Help with shooting a gymnastics meets

[hippychickmom]

Here is one I

In that gym, I would suggest that you just set the camera at 3200iso, 500th, 2.8 and if you can, shoot closer to the athletes. Get away from using any of the auto modes on the camera, except the autofocus. The settings I gave you, will work.

If you have a 70-200 2.8, use it.

I used it for all events but floor cause it was too close

 

[Didereaux]

You're going to have to learn to pan your shots with that camera. Otherwise a minimum of 1/5ooth for a shutter speed in order to stop the action/blur. Your camera is maxed out at 3200 as far as usable ISO goes. So practice panning!!!! Then you will probably get an acceptable number of shots at 1/200. The background will of course be blurred but your subject should be sharp. You also will have to use spot focus or at best the 5 point auto focus settings.

Set your camera up for back button focus or if youo are comfortable then use the AF button, and remember you must hold these down for the AI-servo to nmaintain focus on the subject. It only requires practice. Stand on by a street and practice on cars and bikers and such. A short afternoons session should get you working.

 

[hippychickmom]

You're going to have to learn to pan your shots with that camera. Otherwise a minimum of 1/5ooth for a shutter speed in order to stop the action/blur. Your camera is maxed out at 3200 as far as usable ISO goes. So practice panning!!!! Then you will probably get an acceptable number of shots at 1/200. The background will of course be blurred but your subject should be sharp. You also will have to use spot focus or at best the 5 point auto focus settings.

It actually goes to 6400 , would it be best to use that over 3200?

 

[hippychickmom]

I also have it set to al servo for the focus setting , I read in the manual that was the best for moving subjects?

 

[imagemaker46]

If you work yourself into a position where the backgrounds are a little cleaner, hold your camera straighter and crop the images you have it will make a huge difference. Stopping the action will require 500th-800th of a second. Shooting gymnastics in the best of conditions is a challenging sport to shoot. Shooting in a small gym where everything is packed together makes it much more difficult to isolate the gymnast from a clean background, but cleaner backgrounds are there, just takes being able to move around and see them, the window you end up with may be pretty small.

 

[hippychickmom]

And thank you everyone I am def taking these tips to the next meet

 

[imagemaker46]

You're going to have to learn to pan your shots with that camera. Otherwise a minimum of 1/5ooth for a shutter speed in order to stop the action/blur. Your camera is maxed out at 3200 as far as usable ISO goes. So practice panning!!!! Then you will probably get an acceptable number of shots at 1/200. The background will of course be blurred but your subject should be sharp. You also will have to use spot focus or at best the 5 point auto focus settings.

It actually goes to 6400 , would it be best to use that over 3200?

You can try 6400 but you will end up with more noise, what it would get you is the faster shutter speeds you need. At the skill level you are working at I wouldn't waste too many frames trying to pan the gymnasts at 200th sec. You may get lucky on a couple, but for the most part you'll end up with a lot of deleted images.

 

[Didereaux]

You're going to have to learn to pan your shots with that camera. Otherwise a minimum of 1/5ooth for a shutter speed in order to stop the action/blur. Your camera is maxed out at 3200 as far as usable ISO goes. So practice panning!!!! Then you will probably get an acceptable number of shots at 1/200. The background will of course be blurred but your subject should be sharp. You also will have to use spot focus or at best the 5 point auto focus settings.

It actually goes to 6400 , would it be best to use that over 3200?

On that camera 6400 is not a usable ISO, 3200 is barely so. Re-read what I just wrote in my previous comment. Do that and then come backk with some examples...there is NO easy lazy solution for you other than spend a LARGE amount of cash for a new body. Why do that until you master the techniques used by ALL the good sports/action photographers? Just buckle down and do the work. You have the equipment, you just don't have the skills yet.

 

[imagemaker46]

I also have it set to al servo for the focus setting , I read in the manual that was the best for moving subjects?

Yes, it is the best choice.

 

[Didereaux]

You're going to have to learn to pan your shots with that camera. Otherwise a minimum of 1/5ooth for a shutter speed in order to stop the action/blur. Your camera is maxed out at 3200 as far as usable ISO goes. So practice panning!!!! Then you will probably get an acceptable number of shots at 1/200. The background will of course be blurred but your subject should be sharp. You also will have to use spot focus or at best the 5 point auto focus settings.

It actually goes to 6400 , would it be best to use that over 3200?

You can try 6400 but you will end up with more noise, what it would get you is the faster shutter speeds you need. At the skill level you are working at I wouldn't waste too many frames trying to pan the gymnasts at 200th sec. You may get lucky on a couple, but for the most part you'll end up with a lot of deleted images.

