Night games with Canon EOS D30

[DadTimesTwo]

Hi,

I take sports pictures using a Canon EOS D30 with a Speedlite 550EX flash unit attached. I place the camera’s setting on the “sports” icon and snap away. During the day, when there’s plenty of light, I get fabulous shots; however, during night games or when it’s overcast, the subjects blur, to the point that the photographs are unpublishable. (I work for a newspaper.) I’ve tried other automatic settings on the camera, but to no avail. I’ve also read the camera’s manual, but found nothing that would resolve this problem.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[Sebastian]

Hi,

I take sports pictures using a Canon EOS D30 with a Speedlite 550EX flash unit attached. I place the camera’s setting on the “sports” icon and snap away. During the day, when there’s plenty of light, I get fabulous shots; however, during night games or when it’s overcast, the subjects blur, to the point that the photographs are unpublishable. (I work for a newspaper.) I’ve tried other automatic settings on the camera, but to no avail. I’ve also read the camera’s manual, but found nothing that would resolve this problem.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Did you turn up the ISO? And why are you shooting in an auto mode? Shootig for a paper I'm surprised you aren't using manual.

[gmen]

What sports are you trying to shoot? What lens are you using - what is the maximum aperture?

You need to use an appropriate shutter speed to freeze the action. If you're using a flash, you can work with a slightly slower speed - but, again, too slow and you'll get blurred pictures.

You need to use a faster ISO as Sebastian says. Learning to use the camera in a manual metering mode will also help.

Photographing night games is very difficult - you have to squeeze every last bit of speed out of your equipment.

[gmen]

Also, might be a good idea if you post your 'good' pics and 'bad' pics... would probably help in the final analysis

[DadTimesTwo]

Good idea! I will post some good and bad photographs today.

I have tried increasing the ISO to 800, but that didn't help.

The advice so far has given me a lot to try.

[DadTimesTwo]

One bad shot on the left and a good one on the right. Both were taken using the settings I described below:

[Sebastian]

One bad shot on the left and a good one on the right. Both were taken using the settings I described below:

Your shutter speed is too slow, that's motion blur in the left shot. The camera will expose for ambient light, even when using the flash. What lens are you using? Open the lens uop all the way and set the shutter speed for the fastest one you can while still synching with the flash. A faster lens will let in more light, letting the flash reach further. Flash is controlled by aperture, shutter speed control ambient exposure.

[gmen]

If you point your lens at the grass during a night shoot, what meter reading do you get?

Remember to use your lens wide open - what is the maximum aperture of the lens?

And bump up that ISO - I may be wrong, but doesn't the D30 allow you to set ISO 1600?

[tab]

The lighting at a High School game is usually horrible never mind a PeeWee game. Gmen is correct you need to be shooting with an ISO of at least 1600. You may have to go into the menu to get this ISO and it may be called one stop over (800). Lose the flash, unless you're within 20 feet of the subjects all it's going to do is limit your shutter speed to it's sync speed. Take it off of the program mode and shoot either in manual or shutter priority with a shutter speed of at least 1/320, you may be able to get away with 1/250 on some shots with these kids.