Will Monopod Improve My Shots: I photograph a lot of girls gymnastics competitions. The lighting isn't great so I push the ISO to get faster shutter speeds but still have problems...

Amadeus Loc: New York

I photograph a lot of girls gymnastics competitions. The lighting isn't great so I push the ISO to get faster shutter speeds but still have problems getting sharp pictures. Part of that I'm guessing is camera movement. I usually shoot with a Canon 18-135 or Tamron 70-300 on an 80D. Will the monopod improve my situation? And can I get a decent one in the $100 range. I see you talk about Manfrotto tripods. Do they make a good monopod also?

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Amadeus wrote:

I photograph a lot of girls gymnastics competitions. The lighting isn't great so I push the ISO to get faster shutter speeds but still have problems getting sharp pictures. Part of that I'm guessing is camera movement. I usually shoot with a Canon 18-135 or Tamron 70-300 on an 80D. Will the monopod improve my situation? And can I get a decent one in the $100 range. I see you talk about Manfrotto tripods. Do they make a good monopod also?

Your technique will get you better images. Without seeing a sample image or two, it's hard to tell you what will help. My guess is that slow lenses, crop sensor camera that is not spectacular at high ISO - though it isn't that bad, even at ISO 3200. You will need to work with raw files and learn to mitigate the noise.

On the plus side, your camera has a flicker detection mode which will help in gym lighting.

https://www.the-digital-picture.com/News/News-Post.aspx?News=17977

orrie smith Loc: Kansas

Amadeus wrote:

I photograph a lot of girls gymnastics competitions. The lighting isn't great so I push the ISO to get faster shutter speeds but still have problems getting sharp pictures. Part of that I'm guessing is camera movement. I usually shoot with a Canon 18-135 or Tamron 70-300 on an 80D. Will the monopod improve my situation? And can I get a decent one in the $100 range. I see you talk about Manfrotto tripods. Do they make a good monopod also?

A monopod will noticeably improve your photos. A tripod will do better. Do you have a decent camera store in your area where you may go to look at and try a monopod? If you do, check one out before you buy. Also understand that it will take time and practice to get used to using a tripod or monopod. As for the $100.00 dollar range, you should be able to find one in that range or less. Manfrotto has them for as low as $25.00 at B&H Photo. Good luck.

Photocraig

orrie smith wrote:

A monopod will noticeably improve your photos. A tripod will do better. Do you have a decent camera store in your area where you may go to look at and try a monopod? If you do, check one out before you buy. Also understand that it will take time and practice to get used to using a tripod or monopod. As for the $100.00 dollar range, you should be able to find one in that range or less. Manfrotto has them for as low as $25.00 at B&H Photo. Good luck.

Monpods are items that can be safely acquired USED. Check stores if you have any or Adorama. B&H or KEH.
If this is your only use, look at the Aluminum ones and save money.
C

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Can you post a few examples, being sure to store the attachments? Although a monopod is a great tool, we should see examples of your problem to assess whether other solutions might be more effective over buying more equipment. Just <Reply> to this post to enable the ability to add these examples via the <Choose File> button.

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

Amadeus wrote:

I photograph a lot of girls gymnastics competitions. The lighting isn't great so I push the ISO to get faster shutter speeds but still have problems getting sharp pictures. Part of that I'm guessing is camera movement. I usually shoot with a Canon 18-135 or Tamron 70-300 on an 80D. Will the monopod improve my situation? And can I get a decent one in the $100 range. I see you talk about Manfrotto tripods. Do they make a good monopod also?

It can be hard to differentiate between camera motion and subject movement. For a fast moving sport like gymnastics subject motion is more likely to be the problem. A monopod may help with the camera motion but not the subject motion. For that you need to use a high enough shutter speed, and try to catch the peak of the action where the subject isn't moving as fast.

Amadeus Loc: New York

Yes. I just checked some of the photos and many were shot at 1/100 - 1/160 seconds. And the blur is prob due to shutter speed. The ISO was at 4000. I don't shoot in RAW. I know you guys talk about it a lot. Don't know much about it. Just started looking into it. So maybe if I shoot RAW pushing the ISO very high I can get better results? I'll have to try it. I appreciate the input.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Amadeus wrote:

Yes. I just checked some of the photos and many were shot at 1/100 - 1/160 seconds. And the blur is prob due to shutter speed. The ISO was at 4000. I don't shoot in RAW. I know you guys talk about it a lot. Don't know much about it. Just started looking into it. So maybe if I shoot RAW pushing the ISO very high I can get better results? I'll have to try it. I appreciate the input.

Your 80D contains many of Canon's advanced tracking and auto-focus capabilities. It does seem your shutter speed is slow. Some example images might confirm as well as show opportunities in the AF tracking settings. Additionally, the lenses you reference are variable aperture with smaller apertures at the longer focal lengths. With a 'faster lens', you can let in more light at the same focal length, allowing you to use a faster shutter and / or a lower ISO, two changes that could mean more to your success than an monopod.

Amadeus Loc: New York

This was at 1/100th 5.6, 35mm

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Amadeus wrote:

This was at 1/100th 5.6, 35mm

Please store the original so the file can be downloaded and viewed in detail. You can <edit> your last post, removing this version and adding / storing another attachment.

bleirer

If the girls were standing around talking 1/100 might freeze their moving mouths, unless they are teenagers and then their mouths are moving much faster. At 1/100 speed a monopod would help with camera shake but movement is going to need a lot faster. Sounds like the gym is pretty dim. You will have to either open up the aperture more and sacrifice depth of field, or go for higher ISO or both.

Plus motion is relative, depending on if you are far away from the subject, or using a wider angle lens, or if the subject is moving sideways or toward you, or if your camera is also moving, etc.

Amadeus Loc: New York

Thank you for the info. Yes I'm going to try pushing the ISO and getting faster speeds. I'm sort of locked in to aperture, so I can't do much there. From what I gather though, shooting in RAW can give me some flexibility on reducing grain and all around post processing? I just started using Affinity and I guess the tutorials can help with learning about processing RAW images.

bleirer

what kind of camera, that you can't adjust aperture?

edit: sorry I was typing that at the same time you posted.

Amadeus Loc: New York

The 2 lenses I have can only go to 4 for the Tamron and 3.5 for the Canon. I can't go wider than that. That's what I meant when I said I was locked in to aperture.

bleirer

With a large aperture all you can really do is work with the depth of field the situation gives you. You can improve focus by positioning yourself to be more parallel to the subject, for example. If you shoot at an upward or downward angle, you give away some of the depth of field you do have. Also being closer and/or zoomed in eats depth of field, so you might consult a DOF calculator to see how subject distance and focal length interact with aperture, at least then you can be in control of what your compromise will be. For example you might decide to crop later to get more depth of field now, or use a little higher ISO and stop down a bit to gain some DOF. When the light is poor choices have to be made.