Advice needed for sports shots

[StoryBookPhotography]

And another.
Settings:
ISO 800
F/5
1/30

 

[StoryBookPhotography]

Last one
Settings:
ISO 800
1/15
F/5

 

[prodigy2k7]

One problem I have with my Canon 70-300 lens is I always wondered why they came out blurry after basically holding the camera very still, high shutter speeds (500 -640 minimum)...

I learned that lower quality lenses arent very crisp and sharp when they are "fully open" (low F number, such as 4.0 of 5.6)

TO get crisp pictures it should be around F9 to F11. But since you seem to have low light conditions...

I am a notice from experience with the same lens...


Edit: Mine is the Non IS lol

 

[StoryBookPhotography]

Well there you go. Your shutter speed was 1/13...where it should have been 1/250 or 1/500. It's not just your son that is blurry...so there is also blur from camera shake going on here. IS will help with that, but it's not a miracle cure.

Looking at your settings...the light levels were low. Even if you had bumped the ISO up to 1600, your shutter speed would only have been 1/25 or 1/30...which still isn't nearly fast enough.

You need to be 4 or 5 'full stops' faster....and you just aren't going to be able to do that, with that equipment and especially in that poor light.

Try again when it's actually a nice bright day and see if you don't get better results.

Those were the Auto settings the camera set while in Sports mode.

 

[Big Mike]

Those were the Auto settings the camera set while in Sports mode.

Firstly, there really isn't anything that the 'picture modes' do that the other modes can't do. They just let the camera do the thinking (which probably isn't a good idea, since it doesn't have a brain ).
It would be much better for you to learn about exposure (shutter speed & aperture) and then you can consciously think about what the camera is doing.

That being said, the settings that the camera set in sports mode...are probably what I would have set...the aperture was probably at it's max and the ISO was fairly high. The slow shutter speed was just a result of the low light levels. If you had manually set a faster shutter speed...the photos would have been underexposed...probably quite a bit by the time it was fast enough to freeze the action.

To say it another way...there was nothing that you could have done to get sharp shots in this situation...except bump up the ISO a bit more...but that probably wouldn't have been enough.

I guess you could have used a big flash...but they probably don't want you firing a flash at the players

Your options for the future are to get a 'faster' lens (larger aperture) or shoot when the light is better.

 

[Tiberius47]

Hey there,
I have a fairly new camera so I am still learning all the bells and whistles, so please bear with me..
However, I have been taking some pictures at my son's baseball games.
The still shots of him on the field look great. I am having trouble with action shots. When he is swinging the bat, the bat comes out very blurry.
Also, I took some of him jumping up to catch a ball and he is blurred.
I had the camera on Sports mode which is what the manual said to use for action shots. Any suggestions? he has a big game tonight and I would like to get this figured out.
My camera is a Canon EOS 40D and I am using a Canon 70-300 lens.
Thanks for the help.

First of all, get it out of the PIC modes. You've got a good camera there and you won't get very far if it's always on automatic. Read the tutorials in my signature, they'll give you a good foundation in basic photographic technique.

For sports, I'd recommend that you set the camera to Tv mode (Shutter priority) and set the shutter speed to about 1/500. This should be fast enough to freeze most movement, giving you nice sharp photos.

However, the lens you are using is rather slow (only f5.6 when it's zoomed all the way in), so you'll probably have to increase the ISO in order to get properly exposed images. Don't be too reluctant, as the 40D's performance at higher ISO ratings is very god, and you won't get much noise in the pictures. in Tv mode, you can bump the ISO up to 3200, which is two stops more than 800.

 

[JustAnEngineer]

I have the same EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens and 40D camera. With image stabilization, I can get semi-decent shots at 1/25s hand-held when zoomed in at 300mm, if the subject is still. I shot this one the evening that UPS delivered the new lens:
http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee120/JustAnEngineer/Wildlife/IMG_0414a.jpg

You're trying to take photos of fast-moving athletes. You'll need to get the shutter speed up around 1/250 or faster to really freeze the action.

