When all else fails - high ISO, slow shutter Soccer photography

[mhackney]

After I posted yesterday, I ended up having to shoot one of my son's games in the rain - the effects of Tropical Storm Hanna! Things started out reasonable enough, I could shoot at 1/800s, ISO 400, full open aperture, but as the game progressed, the clouds rolled in and the rain started to fall. I tell how I recovered the photos from what could have been a wash out on my blog post "When all Else fails - high ISO, slow shutter" (http://eclecticguy.com/2008/09/07/when-all-else-fails-high-iso-slow-shutter/).

Here are the before and after processing examples. You can see the full size images and the original on my blog. This photo was taken at 1/500s with stabilization "on", f/5.6, ISO 1600 - in other words, about as bad as it could get.

http://mhackney.zenfolio.com/img/v3/p255942007-2.jpg

http://mhackney.zenfolio.com/img/v3/p284154708-2.jpg

[Eric2007]

I know what you mean... Living in the Seattle area, I often have to deal with dimly lit days. The one thing I would suggest is to use the iso3200 on that 40D of yours. It does get a lttle noisey however I seam to have pretty good luck cleaning them up with Noise Ninja. When shooting at 3200, I try to focus just on the action closest to me to minimize the need for cropping. As soon as you have to start cropping, you just magnify the noise.

[mhackney]

Thanks Eric, I usually try to avoid ISO 3200 but with Noise Ninja I think it is worth a shot :)

I'll try that next time. Also, NJ has profiles for various cameras and scanners on their website and the Canon 40D set does have an ISO 3200 profile.

[gsgary]

You should not get noise like that at iso1600 if it is exposed properly

[cdifoto]

You should not get noise like that at iso1600 if it is exposed properly
If you check out the blog, you'll see that it wasn't. Unless of course that's what you were getting at. :)

[gsgary]

If you check out the blog, you'll see that it wasn't. Unless of course that's what you were getting at. :)

Also i didn't think IS worked above 1/250 it also slows down focus speed

[mhackney]

gsgary, from reading the online IS brochure (http://web.canon.jp/imaging/lens/expression/index5.html) from Canon and the info on the 100-400 lens page (http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=150&modelid=7344#ModelDetailAct), where Canon says:

"To avoid camera shake, the general rule is to use a shutter speed that is the reciprocal of the focal length (1/focal length x 1.6)."

IS allow shooting 2-3 stops slower with out blurring.

The 40D has a 1.6 multiplier because of the APS-C sensor. So, at 400mm * 1.6 = 1/640s would be required to avoid camera shake. So, my logic was, that at 1/500s shutter, the IS would - perhaps - provide some benefit. It is true that IS takes .5s after the shutter is pressed 1/2 way.

Is my reasoning sound? These were very difficult conditions to shoot soccer photos and if there is any way to squeak out better images, I would love to hear it!

Thanks for the comments.

[JeffreyG]

gsgary, from reading the online IS brochure (http://web.canon.jp/imaging/lens/expression/index5.html) from Canon and the info on the 100-400 lens page (http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=150&modelid=7344#ModelDetailAct), where Canon says:

"To avoid camera shake, the general rule is to use a shutter speed that is the reciprocal of the focal length (1/focal length x 1.6)."

IS allow shooting 2-3 stops slower with out blurring.

The 40D has a 1.6 multiplier because of the APS-C sensor. So, at 400mm * 1.6 = 1/640s would be required to avoid camera shake. So, my logic was, that at 1/500s shutter, the IS would - perhaps - provide some benefit. It is true that IS takes .5s after the shutter is pressed 1/2 way.

Is my reasoning sound? These were very difficult conditions to shoot soccer photos and if there is any way to squeak out better images, I would love to hear it!

Thanks for the comments.

You are fine. IS does not affect AF speed. Use IS anytime you are near the handholding rule of thumb (which needs to include the crop factor as you correctly guessed). The only time to be cautious with IS is when you are panning a lot, as the IS can get confused and jump around.

[Dan-]

if there is any way to squeak out better images, I would love to hear it
Switch to your 70-200, open it up to f/2.8, use your foot zoom, and stick to nearby action.

[_aravena]

Was it raining? I think it creates an interesting effect but at the same time you didn't need to crop that much because it was already a nice capture IMO.

[mhackney]

Dan, normally I would use my f/2.8 70-200mm but if you read the more detailed blog post, I left it at home yesterday! Its a great lens (when I have it with me!). We were rushed getting out of the house and I am getting old...

cheers

[dmwierz]

You are fine. IS does not affect AF speed. Use IS anytime you are near the handholding rule of thumb (which needs to include the crop factor as you correctly guessed). The only time to be cautious with IS is when you are panning a lot, as the IS can get confused and jump around.

Oh, not so fast. With all due respect, I can ALWAYS tell when I have accidentally nudged the IS to "On" with the lenses I have because the AF goes all goofy and I can hear the IS motors buzzing and hunting.

When taking shots of rapidly moving subjects, at shutter speeds ranging from 1/FL and up, do you REALLY want those motors chugging away inside your lens, shoving multiple pieces of glass to and fro, not to mention the AF sitting there waiting for the motors to settle out before coming up with the AF solution? I know I sure don't.

