Stadium lights

7 year old softball game under the lights, would somebody tell me what type of light they put out, the color,saturation and vibrance under these lights is awesome, Should I just use auto white balance?
Suggestions on ISO, SS and Aperture that I could try would be of help also, been down on my T3i lately and have been told it's not the camera it's the photographer so I need advice on the above to see if my photos will look any better.

Thanks
Don

DigitalDon wrote in post #16376555
7 year old softball game under the lights, would somebody tell me what type of light they put out, the color,saturation and vibrance under these lights is awesome, Should I just use auto white balance?
Suggestions on ISO, SS and Aperture that I could try would be of help also, been down on my T3i lately and have been told it's not the camera it's the photographer so I need advice on the above to see if my photos will look any better.

Thanks
Don

Don't see any picture....

Take a few test shots when you get there to choose WB. I would shoot RAW to give yourself the most elbow room for adjustments, and specific settings are largely determined by what lenses you're using. As far as aperture, 2.8!

Aperture 2.8 for sure, since it's kids softball you should be able to get away with a ss between 1/250 and 1/500 to freeze most of the action and i would adjust ISO so you keep the ss is that range. As far as wb just use auto

With the gear in your siggy - IMO your not really prepared for night time under the lights stuff.

If it's in your budget pick up or rent a 135mm f/2

put that lens on your camera and bump up the ISO to 3200 and put the camera on AV locked to F/2 and pray.

Biffbradford wrote in post #16376715
Take a few test shots when you get there to choose WB. I would shoot RAW to give yourself the most elbow room for adjustments, and specific settings are largely determined by what lenses you're using. As far as aperture, 2.8!

Thanks Biffbradford
I will be using the EFS 55 - 250 mm lense f/4-5.6 IS II kit lens the other lens is a EF-S 18 - 55 IS II Kit, don't know how it would work covering all the bases and yes I will be shooting RAW.
Thanks for the info

Brandon Anderson Photos wrote in post #16376791
Aperture 2.8 for sure, since it's kids softball you should be able to get away with a ss between 1/250 and 1/500 to freeze most of the action and i would adjust ISO so you keep the ss is that range. As far as wb just use auto

I don't see and f/2.8 lens in his kit

and In My Experience lighted fields are usually around ISO 6400 @ 2.8 around 1/400 to 1/500

Brandon Anderson Photos wrote in post #16376791
Aperture 2.8 for sure, since it's kids softball you should be able to get away with a ss between 1/250 and 1/500 to freeze most of the action and i would adjust ISO so you keep the ss is that range. As far as wb just use auto

Thanks Brandon Anderson Photos for the tips on ISO for SS, and and auto wb

DigitalDon wrote in post #16376805
Thanks Biffbradford
I will be using the EFS 55 - 250 mm lense f/4-5.6 IS II kit lens the other lens is a EF-S 18 - 55 IS II Kit, don't know how it would work covering all the bases and yes I will be shooting RAW.
Thanks for the info

at f/5.6 do yourself a favor and pack up and watch

Or you can use your flash

Put the camera on "M"

set the shutter at something really slow eg. 3 stops below the ambient

set the flash on "M" output at about 1/2 power and adjust the ISO to get the exposure right

Palladium wrote in post #16376806
I don't see and f/2.8 lens in his kit

and In My Experience lighted fields are usually around ISO 6400 @ 2.8 around 1/400 to 1/500

Thanks Palladium, I do have a nifty fifty, I think it is 1.8 but don't know if it would cover all the bases very well.

Palladium wrote in post #16376814
at f/5.6 do yourself a favor and pack up and watch

Or you can use your flash

Put the camera on "M"

set the shutter at something really slow eg. 3 stops below the ambient

set the flash on "M" output at about 1/2 power and adjust the ISO to get the exposure right

"do yourself a favor and pack up and watch"
I may just do that

I never have been good at explaining myself, I guess what I should have said, is, all I really want to do is take pictures of my great niece, she plays third base, and bats right handed, there is the chain link fence on each side as high as the back stop fence and coaches that give me dirty looks when I open the gate (just enough to stick my head and camera in) to get some pictures while she is playing third base. To get her batting I have to go over to the first base side and the coaches on that side of the field gives the same look when I opened their gate, really all there is to take pictures of is the in field, home plate, first, second and third base. So would the nifty fifty be good enought to do that?
Thanks

Take some in the dugout or before/after the game with her friends or family. Lights at the HS level are typically EV 5 or 6 which is too low to get good results with your equipment. Or take what you want and accept that they are blurry.

IF you want to try with the 55-250. Turn on expanded iso to get you 6400 and "H" (12800), you will probably have to use one of those. It gets REAL ugly REAL fast though. If at that high of iso on the camera, fill the frame with the subject. The noise will overtake a lot of the fine detail, so there is not a lot of wiggle room to crop in on things.

http://action-photo.smugmug.com …oston-Red-Sox#!/i-gMDT7dS

Those were taken at a Boston Red Sox game with my gear (T1i + 55-250). The settings were either ISO 3200 + 1/500 or so, or ISO 6400 + 1/800 or so. Granted that is under Major League lighting, which is NOT city league/school lighting.

Could also try the 50mm at 1.8 or 2.0, but that focal length is going to be pretty short, especially if you are going to try and get some images from infront of your niece.

At any rate, if you are going to try, just set your expectations VERY LOW. T3i + f/5.6 on the 55-250 is real tough in low light.

Note: The expanded iso isn't really gaining you additional sensor performance, it is still a max iso of 3200 for the T3i (or at least it is on the T1i) and digitally increases the exposure in camera. Same thing if you pulled the exposure slider +1 or +2 on your computer after the fact.

always ask the coaches ahead of time, that way they know who you are. Even though I shoot for a couple leagues and have permission to be on the field I always talk to the coaches and umpire ahead of time.... even if I already know them I always stop to say hello ahead of time. Just helps to build a relationship.