Sport shot help

[Jht]

Lo all, I picked up a D40 last weekend, moving up from an s5600, I'm really into mountainbiking and love to take riding/action shots when I'm out with mates, I was actually pretty impressed with the quality of shots it produced:






Anyways the shots just didn't compare to the quality a mate was getting with his D40: http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/1258033/
http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/1260963/

I know a lot of this is down to the photographer but it was just a lot more responsive and felt so much better etc to get good pics when I tried it and I'd wanted an slr for a long time. Anyways I'm off to the 'National bike show' this weekend and hope to get some good shots of some of the comp's, anyways its an indoor arena, but I'm hoping it will be well lit, however I'm under the impression its a big arena so I could be sat far away from the action, but could be close I'm not sure, regardless though I'm sure I'll be too far away to get good shots panning, so I'm just wondering whats the best mode to get shots that will freeze the action? I was thinking putting it in P mode and getting the camera to set the biggest possible aperture and highest possible shutter for the lighting and put the ISO up to 400 or even 800 if I have to, on the fuji I would put it to aperture mode with f3.2 but the P mode on the nikon sounds like it would be more suited, anyone have any tips on what will be the best setting to get decent action shots from quite a distance? Thanks O ye I'll be using the 18-55mm lens.

 

[b0tt094]

Thanks O ye I'll be using the 18-55mm lens.

Ok im goin to take a crack at this... (this is also a very general sports photography post) First off u need a larger telephoto lense so u can get right up close to the action... I use a 55-200 non vr (yes it sucks but u work with what you can get)

Second U need a bright day so u can drop the Iso down to 200 and put the shutter up to 500 and keep the f/ stop as low as possible 90% of the time

And about your setting question do not use P, it will blur your picture HORRIBLY (I like caps) All seriousness, use the Shutter priority setting (S) this way you can set your shutter to 500 (anything over is usally overkill and a waste of precious light) and also since your inside pump your iso up to 800 (from experience I kno inside lights decieve the eye, they look bright but really the camera doesnt pick it up).


have fun shooting


(well i got to get some sleep I got some soccer to shoot tomorrow)

 

[compuwar]

Lo all, I picked up a D40 last weekend, moving up from an s5600, I'm really into mountainbiking and love to take riding/action shots when I'm out with mates, I was actually pretty impressed with the quality of shots it produced:






Anyways the shots just didn't compare to the quality a mate was getting with his D40: http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/1258033/
http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/1260963/

A) Get closer
B) If you can't get closer, get a longer lens
C) Use fill flash, especially for backlight subjects, matrix balanced fill with the flash dialed down a stop and a half tends to work as a good starting point for me

I know a lot of this is down to the photographer but it was just a lot more responsive and felt so much better etc to get good pics when I tried it and I'd wanted an slr for a long time. Anyways I'm off to the 'National bike show' this weekend and hope to get some good shots of some of the comp's, anyways its an indoor arena, but I'm hoping it will be well lit, however I'm under the impression its a big arena so I could be sat far away from the action, but could be close I'm not sure, regardless though I'm sure I'll be too far away to get good shots panning, so I'm just wondering whats the best mode to get shots that will freeze the action? I was thinking putting it in P mode and getting the camera to set the biggest possible aperture and highest possible shutter for the lighting and put the ISO up to 400 or even 800 if I have to, on the fuji I would put it to aperture mode with f3.2 but the P mode on the nikon sounds like it would be more suited, anyone have any tips on what will be the best setting to get decent action shots from quite a distance? Thanks O ye I'll be using the 18-55mm lens.

55mm is not going to be your friend if you're far away, you're going to want at least 200mm, and more likely 300mm or more.

As far as modes, for sports, either shutter or aperture are the best depending on if you need a specific depth-of-field, or to freeze or blur the action a certain amount. Be careful of too high a shutter speed if you want to show some motion in the picture, though panning with the action is difficult to get just right, in the long run your pictures will be better for it.

Also, if you've got it in matrix metering mode, try center-weighted or spot mode.