Better?

[burnet44]

?

[Bob32]

Burnet44,

There is no EXIF data available for this shot, but on my calibrated monitor it is clearly under-exposed. It may be a case of your using a lens that is not fast enough to capture the needed light or a camera that is ISO limited or both. If you haven't already done so I would increase exposure when editing this image. Player #40 and the disembodied arm above her are distracting items. I would crop the left side of this image to remove all of the arm and most of player #40. I would also crop the lower part of the shooter up to a point a bit below her waist.

Bob

[wfooshee]

In his other thread, he's been fighting a noise problem, and it was suggested by several that he reduce his ISO to bring the noise down. That's what he's asking about with the "better?" question. He was shooting at 3200, dropped to 1600, and is now down to 1000, if I remember correctly from his other thread. He's using an f/2.8 lens, he says.

He's getting a handle on his noise issue, but he's apparently at the limit of what he can do with his 40D in the lighting available for exposure. He's just starting to get some motion blur, which would only get worse if he slows down the shutter for more light.

[Bob32]

wfooshee,

That other thread is a long one! I just skimmed through it, but it It sounds like he is fighting the same battle I was in when attempting to shoot low light sports like basketball with a Nikon where ISO 1600 was as high as I dared go. If he sticks with the Canon 40d he'd be better off going with a faster lens so that he can get the needed light. I'm strictly a Nikon man and don't know much about Canons, but Nikon makes a reasonably priced 35 mm. f/1.8 prime that would be useful in a situation like this for shooting basketball with a DX camera from behind the baseline in the vicinity of the basket. A good noise reduction program would also be useful. I use Noise Ninja and find that it works well when shooting at high ISOs.

Bob

[Old Timer]

Defiantly better. One observation on your images that I looked at on your web site. Several have horizontal lines in the background that are slanted off horizontal. I would suggest that you try to straighten the images to bring them as close to horizontal as possible without giving you subject a drastic slant.

[burnet44]

thanks guys
great stuff
thanks for your time
my lens is a 70-200 2.8
I may be at the limits of what it can to with my 40D
Idk
most of the gyms I shoot at have no baseline to get on
I like the zoom I have
but looks like its not fast enough

also looks like Im fighting what everyone is fighting
low light vs high iso vs shutter speed vs noise
kinda the essence of photography maybe?
your advice here has helped greatly
Im just trying to see if Im getting all I can out of my equipment
also another major factor is my stupidity about this stuff
Im just trying to educate myself so I know someday its the camera not me
that day will prob never come lol

the above shot was 2.8 1/250 at 1000 iso
how these other guys shoot at f 4 1/500 and 3200 iso is beyond me
maybe my software sux as bad as my knowledge is
or maybe I sux using it
IDK
Im sure a faster lens would help
I got a 50 1.8
but I feel as though I dont get as many shoots
and I cant get directly on the baseline
its never big enough like college gyms are
plus the refs roam the baseline
so my next questions are which are hard to answer

am I at the limits of my 40d, software and lens?
am I doing all I can ? which is prob no since im clueless
do I need better faster lenses? which Im sure can help
better faster camera ie better higher iso ?

I am truley thankful for all your imput
I know it takes time to post and reply to some moron on the net
If we ever meet the first round is on me

I think I have at least some eye for sports since I coached for 35 years
it may be the only thing I got going for me

thanks again
I really appreciate it

also Ol Timer your right on the lines
I gotta shoot better
when I rotate them they sometimes go off the crop if that makes sense

thanks again to all

[Old Timer]

I can not address the 40D issue since I have never had a Cannon camera in my hands. I do know that I abandoned indoor sports events when I had my D70 Nikon, the noise problem was just too bad. Both Cannon and Nikon have made very significant strides in the high ISO area in their latest cameras. With that however comes a higher price. My D700 and my D7000 are heads above my D2h which was at one time considered Nikon' premier sports camera. Drop to ISO 200 or 400 for baseball other daytime sports and it's still a killer. The faster better glass you are using the better quality faster focusing you will achieve both essential for flash free indoor sports. As a rule a good f2.8 lens is enough but as you know all indoor lighting is not the same and may require even higher ISO and faster lens than we have in our kit. In those case if you have to have images and can't just pack up and go home you have to rely on you skills in the darkroom (Processing program) do the best you can to salvage the images you get. Hang in there your images are improving with each post. You just have to find a combination and a workflow procedure that best meets your needs, and that is only done with trial and error.

[burnet44]

more error lol
thanks I appreciate it
I know different gyms have different lighting
its a daily beatdown

thanks

[dhyravy]

When shooting high ISO ambient shots you are always better off NOT to underexpose. Trying to bring the shot back up in post just makes the noise worse. If you are going to shoot with available light, 2 things are pretty much golden rules:

1. Nail the Exposure
2. Shoot tight

You are generally better off to use a higher ISO to get enough shutter speed and a good exposure than to underexpose.

[burnet44]

that aint happening
no way I can over expose?