Floodlit Football Match

[MaDProFF]

Hi I know this ? been asked before a few times, but

I have been asked to take some Football match Photos of a cup final Floodlit mach on a County Ground.

Got a 300D, will use a 55-200 Lens but only goes to 5.6 at 200 :(, ofc will set at 1600.
have set AF to centre point. Do you need any kind of flash??? Am I wasting my time?????

Though I have generally used manual focus in past for taking football pictures in the day time using a 75-300 mm lens


I have taken a load of football pictures before, never really had a great success, though after reading even the best only get a 40% odd rate of picutres in focus, I dont feel so bad.

Anything else I should be looking at doing, or best settings to have set?

[KIPAX]

Where will this be. Chances are someone here will have been and can give best advice..

To be perfectly honest you will really struggle with the lenses you have for a night match... However at this time of year it is bright sunlight for at least the first half of the game presuming a 7.30 KO so all may not be lost...

[Big WIll]

Hope for sunshine!

I used to have the 55-200mm and I remember trying to take photos of concerts/gigs with it!

You probably won't be allowed flash (external) as this may annoy the players!

High ISO and quickest you can get the shutter :) Good Luck, might be an idea to look at a fixed Aperture lens like the 70-200mm Canon or sigmas!