Noob with D3100 & angry wife...HELP!

[table1349]

Indoor basketball shots generally require a high end lens (and often camera body) to get sufficient light in the images. A "slow lens" like the 18-55mm kit lens is extremely limited in what you can accomplish indoors, particularly with moving subjects like at a sporting event. Pro photographers use lenses that cost $15,000+, not to mention their $5,000 camera bodies to get the results you see in magazines like Sports Illustrated. You will never achieve those results with your 18-55mm -- it will never happen. But, that's not to say you can't get some decent shots if you follow the good advice above, and perhaps try shooting with the on camera flash, and wait for a slowdown in movement of the players.

Good luck. Post pics here after the event!! :mrgreen:

Wow I have got to tell my wife about this. I only spent $7000 on my 400mm f 2.8 & $6000 on my 300mm f2.8. I need to spend more the next time.:lmao:

Seriously to the OP sports/action photography is very demanding both on the photographer and the gear. It is expensive to buy the right glass and to a lesser extent bodies. The only thing you can do is to anticipate and shoot to the strengths of the gear you have and be satisfied with the results. Good luck.

 

[Vautrin]

it sounds like you need a new wife.

 

[CloverMom]

Good luck! I do not have any advice to give but I enjoyed reading the responses and learning along with you. As your daughter is still in "little league" I assume your wife probably isn't wanting Sports Illustrated quality shots so I think she will be satisfied with whatever images you get. If she doesn't really know anything about photography anyway then I'm sure, equipped with the advice you've been given, she is sure to think you are a semi-pro I know I would be impressed if my husband knew anything about ISO, shutter speed, or aperture.

 

[TCampbell]

I wanted to chime in on the "faster lens" advice.

A "stop" on a camera is either a halving or doubling of the amount of light (depending on whether you're increasing or decreasing stops). On a lens, the f-stop (aperture) controls the amount of light that the lens can collect while the shutter is open.

If you've got a kit lens (usually the 18-55 f/3.5-5.6) then that lens' widest aperture at, say, a 50mm focal length, is only f/5.6. f/5.6 happens to be a "full" stop (there are half-stops and third-stops... there are even 1/10th stops although most cameras only let you set f-stops in 1/3rd stop increments.) The stops seem arbitrary... you'd think they'd be number "1, 2, 3, 4". But instead the order for "full" stops is 1.0, 1.4 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22, and 32. The reason for this odd arrangement is because they're all based on powers of the "square root of 2" (approx. 1.4). 1.4^0 = 1.0. 1.4^1=1.4, 1.4^2=2, 1.4^3=2.8... you get the idea.

You can buy zoom lenses that do NOT have variable focal ratios as they zoom, but those lenses are more expensive. An f/4 lens will be noticeably more expensive (that means the lens can do f/4 at any focal length) and an f/2.8 zoom will be a LOT more expensive (almost shockingly make-sure-you're-sitting-down-when-you-check-the-price-tag expensive.) BUT... an f/2.8 is two FULL stops faster than your f/5.6 variable kit lens at a 50mm focal length. That means it collects FOUR TIMES as much light.

You could get a non-zoom (aka "prime") lens such as the 50mm f/1.4. THAT lens is FOUR full stops faster than than f/5.6 which means it collects SIXTEEN TIMES more light (comparing f/1.4 to f/5.6). That's at f/1.4 which causes a vary narrow depth of field... I wouldn't suggest shooting at such a low aperture or you'll have only parts of people's bodies in focus and the rest will be soft.

Anyway... think about the difference that'll make in light, ISO requirements, and the possible shutter speeds you can use. Those fast lenses REALLY make a difference (which is why they call them "fast" lenses.)

 

[Mully]

Hello to all.
just joined forum a couple days ago.the wifes X-mas gift was the 3100 w/kit lens.we've only had point & shoots until now.
after a week or so of trial & error,the wife is a little impatient with learning the ropes on the nikon..

Here is my dilemma:
my daughters 1st upward basketball game is saturday.the wife says I am taking all the pics(she usually does)& better get several good shots.

Any tips out there for grabbing a couple action shots.I'm sure the answer is in a sticky somewhere,just havent had time to look in depth.i've got roughly 24 hrs to get some practice shots in before tip off sat.morning.

D3100 w/ kit lens 18-55 VR.

Many thanks in advance!!

