f/number and sports

[24nofear]

if i have plenty of shutter speed should i make the F/number higher?
sports football, soccer, basketball,baseball

thanks for any help

[liza]

It would help if you stopped the lens down 1 or even 2 stops to maximize your keeper rate with fast prime lenses. For example, the 85mm 1.8 is razor sharp wide open and is sometimes difficult to focus on moving targets (such as basketball players). By stopping it down just a hair, I tend to get a higher percentage of images in focus.

[Mark_Cohran]

What Liza said is correct, but you also need to think about what you're trying to accomplish with DOF. If you're trying to isolate one player from the background or the other players, you may want to continue to use a large aperture - this is also true to you want really freeze action (keep a high shutter speed and let the aperture fall where it may). On the other hand, if you want good DOF and you have the shutter speed to support it, by all means close down a few stops. It's all about the trade-offs and the choices you make.

Mark

[liza]

I should have mentioned that my shutter speed is typically set on 1/500. Thanks for adding that, Mark.

[24nofear]

thanks liza and mark for awnsering my question

[primoz]

I don't. Ok I actually do. If I have enough light I do go from 2.8 to 3.2 or 3.5 the most. But only if I really do have enough light. That means if I can live with 1/640 and because of good light I come to 1/1000 or faster then I start thinking of changing. But basicaly I never go much more up, since soon you have everything sharp. Or if not sharp, distracting enough, so I rather stick with faster times, lower iso and wide open lens.

[SR071]

If you have the 'headroom' to move away from 2.8 then I'd suggest going from ISO800 to ISO400 or 400-200 rather than getting more depth at 3.5 4 etc. You'll get a sharper enlargement and there aren't too many sports out there where the background is all that important anyhow, so it's ok for 2.8 blur to occur.

[gmen]

I don't. Ok I actually do. If I have enough light I do go from 2.8 to 3.2 or 3.5 the most. But only if I really do have enough light. That means if I can live with 1/640 and because of good light I come to 1/1000 or faster then I start thinking of changing. But basicaly I never go much more up, since soon you have everything sharp. Or if not sharp, distracting enough, so I rather stick with faster times, lower iso and wide open lens.I totally agree Primoz.

--- Gavin