DUH! That is why you practice! What I described is easily learnable in a couple or three hours. It is a technique even the top sports. action photographers use. Maybe you do not want to spend the effort, but why advise someone else that it won't work?

You're going to have to learn to pan your shots with that camera. Otherwise a minimum of 1/5ooth for a shutter speed in order to stop the action/blur. Your camera is maxed out at 3200 as far as usable ISO goes. So practice panning!!!! Then you will probably get an acceptable number of shots at 1/200. The background will of course be blurred but your subject should be sharp. You also will have to use spot focus or at best the 5 point auto focus settings.

It actually goes to 6400 , would it be best to use that over 3200?

On that camera 6400 is not a usable ISO, 3200 is barely so. Re-read what I just wrote in my previous comment. Do that and then come backk with some examples...there is NO easy lazy solution for you other than spend a LARGE amount of cash for a new body. Why do that until you master the techniques used by ALL the good sports/action photographers? Just buckle down and do the work. You have the equipment, you just don't have the skills yet.

There IS one more thing that will help greatly. Get a good flash (I recommend the Yongnuo 600 @ around $100 it is the equal of the Canon 600EX). If necessary to shoot beyond 40-50 ft put on a Better Beamer flash extend (~$40) dead simple and it will stop the motion easily at 1/200 or even faster using its hi-speed synch.

DO not be concerned that it is too complicated. JUST ASK. There a dozen or more photographers on here that can explain it simply and easily.

 

[imagemaker46]

Here are a couple of shots from last year. Shot in a high school gym.

 

[imagemaker46]

You're going to have to learn to pan your shots with that camera. Otherwise a minimum of 1/5ooth for a shutter speed in order to stop the action/blur. Your camera is maxed out at 3200 as far as usable ISO goes. So practice panning!!!! Then you will probably get an acceptable number of shots at 1/200. The background will of course be blurred but your subject should be sharp. You also will have to use spot focus or at best the 5 point auto focus settings.

It actually goes to 6400 , would it be best to use that over 3200?

You can try 6400 but you will end up with more noise, what it would get you is the faster shutter speeds you need. At the skill level you are working at I wouldn't waste too many frames trying to pan the gymnasts at 200th sec. You may get lucky on a couple, but for the most part you'll end up with a lot of deleted images.

DUH! That is why you practice! What I described is easily learnable in a couple or three hours. It is a technique even the top sports. action photographers use. Maybe you do not want to spend the effort, but why advise someone else that it won't work?

You're going to have to learn to pan your shots with that camera. Otherwise a minimum of 1/5ooth for a shutter speed in order to stop the action/blur. Your camera is maxed out at 3200 as far as usable ISO goes. So practice panning!!!! Then you will probably get an acceptable number of shots at 1/200. The background will of course be blurred but your subject should be sharp. You also will have to use spot focus or at best the 5 point auto focus settings.

It actually goes to 6400 , would it be best to use that over 3200?

On that camera 6400 is not a usable ISO, 3200 is barely so. Re-read what I just wrote in my previous comment. Do that and then come backk with some examples...there is NO easy lazy solution for you other than spend a LARGE amount of cash for a new body. Why do that until you master the techniques used by ALL the good sports/action photographers? Just buckle down and do the work. You have the equipment, you just don't have the skills yet.

There IS one more thing that will help greatly. Get a good flash (I recommend the Yongnuo 600 @ around $100 it is the equal of the Canon 600EX). If necessary to shoot beyond 40-50 ft put on a Better Beamer flash extend (~$40) dead simple and it will stop the motion easily at 1/200 or even faster using its hi-speed synch.



DO not be concerned that it is too complicated. JUST ASK. There a dozen or more photographers on here that can explain it simply and easily.

First of all I shoot sports for a living, I have for a very long time, including gymnastics, from kids to the Olympics. Second of all you are never allowed to use flash at any gymnastics meets anywhere. Nothing like blinding a gymnast on the beam, or better yet, the bars.

 

[Didereaux]

Here are a couple of shots from last year. Shot in a high school gym.

..and your point is that using a much better camera under different conditions answers the OPs question. BTW just what camera, lens and settings are you using on those shots?
THe idea is to try and find answers to an OPs question that involves using the equipment they have or can easily get. Anyone can solve all problems with $10K +

 

[imagemaker46]

Canon 1Dx 300 2.8

 

[Didereaux]

Canon 1Dx 300 2.8

LOL ROFLMAO and that equates to a T2-3i consumer with a 7-0-200mm lens(albeit that is one damn good lens). Go away you shouldn't be allowed near po' folk!