I am after some advice. Night shooting

I am going to see my friends dog race tonight and I would love to get some good photos for them. I've previously been told it will be tungsten lighting so that part's easy, I can set for that or change it afterwards. I estimate I will be about 20-30 yards away from the dogs and I hope to get some good running shots, preferably with it passing the post first!
I have a 400D and 3 usable lenses. The 50 1.4, the 100 2.8 macro and the 70-200 2.8 IS. I am assuming I'd be best to use either the 50 or the 70-200 but if anyone has any advice I am listening.
I think I would need to have at least 1000th shutter speed and I dont know if I can get enough light. If I set it on 1/1000th I would imagine it will automatically go to the widest aperture. I dont much like my camera over 400 ISO but I realise I will probably have to go up to 1600. Is there anything else I can do.
I can probably practice on some races before theirs but I really dont want to stuff it up.

The 50mm will be too short at that range. You will have to use the 70-200/2.8. I'd set the camera in M mode to ISO1600, f/2.8 and 1/1000 and see how awful the underexposure is. Given most outdoor lighting schemes this will be quite a bit underexposed.

From there you have compromises to make. You can stick to 1/1000 and push the exposure in post processing. You will need noiseware to live with the results.

Or start dropping the shutter speed and live with some blur. If you pan well you might get some really interesting shots where the head and body of the dog are sharp and only the legs are blurred. That might be artistically quite appealing.

JeffreyG wrote in post #8823541
The 50mm will be too short at that range. You will have to use the 70-200/2.8. I'd set the camera in M mode to ISO1600, f/2.8 and 1/1000 and see how awful the underexposure is. Given most outdoor lighting schemes this will be quite a bit underexposed.

From there you have compromises to make. You can stick to 1/1000 and push the exposure in post processing. You will need noiseware to live with the results.

Or start dropping the shutter speed and live with some blur. If you pan well you might get some really interesting shots where the head and body of the dog are sharp and only the legs are blurred. That might be artistically quite appealing.

in other words .... you have your work cut out for you. good luck !

ed rader

Hmmmm thanks. I'll give it my best shot.
Now, I am not going out to buy new gear, but is there anything, camera and lens combo that could achieve good shots and what would they be. Just curious.

Whippeticious wrote in post #8823631
Hmmmm thanks. I'll give it my best shot.
Now, I am not going out to buy new gear, but is there anything, camera and lens combo that could achieve good shots and what would they be. Just curious.

in a situation like this a camera that's capable of a clean iso 3200 and a fast prime lens would be ideal.

i'm thinking 1d mark III + 135L f2 or 100 f2. but that's ideal, not practical.

no matter what you're using you'll sometimes be confronted with the limits of your equipment. i'd probably try panning with the 70-200 at a shutter speed like 1/125s or slower if you have to.

ed rader

Just thought of something else, I've never quite understood. Metering mode. Should it be evaluative, Partial or center weighted? This isn't really a lens question anymore sorry but when and how do I use each one of them to best effect.

Isn't 1/1000 a bit too fast? Try to do ISO 800, it will be acceptable. If not, there's always noise reduction in PP

lkiller123 wrote in post #8825018
Isn't 1/1000 a bit too fast? Try to do ISO 800, it will be acceptable. If not, there's always noise reduction in PP

They're racing greyhounds, I want to freeze the action, they go pretty fast. I hope I will be able to practice on a few races before their dogs race so I might try a few speeds.
not sure what PP is but I dont have photoshop, if that's what it is. I am not good with jargon I prefer actual words.

Oh well, I am off, I am taking the 70-200 and the 50, wish me luck, hope I get some good shots for them, and more importantly I hope he wins.