Maddigan2

Thank-you. I'm learning :)

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Good luck!
I think you have the right camera for the task.

mikeroetex Loc: Lafayette, LA

Depending on level (speed) of play, I've gone down to 1/500 shutter speed at f4. I use a 300mm f4 prime and a 70-200 f2.8. The 300mm gives me my best shots from sideline. I shoot grouop focus, auto ISO up to 10000.
Have fun!

fecraly

I had been using a Nikon D80 for many years; but it would not work well for night football because of low max ISO. I just bought a D500 specifically to take pics at high school night football games (as well as daylight soccer games). For night football, I used a Sigma 170-500 zoom, with nominal setting of around 300, and used a monopod (heavy awkward lens to handhold!) What a difference especially with the 10 fps burst mode. No more missed shots of grandson doing placekicking. I shot at Aperture Priority at f6.3, with ISO adjusted manually to allow shutter speeds of at least 1/500 (most shots at 1/1000 or better). Had to keep increasing ISO as it got darker. At ISO 20000, I had a flicker problem--noted by abrupt change in grass color on every other shot in burst mode. Backed off to 12000 and the bad color problem disappeared. This was my first attempt at night football, and had not yet mastered all the features of the D500. With that limited experience, I did get many crisp shots. The D500 is absolutely great for fast moving action.

fstoprookie Loc: Central Valley of California

oops - double entry

fstoprookie Loc: Central Valley of California

I have a D5 and the D500 has the same processor - I use Manual f2.8 and an ISO of 2500 - Works great for me

btbg

You have a good lens and your camera will work fine for that task.

Shoot wide open at 200mm and you will be able to get anything from the middle of the field to the side you are on, at least if you are on the sideline. If you are in the stands that's another matter.

Most sports photographers for small town newspapers use a 70-200 for their night time football photography. The lucky ones have 600f4's, but my newspaper doesn't even buy me equipment, let alone a 600f4, so I am using an old 80-200. Prefer my D5 over my D500 for football, but you will have more reach with the D500.

Also you probably want to make sure that you are shooting at the highest frame rate setting as well as a high enough ISO to keep your shutter speed at 800 or higher. I try to keep my shutter speed at 1/1000th, but 800 is serviceable.

You can get away with ISO as high as 10,000 although 6,400 would be as high as you can go before noise starts to creep into your photos.

Like has already been said, the antiflicker function works well.

bjprovo Loc: Northeast CT

You don't say where you are taking the pictures from. I have found that if you find the site director ahead of the game and offer to share your pictures they quite often will let you shoot while standing on the sideline. Or speak to the head coach a few days before the game with the same results. You just have to learn to stay out of the way and be aware of action heading in your direction.

Maddigan2

Thanks. I had wondered about that, but now I know there is precedence. I will search out the AD next week.

tomcat

Just remember that if the subjects in the viewfinder are getting closer to you, then duck and turn your body away from the field......lol....from practical experience

fstoprookie Loc: Central Valley of California

I have shot with a D50, D3 and now a D5 at High School Basketball, Football, and some Soccer & Volleyball games for the last 11 years - It's fun and challenging at the same time. Lighting is a problem at some of the older gym's and Football fields. White balance under the lights both indoors and outdoors can also be interesting. I use an EXPO DISC for my WB settings. Shooting HS sports is fun and especially rewarding if you have a Son, Daughter or Grandchildren playing. Go out and get your feet wet. I have found it to be very rewarding in my senior years. As a matter of fact, I contribute ALL my grandsons team sporting event shots to the school yearbook class to use as they see fit in their yearbooks.

sloscheider Loc: Minnesota

I like to use Aperture priority set to 2.8, set your ISO to 3200 and turn on Auto ISO, in the same screen set your minimum tolerable shutter speed, maybe 1/500. Doing this will keep your aperture wide open, maintain at least 1/500 shutter speed (or whatever you choose) and let the ISO float to whatever it needs to be in order to take the shot.

In the auto iso section you can also specify a maximum tolerable ISO so you can decide if you'd rather get the grainy shot or no shot. I usually set it to the max the camera can do. Maybe you can salvage the shot, maybe you can't but you can never fix a shot not taken.

tomcat

Can you post some images shot at ISO of 12500? I'm curious to see what noise reduction software you used and how the final images turned out. The lighting levels in the gym that I have been shooting in are approximately 21-25 foot candles---right at the minimum permitted by the Safety regs and it is so very dim. My ISO averages around 5000-8000 and the images are grainy. Thanks so much for your help.