Looking for help to photograph NFL under lights

kgarrett11

I couldn't get any help in another forum so I thought that I would try this one. I have a Nikon D200 with an 18-200 VR lens. I will be sitting in the stands for tonights Steelers vs Jags game. What would be the best settings for my camera? i.e. ISO, Shutter vs Aperature priority. If shutter what speed, if aperature what opening. I would appreciate any advice that you can give. Thanks.

ziggy53

kgarrett11 wrote:

I couldn't get any help in another forum so I thought that I would try this one. I have a Nikon D200 with an 18-200 VR lens. I will be sitting in the stands for tonights Steelers vs Jags game. What would be the best settings for my camera? i.e. ISO, Shutter vs Aperature priority. If shutter what speed, if aperature what opening. I would appreciate any advice that you can give. Thanks.

Use the highest ISO (1600 in your case, because I think the boosted 3200 is too noisy for software correction to retain enough detail.) Also shoot with the lens wide open, f5.6 with that lens at 200mm. Use aperture priority and let the shutter speed fall where it may. Check white balance to make sure you are not experiencing mixed lighting, and then lock in one white balance if there is not too much variance.

I shoot HS Football at ISO 1600, f2.8, and I find the camera choosing 1/125th - 1/250th when the action is under the lights (of a good field), and then it drops to around 1/60th in the end zones. The smaller fields are just a pain to get anything significant.

I have to believe pro-Football is more light balanced across the field and more brightly lit than I experience. Even so, you are going to be hard pressed in action stuff at f5.6 at ISO1600.

Sports Illustrated requires their Nikon shooters to use not more than ISO 640, and their Canon shooters not more than ISO 800, which is why many of them use 200mm, f2 lenses.

ziggy53

kgarrett11

ziggy53 wrote:

Use the highest ISO (1600 in your case, because I think the boosted 3200 is too noisy for software correction to retain enough detail.) Also shoot with the lens wide open, f5.6 with that lens at 200mm. Use aperture priority and let the shutter speed fall where it may. Check white balance to make sure you are not experiencing mixed lighting, and then lock in one white balance if there is not too much variance.

I shoot HS Football at ISO 1600, f2.8, and I find the camera choosing 1/125th - 1/250th when the action is under the lights (of a good field), and then it drops to around 1/60th in the end zones. The smaller fields are just a pain to get anything significant.

I have to believe pro-Football is more light balanced across the field and more brightly lit than I experience. Even so, you are going to be hard pressed in action stuff at f5.6 at ISO1600.

Sports Illustrated requires their Nikon shooters to use not more than ISO 640, and their Canon shooters not more than ISO 800, which is why many of them use 200mm, f2 lenses.

ziggy53

Thanks for the advice. I will try it. I never had any problem using film but did have a problem 2 years ago using a D100. I'm hoping that my D200 will imrove things.

Steve Cavigliano

kgarrett11 wrote:

Thanks for the advice. I will try it. I never had any problem using film but did have a problem 2 years ago using a D100. I'm hoping that my D200 will imrove things.

Good luck and I agree with Ziggy Without a faster lens, all you can do is what he suggests On the bright side, with a faster lens (like the longer 200mm F2) they probably wouldn't let you in the park in the first place.....

Steve

wxwax

Given that the lighting will be relatively even, I'd shoot in Manual.

That way you will always know what you shutter speed is, and you can control your exposure without worrying that the light will change on you.

As others said, you need to do whatever possible to raise your shutter speed. Trying to freeze the athletes' motion will be a challenge. Especially since your max focal length is 200mm: the players are likely to be far away and small in your frame. Thus any motion blur will be accentuated.

I'd start with highest ISO, wide open aperture, see what shutter speed that gets you. Take some shots, check the histogram. If you're lucky, you'll be overexposed. If so, then you'll be able to dial down the ISO, keep the shutter speed high and still get a decent exposure.

The catch to shooting in manual is that your lens changes max aperature at different focal lengths. If you stay at 200mm the entire night, then no problem in Manual. But if you expect to do wide shots of the crowd etc., then maybe Aperture Priority would be a better setting.

Good luck!

kgarrett11

Thanks to all for your advice. I ended up using ISO 640 and Aperature Priority of f5.6. Most of the pictures came out at a shutter speed of 80 to 100 and considering where I was in the stands they weren't toooo bad. And Steve I knew what the NFL rules were for a lens but the security people didn't and weren't going to let me in with my lens until I pointed out the sign that was behind them that said no lens longer than 6". There would have been no way that I could have gotten my 400mm lens in. I will post some of the shots to SPORTS after I get them selected and resized. Thanks again.

kgarrett11

I have uploaded some pictures of the Steelers vs Jags game. Thanks for everyone's help.
http://kgarrett.smugmug.com/gallery/1910059