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Sports shooting with D70s

manganosmanganos Registered Users Posts: 24 Big grins
edited January 26, 2009 in Technique
Hello! I've read post after post trying to figure out a few things. I'm really new at this so please go easy on me lol.

I took my son to an indoor mini-super moto race a few weekends ago. I wanted to "freeze" the bikes so they didn't blur when I took the photo. Well I accomplished this using the shutter priority but all of the pictures were VERY dark. Don't even think about not using the flash as they just turn black, I'm guessing underexposed.

So when I got home I was playing around with the settings and put it in "S" mode and trying taking a photo in a bright room. Nothing, Black photo. So I took a picture of the indoor light source and you can barely see the light. What am I doing wrong?

I'm using the Kit lens 18-55. Thanks

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    ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 23,813 moderator
    edited January 25, 2009
    The Nikon D70s is a fairly nice camera but not a great choice for sports. The "kit" 18-55mm lens is even less suited for sports with slower focus and pretty soft at large apertures.

    If you intend to try to use that combination I suggest that you must use ISO 1600 and wide open apertures. Let the shutter speeds fall where they will. If you shoot RAW (and I suggest that you do in this case) you can also try to underexpose intentionally using the Exposure Compensation of -1 and then use your RAW converter to bring the exposure back to normal. This simulates an ISO 3200. It will be grainy to be sure but that gets you another stop in shutter speed. The lens will not be working well at wide open so you will also have to use software sharpening (USM). In the end I still doubt that you will get the results you desire.

    The newer Nikon cameras have much better high ISO performance and you should be using lenses of f2.8 or faster. I suggest at least the Nikon D90 for the camera (but the D300 is much more suited for sports) and then maybe the Nikkor 80-200mm, f/2.8D ED zoom lens.
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
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    manganosmanganos Registered Users Posts: 24 Big grins
    edited January 25, 2009
    Thank you for your suggestions. I'm stuck with this D70s for now so it will have to do. I'll try your settings that you mentioned and give it another shot :)

    Thanks again!
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    angevin1angevin1 Registered Users Posts: 3,403 Major grins
    edited January 26, 2009
    As soon as those Mini-Moto's move outside, you'll be fine with that camera, though a longer lens might be an option. I was able to get a 70-300 Quantaray for about $150 and I think they still sell for about that.

    But in low light, indoors and such, you will be hard pressed to get the results you are probably looking for.

    What Ziggy53 says in regards to lens focus speeds and all is really right on. I suspect you can practice and work around it.

    good luck~~

    tom
    tom wise
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