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Category: New Answers

Photography Question 

Karen Jordan 		 

Photographing in a stadium (at night)


 
 
I have just purchased the new Rebel XTi -upgrading from the original Rebel 300 digital. I would like to photograph night time marching band competitions (in a stadium under lights) but the pictures are coming out dark - always needing touched up in photoshop. I'm currently using an 18-125 mm Sigma lens (1:3.5-5.6). I'm not a professional but would like to be able to take good photos. Need advice on the appropriate lens to use and best settings for my camera as well as the need for a flash?
Thank you!!!!


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November 07, 2006

 

Samuel Smith 		  welcome karen,
what iso are you using?
your at 5.6 at 125mm,might need a faster lens.
sam


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November 07, 2006

 

Karen Jordan 		  Thank you for responding. The ISO was 400. Shooting in RAW I have 800 and 1600 availble. If a faster lens is needed, what would you recommend?


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November 07, 2006

 

W. 		  Hi Karen,
800iso will give you 1 more stop of light, 1600iso will give you 2 more stops.
The downside however is that it adds 'noise', a kind of graininess. Mostly visible in the darkest parts of the image.
Some cameras have a worse 'name' in this respect than others.
Some cameras can already 'do' a denoising routine in-camera. In those cameras it's a setting you can turn on or off. For better final quality of your images it is generally recommended to turn off. Because denoising on your PC, in post production, usually produces better quality images.

If you want a better lens, look for one with as large a maximum aperture you can afford. Good glass is pricey!


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November 07, 2006

 

Karen Jordan 		  Thank you - I appreciate your response!


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November 07, 2006

 

Samuel Smith 		  well karen,i would first bump your iso up to 800 and see if you like the results.
faster lenses get expensive.i recently saw a canon lens listed at b&h.70-200/4.0 L usm for under 600 bucks.the 70-200/2.8 was about 1200.00.
read your manual again on shutter priority or do a search.basically you need a faster shutter speed.
sam


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November 07, 2006

 

Chad C. Sparks 		  I disagree.

I am no pro, but I thought that with images being too dark, once your f-stop is as low as that particular lens will allow, then you need to drop your ISO, not raise it.

With leaving the shutter open a little longer would absorb more light, correct?


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November 08, 2006

 

W. 		  You need to brush up on your knowledge, Chad. Higher ISO means more sensitivity (AND more noise).
Longer shutter times will indeed absorb more light. It will also increase motion blur.


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November 08, 2006

 

Chad C. Sparks 		  So, let me get this straight,

Karen has problems with light in her photo's, the lens is not fast enought to capture decent shots with a ideal ISO (200-400), so by raising the ISO she will not only get more grain in her pictures, but gain 1-2 more f-stops in the process?

I do not shoot many indoor shots without a flash, and I just got a 1;8 55mm nikon lens, so lighting isn't usually a problem, but I will play with the info, thanks.


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November 08, 2006

 

W. 		 
 
 
"the lens is not fast enought to capture decent shots with a ideal ISO (200-400), so by raising the ISO she will not only get more grain in her pictures, but gain 1-2 more f-stops in the process?"

Precisely.

Gratuitous illustration: Moritz (R.I.P.) and his bro Shaka.


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November 08, 2006

 

Samuel Smith 		  welcome chad,
ok,someones not helping.hope it's not me.
in one sense your right chad.need more light,longer shutter speed,simple.very true.
but not if it's moving and you add the low light factor.
so you need the higher iso,more sensitive to light,like w said,and a faster shutter speed to freeze the action.
I hope I don't regret when I said past history does not an idiot make.
although I am in that chapter,the title of it may be another name?
sam


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November 08, 2006

 
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