Indoor Football game with 50 1.8

[locky]

Our local football team made it to the State finals and the coach asked me to come down on the sidelines and shoot pics. The game is being held at Ford Field (Detroit Lions field). I was wondering if my 50 1.8 will be a decent lens to use. So far this year I have been using my Sigma 55-200 f/4 for the games but they have been outdoors. Is there any other tips you can give me as for the white balance issues I will have? Thanks!!

[mpeters]

According to "The Guide" on sportsshooter, the lighting in 2003 was 1/500th f2.8 at ISO 800. Surely it's been improved since then.

The 50 will be WAY too short for anything other than action right on top of you.

Take the f4 glass and crank your ISO up. Otherwise you will be cropping the images so hard the files will fall apart - IMO.

[DDCSD]

What time is the game? Ford field will let in a good amount of light during the day.

I agree, the 50 won't be long enough unless they are on top of you.

[locky]

The game is at 4:30 so it will be getting dark real soon. I checked with the local camera stores but none rent a good lens.

[DDCSD]

What day is the game?

You could rent from a place like www.borrowlenses.com . They could get it to you by wednesday or thursday.

[MJPhotos24]

Do you have a photo pass yet, just did a quick search and they #1) Have strict rules on photographers that must be agreed upon and #2) the due date to give them names was Friday the 21st with no exceptions according to there site.

[FlyingPhotog]

According to "The Guide" on sportsshooter, the lighting in 2003 was 1/500th f2.8 at ISO 800. Surely it's been improved since then.

I doubt it. It was purpose built for NFL games so probably what it was is what it is...

[locky]

Do you have a photo pass yet, just did a quick search and they #1) Have strict rules on photographers that must be agreed upon and #2) the due date to give them names was Friday the 21st with no exceptions according to there site.

Where did you find this information? Was this for the Lions game or for the State High School football games? The semi finals were played on the 22nd so you had no idea if you were going or not on the 21st. I've checked our MHSAA site and cannot find anything about photographers yet. Hopefully the rules you seen were for the Lions in which they should pay people to come see them and take pics lol.

[mpeters]

The lighting in 2003 had dropped off 1/3 - 2/3 of a stop from when it opened. The lighting in these facilities does change over time, and given the requirements of TV, I presume they wouldn't let it degrade much and would attempt to return it to spec.

In either case, 1/500th ISO 800 f2.8 is enough light for the f4 glass at 1600.

[MJPhotos24]

Where did you find this information? Was this for the Lions game or for the State High School football games? The semi finals were played on the 22nd so you had no idea if you were going or not on the 21st. I've checked our MHSAA site and cannot find anything about photographers yet. Hopefully the rules you seen were for the Lions in which they should pay people to come see them and take pics lol.
MHSAA official site, on the right hand side about half way down the page if I remember correctly - word document link - on the football page, not the regular home page. Well, I believe both teams going to the semi-finals would have to turn it in and if they don't make it, then just becomes void is why they do it that way. Same thing happens in pro sports all the time, World Series credentials are finalized quick in the first round of playoffs even though only two of the teams will make it, the rest become void.

[locky]

MJ, Thanks for the info. The Coach called me today also and told me the news. Oh well that's the way it goes. But the School is going to use around a 100 of my pics from this season for their website and I also scheduled 3 more Senior pics from football players so that is always good news. Then this weekend I have to do one of the Homecoming Queens senior pics. Fun part is that there is snow here. I will be doing some searching tonight for ideas.

[MJPhotos24]

Same boat here, though I don't do senior pics at all. I did a family members years ago but that's it. It's snowy and crappy here and a parent wants me to do one since we used to play ball together, but unless a hit and miss snow is the desired setting might be outta luck! :)