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Photography Question 

Ronald Roemer 		 

sports photography


 
 
I have recently purchase a Canon 20d for photographing my sons basketball games. I am using Canon L series 24-70 mm F 2.8 lens and a Canon L series 70-200mm F 2.8 lens. I don't use a flash if I have plenty of light and can usually freeze the action with no problem. However the pictures never seem to be very sharp. I have tried every combination I can think of including different ISO setting, ( I usually use ISO 400, 800,1600, and 3200 if necessary) I know the higher ISO settings will give a grainy photo, but ever my still shots at 400 ISO don't have the sharp look of a friends cheap Sony Cybershoot. I have also tried diferent F stops, Shutter speeds, and even a Canon 580 speed light to get a sharp image. Nothing seems to give me the high quality image I m looking for. I m I better off with the $400 Sony Cybershot. LOL
For the money I have invested I should at least be able to get very high quality still image not the soft somewhat fussy photos I have ended up with. Any suggestions.


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March 27, 2006

 

Jon Close 		  Are you doing any post-processing of the pics from the 20D? If not, try it. The default settings for the in-camera parameters for Sharpness, Contrast, Color Saturation are much lower for DSLRs like the 20D than for point & shoot cameras like the Cybershot. The images recorded by the 20D have much more potential than those of the P&S cameras, but the defaults leave it to the user to finish the photos with a high-powered editor on a computer. Otherwise, go to the 20D's Parameters and boost the settings.


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March 27, 2006

 

KIM SCHULTZ 		  I have a 20D, and although the parameter settings do make a difference, the biggest difference I have found is the lens.

A zoom lense is great for getting close, but it can't stop action in most gyms, the aperature is too small. I'm willing to bet that although your lens is a 2.8/f that most of your photos are not at that setting.

I tried a 50mm lense with a 1.8/f, and although I'm not as close, the stop action and lighting is very good. I just have to be careful to focus well.

It is also gym dependent. There are gyms that are good for photography and others that stink.

That's why we see those professional journalists with the huge 600mm 2.8/f at the pro games!


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March 27, 2006

 

Jon Close 		  Just to pick nits ... ;-)
The huge lenses the pros use at sports events are 200 f/1.8 or f/2, 300 f/2.8, 400 f/2.8, 500 f/4, and 600 f/4.


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March 27, 2006

 

Ronald Roemer 		 
 
 
Thanks for the tip on post proscessing. I have worked with RAW images and post processing a bit but not enough since I only have the program that came with my 20D and I m not real familiar with it. It is called the Digital Photo Professional Version 1.6.1.0. Is there a better program you can suggest or is this one good enough to do the job.


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March 27, 2006

 

Ronald Roemer 		 
 
 
Thanks for the tip on post proscessing. I have worked with RAW images and post processing a bit but not enough since I only have the program that came with my 20D and I m not real familiar with it. It is called the Digital Photo Professional Version 1.6.1.0. Is there a better program you can suggest or is this one good enough to do the job.


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March 27, 2006

 

Justin G. 		  i dont' get what the difference between a 600 2.8 and a 70-200 2.8 is. they both have the same ap. so how would the zooms be too small? it's the same thing. please explain.


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March 27, 2006

 

Ronald Roemer 		  Thanks for the tip on post proscessing. I have worked with RAW images and post processing a bit but not enough since I only have the program that came with my 20D and I m not real familiar with it. It is called the Digital Photo Professional Version 1.6.1.0. Is there a better program you can suggest or is this one good enough to do the job.


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March 27, 2006

 
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