Lumix GH1: What settings should I use?

[bethk]

Okay, I have two scenarios I want to ask about. First off, as I mentioned, I have a Panasonic Lumix GH1. I have two lenses. The 14-140 HD and a 100-300 zoom (love this zoom lens!!!). What I am looking for is the best absolute settings I can use for each scenario (both with a tripod and without as I tend to do a lot of moving around).

1) Indoor basketball and wrestlings matches. Typical school gym lighting. Low, incandescent.

2) (Probably the more important and least likely to use a tripod) I am photographing a sweet sixteen party for my friend's daughter. It will be a masquerade ball held in a "tent" with very low lighting (white Christmas lights is all they have). It will be at night with lots of dancing, moving, motion. I have a flash, but that will give me only one picture every cycle of the recharge. So, I am looking for four ways of setting the camera. 1) Without flash; 2) With flash; 3) Moving around and 4) tripod mounted (least likely to use).

Thank you a bunch for your help!

 

[2WheelPhoto]

 

[HomelessBoy]

For scenario 1, you do not want to use flash too much as it affects the players in the match. I would change the mode to Shutter priority mode so you can set the shutter speed manually. I would say to about 1/200, then the camera makes adjustments on aperture automatically. Manually set the white balance and test which is the best before the match starts. Set ISO between 400 to 1600 depending on the light.

For scenario 2, what flash do you have? A tripod could annoy the people in the party as they could trip over. I would set the ISO ranging from 800 to 3200. Manually adjust white balance. You have to play around the settings and see which is the best. You might be able to get some decent shots with long exposure if your camera supports this.

 

[bethk]

Just a quick thank you for responding. I'm always up for more replies or added information. I am going to "test" out these settings and see what works. I'll try to mimic the environment and have my boys "go at it". ROFL!

Thanks again!!

 

[KmH]

For action sports you really want the shutter speed at or above 1/500. If you're really good at antisipating the action and can catch it right at the moment action almost stops, you could use 1/250 for those shots.

Because the amount of light is a variable, you will have to adjust the other parts of the exposure triad based on what the camera's built in light meter shows, but you could always put the ISO in Auto and let iot 'float'.

Photos that have image noise are usually better than photos that have subject motion blur.