Friday Night Lights - Need Advice

lensbaby · October 17, 2006

I have been shooting on the sidelines for our local High School team. I am not a pro, just a HS parent that loves photography. In my gallery for the night games I have rented a Canon 70-200 2.8L IS lens each Friday. This Friday the 70-200 and 300 mm are not available. So I am left with my 100-400L IS which has been great for day games. My 24-70 2.8 L lens which would be used on a 20D 1.6 crop sensor and my Canon 100 macro 2.8 lens which I would have to manual focus in order to get the shots.

I have used flash even with the 70-200 due to the low light in the end zones.

Here is my plan, let me know what you think.

Use my 100-400L with my 580 EX flash on a bracked on a tripod or monopod. Shoot in manual mode at ISO 1600 1/320 f 5.6.

Use my Better Beamer flash extender if I have my focal length at 300 mm or more.

Or I could just use my 24-70 or 100 mm lens on the sidelines using available light and occcasional flash if needed in the end zones. Since the parents have been ordering 4x6 to 8x10 size prints via Smugmug I could crop the images and still have saleable priints.

Comments and thoughts are appreciated.

I am going to test my 100-400 with flash on the field tonight during my daughters band practice.

Thanks

RandySmugMug · October 17, 2006

imo 1/320 is too slow to stop action
open the lens up all the way and go to iso 3200 if you have to to get 1/400

now I'm sure the pros will have better advice but this is what works for me

lensbaby · October 17, 2006

Thanks Randy

RandySmugMug wrote:

imo 1/320 is too slow to stop action
open the lens up all the way and go to iso 3200 if you have to to get 1/400

now I'm sure the pros will have better advice but this is what works for me

I shot a test shot tonight at the field when I dropped my kid off at band practice. It looks like ISO 3200 will work. I intend on using the 580 EX flash on a bracket to help minimize red eye. Its a good thing I use Noise Ninja. It works wonders on high ISO shots.

Dave

RandySmugMug · October 18, 2006

lensbaby wrote:

I shot a test shot tonight at the field when I dropped my kid off at band practice. It looks like ISO 3200 will work. I intend on using the 580 EX flash on a bracket to help minimize red eye. Its a good thing I use Noise Ninja. It works wonders on high ISO shots.

Dave

if u use flash don't use 3200
w/ that flash on ttl-bl (i am a nikon guy so i'm not sure the terms are the same) iso 400-800 shud b plenty.
My 2nd 30d arrives thurs (i sent the 1st one back) and i got it so i don't have to use flash. I hate flash for sports. Try iso1600 at 1/400 and f2.8 (or whatever wide open is)
This time i ordered the canon 135/2 which at iso1600 will get me at 1-2 stops underxposed in some hs stadiums and perfect exposure in others so i can avoid flash.

lensbaby · October 18, 2006

Night Football Settings

RandySmugMug wrote:

if u use flash don't use 3200
w/ that flash on ttl-bl (i am a nikon guy so i'm not sure the terms are the same) iso 400-800 shud b plenty.
My 2nd 30d arrives thurs (i sent the 1st one back) and i got it so i don't have to use flash. I hate flash for sports. Try iso1600 at 1/400 and f2.8 (or whatever wide open is)
This time i ordered the canon 135/2 which at iso1600 will get me at 1-2 stops underxposed in some hs stadiums and perfect exposure in others so i can avoid flash.

I will try different settings when I get on the field this Friday.

Since my 100-400 lens will is a slower lens I may have to bump up the ISO to at least 1600. In either case I will also bring my 24-70 2.8 and 100 2.8 and switch to a different lens each quarter. That way I can get a variety of shots at different focal lengths and with available light and flash.

When I use my shorter lens I will have to plan my shots accordingly.

Dave

RandySmugMug · October 18, 2006

lensbaby wrote:

I will try different settings when I get on the field this Friday.

Since my 100-400 lens will is a slower lens I may have to bump up the ISO to at least 1600. In either case I will also bring my 24-70 2.8 and 100 2.8 and switch to a different lens each quarter. That way I can get a variety of shots at different focal lengths and with available light and flash.

When I use my shorter lens I will have to plan my shots accordingly.

Dave

my 85 1.8 works fine for me...i get less shots but watch and enjoy more of the game...it's also easier to run away w/o a monopod

Hockey is Life · October 25, 2006

Lensbaby,

I shoot high school every Friday night. You can push to 3200 and get away with it. Some stadiums have such bad lights I am forced to do that in the 4th quarter to help stop the action.

I think you will be fine take a lot of shots and see what come out.

if you want to take a look at some 3200 ISO look at my site and pick any game and look at the end so you will see 4th quarter photos.

http:\\www.roypeekphotos.smugmug.com

good luck this Friday, I will be thinking about you.