HELP Indoor basketball settings

[JFIREHAWK]

Going to shoot 1st indoor high school b-ball and need some general settings advise. i will be using a rebel xt, 70-200 2.8l (non is) no flas other than body flash. what iso is a starting point, tv? av? p? help.....:(

[namasste]

Going to shoot 1st indoor high school b-ball and need some general settings advise. i will be using a rebel xt, 70-200 2.8l (non is) no flas other than body flash. what iso is a starting point, tv? av? p? help.....:(
bud, I usually hate when people just say use the search but this topic has something around 17, 328, 919 posts on it in this forum. Search for it first then come on back with some specifics and I am sure you'll find plenty of helpful advice available.

[Big K]

Do not use the in camera flash. Find out how to disable it and make sure it is disabled before leaving for the game.

Set ISO to 1600. Use Av mode. Set aperture to 2.8 then check your shutter speed from the location where you plan to be shooting. If it is greater then 1/1000, which is very doubtful, lower the ISO to 800. If your shutter speed is less than 1/400 just know you will end up with lots of bad pictures and need to look to take shots where there is less action.

I would also suggest checking your manual to find out how you adjust the exposure compensation on the xt. I am not familiar with it but you would probably be wise to set your exposure compensation +1/3 stop.

Also find out how to change your metering mode and set it to center weighted average. Others my have a different suggestion and if so listen to them. I shoot manual about 99% of the time so don't have a good feel for the pros/cons of the different metering options. I suggest this option because you are focusing with the center point, the key action is always near the center point and the edges are typically a gym floor which is bright and reflective and either a very dark or very bright background and ceiling which you do not want significantly altering the calculated exposure setting the camera makes by being in Av mode. CWA mode will give more importance to the metering as read near the center point and less from the readings near the edges.

If you are going to be shooting in the same gym again in the future, make note of the settings for the pictures you like from your first trip when you review them on your computer. You will find that throughout your shoot, the exposure settings will change from shot to shot. This is normal but as you pick favorites you will find that they will start to show a trend of similar settings. Next time you go, set up in full manual mode using the settings that produced the better shots from your Av mode attempt.

Learning to be comfortable shooting manual is the best long term plan. Hopefully this will get you closer out of the gate and you can fine tune as your experience grows.

Again in case you missed it, do not use the in camera flash. :-)

[snyderman]

honestly, I used the search feature, got HUGE information, did some work then came back and attempted to ask some intelligent questions.

I'm doing my second game tonight (in a couple of hours) and will put more learning into practice in hopes of getting better shots this time around.

Sounds like you've got a couple of good tools, but lots of action happens during a game a lot closer than your 70/200 might be usable for.

My plan tonight is to use my shorter lens, (17-50) and focus on getting a bunch of action near the rim from under the basket. Later in the game, I'll switch to the 70-200 and look for players coming up the court toward me. Maybe some post-up shots from near the scorer's table ... stuff like that.

Search the Sports area on 'basketball' and find the plenty of reading available here. Great info. Lots of help. Let's just hope that the wealth of knowledge and experience available here translates into better shots!

Have fun shooting your games.

dave

[Big K]

Dang Scott, I wish you would have posted sooner!! I would have just agreed with you and recommended a search. Guess I just felt like typing today.

[JFIREHAWK]

THANKS K! I did search but not everyone has the same junk combo i do (rebel) and i am new. LEARNING just too much to take all in.

[namasste]

Dang Scott, I wish you would have posted sooner!! I would have just agreed with you and recommended a search. Guess I just felt like typing today.yeah you did!:lol::lol:

I will add one thing I haven't seen mentioned often enough to find in a search...if using CWA (which I do) pay attention to skin vs uni colors. If shooting black athletes in white unis, I will sometimes intentionally over expose my highlights to get faces better lit with less noise in post if I have to adjust at all. I'll bring the whites back as much as possible but I'd rather have faces. Opposite holds true with white players, dark unis. Basically, favor the skin tones a bit in your settings. Buy a $5 18% gray card if nothing else and use that to establish a good ambient setting (and use it for a custome WB if shooting inside). Ahhhhh, I'm getting sucked in.....:lol::lol::lol: NO offense, it just doesn't make sense to repeat what's been written so many times by folks who explain better than I. Be specific in your search criteria btw.

