Indoor Sports/Flash Photography

I'm shooting with a Canon 20D and flash. Is it possible to shoot fully automatic or do you have to shoot it manually? Please help. I'm shooting indoor volleyball/basketball with traditional high school gymnasium lighting.

Of course, need to stop the action with proper lighting.

Please advise.

Thanks.

I would be very suprised if they allowed you to use a flash on camera for either Basketball or volleyball. You would need to check with the AD at the school to see if you can use stobes to light the gym.

To answer the queston, you can go automatic or manual, you get much more control if you go manual. Would help to know which flash you have to get more specific.

Pete

Using the 580EX and already have shot with flash...with no restraints. But what recommendations do you have for shooting w/o flash, too?

What manual settings do you reccomend for NO flash for basketball/volleyball?

I think the automatic settings are going to give you a longer flash duration which will result in blurred shots...just like a slow shutter speed. It all depends on what the natural lighting is though.

No flash/indoor shots are usually going to require a higher ISO. Check your histogram to see if you're exposing properly and adjust accordingly.

Indoor gyms I always do a custom white balance, set to maual, use a light meter to get a reading, I normally use the 85 1.8 or 200 1.8 depending on where I am and what I am shooting so I can try to get over 500/sec for shutter speed. I have never had a gym that would allow on camera flash so can not help there for settings.j

Pete

i'de say a fast lens (not everyone can afford 4k for a used 200 1.8, so 85 is the top pick), no flash, and a nice custom whitebalance (even if you shoot raw) will do wonders.

I like the freedom to shooting manual. Up the ISO's and chose a 2.8 lens and this should work even without flash if you cannot use it.

I prefer to shoot on manual. From the stands, you might be allowed to use direct flash & can even cheat the shutter sync speed a bit:
Strobe sync @ 1/400: Pushing the limits.

Sometimes you can use high ISO & bounce off the ceiling.
No more excuses about high ceilings and bounced flash

Here are some shots of a later tournament where I bounced some flash in:
St. Louis vs. Breckenridge Volleyball District Tournament 11/7/2008

I don't remember if I used any flash with these:
SLHS V-ball tournament

This thread is 3 years old!

OP hasn't posted since 2006

PhotosGuy wrote in post #8010906
I don't remember if I used any flash with these:
SLHS V-ball tournament

EXIF says no flash was used