What's a good nighttime stadium setting for film?

I never use flash, I'm assuming it'll do me no good in a large stadium, but what

settings should I use? I'm planning on loading 400 film.

 

I'm a daytime architecture/landscape/aircraft/etc. kind of guy, I've used flash

maybe 5 times in my life, and briefly experimented with nighttime long

exposures, so I have no clue and wouldn't mind some guidance on what area to

shoot for.

 

I'm using a 19mm Vivitar at f3.5 on a ZX-5N. I was assuming 1/60, wide open

aperature would be my best bet, with maybe flash.

 

Thanks!

If you have it, a fast 50mm lens is probably your best bet- f/1.4 preferably.

 

I would suggest to pick up some 1600 speed Fuji film, which is fairly decent stuff. Just meter when you get there.

 

High-school type stadiums are marginal even with fairly fast film (around 1/30 at f/8 with 1600, I think). Something that's televised (such as pro sports) is liable to be much brighter lit. If the event starts before it gets completely dark, it will help.

 

The flash won't do much of anything at long ranges. Unless you have a diffuser setup specifically for 19mm, most flashes won't cover that wide of an angle, either- you'll get a bright area in the center of the frame, dark all around.

Kodak Professional Photo Guide has an "existing light" (available light) exposure dial. "night football, baseball, soccer" is 1/60th and f/4 for ISO 400 film. 1/30th and f/4 for "basketball, hockey, bowling (imagine the excitement!)".

I've always used the Fuji 800 Press....and have gotten good results in low light from 75 ft

away

with the flash on 1/1 power. Hopefully you are on the sidelines or first few rows. You

should get a good picture with your setup. You might want to use the flash.

T-Max 3200 is tops if your output is going to be B&W. Shot at 1000, it has a decent grain, as this is its nominal ISO. I took shots on 3200 and T-Max 400 back in '02 and '03 that were better than the $7K DSLRs within arm's reach of me. With a decent flash, and OK glass (mine was a lens designed for the old filmAPS SLR canon had) you can take amazing pictures. It's all about knowing where to put yourself to get the shot. YOu can easily use a 60th with flash. I had a Sigma flash that I used that was either 1/350th or 1/500th. You could still see a little blur, but I feel that TOO short a flash exposure gives too much stillness. It's really all a matter of taste. Get a good flash, and you'll be fine. Now as for your lens, why a 19 mm???

 

Regards,

 

~Karl Borowski