# Canon AE-1 Action Settings Question



## SH_Lieca (Jan 3, 2021)

I have a Canon AE-1 Program and I plan on going California to spend some time with some friends who all skateboard. I have never shot skateboarding and I was hoping I could get some advice on camera settings and technique. What would be the ideal settings for this camera? I will be shooting Ilford 400 HP5 Black and White on a Canon Zoom Lens Fd 35-70mm 1:3.5-4.5 If not, what should i set my ISO, aperature, shutter speed to when shooting sunny California skateboarding? Thank you!


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## ronlane (Jan 3, 2021)

Shooting sports and action requires high shutter speeds to freeze the action or a slower shutter speed to show motion. That is a creative decision that you will have to make. To freeze action of skateboards, I would suggest shutters over 1/1000 or faster. Your ISO is 400, so your aperture (f-stop) would be the link to balance the exposure triangle. To do this for film camera's you will need a light meter.

There is no way for anyone to tell you the exact settings you should use, but what I have shared with you will get you started.

Good luck.


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## jcdeboever (Jan 4, 2021)

Shoot iso 400 B&W film and push it to meet light conditions, shutter speed, and small apertures. Most of the time, on a sunny day I would be pushing to 800 and setting aperture to f8 to f16 depending on what my meter is telling me. Usually the shutter speed would be either 500 or 1000. That sport is suited to get close and use a wide angle lens, even a 16mm fish eye lens. The key is not having to fiddle with focus. Get your exposure setup and that will tell you how much to push. Tmax 3200 is a great option as well shooting it at 800 or 1600. 

If you shoot color, portra 800 works well for this sport and pushing.


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