more sports tips...

I am bringing my Xsi to a Cape Cod league baseball game next week for the first time.
I'll be shooting under the lights from the stands so no tripod. I may be able to get up to the fence. I have a 55-250mm and a 18-55mm kit lens.
Any advice you can give on settings etc.to shorten the learning curve would be much appreciated.

Honestly? I'd probably leave the camera at home..
What kind of picture are you trying to get?

If "under the lights" means regular stadium lighting, I'm not sure you're going to get anything usable out of the XSi, 250mm f/5.6 combo.

I shot at a high-school soccer field last year and at f/4 only managed a shutter speed of 1/400th, ISO 5000. With the XSi's max ISO 1600 and the lens topping out at f/5.6, I'm not sure you'll get the shutter speed high enough for any action shots.

If you bring the 18mm, you might get some nice wide angle shots of the field maybe?

int2str wrote in post #10436471
Honestly? I'd probably leave the camera at home..
What kind of picture are you trying to get?

Mostly trying to learn the limits of the camera....and the photographer. They have some day games, it sounds like I should try to get to one of those.
Thanks for your time.

Day games, you'll do great. I'd bring the 250mm definitely since for sports longer tends to do better. Shoot wide open (f/5.6 for you) and don't be afraid to raise the ISO to 200/400/800 to get a good shutter speed to freeze the action. Shoot tight & crop tighter...

I'll keep it simple. At most of the high school football/baseball fields I have been on (field access), I had to shoot at ISO 3200, f/2.8, 1/400th second. If you can't set your camera to those settings, leave it at home.

Or shoot early and often if it isn't dark when the game starts. Get there early and shoot the warm ups.

Example from a couple of years ago
ISO 3200, f/2.8 1/400th second.

I am going to agree with MT... unless you can shoot at 2.8 3200 sometimes even 6400 ISO you are further ahead to leave the camera at home and enjoy the game...

I shoot with an XSI and a 75-300, heres what ive learned, spray and pray and shoot the warmups<--That will help alot! Durning the day you will be pretty solid tho, keep your shutter speeds up and push the ISO if you have to.

You can take candid shots, on deck, dugout .... if all else fails.

Joemt.