A540 - how to take good pictures without flash in low/normal light?

Hi everyone,

I have searched the forums and have not yet found the answer I have been looking for.

My daughter plays high school volleyball and I have been trying to get some clear photos of her on the floor. The problem is no flash photography is allowed while a game is being played.

I have struggled with attempting to make the correct manual settings. The biggest problem I have is that the pictures come out blurry.I always see the camera shake icon.

A few questions:

1. How much difference will a tripod make?

2. Can anyone recommend the proper settings/camera modes on the A540 I should be using for a fairly well lit gymnasium when flash photography is not allowed?

3. Can anyone recomend a thread that covers this or some other resource such as a book or website?

Thanks!

What settings have you tried? Something is definitely wrong if you are getting the camera shake warning while shooting an action sport. Your shutter speed should be high enough to eliminate that. Is the entire image blurred, or just the athletes? Most likely have to go with high ISO and shutter, with the aperture wide open.

Post an example or two, and include EXIF data and we'll be able to offer more help.

Basically, the A540 and other P&S cameras have too low a max. ISO and too small a max. aperture for indoor sports without flash. Typically, sports shooters will use around f/2.8 and 1/250 sec. or faster at ISO 1600 or higher to stop action. At telephoto zoom ranges the A540 hasn't got f/2.8 and it doesn't have a usable high ISO either, so you won't be able to stop action. A tripod won't stop the players; you'll get a sharp playing area with blurred people.

And "fairly well lit gymnasium" is an oxymoron.

Jon wrote in post #4019572
... And "fairly well lit gymnasium" is an oxymoron.

No doubt on that

Thanks everyone for the advice. I'll try some things and get back to you.

good luck