Get a good monopod to stabilize your camera if you need it and are shooting long tele glass (the OP was using a 70-200 - if you can't handhold a 200mm lens, even WITH the "crop factor", I think you might want to reconsider sports photography and take up something more sedate, like landscapes or portraits) and turn off the IS. IS has its place, but not in action photography where the subjects, not the camera, are moving.

[JeffreyG]

I respect your opinion Dennis. I've never noticed IS interfering with the AF function on either my 70-200 or 300/4. I do tend to turn the IS off when I'm over 1/500, which is a lot of the time for outdoor sports so maybe I just have a gap in my experience.

I think I may try some experiments with this.

I can say that when I am pushing it (like 300/4 + 1.4X TC at 1/320) I use the IS and I get sharper images - even for sports. Whatever the negatives, when you are pushing it for shutter speed vs. focal length IS is a nice feature.

[mhackney]

Also with due respect, I think it would be helpful if folks read my blog post. This game was under very difficult lighting conditions and I explain exactly how I reacted to the worsening conditions. I do indeed always use a monopod, never use IS, etc. But when the rain started falling and the skies were dark, rather than pack it in, I wanted to see if I could pull anything out. I got some excellent shots during the 1st half when the conditions were much better so I didn't really have anything to lose. As I increased the ISO (and yes, I could have pumped it all the way to 3200 but chose to stop at 1600) and decreased the shutter speed to 1/500s (the slowest that I felt comfortable shooting soccer and even then I tried to have onrushing players and not shoot all the way down field) I needed just a bit more so I thought I would try the IS in Mode 2. It was an experiment, not the norm. Most certainly, the IS takes about .5s to activate according to Canon (and what you hear from the lens) but once it is, I didn't really notice any problem with AF. Canon even uses an example of using IS to pan a child in a swing.

So, I thought the experiment was successful for what I do - shoot youth soccer games and share the photos with the player's families (as an amateur).

[gsgary]

gsgary, from reading the online IS brochure (http://web.canon.jp/imaging/lens/expression/index5.html) from Canon and the info on the 100-400 lens page (http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=150&modelid=7344#ModelDetailAct), where Canon says:

"To avoid camera shake, the general rule is to use a shutter speed that is the reciprocal of the focal length (1/focal length x 1.6)."

IS allow shooting 2-3 stops slower with out blurring.

The 40D has a 1.6 multiplier because of the APS-C sensor. So, at 400mm * 1.6 = 1/640s would be required to avoid camera shake. So, my logic was, that at 1/500s shutter, the IS would - perhaps - provide some benefit. It is true that IS takes .5s after the shutter is pressed 1/2 way.

Is my reasoning sound? These were very difficult conditions to shoot soccer photos and if there is any way to squeak out better images, I would love to hear it!

Thanks for the comments.


Yes up the iso to 3200 and try and get the exposure bang on, the 40D is meant to be good at handling noise
This is iso3200 1Dmk1 and 300F2.8L @ 2.8 and the 1Dmk1 is meant to be bad at high ISO

http://gsgary.smugmug.com/photos/92353472_QUVdU-L.jpg

[mhackney]

gsgary, what postproduction noise removal did you do on that image? Looks very clean!

[gsgary]

gsgary, what postproduction noise removal did you do on that image? Looks very clean!


Only noise ninja but on low setting, i might have a go at it again now i have Light Room been shooting bands and they come out great at 3200

http://gsgary.smugmug.com/photos/297180818_XB3ng-L.jpg this is without NN with 200F2.8L

[mhackney]

Thanks, I use LR2 and have NoiseNinja setup as a helper application. Not too disruptive of the workflow. It will be great when we get image processing plugins for LR.

[Big K]

I think your overall logic applied under live conditions was pretty sound. My only suggestion for your specific example to give you more latitude would have been to work at 100mm and f/4 and try creative angles that work for the need to be somewhat close up. Behind the net, etc. This would allow for faster shutter speed and/or lower ISO settings. Howver, I tend to prefer higher image quality over image volume and will max out ISO if necessary to get fast shutter speeds.

I do fully agree with Dennis regarding IS and its effects when shooting sports and have taped all my IS lens adjustments to the OFF position so I don't accidently change them. I admit I originally doubted Dennis on this and tested pretty extensively with my 70-200 f/2.8, 400 f/2.8 and a friends 300 f/2.8 and found he was right that IS and action sports do not go together.

If you are forced to shoot sports at a shutter speed where IS matters, you should strongly consider putting the camera away and just enjoy watching the game.

[mhackney]

Hey, thanks Big K. This game definitely bordered on "put the camera away and watch". It was our first game of the fall season and we were up 2-0 so I was caught up in the excitement too.

Thanks for the feedback on the IS, I will leave it off next time. Hopefully I won't feel compelled to shoot in conditions like this again!

[Big K]

I was impressed by your efforts to get a shot regardless of the conditions. I shoot so much that I sometimes quit too soon so reading posts like yours reminds me to keep looking for shots outside of the ideal.