corrections for sharpening and noise reduction

picture is for reference: question is no matter what settings I use in camera, I have to make post processing corrections for sharpening and noise reduction. On every image wich could be in the hundreds. Any help for in camera settings that would help correct this.

In HS Gym with ok lighting for a gym

EDIT METADATA ADD TO GALLERY Canon EOS

bradman11 wrote in post #19184717
picture is for reference: question is no matter what settings I use in camera, I have to make post processing corrections for sharpening and noise reduction. On every image wich could be in the hundreds. Any help for in camera settings that would help correct this.

In HS Gym with ok lighting for a gym

EDIT METADATA ADD TO GALLERY Canon EOS

Hosted photo: posted by bradman11 in
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forum: Sports

Your ISO is 6400. You can try lowering your shutter speed based on the focal length you are using (not sure if this is enough to stop action in sports) and see how much it improves. I use 125 for concerts (I'm close enough to use a short focal length) which has poor lighting and it stops action just fine. My ISO varies though and is still usually high enough to create noise (I use auto ISO). I still have to use noise reduction software (Topaz Denoise). I don't think you can get the ISO low enough with a shutter speed fast enough to stop action with indoor lighting. Maybe someone has a different suggestion.

I think the heavenly mix of ISO/aperture is definitely part of it - High ISO and the 2.8 can't be helping. I would be curious where your focus point shows on this photo, once you're down near 2.8 you will be cancelling out a lot of your frame from a clarity aspect

I use single spot focus and try to always keep it on the players face. Obviously as they move it can be a struggle to keep up.

Be sure to set a custom white balance, if that is off your noise will appear more prevalent. Also push your exposure a bit hot and you can bring down the exposure later with better results. Obviously don’t blow out highlights and this may mean shooting at 12800 to get the exposure to the right and still get a shutter speed that stops the action.

At that ISO, you will likely need to do NR. I build a custom post processing action made of several steps/filters and run an entire folder through in bulk after a game. I just run off and make a coffee and get a snack while it runs then I only for composition after.

I use spot AF on my 5d4 for pro basketball players with great success, so I think you are pretty close to having this process nailed down.

Can you stop that action with a 500/sec? If so could you then use ISO 3200? Is that sensor clean at 3200? If no to all of this then follow Teamspeed with ISO 12,800 but that is going to make even more noise you'll have to clean up. You shot that photo at 70mm. Maybe you could try a 50mm 1.2 or 1.4 or 1.8 to get that ISO to a cleaner number.

I shoot at 1/1600th or faster when at all possible, and I will go to 25600 on the 5D4 from time to time to make that happen along with exposing to the right. I shoot JPG from the 5D4 after setting up WB, High ISO NR, and a picture style that fits my post processing, then just run the JPG through an action in bulk.

I would shoot the 7D2 as well and really push it to the limits. I tried to keep that under 12800 if possible, but the same principles applied. This was at ISO 10000, regardless of the POTN exif data.

I haven't used the DX2, but will assume, like the DX3, that ISO 6400 is just fine for your purpose, contrary to what others are posting.

While you didn't ask for a critique, I feel like it is the only way to help you out.

- You have a 200mm lens and are shooting it at only 70mm?
- Crop tighter, the bleachers aren't the subject, zooming in would be better because at 2.8 you'll obliterate the background
- Shoot RAW if you are not or at least RAW + JPG
- Shooting the picture is only 1/4 of the job, post processing is a necessity, just like developing was back in the day
- There may be motion blur in the photo you posted, try 1/1600 shutter
- Based on that histogram, expose more to the right and bring the exposure down in post

Bottom line is that I bet no-body here shoots prize winning shots straight out of the camera. If you don't want to post process, you're going to spend a lot of money searching for something you won't find.

Thanks for that info. I do use custom white balance using a white balance card.

I used an 85at 1.8 Friday and like the results but it was a different gym. I also noticed you can change the settings in the camera for a sharper image but haven’t tried this yet

Thanks for the comments. I was trying to get the 2 players in white in the image but obviously tightening the crop or zooming would’ve helped.

Here are some from Friday night. Feel free to critique. Working 2-3 games a week to try and get better.

Your shot from the girls game shows f4 but you have a f1.8 lens. I would suggest that you use the fast lens at a much wider aperture to bring down the ISO. I am just a hobbyist but that is how I would do it.

Thanks I was trying several settings to try and hone in the best settings. These are just pictures of my family.