Xti - indoor basketball lens help....

this is my first posting to this forum......here i go:

 

details: canon rebel xti with the EF 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 lens. indoor

baseketball with an average amount of light for a gym around 3 pm in the

afternoon. (i live in san diego county so it's always sunny!) i used both the

Tv mode (ISO set to 400 and 800) and sports mode.

 

i was at my 5 year old's indoor basketball game, first using the sports mode

but the pictures were blurry because the shutter speed wouldn't go past 1/60.

then i switched to Tv mode and set the ISO at 400. the pictures came back

dark, so i turned up the ISO to 800. the pictures were still too dark but

better than before. so i cranked the ISO up to 1600. still dark but slowly

getting better.

 

my kid has another game this saturday. same gym, same lighting, so what should

i try this time? the kids are only 5 but they run fast.

A faster lens if possible. Try to get closer so you can shoot at f/4?

and maybe crank the ISO to 3200.

Bottom line, not enough light. You need a faster (f2.8 or bigger)lens. But until then, shoot in RAW, Tv mode at the shutter speed you need to stop the action, at 1600 ISO, and correct the under exposure in post processing.

"and maybe crank the ISO to 3200." _ the XTi only goes up to 1600, so under exposing, then correcting in post processing is equivalent, more or less.

Any chance to get hold of an EF 85/1.8 USM?

is that true about the ISO? i have a 40D and I thought they have very similar features?

 

How about the 125 2.8?

the xti only goes up to ISO 1600.....darn. so, should i use my 50mm f/1.8 lens? should i use that or the stock 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 lens?

 

any way to force the sports mode to up the shutter speed? seems like a useless function otherwise.

 

i just got photoshop elements so i'm still learning how to process my pictures.

the xti only has 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1600 ISO. nothin' else, friend.

If you can get close enough your 50 would be your best bet. I would not bother with the kit

lens.

Use the 50mm f/1.8 and ISO 1600. If you can't get close enough look at saving up for the 135mm f/2. :)

Yep, use your 50/1.8.

Take it from someone who has done a lot of basketball. Take a light reading then shoot manual exposure. Gym lights if in the frame screw up auto exposure. Use single shot. Use green light focus. Use a fifty mm 1.8 lens. Keep your shutter speed at a 500th. If you can't get that use flash on manual exposure at a two hundredth. A Rebel only goes to 1600 ISO. Use it. You will get some good pictures. You do not need a big fancy lens and yours is too long if you are close. As my editor used to demand get a hometown face and a ball in the picture. Have fun.

"any way to force the sports mode to up the shutter speed? seems like a useless function otherwise." <p>Not enough light means not enough light, period. No camera function can change that. The Sports mode just means that the camera will use the fastest shutter speed that it can for correct exposure (as well as changing the autofocus mode). You can set it to M or Tv and use the fastest shutter speed that you want, but the pictures will be under exposed.<p> Your best best is to use the long lens and under expose a stop or two and correct in post, of get closer and use the 50/1.8 like Tommy said.

May I ask what is Green light focus?

It is the little green light that comes on in the viewfinder when the lens is in focus. It is single shot focus rather than AI servo where the green light does not come on and the focus is continually changing as the subject moves. I have found that I get more pictures in focus if I am deliberate on one shot than trying to follow focus and shoot multiple exposures and it is simpler when you are first starting out. I should have said single shot focus to have been clearer.

1. Use your 50mm F1.8MkII

 

2. Crank the ISO to 1600

 

3. Set the camera to MANUAL exposure. Select single shot. Single shot focus. Select the centre AF point only.

 

NOTE: By selecting the centre point only you must have the key subject in the centre, so forget all the fancy 1/3rds rules of composition for this exercise)

 

4. Take a meter reading of your child`s face when standing on the gym floor (with the lights on).

 

5. Choose an exposure combination (at ISO 1600) that gives you 1/400sec shutter speed, if possible, (maybe 1/320 sec will do).

 

At this point you have to balance SS and Aperture, as it would be nice to be working at F2.8 if possible: but you cannot sacrifice the shutter speed, do not below 1/320 and then only use 1/320 if necessary.

 

6. Shoot RAW and pay little attention to the light meter indicating your exposure is plus or minus a stop (or even more when you get some direct light from the floods in frame.

 

6a) if the lighting in the gym DRAMATICALLY changes, then redo step 4,

 

7. Work on getting access to the sideline if possible and also freedom to roam. (Camera Viewpoint)

 

8. If you are not allowed to roam, then get access to near, but behind the goal your son`s team is attacking, that way yo get them coming toward the camera and get their faces.