Jay

You have entered the "dark" zone..... the only way to win is let her shoot it Otherwise you will hear "why did you do it like that"

 

[texkam]

You are having to deal with 2 of the major bugaboos in sports photography: 1. Lack of light, and 2. motion. Hope you came away with something decent. The free throw and arms up guarding an inbounds play are 2 go to shots. You'll also have a little better luck with action coming toward you than action moving across the frame.

 

[gsgary]

not useful

What a stupid responce he is just telling the truth my guess is there will not be 1 reasonable shot with that gear and my gear did cost that much more

 

[1hawaii50]

Jay,

I'm sure you've already had your game, but I'll chime in. Being that you are shooting girls basektball, you should be able to get some decent shots if you can maintain 1/320 shutter speed. I shoot boys and girls basketball, and for me, the boys tend to move much more quickly than the girls, and I'll get some motion blur even at 1/320 when shooting the boys. If you try shooting at 1/125, you will not be happy at all with the results. Yes, you could try panning, but this is your first DSLR, and you probably will not get the result that you want. You are going to quickly find out that gym lighting is some of the worst that you will have to deal with. You will need to shoot on Auto white balance, and try to correct the lighting in post...gym lighting cycles typically @ 60hz, and your lighting will vary from shot to shot.

I am not allowed to use flash of any kind for our games. I shoot a D7000/D600 with a Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8VRII. I shoot at f/2.8, and at shutter speeds of 1/320, I am generally around 2000ISO or higher. Our home gym is one of the better gyms that I've shot in. One of our away games, I was at 1/250 shutter speed simply to be able to maintain 6400ISO. Good luck, and post up some photos when you are able to.

One of the newest gyms that my daughter played volleyball in had the best lighting yet, and I was still shooting at 2500 ISO, but I shoot volleyball at 1/400 shutter speed, which is still too slow to stop ball motion, but I've not been in a gym yet that will allow me to shoot 1/800 or higher (due to available light). I did get to shoot some varsity soccer this year and it was a real treat to be able to shoot 1/1000 shutter speeds at ISO 1000 with the late afternoon sunlight!

Your wife will need to understand that this is a big jump from a point/shoot, unless she always plans to shoot in AUTO mode. There is going to be a decent learning curve.

 

[bobmax]

it sounds like you need a new wife.

...Love it.

 

[SamiJoSchwirtz]

Pics?

 

[J.Griff]

Ok so all is well,the wife is happy with the pics.No need to trade her in yet lol.I snapped 86 shots & it was a tough workout for this entry level camera as you all warned me about.No doubt someone with better skills than I could have gotten better performance out of the little nikon than I but I am learning as I go.I love the challange this rig presents me with.
J.Griff WILL become one with this camera!(the wife hates when I go third person) i stated that I'd be shooting my daughters game but I'm didnt like the results.My sons game was next & I had gotten the 3100 a little more dialed in so I'll show you all the shot I liked the best.
Tell me what ya think...

[/IMG]
Thanks for looking,
Jay

 

[Designer]

(the wife hates when I go third person)

Designer does this as well.

The above shot is pretty good, considering your equipment. I think it would be better if shot in portrait format, and cropped looser. You have cut off the boy's legs and part of his head.

It appears that you able to use your flash. Were other photographers using flash?

 

[J.Griff]

(the wife hates when I go third person)

Designer does this as well.

The above shot is pretty good, considering your equipment. I think it would be better if shot in portrait format, and cropped looser. You have cut off the boy's legs and part of his head.

It appears that you able to use your flash. Were other photographers using flash?

OK I'll give that a try.Yes & there was enough flash there to remind me of a strobe light!('80s flashback,AARGHHH!)
Thanks for the tip Designer..J.Griff likes tips!! lol

 

[J.Griff]

One advantage I quickly discovered:Kiddie ball isn't quite as fast paced as the NBA! Until I'm trying to focus in on Lebron James,I think I can put off that 15K lens,for a least a year or too.lol

 

[nycphotography]

Once you shoot em, then you can do things to make em better (called post processing, or post).

A free program called GIMP can do amazing things... but it's also fantastically complicated to use. Other programs exist ranging from free to expensive and from simple to complex. Post is often where an ok photo often turns into something pretty compelling. Best of all, it can be free

Using CS3 (photoshop) I did the following:

1) cropped (to bring the focus to your son on the left)
2) auto-levels to maximize the dynamic range (which sometimes whacks out the white balance, but this time seems to have done ok)
3) increased brightness and contrast to bring it up a little more

You can repeat the same edits on the hi-res original and to your own taste.