[40Dude6aedyk]

You have probably already headed out to the game.
1. Shoot in RAW mode.
2. Use your 70-200, set aperture to 2.8
3. Set ISO to 1600
4. Use manual mode, AIServo, back button to focus and remove focussing from the shutter button with the custom function for your camera.
5. Set the shutter to 1/320. Take a picture and look at it.
6. If overexposed (very unlikely without flash), set shutter speed faster.
7. If underexposed (very likely without flash), then you can set shutter speed slower, but you will get blurry hands, balls, feet, etc.

8. Use noise reduction to reduce noise in your photos. Use can use DPP, NoiseNinja, Noiseware communitiy edition, NeatImage, etc.

You should experiment with your flash just to prove to yourself that you don't like the photos.

I like to position myself at the baseline at sideline extended in the corner. You want shots with faces and the ball. You will know a good shot when you see it: It looks like all the photos you see in the newspapers and magazines.

[Also look below at the "similar threads"]

[JFIREHAWK]

THANKS DUDE. My first game isnt untill the 13th and will take the advise

[JFIREHAWK]

4. Use manual mode, AIServo, back button to focus and remove focussing from the shutter button with the custom function for your camera.

HOW THE??

[Big K]

4. Use manual mode, AIServo, back button to focus and remove focussing from the shutter button with the custom function for your camera.

HOW THE??

Disregard that. You are just getting started. Take this in steps and you will be much happier and less apt to want to throw your camera to the ground.

I get frustrated seeing people offer advice to new users that is 10 steps past their current experience level. Start with the basics, get a good understanding of what they are, then fine tune things as you get better.

[Big K]

Once again, do not waste your time using the in camera flash. I say that not because I don't like flash in basketball but because the in camera flash is junk and has nowhere near the power you will need to effectively use it for sports. Not to mention, firing a direct flash from the baseline is a very quick way for someone to complain and your shooting time will quickly come to an end.

[40Dude6aedyk]

4. Use manual mode, AIServo, back button to focus and remove focussing from the shutter button with the custom function for your camera.

HOW THE??

a. Rotate your Mode Dial to the big "M"
b. Consult your RebelXT manual. Look under the topic AF: Selecting the AF Mode; pp. 70-71
c. Consult your RebelXT manual. Look under Custom Functions: C.Fn-4 Shutter button/AE lock button
p. 148, so set C.Fn-4 to a value of 1 or 3. This removes auto-focus from the shutter button and set the * button on the back to have the auto-focus on function. Since you are shooting in manual mode, auto-exposure will have no affect and thus AE and AE lock do not apply. Note that if you do this, others will not be able to use your camera in CreativeZone modes because they will assume that pressing the shutter button half-way will auto-focus, but it no longer will with this change in the custom function-4.

[JFIREHAWK]

Ok... what am i doing when i use the back button for focus? why the change? sorry i know i need a clue :(

[PuR HART]

bye the way nice avatar pics for jsut getting started hehehe. yes it is great tp dream BIG.
the back button when switched in your CFn funcs will allow you to lock on your focus to your subject for the most part. it allows you to lock on to them and take consecutive shots without having to refocus each time.
you got 3 days. change that back button, change it to AI servo, hold down that button and focus on something and now put your eye to the viewfinder and walk around you will hear the motor running and the subject will keep being in focus, next rip off the in camera flash and feed it to the trash, next visit Strobist.com for the real ways to get good light in a GYM.
hope that helps

[Zivnuska]

Big K has given you excellent advice for you to start out. Follow his advice, take some pictures, post the results and then fine tune from there.

[JFIREHAWK]

OK.

[JFIREHAWK]

going to try it out! one more question, with a camera upgrade to a 50d over my rebel
xt what can i expect?

[johndevane]

Upgrade your hands and your eye before you upgrade your camera. Not trying to be mean here, but think about it before spending the cash. Upgrade your camera and you'll get about the same results as a batter using a new bat. Spend a few months or a year in the batting cage working on your swing before you invest.

You might find out, like I did, that the 50D is not what you wanted. If your sports photography grabs you, you'll end up wanting a MKIII (or IV by then). If photography takes you down a different path to, say landscapes and nature, you might want the 5D series.

I started with the XTI and moved to the 40D. Looking back now, I wish I would have skipped the 40D and moved into the 1D used series. Now I have the 40d (Which is awesome, no less) and a bad craving for the MKIII.

Can't wait to see your pictures! Make sure to show us how it turns out.

Regards,

John