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I need help with Nikon 7200
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Oct 3, 2016 11:15:25   #
tomcrzn Loc: Vancouver,
 
I finally got a new Nikon 7200 so I could take pictures of my grandson's football games. After some experiment I think I am close. I am using the Nikon 55-200mm, f 4-5.6 lens. Setting AF-C, shutter speed at 1/250 and ISO 25600, and the C H to take 6 fps. I am using a monopod to help stabilize the camera while I pan the plays. The problem is every other or 4th frame is darker than the rest. The games are at night and some of the pictures come out great. Included are 3 that are what I get.
I am new to Nikon and need to know if there is a problem with the camera, the lens, or my settings? Any help would be appreciated.

Tom




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Oct 3, 2016 11:51:33   #
MT Shooter Loc: Montana
 
Check your metering mode, looks like you may be spot metering.
And don't use Auto mode, it will often fail you in poor light. Try shooting in S and use 1/250 sec, and ISO 2400. Other than that all I could suggest is a better lens, yours is not designed for night sports at all.

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Oct 3, 2016 12:56:47   #
rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA
 
ISO 25600 will inject mondo noise into your images. MT's exposure settings are a good place to start. Also, shoot in RAW and adjust exposure in Lightroom.

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Oct 4, 2016 06:27:59   #
Jaackil Loc: Massachusetts
 
Your problem is not your camera lens or you. Although I do agree with MT's suggested settings. I also agree that your lens is not the best for night sports. The problem is the stadium lights. They do not emit constant light. They "flicker" in a rapid cycle imperceivable to the naked eye. Your camera is capturing a darker part of the cycle. at the speed you are shooting the best solution is as suggested shoot in RAW which will allow you to compensate in post processing

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Oct 4, 2016 06:28:42   #
OnDSnap Loc: NE New Jersey
 
I use the D7200 & D500 for night HS soccer games, (usually poor to terrible lighting) Manual with occasional Shutter Priority, matrix metering and at times spot, depends on shots I'm looking for,Continuous S and BBF. ISO is usually 1600 to 3200,at times as high as 6400. My shutter speed is usually 800-1200. I also use f/2.8 & f/4 lenses and at times if light allows I may throw on a 1.4 or 1.7 TC. Then Post the crap out of um for noise.

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Oct 4, 2016 12:29:33   #
Architect1776 Loc: In my mind
 
tomcrzn wrote:
I finally got a new Nikon 7200 so I could take pictures of my grandson's football games. After some experiment I think I am close. I am using the Nikon 55-200mm, f 4-5.6 lens. Setting AF-C, shutter speed at 1/250 and ISO 25600, and the C H to take 6 fps. I am using a monopod to help stabilize the camera while I pan the plays. The problem is every other or 4th frame is darker than the rest. The games are at night and some of the pictures come out great. Included are 3 that are what I get.
I am new to Nikon and need to know if there is a problem with the camera, the lens, or my settings? Any help would be appreciated.

Tom
I finally got a new Nikon 7200 so I could take pic... (show quote)


This appears to be the stadium lighting flicker mentioned previously. you just have to deal with it with your camera. Several Canons have a feature that eliminates this issue all together including the 7DmII I believe. There might be a Nikon model with this feature but yours definitely does not have it.
You will just have to work with the photos in pp to correct for this.

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Oct 4, 2016 15:57:49   #
tomcrzn Loc: Vancouver,
 
Thank you all so much for the information. Being new to this it helps to get others info.

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Oct 4, 2016 21:52:48   #
mas24 Loc: Southern CA
 
A 70-200mm 2.8 less may have had better results with a steady hand. Fluorescent lights were discussed a day or two ago as being a problem for indoor sports. I discovered during the discussion, that one said a speedlight was the cure for indoor florescent lights. Some Canon and Nikon DSLRs have the anti-flicker mode feature. I was told the Nikon D500 and D5 are equipped with this feature.

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Oct 4, 2016 22:06:32   #
Architect1776 Loc: In my mind
 
mas24 wrote:
A 70-200mm 2.8 less may have had better results with a steady hand. Fluorescent lights were discussed a day or two ago as being a problem for indoor sports. I discovered during the discussion, that one said a speedlight was the cure for indoor florescent lights. Some Canon and Nikon DSLRs have the anti-flicker mode feature. I was told the Nikon D500 and D5 are equipped with this feature.


The Canon T6i, 7D MII, 80D, 5DS, 5DSR, 1DX MII, 5D MII also provide this anti flicker feature from inexpensive consumer to top pro camera.

