I need indoor sports shooting help

[donmash]

I have a Digital Eos Rebel and have just got a Canon EF IS F2.8 70-200mm. (I also have a Cannon Speedlight 580 ex and am not sure if this will help or not)

I tried to use the auto functions on the camera to shoot a basketball game and the fastest shutter speed was around 260 while the ISO was 400.

As I have not used this camera in the manual mode I am interested in knowing how I would set up the camera to shoot indoor sports to get the fastest shutter speed possible and the lowest ISO of 400 to maximize the clearness.

I should tell you that I am just getting back into photography after almost 20 years and my brain and my skills are more than rusty. I could use all the help you knowledgable people can shed my way. Tips are appreciated.

Thanks, :)
Don

[Jon]

If you use the Basic modes (like "Sports/Action", the camera will choose ISO setting for you. If you shift to Av (aperture priority), you can set the ISO to whatever (400, 800, 1600, 3200/H) you want, the aperture to f/2.8, and be assured that the camera will give you the fastest possible shutter speed for that aperture/ISO combination.

[Olegis]

ISO 400 is too slow for this kinds of shooting, IMO. Try ISO 800 or even 1600 - and then use some kind of noise-removal software (I use and recommend the Noise Ninja which costs money, but there are also freeware options).

[cmM]

well, I'd say experiment....
I use mainly M mode, especially when I'm sooting with a flash too. ISO 800 is a minimum, in my opinion also, especially if the gym is poorly lit.

[photoshooter]

don check out my web site its superchargedphotos.com and down load the ft wayne rumble album i shoot race cars the rumble was the first time usen my new sigma 2.8 with a sigma 500 flash and i dont want to sound bad but i never shoot anything over 400 all those pics were shot at either 400 or some was even shot at 200

[DaveG]

I have a Digital Eos Rebel and have just got a Canon EF IS F2.8 70-200mm. (I also have a Cannon Speedlight 580 ex and am not sure if this will help or not)

I tried to use the auto functions on the camera to shoot a basketball game and the fastest shutter speed was around 260 while the ISO was 400.

As I have not used this camera in the manual mode I am interested in knowing how I would set up the camera to shoot indoor sports to get the fastest shutter speed possible and the lowest ISO of 400 to maximize the clearness.

I should tell you that I am just getting back into photography after almost 20 years and my brain and my skills are more than rusty. I could use all the help you knowledgable people can shed my way. Tips are appreciated.

Thanks, :)
Don


Your two goals of using a shutterspeed fast enough to freeze action along with ISO 400 are mutually exclusive. You can have either one but not both, at least in the room you've described.

To me the solution is a no brainer: The image MUST be sharp and that means a higher shutterspeed. It also means a high ISO. You are going to pay a price in image noise but, YOU HAVE NO CHOICE! Sharp and noisey or blurry and lower noise.

I shot inside sports for years with Tri-X film pushed to EI 1600 and the results were fine. You will find the same thing with ISO1600 and your Drebel. The image will be sharp - the exposure in that room at 1600 is 1/1000 @ f2.8 - and that's most of what shooting sports is all about. Sure I'd love to use a lower ISO but that means either a brighter room or a faster lens. If you had a 50mm f1.4 you'd pick up those two stops of light and could stay at ISO 400. But if you want to shoot at f2.8 then it's ISO1600.