 

9. If 8 above applies then move at half time to the other end.

 

10. Buy a couple of 4Gb cards, and shoot heaps, remembering to centre the subject.

 

WW

 

 

PS Do NOT interpret my advice to be arguing with Dick Arnold`s advice, (on shutter speed for example).

 

The slight differences in detail you might note will not affect the outcomes greatly, in essence we both shoot sport using very similar methods, most likely because we have similar backgrounds in that regard, though his more diverse and longer specifically at sport than mine, I believe.

 

The point is for you to get as many keepers as possible for a novice, and to that end there must be balance between necessary method and keeping it simple.

I have never understood Canon's reasons for crippling the Sports mode such that it is only useful in reasonable daylight outdoors - even my wife's Fuji F30 will happily select a more suitable combination with high ISO indoors.

 

Your first step should be to establish a custom white balance, since although there is some daylight for your 3pm shoot there may be gym lighting, and the daylight will be tinted by the glass it shines through and any surfaces it reflects from. Set the camera in Tv mode at 1/60th to take the white balance shot of a neutral grey card or a sheet of paper placed on the court floor. The reason for choosing 1/60th is it covers a complete mains cycle - something that becomes more important when you are dependent on artificial lighting, so it's a good habit to get into, especially as gym lighting can often confuse auto white balance and doesn't match any available preset.

 

Next I would suggest you set your ISO to 1600 and the aperture to f/1.8 on your 50mm in Av mode and try a picture of the gym floor or grey card if you have one as hopefully a mid tone subject - note the shutter speed. So long as the daylight contribution is fairly constant (a consistent sunny or cloud covered day) you will be able to shoot in M mode, using the shutter speed you got in Av mode and f/1.8 aperture. However, if the sun keeps ducking in and out you will need to continue using Av mode. Working this way will guarantee the fastest shutter speed for the conditions and your equipment.

 

If you find you want a little more reach you will need an f/2 or faster lens - f/2.8 is really only just about useable in pro lit venues, and it is worth bearing in mind that he won't always be playing in daylight hours. The 100mm f/2 would tighten coverage to one quarter the area of the 50mm. Other alternatives would be the 85mm f/1.8 and the 135mm f/2.

"Green light focus" - I'm glad you explained that I was assuming it was some sort of colour correction trick for shooting under neon :-) This is like the 'Cobra' - that someone mentioned the other day - otherwise known as the pop-up flash. Every day I learn a little/lot more.

WW. Actully I have gotten printable pictures at a 350th but not every time. I was being a little arbitrary for the sake of simplicity. I think you can get away with slower speeds at the top of a jump or head on. So I think your advice is quite solid as I forgot single point focus which I always use.

I was quite unaware that Kodak had attempted to hijack this term until I ran a google check just now. Cobra (much like Vivitar) is a brand under which many flash units have been sold over the years, so clearly Kodak were unable to secure any trademark for the term: second hand ones can still be found. More generically, it is widely recognised as the standard shape description for a bounce shoe mount flash, as for example this Metz unit:

 

http://www.metz.de/en/photo_electronics/mecablitz_36_AF-3.178.html

 

Kodak's mention is here:

 

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/consumer/glossary/termsC.shtml

 

where they claim

 

"Cobra" Flash

Kodak's patented flip-up flash mechanism that creates distance between the flash and the lens to reduce red-eye; flash is located on the end of hinged lever that covers the lens when closed, and flips up to switch on the camera and deploy the flash. Also called Flip-up Flash.

 

A lame claim, IMHO.

beginner question: how do you take a meter reading?

A half press on the shutter button will give a meter reading in terms of a shutter speed and aperture combination that shows in the viewfinder in any of P, Av and Tv modes. It will also give a reading in M mode for the aperture and shutter speed you have set - but this time the pointer on the series -2..-1..0..1..2 shows whether the exposure is too little or too much. Other than in M mode the meter reading is effectively recorded when you take a picture. I suggest you spend a little time with your camera manual.

I'd have to agree with the advise saying use 50mm f/1.8 and ISO 1600.

 

If you can get close enough to the action you'll get some great shots, the further away the less effective i find the 50mm lens (but for it's price it provides great bang-for-buck)

 

I have mine set on continuous shooting and definitely make use of that feature.

 

I started to take a few shots, mainly just to get a game night shot to accompany the match recaps write, but quickly became more interested in taking the photos than the writing.

 

I've put several Basketball photos up on my site and at flickr:

http://flickr.com/photos/kevy47/collections/72157603075319429/<div></div>