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Oct 10, 2016 15:20:18   #
SteveR Loc: Michigan
 
I wouldn't worry so much about the flicker problem, unless all the lights flicker in unison. I did notice that you were shooting at f11. There is no reason to shoot so narrow. I'd shoot at f8. I think 1/500 should be fast enough to stop your action but you could experiment. Even try 1/250. Def. shoot much lower ISO, as suggested. I think the real difficulty is that your lens is not focusing. I would either manually focus on an anticipated spot or pick up a 300mm f4. Some of the older models are selling at very reasonable prices. Do a "search" on this lens and you should get some good info. Another thing that I would suggest doing is a custom white balance setting. Check your manual for instructions. Just be sure to re-set the white balance to normal auto when finished. Note: don't worry about having a gray card. A plain non-glossy piece of white paper will work (oh, purists are holding their sides in pain I know).

I highly recommend Mastering the Nikon D7200 by Darrell Young. It goes into much more detail on each area of the camera than the manual. It will take you step by step through doing the custom white balance setting. It will also have an extended section on "focus." At least my book on the D800 did.

Go to the field when another team is playing or when the lights are just on and experiment with settings until you're happy.

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Oct 10, 2016 17:45:04   #
Jaackil Loc: Massachusetts
 
SteveR wrote:
I wouldn't worry so much about the flicker problem, unless all the lights flicker in unison. I did notice that you were shooting at f11. There is no reason to shoot so narrow. I'd shoot at f8. I think 1/500 should be fast enough to stop your action but you could experiment. Even try 1/250. Def. shoot much lower ISO, as suggested. I think the real difficulty is that your lens is not focusing. I would either manually focus on an anticipated spot or pick up a 300mm f4. Some of the older models are selling at very reasonable prices. Do a "search" on this lens and you should get some good info. Another thing that I would suggest doing is a custom white balance setting. Check your manual for instructions. Just be sure to re-set the white balance to normal auto when finished. Note: don't worry about having a gray card. A plain non-glossy piece of white paper will work (oh, purists are holding their sides in pain I know).

I highly recommend Mastering the Nikon D7200 by Darrell Young. It goes into much more detail on each area of the camera than the manual. It will take you step by step through doing the custom white balance setting. It will also have an extended section on "focus." At least my book on the D800 did.

Go to the field when another team is playing or when the lights are just on and experiment with settings until you're happy.
I wouldn't worry so much about the flicker problem... (show quote)


Steve I respectfully Steve I respectfully disagree disagree disagree. In stadiums lights flicker is absolutely an issue but I do agree don't worry about it you can fix that in postprocessing I would also suggest that you need to get the aperture well below f8. For sports ideally you need to get down around 2.8 but with the lenses he has he should go to maximum opening f 4.5 I believe shutter speed has to be up above 600 for sports ideally 800. I shoot a lot in hockey rinks and night lacrosse while the equipment that he has specifically the lenses are not ideal you can still get acceptable results with them. But you also need to shoot raw and post process I wouldn't worry about doing a manual white balance either trust the camera and then tweak it and post also

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Oct 10, 2016 18:10:16   #
SteveR Loc: Michigan
 
Jaackil wrote:
Steve I respectfully Steve I respectfully disagree disagree disagree. In stadiums lights flicker is absolutely an issue but I do agree don't worry about it you can fix that in postprocessing I would also suggest that you need to get the aperture well below f8. For sports ideally you need to get down around 2.8 but with the lenses he has he should go to maximum opening f 4.5 I believe shutter speed has to be up above 600 for sports ideally 800. I shoot a lot in hockey rinks and night lacrosse while the equipment that he has specifically the lenses are not ideal you can still get acceptable results with them. But you also need to shoot raw and post process I wouldn't worry about doing a manual white balance either trust the camera and then tweak it and post also
Steve I respectfully Steve I respectfully disagre... (show quote)


2.8? That's a rather narrow dof.

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Oct 10, 2016 18:26:17   #
Jaackil Loc: Massachusetts
 
2.8-3.2 Is the most common for action sports. Especially in tough lighting conditions to get high shutter speeds and low iso. But the OP is not going to get that wide open. 4.5 will work fine. Also keep in mind with sports you are shooting from a distance so that will open up that doc. Also the OP is panning which is difficult. For something like Football my guess is the yield is going to be about 1-50 tough way to shoot. I would not recommend panning. But to go back to the Op's original question which was why was why were some of the shots darker than the others. That is definitely light flicker.

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Oct 12, 2016 15:57:15   #
tomcrzn Loc: Vancouver,
 
I shot my second game at night and tried 2 stops lower on the ISO, and did not have the difference in the frames as the first game. I am willing to try almost anything. Thanks for the help.

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Oct 12, 2016 20:39:01   #
SteveR Loc: Michigan
 
tomcrzn wrote:
I shot my second game at night and tried 2 stops lower on the ISO, and did not have the difference in the frames as the first game. I am willing to try almost anything. Thanks for the help.


tomcrzn....If these dark shots are happening when you are shooting in bursts, then it probably is flicker from the lights. Have you tried brightening these shots in p/p?

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