sports shots

[oldbaja]

I've been really unhappy with my soccer pics. Shooting in the evening with lights on the field. Anyhelp would be great. I'm setting at iso 1600, aperture priority trying to keep the f-stop up at f8 or higher but with the low light and fast moving subjects it's a problem. Usually I end up with f4.5 @ 320th and not real sharp pics.

 

[Big Mike]

Welcome to the forum.

What lens are you using? Is it that the movement of the players is causing blur? or maybe could it be camera shake? Maybe it's too much noise at ISO 1600? Can you show us an example?

Unless the light is very bright, I would think that most sports shooting is done with the lenses wide open. High end, fast telephoto lenses are often designed to be quite sharp, wide open...as opposed to most lenses which are sharper when stopped down.

Without knowing more, I'd suggest using your max aperture to get the fastest shutter speed possible.

 

[oldbaja]

Nikon D200, AF-S VR-Nikkor 70-200. I was trying to keep the fstop higher to get more depth of field and help with the focus. I use a mono pod. Some pics at printroom.com/pro/oldbaja

 

[JIP]

I looked at your site and to me your pics just look like you need a little practice. As has been said here many times the camera does not make the image the shooter does. If you have good equipment you are 1/2 way there ou just need to learn how to capture the moments better. One question is your 70-200VR a 2.8 if so equipment-wise you are all set so as I said you just need more practice.

 

[bjrouse]

Manual focus and a monopod or tripod.
I would be stopping it at about 1/1000

Hope this helps

Brendan

 

[Sw1tchFX]

Why aren't you shooting at f/2.8?

 

[bjrouse]

It isn't a neccesity to shoot at f2.8
If the photo is nicely exposed at f6.3,7.1,8 then why not use that.
Some lenses are at there sharpest at around f8 etc.
Maybe a larger DOF was needed

 

[Sw1tchFX]

It isn't a neccesity to shoot at f2.8
If the photo is nicely exposed at f6.3,7.1,8 then why not use that.
Some lenses are at there sharpest at around f8 etc.
Maybe a larger DOF was needed

Shooting in the evening with lights on the field.

You shoot at f/2.8.