Blurry football pictures under stadium lights

Michelle5

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Hello-I am an AMATUER photographer. I am using a Nikonn D5500 with 70-200 mm F/2.8 lens, and I cannot seem to get my camera to focus for these types of action shots. I sit in the stands, use the viewfinder, my shutter speed is 1600 +, my ISO is 100, and my aperature is F/2.8. My focus is AF-C. I changed the settings multiple times, and I believe it is a focus problem. Thoughts? Ideas?

Thanks!
 
If your camera has it, use BBF.
Make sure you are using single point AF.
Set Auto WB and Auto ISO.

Have a good time!
BBF-? Sorry-just a newbie :icon_biggrin: I will try your suggestions-thank you! Below is a sample pic-UUGGHH!



Blurry pic 8-27-21.JPG
 
BBF means back button focus. Of course you need to have auto focus on but BBF does mean that. There are other options for a focus button (apart from the AF-ON one).🙄
 
Last edited:
Your posted picture tells me that too many AF points were active
and the camera didn't know which to select.
Interesting point as I could not tell what it was focused on. For action I use single point AF.

Also, just to make sure the system is working, shoot a motionless object on the sidelines. Your shot looks like the AF was turned off!

Once you've done that, use aperture priority, shoot at f 2.8, shoot raw and then under expose at least one stop. This will cause the shutter speed to increase (there are other ways to do this BTW).

Then, in post, bring up the shadows. You'll be amazed at how much detail there is in the shadows of a raw image. It will result in a little more noise but in the end the higher shutter speed will reduce motion blur.
 
What post processing has been done to that example? If you are getting that much light at shutter of 1/1600 at ISO 100 and f/2.8, you have plenty of light.

But you could shoot at 1/1000 or 1/1250 and be fast enough to stop the action.

Was the image cropped? If so, that is part of the problem. Cropping in tight will degrade the image.

My guess is that it is a combination of things causing the image to be soft. The number of focus points, the camera (D5500), cropping a bunch in post and over processing a dark image.
 
Makes NO sense to me.
The title says under lights.
But ISO = 100, SS = 1/1600, f/2.8.
That has to be REALLY BRIGHT lights.

@Michelle5 , post a FULL FRAME image, not cropped or processed, so that we can see what you shot.

Go outside your house, and the camera and the 70-200 lens.
Set the camera to mode P, take a pic of a house across the street.
Post that picture. Also not cropped and not processed.
 
If your camera has it, use BBF.
Make sure you are using single point AF.
Set Auto WB and Auto ISO.

Have a good time!

BBF is not relevant and not necessary.
I'm starting my 5th year of shooting sports at the local high school, and never used BBF, and see no value in it, for ME.
 
If your camera has it, use BBF.
Make sure you are using single point AF.
Set Auto WB and Auto ISO.

Have a good time!

When using BBF, just be sure to disengage it from the
shutter release as well… otherwise, contre-productive.
 
Single point focus, stop down to f/5.6 or f/8, increase ISO to 400 or 800. Pump shutter and listen for focus acquisition beep, fully press shutter when you hear the beep. You could keep the ISO at 400 if you lower the shutter speed to 1/1000s. Good, solid hand holding technique is advised as well. Of course, this is assuming the numbers you wrote are accurately metered. It appears they are, just a little tweak as I described should provide keepers.
 
BBF is not relevant and not necessary.
I'm starting my 5th year of shooting sports at the local high school, and never used BBF, and see no value in it, for ME.

Same here. BBF works perfect for me for static subjects. For moving subjects, it's back to using the shutter release to focus with.
 

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