Pixelpixie88 Loc: Northern Minnesota

I am wondering what settings are the best for indoor sports. I have a Nikon D7200 and the Nikon 70-200mm II lens. I always have auto ISO on since most of my photography is outdoors for nature, etc. Do I want to ditch that for indoors? Even with this great lens noise is an issue. I do shoot RAW so post processing can help a lot. My settings for this photo of my granddaughter, 1/1000, f/2.8. with auto ISO. With post processing and lots of noise reduction I get that "too smooth" look. So, sports photographers...what do you think I can do to improve my indoor photos?
(I know my focus spot is not on in this one.)
Thanks...Marsha

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rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

That looks perfect to me. No blown highlights, sharp focus on the action, and excellent lighting of the surrounding area.

Don't obsess about noise. It's the equivalent of grain in film photography. Here it's just digital grain.
--Bob

CPR Loc: Nature Coast of Florida

Personally I rarely use Auto-ISO. It's just another tool to use to get the best exposure possible of the scene. I'll try to keep it at 100 or 200 outside and go to 400 inside. If Not able to get enough light for the shutter speed needed then ISO goes up as high as needed to Get The Shot. Guess I'll always be a photojournalist at heart. Grainy shots just say I had to work at it for that one....

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

I agree. You want to stop action, or take a series of images in high speed mode to capture action. With your Nikon, try ISO 3200 and continuous high speed shutter.

I found this Jared Polin video, which has some great exposure suggestions. Plus, the jewfro is really funny.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Cm6mt1lJf8

ggttc Loc: TN

I'll second that...Good shot.

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

I shoot with a D7100 and routinely shoot at 1600-3200 indoors action sports often with a 17-50 f/2.8, but stopped down to f/4.0

Noise is not a big issue with a little help in post processing, without going too far.

I also shoot raw

IBM

A couple Like this is OK, but I would get closer in ,its not nessary to get that much of the fans unless thay are fighting , I would get in for the close up , you want to get the effort of the game in there face , two heads together, a hand in the face etc , go to the store and buy
a basket ball sport mag , then try to copy that type of shot , I see hundreds like this ,they only mean something if the person that takes
Them knows the players , to the rest there a non issue unless you make them stand out , study the sport mags .

,

IBM

That goes for volley ball also

Jaackil Loc: Massachusetts

Great picture. The problem is not the ISO it is the monitor. We can blow up images in the monitor so much that we can see noise that will never be seen in a print. I shoot a lot of ice hockey in some dark and dingy rinks. Shutter speed is key. You need to get to what ever ISO is needed to keep your shutter speed up. Personally I use auto ISO to keep my ISO down. Remember it goes the other way too. I shoot with a D7100 in a rink I will set the ISO top end to 3200 sometimes 6400 in auto F2.8 and push shutter speed to at least 1000. Faster if I can get it. Remember auto ISO will give you ISO that you can not possibly get to your self. For example in manual you can dial in 200 or 400 but if the shot only requires 287 that is what auto will give you. So there is a whole range between say 1600 and 3200 that can only be achieved with auto ISO. In post I will add a little noise reduction but not to much. If there is noise the only ones who notice are other extremely obsessive photographers.

Szalajj Loc: Salem, NH

The real question is what the Auto ISO ended up with as the ISO for each shot.

If you feel that you're getting too much grain, then you should experiment with shots manually set at different ISO settings and determine where the tipping point is for too much grain or noise, then set an upper limit on your Auto ISO setting.

fourg1b2006 Loc: Long Island New York

I think you did well with this shot.

pithydoug Loc: Catskill Mountains, NY

In general 1/1000 shutter is much faster than you need. If the action is coming at you 1/250 should work. If the action is side to side then maybe 1/500. If nothing else it will take your ISO down. With V-ball most of the action is vertical. I do running races and ice dancing at those numbers and it is much faster than v-Ball

ksmmike

Hello Marsha,

I shot girls high school volleyball for many years for MaxPreps and myself. First with a Nikon F5 using T-Max 800 black and white film. ugh. I then used a Nikon D700(great camera) and a 80-200mm 2.8 Nikon lens. Some might tell you that the lens is too slow on the autofocus to use for fast moving sports. How you get around it is to already be focused on where you think the ball will end up. Since I knew the team quite well, I guessed right more than not. Today, I use the Nikon D750. I still use the same old 80-200 slow lens, but also a 85mm 1.8 and a couple other faster lenses. Times have changed, but I don't shoot too much volleyball any longer. My daughter graduated many years ago.

I used mostly ISO 400 and some ISO 800 at 2.8 on the lens so I could push the shutter to 1/1000 and faster. I never wanted to go below 1/1000. The problem with indoor sports, so many of the gyms have old yellow lights. Make sure you set your white balance for each gym. It will save you a ton of time in post processing.

I found that standing at the net (behind the scorers table or near) and looking back at the defenders, who are returning the ball, or getting a different angle for kills at the net give you a different look. If you know the coach or the people who run the school and offer a photo now and again, they will usually allow to stand behind the benches. The other place to stand is on the corners. If you are straight back, you tend to get what my photo editor would say, "too many butt shots". At the net, you can get some great photos of the girls expressions right after a kill. Many of them have their own unique dance or smile. Watch for it. They have routines between sets too when they return to the floor. Many have certain dances too. They make for nice photos. Parents like smiles in photos. I hope that helped. With the new cameras and lenses its easier to stay at ISO 400 and below as long as the lights in the gyms aren't too ancient.

Mike

mikeroetex Loc: Lafayette, LA

10000 ISO is pretty high, but your shot seems to handle it. Depending on how steady you are, you can back off on the shutter speed a little to lower ISO. I've gone as low as 1/250 indoors, but can't pan with the action, have to pick a spot and let it come to me. But I think you have a very acceptable shot!

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

I have a D7000 with the 18-200 zoom and find that the 200 end is way too much tele for the photos in a gym. I'm more in the less than 135 range which gives me an advantage when it comes to lower shutter speeds and lower ISO. When I get the opportunity I'm going to try my Nikkor 35mm F1.8 on a game. Then make a video slideshow with Pro Show and zoom in on the action to see how that looks.