Settings for taking pics of youth sports???

[tyedye]

My camera has a 12x optical zoom (no not the canon s3 or s5, it's a panasonic lumix fz20) and I like to take pics of my kids playing soccer and swimming (outdoors). I have mostly been using the sports scene mode but was wondering what other settings might work possibly better?

The other day I looked at the info on the pics I took of soccer (outside, very sunny day) and in sports mode the iso was 80, f2.8-3.3, and an avg of 1/500

The camera features are similar to other big zooms on the market. You can use program AE w/shift, aperature priority AE, shutter priority AE and manual (which I'd rather not do cause I don't think I can focus fast enough). There are 2 modes of stablization and mode 2 is what the manual says is best.

Is it better to keep the focus on continous auto focus?

I think alot of getting a good pic is timing, you have to anticipate the child running etc and take the shot (burst mode) and hope to get a good pic, but I'd like to have the camera at least working with me if you know what I mean.

 

[Master Mason]

Manual settings and manual focus are two unrelated things. Manual settings allow you to set ISO, Apeture, and Shuter Speed. AV will let you adjust ISO and Apeture, and TV will let you adjust ISO and Shutter.

As for settings, you want to make sure that your shutter is moving at 1/effective focal length, what that means is figure out what your 35mm equivalent is for your lens and your shutter speed should be 1/that number.

so as long as your effective length is below 500mm your good with the settings you gave.

As light goes down you'll have to bump up ISO or open the apeture or both to keep the shutter speed up.

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

The other day I looked at the info on the pics I took of soccer (outside, very sunny day) and in sports mode the iso was 80, f2.8-3.3, and an avg of 1/500

Those are good settings for outdoor sports ... the FZ20 is about the same (in 35mm equivalent) as the S3 so anything over 1/400 is good enough at the long end of the zoom.

The camera features are similar to other big zooms on the market. You can use program AE w/shift, aperature priority AE, shutter priority AE and manual (which I'd rather not do cause I don't think I can focus fast enough). There are 2 modes of stablization and mode 2 is what the manual says is best.

You can use Program (AE) shift to trade aperture for shutter speed if you need to.

Is it better to keep the focus on continous auto focus?

Continuous *should* be better ... since the camera is always focusing on what it's aimed at, it will usually be closer aimed at the surface of the pool or the grass of the field than anywhere farther or nearer away and when the kids run/swim into the frame the camera will already be "almost" focused on them ... combined with a 'burst' you'll be more likely to get the in-focus shot you want.