# Nikon D300-Camera Settings for Indoor Sports Photography



## Guido44

HI all,

I took some photos of my son's basketball team this last season.

Some turned out pretty good, but overall I thought too many weren't as sharp as I'd like. SOME blur actually looks good with the right photo, but I'd like to control it more. 

I think some of it has to do with camera shake, but I wanted to see if you all could make sure my camera settings are correct.

If you go to my GALLERY and mouse over the large photos, click on the BLUE BOX " i ", you can see my camera info. 

What about FLASH? There was a news photographer there and he was just taking single exposures with the .... SB-whatever(?) flash. I have the SB-600, but have little to none experience with it.

I know that allows a faster shutter speed, but what's the best way to go if I like shooting shooting multiple exposures?


Thanks ahead of time,

dan


----------



## gsgary

You need to up your ISO and open up your aperture to get a faster shutter speed


----------



## tirediron

First of all what lens/lenses were you using?  Sports photography demans fast (Read:  Expensive) glass.  The ideal solution would be the 70-200 f2.8.

The flash doesn't actually allow you to use a faster shutter speed, what it does is 'freeze' the movement, and since the duration of the flash is so short (<1/1000 sec) it will produce sharp images at slower shutter speeds (in some cases).

If flash is allowed, and you can get close enough to use it (Google "Guide number") then it will be your best option.  If not, the fastest glass you can, boost your ISO, and watch your focus (a couple of the images in your gallery appear to have missed focus). I would shoot these in shutter priority, that way if the light changes, or you're shooting in a dimmer area, you won't run the risk of your shutter speed falling too low and ruining a shot.


----------



## Guido44

I was using the Nikon 70-300mm AF-S and the Nikon 18-55mm AF-S. Both are VR lenses.

I should have mentioned that. Thanks.

dan


----------



## gsgary

Guido44 said:


> I was using the Nikon 70-300mm AF-S and the Nikon 18-55mm AF-S. Both are VR lenses.
> 
> I should have mentioned that. Thanks.
> 
> dan


 
VR has no use with fast moving sports, as for the lenses they will not cut it for indoor sports


----------



## Guido44

Thanks for posting but, ......  why?

If you bother posting, shouldn't you add a little more information than that?


----------



## gsgary

Guido44 said:


> Thanks for posting but, ...... why?
> 
> If you bother posting, shouldn't you add a little more information than that?


 

VR does not work above 1/250 i think and you need about 1/500 to get a nice crisp shot you may get some keepers but you will have to crank the ISO upto ISO3200 and above, use only one focus point if you can set your camera to back button focus i find this works great for sports


----------



## LuckySo-n-So

I think what he meant was that the 70-300 has max apertures of 4@70mm and 5.6@300mm.  The 18-55 has max apertures of 3.5 and 5.6.

Generally speaking, those apertures are much too slow for indoor sports photography.  I found this out when I shot a few collegiate gymnastics meets.  You have to bump the ISO up so high and use a very slow shutterspeed.  This causes noise and visible handshake, unless you have a monopod.

As a previous poster said, the 70-200 2.8 or 400 2.8 are the "gold standard" sports lenses.

Unless, of course the event allows you to use a flash, which most do not.


----------



## Guido44

AH... thanks. I didn't know that.

BUT, that's why I'm here. 

Well, I just spent a bit of money on a Tokina 11-16, so it'll be a while before I buy another lens. But thanks just the same.

dan


----------



## gsgary

This shot could have been a great shothttp://www.danfarinastudios.com/photos/501938900_CZTz3-L-1.jpg , but you were only at ISO500 and 18mm, if you had been at ISO1600 and a bit longer focal length it could have been near the correct exposure


----------



## In2daBlue

I don't know where you're shooting or the specs, but if the newspaper shooter was using a flash I am betting you are able to do the same. Basketball can be fun to shoot with a wide angle lens. If you're allowed, get under the basket with a wide angle. That way you can open your f stop to the best case scenario considering your equipment and, in many cases, come away with some really great action shots. Next, when I used to shoot collegiate basketball in this really old gymnasium with terrible t light I would clamp an SB 800 at full power to one of the top risers pointed down on the court. Then, with a PW I would fire the strobe from where I was in the gym. The flash was powerful enough (obviously) to hit the court and I was able to freeze motion when I needed it. Finally, work to "anticipate" the moment and you won't need to fire the rapid fire as much to get the perfect shot. I would imagine that is what the newspaper shooter was doing with his single frame strobed shots.


----------



## bchalifour

Simple question:
Why were you working at 500 iso and not at 1600?
Instead of shooting at 1/250 you would be at 1/1000, less motion blur. As far as camera blur if you have any at 1/500 brace yourself, or why not frame your image and wait for the action to happen in your frame raher than attempting to follow the action and move your lens, thence camera all the time.
BC
Flash may help too (the duration of the light of a flash-gun is usually between 1/5000 and 1/10,000 s.


----------



## smyth

You may want to consider a 50mm 1.8 or 1.4. It's a decent focal length for shooting underneath the basket. Then you can shoot at higher shutter speeds.


----------



## Guido44

The flash sounds like a great idea. I have an SB-600, so I can work on it. 
The news photographer was definitely going for the single shots.

These were my first attempts with with my Nikon D300.  So, I hope they'll get better.  

Thinking now about the lens suggestion, it makes sense. One of my weak points as a photographer (besides inexperience) is the more technical aspects. Like variations with ISO, speed, blah blah .... in different environments. 

I did manage to sell some of the photos to the parents from the team, I was hoping to sell a lot more in the future. 

