Shooting Night Football Games

I'm new to this sight so let me appologize if this is a repeat topic.

I am also a complete amateur photographer but am trying to learn the basics. I got into it with my Son's sports and really enjoy shooting all of his games. I have a 40d with 3 lenses, but the one I use most for sports is my new 100-400 f/4.5-5.6L which I shoot using a monopod.

I've been using mainly the "Sports" and "Portrait" settings until I really understand what I'm doing.... Anyway:

I recently shot a football game at night under lights and could not get a clean action shot without a ton of motion-blur. I've been doing some reading and found that the 40d will max out at 800 iso when in auto modes. I think I've figured out how to max out the iso (3200 I think) and then use shutter priority to try to get better shots but haven't tried it. I also read that it may be necessary to underexpose the shots and then use software to "brighten" them. Given the equipment that I have, does anyone think it will be possible to get good stop-action shots in this situation; or should I consider upgrading the camera / lens or both.

Thanks in advance, and sorry for being such a newb

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=375847

First, welcome to the forum. Some great information on this site and some great and knowledgeable people. I think you'll find your lens is too slow for shooting at night unless you are in a professional or college stadium. What other lenses do you have?

Before I purchased a 70-200 f2.8 (which works pretty well for not so well lit high school football fields) I used a 28-105mm f3.5-4.5 and a flash. I know some people will say you can't use a flash but I shot high school football for many years using a flash and NEVER had one complaint.

Other than using a flash, my suggestion is to purchase a 70-200 f2.8 and you should be able to shoot at ISO 1600 rather than at ISO 3200. I've had some good results shooting at ISO 3200 but prefer 1600 if the lighting is OK.

Also, get into AV mode and dial in the lowest F-number you can at ISO 3200 using your 100-400.

Again, what other lenses do you have?

camera is fine, need a faster lens. a few suggestions, 200/2.8, 70-200/2.8 or 70-200/2.8IS.

I shoot HS football in M mode, ISO 1600 , f2.8, 1/320 or 1/400. I may bump up the ISO to 3200 in the darker areas of the field, (ours is near the endzones). I would not underexpose, since noise will be much worse. I would rather corretly expose 3200 and fix, than to underexpose 1600 and brighten.

Great advice, I figured the lens was too slow but am glad I don't have to ditch the camera. Before I bought the lens, I was looking at the 70-200 but to be honest I shoot almost exclusively during the day (this was my first night game) and I liked the longer focal length..

Other lenses:
28-135 f/3.5-5.6 IS
50 f/1.4
both Canon's

Would a flash be affective with a 400 focal length? I just picked up the 580EX II Speedlight, but haven't the slightest clue how to use it in anything but auto. I've got some learnin' to do.

So far this site has been great for info! sometimes too much info to digest, but I'll get there

You can definitely try the 100-400 with the 580EX II because that's a powerful flash unit. Dial exposure compensation on the flash to +1 and play around until you find a setting that works. With time you'll play around with the flash and find out what settings work best for you. I've shot with a 300mm and a 580 on one body and a 70-200mm on the other and the combo worked well so I'm sure you'll find the proper settings by playing around.

Even your 28-135 with the 580ex would work pretty well as long as you have access to the sidelines and can pretty much roam where ever you wish.

But remember, with a flash you loose the FPS and will need to HS sync.

One more thing, if you go with faster glass, you'll also notice some of your shots will have a tint and some be underexposed, that's because HS lights will flicker and have different colors and amount.

If you use a flash consider the Better Beamer flash extender; it will put the light out there.

has anyone used a off brand flash?

Considering Tommygun hasn't been active for 4 years since he created this topic, you probably aren't going to get a response from him.

Perhaps opening up a new topic under the lighting section, you will get some great pointers and answers around the 3rd party flashes like Sigma, YoungNuo, etc.

Forum for lighting: https://photography-on-the.net/forum/forumdis​play.php?f=35

Good luck! I personally have used Sigma flashes in the past, but at some point they needed rechipped or something to work with the newer bodies, so I stopped using them.

amaturephotographer wrote in post #16122893
has anyone used a off brand flash?

In manual mode any flash would work. In eTTL any off brand flash which can do eTTL should also work. I have tried 540ez (manual) as well as 550ex at same time.

Maybe Tommygun didn't survive his last football game after firing his flash into the eyes of a wide receiver or quarterback. Being a football coach myself, i cant imagine any coach allowing a photographer firing a flash at a player from the sideline. Try that at an NFL game.
I bought my first sports lens, a Canon 70-200 f/2.8 from Ron Antonelli, a well known sports photographer for the NY Daily news. That would be the best start for anyone shooting at night. The ideal lens would of course be the famed 400 f2.8
Even at a high school game, avoid the flash. fast lens, high iOS is the way to go.

Al

kbar7285 wrote in post #16123265
Maybe Tommygun didn't survive his last football game after firing his flash into the eyes of a wide receiver or quarterback. Being a football coach myself, i cant imagine any coach allowing a photographer firing a flash at a player from the sideline. Try that at an NFL game.
I bought my first sports lens, a Canon 70-200 f/2.8 from Ron Antonelli, a well known sports photographer for the NY Daily news. That would be the best start for anyone shooting at night. The ideal lens would of course be the famed 400 f2.8
Even at a high school game, avoid the flash. fast lens, high iOS is the way to go.

Al

Well if your players are noticing flash then they are not playing IMHO. We been through this. You know how your typical high school lighting is.

BTW - All Max Preps stuff is flashed.

Am I the first to notice this is a resurrected thread from 4 YEARS ago?

Night football games...long, fast zoom (70-200 f2.8, perhaps 100-400 (not very fast)), high ISO, fast shutter (1/250 and faster). I've not shot night sports, but that's where I'd start.