HS Volleyball with 1D MK III and 135L f/2

MT Stringer

My sole purpose of this post to show what the images look like when shot with the 1.3x sensor of the MK III and the 135 f/2. You 1.6x sensor guys would probably need to use the 85 f/1.8 or the 100 f/2. I have used both with good results.

I have been shooting with AI Servo with the FPS lowered from ten to eight FPS. I try to shoot a short burst hoping to catch the action with the first shot, but sometimes it's the second or third one that looks best - especially on the serves, or blocked shots. Also, on most of my portrait shots (which is 98% of the time), I select a focus point below the center point. That way I can focus on legs when the action is at or above the net. That helps to get the player on the other side of the net in focus.

So here are a few shots from a tournament last weekend. No post processing, cropping or anything other than resizing the pics for web display.

NOTE: I moved around the gym from up in the bleachers to behind the endline and over to the corners.

I hope you find this info helpful.

Mike

All images captured with 1D MK III, 135L f/2 - Manual exposure, 1/400, f/2.8, ISO 3200.

rainbow

Excellent captures. I enjoy using my 135L on both my 5D and 40D more than my 85 f/1.8. I just end up with slightly different photos and adjust my shooting (or distance) accordingly. Do you always shoot f/2.8 (I usually go with f/2 to bring ISO to 1600)?

I do notice the noise level (over my ISO 1600) with your shots. Do you usually apply NR to your shots or just go as is since most viewers are interested in the player and action and not the technical merits?

Also like your suggestion of using lower AF point in portrait mode. I have had the mindset of center AF point only, so I use one shot, then raise my camera quickly for the shot. I will try your method, which makes so much sense.

Thanks for sharing in this manner, which helps to instruct. I have liked the recent string of volleyball threads for this reason.

MT Stringer

Thanks for the comments, Rainbow. Since this was a tournament, I shot all pics in jpg (8 matches in one day=1800 images). I usually run them through Noiseware Pro before posting to the website. The publisher (LSCSN.COM) will tweak the images that sell before sending them to the printer. For single matches (3 out of five games), I have been shooting in RAW, adjusting the white balance and exposure before converting to jpg.

I could have lowered the ISO to 2500 and used f/2.5 but didn't. At one point, I switched over to the 70-200 f/2.8 IS but later switched back because it was late in the day and I was getting tired! :-(

I'd prefer to stay away from f/2 unless I have to due to low light because the depth of field is so shallow, I wind up deleting a lot of out of focus pictures. Sometimes I get caught up in the action and don't give the autofocus time to lock in, so operator error is usually the culprit. :-)

Mike

rainbow

Thanks for the detailed and informative reply.

My first realization is that you are shooting so many and so long! I only do it as a hobby and go to a match because I know either some parents or players that I coached in middle school. It just did not occur to me that you would be out there for eight matches (!), maybe for multiple days. That has to take a lot of energy and focus.

I do want to try your off center focus point and some of the higher shooting angles you used. I may also bump my aperature to increase the DOF and see if my keepers increase. Thanks again for sharing both the photos and the information.

wxwax

Hi Mike, thanks for an excellent description of your technique and the results you get with it. If you don't pick a "leg" focus point, what does the autofocus grab? Someone's back? Net? Also, how responsive do you find the off-center focus point to be on the III?

I think this photo is very nice indeed.

MT Stringer

Thanks Sid. I do get some out of focus shots, sometimes its the net, or the player on my side of the net, or just plain OOF. I think focus is still fast enough. Most of the 8 matches I shot last Saturday were with the off center focus point.

David Evertsen

Those images for the camera and lens used look very yellow and very noisy. I understand you didn't post process and shot jpeg but how much did you crop and pull the images in. The ting of yellow bothers me the most but, the noise is everywhere.

MT Stringer

David Evertsen wrote:

Those images for the camera and lens used look very yellow and very noisy. I understand you didn't post process and shot jpeg but how much did you crop and pull the images in. The ting of yellow bothers me the most but, the noise is everywhere.

No post processing, cropping or anything other than resizing the pics for web display.

Like I said, I didn't crop any of the images. That wasn't my intention. I just wanted to show what the imae looks like taken with the 135L.

Penquin

Lighting question
Mike,
Thanks for the advice on the off center focus, I am going to try that.
I photographed my first volleyball game the other night. I came home a little frustrated. I have been thinking about it since. Our highschool gym has the worst lighting I have seen. I am shooting a canon 1d mark lll with a caonon 70-200 2.8
I have several studio lights with pocket wizards. I was wondering if you have ever seen anybody use studio lights behind the stands and then point them into the ceiling for bounce light? Or do you suggest a different lense? I would post a picture but I am pretty new to this and havent figured it out yet???
Thanks
Penquin

MT Stringer wrote:

Like I said, I didn't crop any of the images. That wasn't my intention. I just wanted to show what the imae looks like taken with the 135L.

donek

Penquin wrote:

Mike,
Thanks for the advice on the off center focus, I am going to try that.
I photographed my first volleyball game the other night. I came home a little frustrated. I have been thinking about it since. Our highschool gym has the worst lighting I have seen. I am shooting a canon 1d mark lll with a caonon 70-200 2.8
I have several studio lights with pocket wizards. I was wondering if you have ever seen anybody use studio lights behind the stands and then point them into the ceiling for bounce light? Or do you suggest a different lense? I would post a picture but I am pretty new to this and havent figured it out yet???
Thanks
Penquin

Take a look at these two posts. They should answer your question.
http://www.nikoncafe.com/vforums/showthread.php?t=245418
http://www.nikoncafe.com/vforums/showthread.php?t=243684
They were done with speedlights rather than studio strobes, but the principles are the same. You'll need permission from the AD at the school you're shooting, but it works very well.

David Evertsen

MT Stringer wrote:

Like I said, I didn't crop any of the images. That wasn't my intention. I just wanted to show what the imae looks like taken with the 135L.

Sorry my bad...

Penquin

Thanks
Thanks for the links. I am now jealous but motivated. You have a great setup. I just built a similar setup that I mount to my monopod for football photos. I do have access to the gym and the athletic director will let me do this I believe. They do not want any flash photography however I do see a few people snap off a picture and nothing happens. I have not used any flash. My thought is to set up at least two of my profoto studio lights with built in pocket wizards. Above one of the bleachers is a wall that keeps the wrestling room from being accessed but there is a large space above the wall to the ceiling. My thought is to set the lights in the wrestling room behind the wall and point them towards the ceiling above the wall, bouncing the light onto the gym floor. The wrestling room is secure and nobody will bother the lights.
What do you think?? Will it work better if the lights are on both sides of the gym?? I will go and test this and see if the flash behind the wall pointed towards the ceiling is to distracting. Thanks for your help and your advice or comments are always welcomed.

donek wrote:

Take a look at these two posts. They should answer your question.
http://www.nikoncafe.com/vforums/showthread.php?t=245418
http://www.nikoncafe.com/vforums/showthread.php?t=243684
They were done with speedlights rather than studio strobes, but the principles are the same. You'll need permission from the AD at the school you're shooting, but it works very well.