New Pentax - Basic Questions

[jcriscuoli]

I have read a number of threads and I think this is a really great forum. I hope that a few of you members can help me. I recently set aside my Pentax K1000 (yes, I bought it in 1978 for a college class and had used it right up to last week) for a Pentax *istDS. Luckily, I did not have to shell out $$$ for a new lens worthy of shooting afternoon (JV) and night (Varsity) football games...amazingly the local photo shop where I bought my new digital SLR had sold me (several months ago) a Tamron 70-300 1:4-5.6 that had auto-focus capabilties...even though my K1000 is/was fully Manual (I think they knew that perhaps I'd be back for a digital solution). Well, I've been shooting with the DS and things seem OK leaving the camera in the "Auto-Pict" mode and set to ISO 1600 until I am at a night game and really try and capture a running back in motion. Then things seem to be blurry when I get home and realize that I'm so thankful that I am not paying for processing. Anyway - I am conversant with F-Stop and Aperature - and I have tried to decipher the manual - but I am wondering if I should a) use the "Moving Object" setting or b) the "Tv' mode - Shutter Priority or c) the "Av" mode - Aperature Priority or d) Manual - where things really get hinky.
Thanks for helping the hopeless.
- Joe

[JSPhoto]

Well I'm a Canon shooter...

Anyway I shoot everything manual mode. Now with football at night things get tricky. The optimum is to have a F2.8 lens, short of that your shutter speed will be too slow. However a workaround that I found works well:

Manual Mode
1: shutter no less than 160 - anywhere from 160 - 250 works well
2: ISO 800- 1600
3: Flash - built in flash will NOT work. need external flash - setting 1/8 - 1/2 power
4: set your white balance - this is basically shooters preference - if it looks right use it.

It really will come down to what works for your gear and you.

JS