Sports event, settings options?

hewhoknows

hewhoknows

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Matt
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Am going to a martial arts event this coming weekend and am looking forward to trying to get some good shots, however ive never shot an indoor sports event before and am a bit uncertiain of setting to use.

Ive got a Nikon D60 and have a sigma 70-300mm lens and a 18-55mm kit lens to use (might try some wide angled shots with my sigma 10-20mm too) and will probabaly opt to shoot in either shutter priority or manual.

Done a bit of research at lighting conditions at the venue which is the nottingham arena and was thinking of using the following settings:

ISO around 400
Fast shutter, say 1000th
widest aperture my lens will go to
Auto white balance
Shooting in RAW

Ive also got a 360AFD Jessops flash i could use but am a complete novice with it and would have to totally guess on setting if i used it.

Has anyone shot in the Nottingham arena and could give me some advice as to conditions and best settings to use??

Thanks guys :)
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I havent shot at nottingham but do a lot of indoor shooting.. I also have done boxing and MMA ... Best setting I ever got without flash was iso 2500 with a 400th shutter f2.8 but that was rare

Even not knowing nottingham I would say you ahve no chance of getting the settings you list wiht your gear and non flash...

Your first job is to now find out if flash photogrpahy will be allowed before anything else :)

PS... Most indoor lighting requires a set WB or you get a strong colour cast.. you might be lucky with auto...

Hve you no chance of poppin gin forst and having a test shot?
 
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So you reckon ill definately need flash then?? eeeek.....lol!! Better get my reading glasses on and look up some settings.

Not sure if flash is allowed, i would have thought so if im honest but ill be emailing the event organiser to find out for sure.

No chance of visiting the areana first as i live miles away and its a good 3-4 hour round-trip so may have to 'wing it'.

The good thing is, its a full day and night event so ill get loads of chances to take test shots during the day before the main fights get under way. Hopefully by that time ill have sussed out the lighting and got a good setting on my camera.
 
I would be very suprised if they let you use flash but you never know.. You need a minimum f2.8 lens and be able to use high iso.. Someone might be along thats don nottingham and know more.. but seriously iso 400 and 1000 shutter I am 100% sure wouldnt work... if its well lit during the day with massive windows and lots of lighting coming through you may be OK :) might get a better response in talk sport section on here.

Lucky you ahve all day then.. take all your best lens and see what you can get :)
 
Going to have to add my name to the pesimistic camp here I'm afraid.

I'm thinking of taking my camera to a rugby match on Saturday and doubt I'd be able to get away with those settings if it's overcast (which is probably still brighter than a sports hall)

My approach would be to whack up the ISO, go shutter priority set around 1/500 and see what happens, if you can reduce the ISO then all well and good.
 
Ok from notts but never shot at that venue, first of all I would get there early and see what the lighting is like... Do some test shots, as you will more than likely have to adjust white balance depending if they got halogens left right and centre...

Shutter speed and iso is very important and you will have to adjust your settings a few times so if theres some practices going on test then.

I remember a thread where they had yellow floor mats and this really affected the images. So check for stuff like that... As its martial arts you might want to try get low to the ground....

When I do boxing I usually change my settings depending on the weight of the fighters as heavyweights move a lot slower so keep that in mind too...

If lighting is really bad I would try going up to ISO 1600 possibly even more... Shutter speed 1/500 sounds good @ f/2.8.

Good luck :)
 
If its the one on Sunday morning I was offered to cover it but couldnt.

I worked at Nottingham and done martial arts but not there. The lighting at Nottingham is very good but you wont get those settings. I'm not sure which martial arts they are or where you'll be sitting so cant advise much on that. What I will say is security is very hot at Notts and if flash is not allowed then its not allowed!

For non flash I'd reckon on 400 ISO 1250 @f2.8 depending on if they turn the lights right up, but doubt if they will so proberbly looking at 250th ISO1600 @ F2.8
 
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KIPAX said:
methinks you didnt read the OP :) he hasnt got a 2.8 lens
Click to expand...

My bad when ever I think sports photography I automatically think f/2.8... even with a kit lens my advice is still get there earlier and play with the settings and see how it goes :nuts:

If you can shoot raw so you got more control when it comes to PP
 
Thanks guys, got a friend with a cheap Nikkor 50mm f1.8 prime lens so im getting out my begging plate in hope that i can borrow it. At least ill have something which will enable me to get some half decent shots even if it is a £100 lens.

Will post up any decent images i get early next week ;)
 
hewhoknows said:
Thanks guys, got a friend with a cheap Nikkor 50mm f1.8 prime lens so im getting out my begging plate in hope that i can borrow it. At least ill have something which will enable me to get some half decent shots even if it is a £100 lens.
Click to expand...

Check out my most recent boxing pics on my website.. all done with the canon equivelant.. a 60 quid 50mm f1.8 :) I ahve thousands of pounds worth of glass in my bag but that one was perect for the job on the night.. its not always most money gets best shots :)


see?
http://othersports.fotopic.net/c1911529.html
 
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The problem with fixed focal length is your going to have to find a good position and stick to it. You could potentially end up cropping all your shots.
 
KIPAX said:
Check out my most recent boxing pics on my website.. all done with the canon equivelant.. a 60 quid 50mm f1.8 :) I ahve thousands of pounds worth of glass in my bag but that one was perect for the job on the night.. its not always most money gets best shots :)


see?
http://othersports.fotopic.net/c1911529.html
Click to expand...

Some great shots there mate, i see you cover ice hockey too. I played for around 16 years for a few teams across the country including Telford Tigers, Solihull Barons, Chelmsford Cheiftains and even made the GB U21 side back in the day :D

Back OT though, im slightly concerned about not being able to get close enough for the 50 prime to work its magic. Think on average ill be a couple fo meters from the mats!!??
 
hewhoknows said:
Some great shots there mate, i see you cover ice hockey too. I played for around 16 years for a few teams across the country including Telford Tigers, Solihull Barons, Chelmsford Cheiftains and even made the GB U21 side back in the day :D

Back OT though, im slightly concerned about not being able to get close enough for the 50 prime to work its magic. Think on average ill be a couple fo meters from the mats!!??
Click to expand...

How big are the mats?
 
roughtly 5m square and ill be anything from 1/2meter to 2m away froim the action depending on how close the barriers are away from the side of the mats.

Sometimes you can sit right on the end of the mats meaning i could be on top of the action, sometimes they have a 500mm walk way around the mats that we would have to stand behind.
 
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