When you're in a low-light situation, I'd suggest making certain that ISO extension is turned on (so that you can select 3200), going to Av mode, setting ISO to 3200 and aperture to maximum (f/5.6 at maximum zoom or f/4 at the widest), and hoping that there is enough light that the camera's metering comes up with a decently-fast shutter speed.

There is some increase in graininess at ISO 1600 and 3200 compared to 800 or less, but this would be better than the subject blurring that you're getting at the very long exposures.

Since a big flash would probably distract the players, your next step would be to get a larger lens that could gather more light.

 

[Jeff Canes]

I my opinion with your camera and lens you should be able to get good photos in daytime with good light, maybe even at night with some luck.

I Not sure what the camera is doing in Sports mode. Personally I avoid those exposure modes that are the traditional point & shot ones. I think all of those P&S modes adjust the ISO and that is your main problem (at less they do on my 10D). IMO only use the traditional SLR exposure mode of shutter or aperture priority and program and using the dials to override as needed. These modes do not adjust the iso.

Up the shutter speed as everyone has recommends. As for ISO personally I like to shot baseball around 400 to 600 iso in the daytime. At night 800 or 1600 and never higher, but your 40D is better at 3200 that most older cameras.

Get a monopod it lighten the camera load

Also at night you need to change the light metering to spot mode or use the back dial to override exposure to the minuses side. Why because if you are using the ambient light mode the camera will include the darker areas and require a lower shutter speed that maybe to slow.

 

[uplander]

You have a great camera and a decent lens although not the best lens for what you are trying to accomplish at night games. Everyine gave great advice and yet to a novice it will all sound very daunting.

Your camera manuel does a very good job of explaining all its features. Read each suggestion in the posts above and find the corresponding section in your manuel to explain how to set the camera controls such changing the ISO setting. Expiriment with some shots to see how it effects your pics. Try this with Apeture Piority (Av) , shutter priority (Tv) ans so on to understand all the functions of the camera.

Don't try to learn it all in one sitting but try something today, something later on or tomorrow and so on. In no time you will be getting fantastic shots with that camera and lens.

The tutorials in Tibeious's signature line will be a great benefit also by understanding what aperture, shutter speed , ISO, ect. are and how the effect getting a good exposure.

 

[391615]

I have a 70-300 sigma for my Pentax, it runs at f5.6 at 300mm, which is what I use for most sport shots. Ive been taking sport shots for about 6 months, I've only just started to do some night sports. I'm finding that even with ISO 1600, I have shutter speeds of 30-90. Not good enough unless panning a player or taking a still shot. The lense is great for daytime shots, but for those night time shots I get blur on movement. I realize that if I want good shots, I need a Canon eos 10mp which shoots 10fps, these are cheap now the MKIII are out now with 21mp. I think to take good shots you will at least need a 300mm f2.8, or 400mm f2.8 which is 3 times as much however. IT depends what you want to take photos of. I am trying to take Football photos, and think I need a 400mm f2.8, but then even a 600mm f4.0 is better depending on distance.

 

[prodigy2k7]

I think that in any fast moving sports you need bare minimum 1/250 shutter. IT depend son what sport but I wouldnt feel well if I was taking shots near 250 or below.

 

[391615]

Yes and No!

You shouldn't ever be really taking sports photos from a still position with the movement coming straight through your field of veiw. I'm not 100% sure on other sports but shooting Aussie Rules football, you quite often look for shots with the player running toward you trying to catch the football. so the blur isn't too harsh. there are a lot of shots with slight movement, and most running shots are panned. I had a panned shot in perfect focus the other night, didn't get the ball in the shot, but If you have the right technique, I don't believe you need up to 1/250, so long as you are using a monopod.

Ps I will concede this will not work with baseball/softball, and agree 1/250 would be in order.

I think that in any fast moving sports you need bare minimum 1/250 shutter. IT depend son what sport but I wouldnt feel well if I was taking shots near 250 or below.

 

[ryan7783]

I just hope to get nice pictures of an 8 year old baseball game.

wow what inning were they in?


har har har.