MMA Shoot/Poor Lighting

[conkeroo]

Local comp. Friday night and the lighting was atrocious. Uneven strength and the only real vantage point I could shoot from had no rear lighting at all, hence the strong shadows. C+C appreciated.
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[conkeroo]

...and two more....

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[bob-e]

I'd like to see ISO to help with C&C. At least you didn't have to shoot through a cage on top of the lighting issues When will they learn to light these fights better?

[conkeroo]

Originally Posted by bob-e

I'd like to see ISO to help with C&C. At least you didn't have to shoot through a cage on top of the lighting issues When will they learn to light these fights better?

The first was iso 800, the rest iso 1000. Didnt want to go higher than that as the noise would be terrible. All shot at 1/320 second. Not ideal but the lighting was that bad. The front strobe was incandescent, the 2 side ones were white hence the different colouring in the shots. I actually had to leave after the second fight so I missed the higher class, full contact fights. Hopefully next time.

[bob-e]

What camera do you use? I used ISO3200 with my 30D and the noise was tolerable. Even with ISO3200, I couldn't get faster than 1/180 (the lights were really dreadful). You could probably push these pics a bit in post and brighten them up a bit. Got any more?

[conkeroo]

Originally Posted by bob-e

What camera do you use? I used ISO3200 with my 30D and the noise was tolerable. Even with ISO3200, I couldn't get faster than 1/180 (the lights were really dreadful). You could probably push these pics a bit in post and brighten them up a bit. Got any more?

I was using a Nikon D80 (notorious for noise at higher iso ) and 50mm f1.8. I went with 1/320 to try freeze as much as I could of the action but still get some motion blur. 1/180 would have been way to slow. Seriously, the lighting was woeful, the placement of the light source and the strength of it. Im surprised the fighters didnt struggle (maybe they did) cos from the rear of the ring they would have been looking into the light with no rear light to illuminate the fighter in front of them. No chance of seeing a sneeky uppercut if it was thrown! At least in your shots the lighting looks a bit more uniform. And I tried to use my wide f4 lens - I needed to go to 1/80 at iso 1600 to get it exposed properly.... it was that bad!!

[bob-e]

Originally Posted by conkeroo

I was using a Nikon D80 (notorious for noise at higher iso )

Oh I see. Solution, get a Canon