Help with Nikon D200

[kfmartine]

I have a Nikon D200. I have been taking pictures with my camera for over a year, but never really get the quality I want. I purcahsed the Magic Lantern dvd and it gave me some ideas. I have a 18-200 lens. This is the lens that came with my camera. I have 2 little kids and in the past I have taken still shots until recently I have been taking my 5 year old soccer game. Blurry blurry blurry in motion! I did not have many good shots during soccer season. Now we are going into baseball season. I need help. What settings would you use for fast moving sports shorts outdoors? The games will be maily at night or in the evening. Everyone is asking me to take the pictures. I guess they saw the big camera and figuered it will take professional pictures.

NEXT. I am supposed to take pictures of an indoor church function with lots of kids. Probably more movement. What settings would you recommend.

These questions amy sound easy to some, BUT I'm learning and your appreciate all the help I can get. Thanks a ton!!!

 

[Trever1t]

you have a real need for speed. Shutter speeds at least 1/250th of a second but probably more realistic at 1/500th. Your lens is slow so even wide open you'd need to bump up your ISO so far that your shots will be pretty grainy with the D200. You could invest in good glass, or if really on a budget go with a 50mm f1/8 and get close to the action.

 

[kfmartine]

What would you suggest for a good lens for outdoor sports? Or inddor for that matter. And is that what I need to do? Replace the lens for sports? THANKS Trever1t!!!

 

[KmH]

Like Trever1t says, at night and indoors what looks like plenty of light to your eye lokks pretty dark to the camera. In daylight the D200 and 18-200 will work fine. If there is a heavy overcast it becomes maybe.

The Nikon 18-200 mm lens is very convenient with it's 11x+ zoom range (superzoom), but it gives up both performance and image quality to do so. The D200 is now very nearly 2 design generations old. The D400 should be announced litterally any day now.

For indoors and at night you need a faster lens. Faster lenses are generally more expensive, particularly when the focal length also increases. A 300 mm f/2.8 lens costs $6,500. A Nikon 80-200 mm f/2.8 is $1100. There are 3rd party 70-200 mm that are about $1000.

So, with the D200 and 18-200 lens - here is what you need to do;
1. Put the D200 in Aperture Priority shooting mode.
2. Set the zoom on the lens to 18 mm and set the aperture in the camera to f/3.5, the widest aperture the lens has available at 18 mm.
Now as you zoom the lens towards 200 mm, the aperture will automatically change to whatever maximum aperture is available anywhere from the f/3.5 at 18 mm to the f/5.6 available at 200 mm. You no longer have to worry about the lens aperture and can zoom in and out as needed.
3. Set the ISO to auto.
4. The camera will adjust thje shutter speed for you. BUT In the viewfinder, you will have to keep an eye on the shutter speed and the exposure meter. For most action, shutter speed needs to be between 1/500 and 1/4000. If you can catch the action just as everything stops moving fast - 1/250 might work.

You also need to use the AF-C (continuous) focus mode. when AF-C is selected the camera is put into release-priority mode and it will release the shutter even if auto focus have not been achieved. In AF-S (single0 focus mode the camera uses focus-priority and won't release the shutter until focus has been achieved.

Shooting action sport is not easy on the photographer or the gear. There is a lot more to it - like where to shoot from, how to hold the camera, how to pan, how understanding the game the being familar with the players helps the photographer anticipate the action, and so much more.

 

[Trever1t]

Yeah, lens would be a good start but a fast (large constant aperture) lens is going to set you back. Look for a used 70-200vr1, it will run you $1200-$1400 used in good condition. It's a great lens and if you ever upgrade your body you'll take it along.

 

[PapaMatt]

I have a Nikon D200 myself. What others have said already is right on. On the D200 and sports you need a fast lens and fast speed, the ISO on the D200 is good but only up to 400 sorry to say that but that is what I have found on the one I have. you can push it though and get some grain. I have done some kids sports but I use a Sigma 2.8 / 50-150 with pretty good outcome and shoot at about 500

 

[Destin]

I have a nearly brand new sigma 70-200 2.8 HSM II Macro lens that I'm trying to sell. It's great for shooting sports in low light. I'm looking to get $800 for it... they are $900, or more, if you can even find one in stock anywhere anymore. This one is in pretty much brand new condition. PM me if you're interested.

 

[djacobox372]

I have a Nikon D200 myself. What others have said already is right on. On the D200 and sports you need a fast lens and fast speed, the ISO on the D200 is good but only up to 400 sorry to say that but that is what I have found on the one I have. you can push it though and get some grain. I have done some kids sports but I use a Sigma 2.8 / 50-150 with pretty good outcome and shoot at about 500

You must hate noise, I routinely used my d200 as high as 1600iso, and 800iso noise was almost invisible in 5x7 prints. Not as good as newer cameras, but to say it only goes up to 400iso is like saying a D700 only goes up to 1000iso.

 

[Raybo]

You also want to make sure that in the custom setting menu in the "b" bank of settings under metering/exposure/iso auto that you set the max iso sensitivity to around 1600 and minimum shutter speed to at least 1/200 or faster to stop motion with the kids sports. (I guess asking them to slow down is not an option) As far as noise is concerned, the subject, distance from the subject, and the quality of light (to name a few factors) at the time of picture taking has a lot to do with the perceived impact of the noise. I have been shooting with the D200 for the last 4 years. If the essence of your subject is not fine detail (such as on close-up portraits), then noise will be less of an issue. If you are shooting in great light and the subjects are at a distance, the noise is less an an issue. If there is no blue sky (where noise can look really bad) and no deep dark spaces in you image, the noise can be much more tolerable. You get the idea. And quite frankly, if you are proficient in Photoshop, you can address some of the noise there after the fact if it really is bad. But in general, I agree with jacob (above) - you can definitely go higher than 400.

In the final analysis - get out there with your D200, have the kids run around - set the camera at iso 1600 and shoot away mid day, at dusk, and indoors and see what you get - before you're on the hook with the relatives and friends - so you know if you should politely back away from your commitment - until the fast glass arrives and maybe even a beautiful new D7000 with super low light high ISO capabilities.

Yes, this forum can help you part with your money very quickly.

 

[PapaMatt]

I have a Nikon D200 myself. What others have said already is right on. On the D200 and sports you need a fast lens and fast speed, the ISO on the D200 is good but only up to 400 sorry to say that but that is what I have found on the one I have. you can push it though and get some grain. I have done some kids sports but I use a Sigma 2.8 / 50-150 with pretty good outcome and shoot at about 500

You must hate noise, I routinely used my d200 as high as 1600iso, and 800iso noise was almost invisible in 5x7 prints. Not as good as newer cameras, but to say it only goes up to 400iso is like saying a D700 only goes up to 1000iso.

That is interesting, maybe I have a problem because my D80 I shoot at 1600 and don't see that problem I have with the D200.

the shots I took with the D200 were portrait type and blown up 10X12 with a large crop factor.