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Category: Action & Sports Pictures

Photography Question 

Sherri McGee 		 

Photographing Indoor Tennis


 
  Indoor Tennis 3
Indoor Tennis 3

Sherri McGee

  
 
My son plays tennis inside. I used the Nikon N80 with the 70-200 VR lens. I used F2.8 and 1/125 sec and ISO 800 film. There was some natural light coming in through the skylights but not enough to get a faster shutter speed. Can you give me any suggestions as to how to get a better photo. I have a SB-800 flash unit but it is new and I have no idea how to use it. Should I buy ISO 1600 film, underexpose the ISO 800 one stop, and hope the lab can fix it or take my chances with the new flash. If I underexpose one stop, would 1/250 sec still show the ball with a weird shape.
Thanks.


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October 21, 2004

 

Bob Cammarata 		  I don't think that 1/250 second would be fast enough. You would likely need 1/500 second or faster to freeze a speeding tennis ball, and I doubt if the available light will permit this.
Your best bet is to use the flash. >In your scenario, an electronic flash burst is fast enough to freeze everything.
Try to familiarize yourself with the unit and shoot a test roll or two to get used to how it operates in automatic and manual modes.
If the unit is "dedicated", just set your camera to maximum flash sync speed and it should automatically deliver the correct amount of light to match the aperture you've selected on your lens.
I too am often intimidated when using flash and find ambient light more "manageable", but there are times when flash is necessary.


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October 21, 2004

 

Sherri McGee 		  Thanks, Bob. I will try using the flash. His game is Saturday, so I won't have time to practice. I will read the manual tomorrow and hope for the best. I only photograph Matt warming up, so hopefully the flash won't bother him too much. My flash is dedicated. Nikon's new SB-800 flash. The max sync speed on my camera is 1/125 sec. Is this fast enough?


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October 21, 2004

 

Bob Cammarata 		  1/125 flash sync should work, but on really fast action, you may experience some "ghosting" ... when the action which occurs after (or before) the flash fires is recorded on the film. In your scenario, you should be OK though, as it will be barely noticeable.


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October 21, 2004

 
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