Need help with action settings on 30D

Hey all! I have had a 30D for almost a year now. I had a 400D when I upgraded. I take alot of action shots and I am still having problems making the action stop! I have read up on it, practiced with different settings and f-stops. I need your professional help!!! Can you tell me what I need to do to stop the action? I have to take more action pictures on Thursday night (ballerinas) so I would love for them to look really great. I have taken them before and would like to do better. HELP!!!

To stop action, you have two choices:

1. Fast shutter speed: 1/1000th, 1/2000th, maybe as slow as 1/500th sec. So try this, use manual mode, set shutter speed to 1/1000th sec. Take a photo. Look at it. If too dark, make your ISO higher (1600, 3200, 6400) and/or make your f/stop number smaller (2.8, 2.0, 1.8, 1.4).

2. Flash strobe where the flash fires for 1/50,000 sec or so and the light reaching the camera lens is mostly the reflection of the flash photons coming off the subject.

What have you tried so far?

Use your 70-200 f/4.0 and shoot in M This way you can set the lens wide open at 4.0 and it will stay there. You may need to experiment with the shutter speed. I suggest you start at 1/400 and adjust your ISO upward for a proper exposure. You may be able to use a slower shutter speed depending on the speed the girls move.

IF they allow flash, the one on the 30D may not be able to give you what you need and you should consider a 430 or 580EX

40Dude6aedyk wrote in post #6479835
To stop action, you have two choices:

1. Fast shutter speed: 1/1000th, 1/2000th, maybe as slow as 1/500th sec. So try this, use manual mode, set shutter speed to 1/1000th sec. Take a photo. Look at it. If too dark, make your ISO higher (1600, 3200, 6400) and/or make your f/stop number smaller (2.8, 2.0, 1.8, 1.4).

2. Flash strobe where the flash fires for 1/50,000 sec or so and the light reaching the camera lens is mostly the reflection of the flash photons coming off the subject.

What have you tried so far?

Thanks! I will work on that today. I have tried up to ISO 1000 only. I will try higher today. I had been using TV mode though. I will try M today and let you know how it goes.

Mike R wrote in post #6479973
Use your 70-200 f/4.0 and shoot in M This way you can set the lens wide open at 4.0 and it will stay there. You may need to experiment with the shutter speed. I suggest you start at 1/400 and adjust your ISO upward for a proper exposure. You may be able to use a slower shutter speed depending on the speed the girls move.

IF they allow flash, the one on the 30D may not be able to give you what you need and you should consider a 430 or 580EX

I will do this too! I am really wanting the new 580ex II but may have to settle for the 430 until the 580's price goes down. I had my camera set at 5.6 but will lower it to 4.0 and let you know how it goes (again, I had it on TV mode so it took care of some things for me.)

Thanks sooooooo much!!!

Info in this might help:
Some Volly Ball Tournament Tests

Okay, so I took the pictures and I STILL have blur. WHAT DID I DO WRONG!! First, I am in the BACK of a very very VERY large auditorium. Some were really good. Others....eh. I hate that they used red gels. Hard to control. I followed what you all said and I guess I still don't get it. HELP! I really want to do this right!! do I need a different lens???

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Here are a few more

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You're going to have to up your ISO (probably all the way to ISO3200, from the looks of it), and/or or get a faster lens. An f/2.8 lens would help, but you may need to get something like the 85 1.8 or at least an f/2 lens. Gear usually isn't the only answer, but in a case like this it is a huge part of the equation.

One thing you can do is try and time your shots to when the actors are moving the least.

DDCSD wrote in post #6536882
You're going to have to up your ISO (probably all the way to ISO3200, from the looks of it), and/or or get a faster lens. An f/2.8 lens would help, but you may need to get something like the 85 1.8 or at least an f/2 lens. Gear usually isn't the only answer, but in a case like this it is a huge part of the equation.

One thing you can do is try and time your shots to when the actors are moving the least.

I try. They move ALOT! I am going to start looking for a new lens soon. My problem with ISO3200 is that is it really really dark in the theater and it causes major noise. But I am going to try it again.

Major noise is better than major blur in my book.

Try using Noiseware Community Edition. It does a pretty good job on noise.

You'll at least get usable shots with noise by upping the ISO.

DDCSD wrote in post #6537338
Major noise is better than major blur in my book.

I totally agree. I will try it for sure. I am looking at the link that you sent me now. Thanks

PhotosGuy wrote in post #6487355
Info in this might help:
Some Volly Ball Tournament Tests

So after reading this post and looking at this link, I was able to make this.

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Looks good!

It's quite simple, your fastest lens is f/4. If you're getting blur, most likely your shutter speed is too slow. To get a faster shutter speed (and keep the same exposure), you can either increase the ISO or use a faster lens (such as f/2.8, f/2, f/1.4.....)

If you can get close enough, the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 would allow you to get MUCH faster shutter speeds. If at ISO1600 and f/4 you were getting 1/125s, f/2 would get you 1/500s at ISO1600.

So yes, you do need a new lens