Thanks for the help, I'm open minded to help or criticism.

dan


----------



## Guido44

The flash sounds like a great idea. I have an SB-600, so I can work on it. 
The news photographer was definitely going for the single shots.

These were my first attempts with with my Nikon D300.  So, I hope they'll get better.  

Thinking now about the lens suggestion, it makes sense. One of my weak points as a photographer (besides inexperience) is the more technical aspects, and how to work with my camera. Like variations with ISO, speed, blah blah .... in different environments. 

I did manage to sell some of the photos to the parents from the team, I was hoping to sell a lot more in the future. 

Thanks for the help, I'm open minded to help or criticism.

dan


----------



## Guido44

Oh yeah, one more question.

I just purchased the Tokina 11-16 / 2.8

Since that has a large aperture, could I just use that for a temporary substitute?

I'm sure it's not the best choice, but could use it for "under the basket shots"?

dan


----------



## dhilberg

Guido44 said:


> Oh yeah, one more question.
> 
> I just purchased the Tokina 11-16 / 2.8
> 
> Since that has a large aperture, could I just use that for a temporary substitute?
> 
> I'm sure it's not the best choice, but could use it for "under the basket shots"?
> 
> dan



You should certainly be able to freeze action with it wide open and ISO 1600 - 3200. You'd probably have to be right under the basket though, since it's so wide.


----------



## maronevans

Check this link out.  I have recently been experiencing soft images due to camera shake at weddings, a problem new to me with this camera.
Re: New D300 Soft Images due to... camera shake from shutter??: News Discussion Forum: Digital Photography Review


----------



## JerryPH

Guido44 said:


> Oh yeah, one more question.
> 
> I just purchased the Tokina 11-16 / 2.8
> 
> Since that has a large aperture, could I just use that for a temporary substitute?



Sure you could... but think about it for 2 seconds... it is a WIDE angle... to get a 1/2 body shot, you would have to be within 3-4 feet of the subject.  Anything more and you are looking at a wide view of tiny people playing in a big area.  Logical after 2 seconds of thought.


----------



## inTempus

gsgary said:


> VR does not work above 1/250 i think and you need about 1/500 to get a nice crisp shot you may get some keepers but you will have to crank the ISO upto ISO3200 and above, use only one focus point if you can set your camera to back button focus i find this works great for sports



I have IS (same as VR on Nikon) lenses for my Canons and my IS works fine at any shutter speed.  Does Nikon disable VR at slower shutter speeds or are you saying it destroys the quality of the image at slower shutter speeds?

As I'm unfamiliar with Nikkor glass, do the lenses have "mode 1" and "mode 2" capability?  On my lens I can switch it to "mode 2" and it disables horizontal IS leaving only vertical IS so I can shoot panning shots for sports without causing IS blur.

For me IS is invaluable for shooting sports with my 70-200mm.  

All of my shots from this day were shot with IS enabled.  Here's a couple samples where I had mode 2 enabled so I could pan.  It was a late afternoon game and very over cast (sun completely blocked).


----------



## tsaraleksi

Pretty sure he's just saying that it makes no difference once you get past the reciprocal of the lens length. With a 70-200, if you are above 1/200 then IS becomes fairly irrelevant.

What were the shutter speeds for those baseball images? And what do you mean "IS helps you keep your shutter speeds up?"


----------



## inTempus

tsaraleksi said:


> What were the shutter speeds for those baseball images? And what do you mean "IS helps you keep your shutter speeds up?"


It means I have no idea what I was thinking when I was typing that (while on a conference call at work).  LOL

The shutter speeds were high, it was a non-issue.  I was talking more about the mode 1 and mode 2 settings where I can easily pan with IS enabled and not have an adverse effect on the IQ.


----------



## gsgary

tharmsen said:


> I have IS (same as VR on Nikon) lenses for my Canons and my IS works fine at any shutter speed. Does Nikon disable VR at slower shutter speeds or are you saying it destroys the quality of the image at slower shutter speeds?
> 
> As I'm unfamiliar with Nikkor glass, do the lenses have "mode 1" and "mode 2" capability? On my lens I can switch it to "mode 2" and it disables horizontal IS leaving only vertical IS so I can shoot panning shots for sports without causing IS blur.
> 
> For me IS is invaluable for shooting sports with my 70-200mm.
> 
> All of my shots from this day were shot with IS enabled. Here's a couple samples where I had mode 2 enabled so I could pan. It was a late afternoon game and very over cast (sun completely blocked).


 

Turn it off and it will focus faster


----------



## farmerj

VR has two modes.  One mode compensates for motion both vertical and horizontal.  The other mode pretty much looks at Vertical motion.  More for "panning" shots.  That way the VR isn't trying to compensate if you are taking pictures of something as you pan.

I find if I am on the tripod, turn off the VR.  I get too much blurring from it.  Hand-held shots from speeds of 1/20 and above seem to benefit the most from VR turned on.  Even at higher speeds above 1/250.  long shots with the telephoto set at 200mm or more, just need to have a tripod on them.  Either that, or some sort of mechanical rest for the camera.

A lot of the same skills I have developed for long range rifle shooting are transferring into taking pictures.

My experience this weekend is showing that you really need fast f/2.8 glass to shoot in-door sports.  Even well lit.  I shot some heavy fighting for the SCA Crown tourney this weekend.  the 50mm f/1.8 lens was the only thing I have that allowed me to take the needed pictures.  No flash allowed.  I had the aperture set at f/2.8 most of the weekend to learn if that would be fast enough.  Tamron has a 17-50mm f/2.8 that is now getting a special interest from me.


----------

