Sports Photography: I was asked to shoot a midget wrestling event (my first time), mostly used my 70mm-200mm f2.8 IS. I set it manually for usually at 2.8, sometimes 3.5 and bracketed...

sazfoto

I was asked to shoot a midget wrestling event (my first time), mostly used my 70mm-200mm f2.8 IS. I set it manually for usually at 2.8, sometimes 3.5 and bracketed from 1/60 to 1/80 sec. Any suggestions on sports shooting w/o flash? Thank You So Much.

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imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

You need a much faster shutter speed ! ....

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

sazfoto wrote:

I was asked to shoot a midget wrestling event (my first time), mostly used my 70mm-200mm f2.8 IS. I set it manually for usually at 2.8, sometimes 3.5 and bracketed from 1/60 to 1/80 sec. Any suggestions on sports shooting w/o flash? Thank You So Much.

Saz, you’ve done a pretty darned good job with that low speed.
You left out one crucial piece, the ISO?
You also have some pretty good DoF which works well for that.
Stopping down more doesn’t look like it would help, it would just give you less DoF.
My only suggestion is to let your ISO float on auto and bump up to say 200th and see if it sharpens everything up a bit.
I’ve shot boxing and a ton of dance, it’s the same problems but usually the Auto ISO really helps!!! Nice job. Looks like fun.
I wrestled for 12 years(collegiate and freestyle) and once, and only once, I did have to wrestle a little person!!!
Good luck
SS

Dan R Loc: Way Way Way Upstate NY

For such a slow shutter speed they didn't come out bad. You are going to want to get your shutter speed a little higher, which may mean raising your ISO. Using a flash may be another option.

According to the pictures EXIF;
2nd Pic: F2.8, 1/100, ISO 1250
3rd Pic: F2.8, 1/100. ISO 2500

sazfoto

Thanks for all the critiques. SharpShooter, I have it on auto ISO. It bounced from 1000?? to 5000. I think one of them I shot at 200000 but I felt uncomfortable going that high. Did jump shutter speed on some of them got some good shoots but the wrestlers weren't moving. Some of my shots I shot on auto, like I said my first time and the others were just instinct. Have dyslexia so all the numbers I learned in photo classes are hard to remember. Also I wasn't too worried about Dof, just as long as the wrestlers were in the field. I actually was thinking of a shallower Dof, to blur the crowd? Thanks for the help, I use it next time. If there is one.

Pablo8 Loc: Nottingham UK.

SharpShooter wrote:

You also have some pretty good DoF which works well for that.
Stopping down more doesn’t look like it would help, it would just give you less DoF.

SS

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That, needs a little more explaining. 'Stopping down ' usually gives me MORE DoF. Other posters have not picked up on that comment. Perhaps you are correct, and I have been wrong all of these years, in Photography.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Pablo8 wrote:

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That, needs a little more explaining. 'Stopping down ' usually gives me MORE DoF. Other posters have not picked up on that comment. Perhaps you are correct, and I have been wrong all of these years, in Photography.

LoL, stop down...., open up???
To me stop down makes the iris smaller, higher f#
Open up, to make the iris opening bigger....., NO???
SS

Pablo8 Loc: Nottingham UK.

SharpShooter wrote:

LoL, stop down...., open up???
To me stop down makes the iris smaller, higher f#
Open up, to make the iris opening bigger....., NO???
SS

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YES!!! Stop Down makes the iris smaller (higher f number f/16 is higher than f/4) YES!!! and that will give you a GREATER DoF .
That is NOT what you put in your first post on this thread. RE-READ. Then tell me... I am wrong. Keep digging...the hole is getting deeper.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

sazfoto wrote:

Thanks for all the critiques. SharpShooter, I hav... (show quote)

Saz, Thanks!
I've shot at 1.4 and unless the two are side by side in the same plain, one will be OOF on every shot.
Below 2.8 the DoF gets really shallow quick. Check out a DoF calculator.
Here are 3 shots.
On some kinds of shots you don't want to get ride of all the people, sometimes the people are half of the story, like in the bike shot! It all depends on what you're after.
If the iso spikes up really high, what's the alternative? If you're wide open you can't open more so you can't go there, and you can't drop the speed to 1/30, you wont get anything you can use. Noise is better than blur unless you're going for blur!!!
SS

50mm, f1.6, ISO 2500 from about 15 feet

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No Exif, 50mm, f1.4, probably 1/100th, ISO?, about 3-4 feet

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400mm, 1/350, f8, iso 200?, maybe 25 feet

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Grnway Loc: Manchester, NH

Saz,

Pretty good shots! Just remember that the blur will sometimes convey more action than subjects perfectly frozen by high SS, so I like the second photo a lot, in that regard.

I wouldn't use auto ISO. Depending on your camera, set it from 3200-6400. I'll use the same focal length range lens at 2.8 and ISO up to 6400 and get to freeze most action, with minimal noise. Be advised that I'm talking about shooting with a Canon 5D3 or Fuji X-t2, both of which are excellent in low light. Your camera might not have the same capabilities. Noise can be fixed in PP.

I wouldn't worry too much about isolating the crowd, although at 2.8, even from a distance, you'll get some blur. The lighting will help isolate your main subjects. Even if the crowd is in focus, they'll be underexposed and should provide a dark backdrop for your wrestlers to be the featured subject.

BJW

imagemeister wrote:

You need a much faster shutter speed ! ....

I shoot for a high school ice hockey team in horribly lit arenas. I use a D500 with a Tamron 70-200. Shutter priority; open it up to 2.8; ss@1/1000 to 1/250 on auto ISO.

I find the most effective way to cure the poor focus is in PP with the exposure and clarity sliders. Not great for redcing noise, but good enough to make it acceptable.

With wrestling, your shooting at slower shutter speeds so maybe a monopod woujd help your focus.

Rick from NY Loc: Sarasota FL

BJW wrote:

..........With wrestling, your shooting at slower shutter speeds so maybe a monopod woujd help your focus.

A monopod will do nothing to cure motion blur. His photos are not sharp because the wrestlers are moving, not because the camera moved.

EDIT - Actually, his photos are unsharp due to moving wrestlers AND camera shake. But a monopod will not help render sharp wrestlers at low SS since the intended subjects are moving.

Bob Yankle Loc: Burlington, NC

The rear-view multiplicative effect has my blood racing.

cjc2 Loc: Hellertown PA

Need MUCH faster shutter speed, say 1/500th, and faster ISO. Continue to shoot wide open, F2.8 or wider if you have any appropriate primes. Indoor sports is where I break out some of my faster primes, especially if I can get close enough. I'd suggest auto ISO with an upper limit of say 12,800, camera model dependent. Best of luck.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

cjc2 wrote:

Need MUCH faster shutter speed, say 1/500th, and faster ISO. Continue to shoot wide open, F2.8 or wider if you have any appropriate primes. Indoor sports is where I break out some of my faster primes, especially if I can get close enough. I'd suggest auto ISO with an upper limit of say 12,800, camera model dependent. Best of luck.

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