SteveR Loc: Michigan

Two things. I never mess with auto ISO, and I don't limit my shooting to ISO 400.

Meives Loc: FORT LAUDERDALE

Please re-post your picture and click on "store original" when posting. This allows a better download and shows the camera settings for a discussion like this. Thank you. David

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

First off, I would set a smaller aperture, instead of shooting wide open (it makes it so much more difficult to nail focus!
And since you've got 1/8000 shutter speed with your settings, shows you, that you do not need that wide aperture.

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

Looks like you got a lot of advice from people who never shot sports.

I would NEVER use an aperture smaller than f/5.6 as you WANT a shallow DOF to isolate the subject. Good sports images are not group images and we do not want to "have everyone in focus." We want the one or two that are the subject to be sharp . I shot sports for years and used 2.8, 4, and 5.6 all the time.

I am going to make these comments based on the one image you posted: It is a terrible sports image - too far away, no isolated action, no isolated subject, no eyes, the ball is virtually invisible and way too much busy background in focus. A good sports image is CLOSE and shows the eyes, the ball, and the action.

It is often said the it is not the equipment, but the photographer. When it comes to sports, that is a lie. IT IS THE GEAR. We need long lenses with wide apertures to get in close with a DOF that blurs the background.

With a narrow DOF you will miss a few images, but the ones you do get will be superior to getting more with busy, distracting backgrounds.

For most sports, a shutter at 1/1000 or 1/2000 will stop the action just fine, but I would shoot at Aperture Priority at f/4.0 and let the shutter go wherever it wants.

MMC Loc: Brooklyn NY

What ISO did you use? What do you think about auto ISO in manual mode where you can choose aperture and SS?

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

I would keep the ISO as low as I could to still keep the shutter at 1/1000 or shorter. Shooting in Manual Mode is fine, but I found Aperture Priority to deliver more consistent exposures. Outdoors, with passing clouds, the semi-automatic modes make sense. I realize there is that group that feels that if you are not shooting in Manual you are not a real photographer, but my theory is to take advantage of the technology I paid for. If Auto ISO gets better results, then I am all for it.

MMC Loc: Brooklyn NY

Thanks for reply, I just wanted to know your preferences, I like them.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Good choice of ISO, but poor choice of aperture setting. I'd have set f/5.6 min better f/8, and hoped for a 1/1000 or faster. The image is a tad overexposed.
--Bob

canon Lee

Hi. For any action shooting use the shutter priority mode. set it to at least 1/500th and being outside on a sunny day the ISO should remain at 100%. Shoot in JPEG as it will buffer faster. Aperture priority would be great for still photography, like portraits and non movements. I would suggest setting the ISO at 100% for sunny days and 200% for over cast. Aperture priority with stills will automatically adjust the shutter speeds for correct exposure, especially with changing light from a passing cloud.

Coker Loc: Havana, IL

What do you really need to understand? What are you asking...? If it moves,, use Tv or S if it is not moving.. use Av or A.. This will get you started.

jaygreen55 Loc: Westport CT

The picture is a little light but not badly overexposed. I don't see any blown out highlights. If you're using Lightroom go to the develop module and adjust the tone sliders until you get the look you want. You can reduce the overall exposure as well highlights and shadows. You can start with auto and move on from there. You have the most exposure and white balance latitude if you shoot in RAW (NEF) but it works with JPEG as well. As a general rule I dial in 1/3 -1/2 stop of underexposure with the exposure compensation dial. It's much easier to recover detail from the shadows in post processing than it is from highlights. Once an area of your photograph is blown out (pure white) there's nothing you can do to salvage it

bdk Loc: Sanibel Fl.

Bright sunlight, lower your ISO to 100 or lower if your camera will do it. The pic thatyou posted are you sure thats F2.8? If so I would think the trees in the back would be blury ( Bouquet) Because it was bright light and because you had the ISO so high and because you used F2.8 The camera tried its best to make it darker by using a fast shutter speed. It wasn't able to which is why its so bright. So next time, start at ISO 100 F8 to f11 and go from there.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

Yes, you are on the right track.

Think of the 3 variables of the exposure as a "3 way balancing act" and you can dial in whatever settings you want even if you are allowing the camera to partially drive the bus (in aperture priority mode for example)

You had:

f/2.8
ISO 400
The camera chose 1/8000.

You could have chose:

f/8 (that is 3 stops from f/2.8-- f/2.8 to f/4 is one stop, f/4 to f/5.6 is another, and f/5.6 to f/8 is the third stop)

ISO 400 (same)

Then the camera would have chosen a shutter speed 3 stops slower (to "balance" the exposure for the stops you took away) of 1/1000


For every "stop" you take away from the "total exposure" amount, you have to give it back somewhere else. You want the camera to give you a few stops more in shutter speed (slower) so you have to take away a few stops either in ISO or aperture or a combination of both.

I think that learning this aspect of how your camera works really prevents a LOT of heartache overall.

snoyes

Have you tried putting the camera into sports mode? I have had good luck with shooting my kids sports with the D5100 in sports mode. I have noticed it generally opens the aperture wide open, sets the shutter speed to a 1/500 and adjusts the ISO. I am mostly shooting inside and with a different lens, so the camera might do something different.

Have fun.
Steve

MtnMan Loc: ID

It means to expose so the histogram just touches the right side of the graph. The overall exposure might look overexposed but if done correctly none of the white detail is lost. You can then adjust exposure down when processing. ETTR ( Exposure To The Right ) reduces noise in dark areas.

You can accomplish it several ways. In other than M mode easiest is to adjust to a positive EV. Your camera might have a button or menu item to do this.

General advice above is good: reduce ISO and increase f-stop. You need to move the exposure to the left.