language to me  I sure hope it has a really good instruction manual
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Me too! I am still learning the fine points of my Brownie box camera. I wish I still had an operator on the phone that said, "number please" rather than trying to learn to talk in a foreign language like Tapa! 

Ricky's Popi


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Ricky Ricardo said:


> Me too! I am still learning the fine points of my Brownie box camera. I wish I still had an operator on the phone that said, "number please" rather than trying to learn to talk in a foreign language like Tapa!
> 
> Ricky's Popi


My first camera was a Brownie! Haven't stopped shooting since!


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## Dee Dee (Jul 24, 2015)

Always fun to see people searching for their first serious camera! 
And the sticker shock face! 
It's so addicting. But you will love it.
Just realize that you can take much better photos with a lower quality camera and good technique than you can with a quality camera and bad technique. It took me several months to a year of practicing and experimenting to really figure the thing out and get more out of it.


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## Jojofergy (Jun 27, 2016)

With Luna's new medical issues I've put the camera on hold I saved 3/4 of the money and now spent most of that for Luna's vet bills I'll get one eventually just going to take more time than I originally thought I really wish I was able to get it for 4th of july would have been nice to have it on vacation 
Back to saving again lol 


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

That's too bad.  But better a healthy baby!


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## Maistjarna (Oct 15, 2016)

I will have to read all of this, because I would love to take action shots of Luna, but they all look like this:


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Maistjarna said:


> I will have to read all of this, because I would love to take action shots of Luna, but they all look like this:


You took a great angle, but if you don't have a camera that is fast enough to stop action, it is very, very hard. Basically, you need to wait for them to stand still, then snap FAST!!!


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## Dee Dee (Jul 24, 2015)

I agree with Karen without the right equipment it's next to impossible to get great action shots. My main action shot set up was $7000 +! But it can be done cheaper. Still it's an expensive hobby that sucks you in and gets you addicted to "needing" more and more lenses and the next best great camera body and then it pulls on your ear and says hey wouldn't studio lights be just so much fun and the studio lights ARE just so much fun so then suddenly you are buying a battery pack to be able to take your studio lights outdoors because well natural light just isn't good enough anymore, but what happens when the sun isn't ideal for a rim light, of course that means you buy another strobe light for in the back then you start to wonder, hmmm....I wonder if a soft box would do a better job than the umbrellas I better find out so you do but the excitement of that starts to wear off so you get into reflectors and gels and off camera speedlights and when all that becomes mundane you start photographing dogs above your head on a sheet of plexiglass........

Now I'm looking for a sewing machine to make modeling outfits for Sophie from all the things I've been collecting and I don't even know how to sew!


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## Maistjarna (Oct 15, 2016)

krandall said:


> You took a great angle, but if you don't have a camera that is fast enough to stop action, it is very, very hard. Basically, you need to wait for them to stand still, then snap FAST!!!


Well my phone does OK with still shots.
This was taken just a little after the other picture (so the lighting was similar)


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## Tux's Mom (May 24, 2016)

Dee Dee said:


> I agree with Karen without the right equipment it's next to impossible to get great action shots. My main action shot set up was $7000 +! But it can be done cheaper. Still it's an expensive hobby that sucks you in and gets you addicted to "needing" more and more lenses and the next best great camera body and then it pulls on your ear and says hey wouldn't studio lights be just so much fun and the studio lights ARE just so much fun so then suddenly you are buying a battery pack to be able to take your studio lights outdoors because well natural light just isn't good enough anymore, but what happens when the sun isn't ideal for a rim light, of course that means you buy another strobe light for in the back then you start to wonder, hmmm....I wonder if a soft box would do a better job than the umbrellas I better find out so you do but the excitement of that starts to wear off so you get into reflectors and gels and off camera speedlights and when all that becomes mundane you start photographing dogs above your head on a sheet of plexiglass........
> 
> Now I'm looking for a sewing machine to make modeling outfits for Sophie from all the things I've been collecting and I don't even know how to sew!


Oh that is hysterical! Reminds me of my dad (God rest his sweet soul). He joined a rock club and his first piece of equipment was a tumbler to polish the odd little stones he would collect on "rock club trips". Then he needed a better polishing machine, then small jewelry tools to bend wire around his rocks, then larger tools to cast and finish and mold rings to hold the rocks, then a faceting machine to facet the stones so they would shine and reflect the light. It multiplied from there.

I was IN the jewelry business for 30 years. As a hobbyist my dad had more equipment than I ever did. LOL


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Dee Dee said:


> I agree with Karen without the right equipment it's next to impossible to get great action shots. My main action shot set up was $7000 +! But it can be done cheaper. Still it's an expensive hobby that sucks you in and gets you addicted to "needing" more and more lenses and the next best great camera body and then it pulls on your ear and says hey wouldn't studio lights be just so much fun and the studio lights ARE just so much fun so then suddenly you are buying a battery pack to be able to take your studio lights outdoors because well natural light just isn't good enough anymore, but what happens when the sun isn't ideal for a rim light, of course that means you buy another strobe light for in the back then you start to wonder, hmmm....I wonder if a soft box would do a better job than the umbrellas I better find out so you do but the excitement of that starts to wear off so you get into reflectors and gels and off camera speedlights and when all that becomes mundane you start photographing dogs above your head on a sheet of plexiglass........
> 
> Now I'm looking for a sewing machine to make modeling outfits for Sophie from all the things I've been collecting and I don't even know how to sew!


ound: You go WAY above what I do! LOL! I've got a great camera and a good camera (which I am using most of the time these days, because it is SO light and fits in my pocketbook) and a strobe for each, plus a ring light form my macro lenses. I don't have any studio lights...or a studio, for that matter. Most of what I sell is either nature photos or aquarium photos, so I can't put them in a studio anyway!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Maistjarna said:


> Well my phone does OK with still shots.
> This was taken just a little after the other picture (so the lighting was similar)


Cute! Still is much easier for phones.


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## Sheri (Oct 11, 2008)

Dee Dee said:


> Still it's an expensive hobby that sucks you in... and when all that becomes mundane you start photographing dogs above your head on a sheet of plexiglass........
> 
> Now I'm looking for a sewing machine to make modeling outfits for Sophie from all the things I've been collecting and I don't even know how to sew!


ound: Wow! :laugh:


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Dee Dee said:


> and when all that becomes mundane you start photographing dogs above your head on a sheet of plexiglass........


Show them some of THOSE photos, Dee Dee!!! :wink2:


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## Dee Dee (Jul 24, 2015)

Ha they are in another post here


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## hands on Milo (Jun 5, 2017)

if you don't have one of the aforementioned cameras with you, try using the burst function on your cell phone. With my S7, all i have to do is hold down the shutter button and it takes a buncha shots in quick succession. then you don't have to worry so much about getting the _perfect_ shot. you can choose from the bunch and find the one you're looking for. i took this shot of Milo using burst on my phone.

i also have this shot of my first dog, Huckleberry, using the burst function on simple little Canon Powershot Elph.


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