Help to get better settings for sport shots please: New to digital camera sports shots, so far only using auto on a D5100, handheld and fairly close to the ring. Could someone please...

Dadyassa Loc: Spain

New to digital camera sports shots, so far only using auto on a D5100, handheld and fairly close to the ring.
Could someone please advise me on manual settings to give me a faster speed to stop blur.
I noticed this shot was only 1 1/30s

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

You have to answer that yourself. Keep increasing the speed until you stop the blur. It will vary depending upon the speed of the motion.

For most sports, you need to be in the 1/500 range, but 1/250 can often be acceptable. In fact, with some images, a bit of blur will add to the impact of the shot.

For the image you posted, I think only a little faster might be fine - just enough to keep faces sharp, but the moving arms & legs show motion.

Like the rest of photography, the answer is...............it depends.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Pretty good lookin' color for Auto WB.
You'll have to go higher on the ISO to go to a higher shutter setting- this was iso 2200.
Your lens was wide open already.

Dadyassa Loc: Spain

Thanks for the input, but which do you set first ?
ISO, F, or just leave them to the camera and set the speed ?

Db7423 Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

First try bumping your ISO To 3200 and see how you do there. According to Goofy your aperature was already wide open.

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

If it needed 1/30 at ISO 2200 you may not be able to get much higher on the shutter and keep the ISO in a range that will make acceptable images. Even getting to 1/125 will get you up around an ISO 9000.

Might be a case of, "you can't get there from here."

Db7423 Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

CaptainC wrote:

If it needed 1/30 at ISO 2200 you may not be able to get much higher on the shutter and keep the ISO in a range that will make acceptable images. Even getting to 1/125 will get you up around an ISO9000.

Might be a case of, "you can't get there from here."

Now why didn't I compute that. :mrgreen:

Wabbit Loc: Arizona Desert

Dadyassa wrote:

New to digital camera sports shots, so far only using auto on a D5100, handheld and fairly close to the ring.
Could someone please advise me on manual settings to give me a faster speed to stop blur.
I noticed this shot was only 1 1/30s

Hey Doc ..... you need a faster lens for inside sports .....

but in the meantime instead of using Auto use "S" (shutter Priority) ..... in S mode you choose the shutter and the camera will chose the aperture .....

..... for cheap pick up a AF 50mm 1.8 ..... your reach may not be enough but you'll get an idea what your camera could do with a fast zoom .....

dasloaf

Listen to the Captain!

francesca3 Loc: Sausalito, CA

I like the photo with a little bit of blur!
It shows action and dynamic movement.
But if you want to freeze the movement, listen to the Captain and Wabbit.
:)))

Wabbit Loc: Arizona Desert

francesca3 wrote:

I like the photo with a little bit of blur!
It shows action and dynamic movement.
But if you want to freeze the movement, listen to the Captain and Wabbit.
:)))

Hey Doc ..... that pic is over exposed at least one stop anyway .....

..... at that distance a 50mm 1.8 is ideal .....

Dadyassa Loc: Spain

Thanks for your help guys, I will go to the gym when they are just training and try different settings instead of auto, although judging the speed of the fighters maybe the shots are not so bad after all.
I took some handheld with the 300 lens while sitting on the stairs at the start, no blur on those, but with people going up and down the stairs it was a bit off putting.
Once again thanks, there is so much to think of at the moment, but I will get there. ;-)

Wabbit Loc: Arizona Desert

Dadyassa wrote:

Thanks for your help guys, I will go to the gym when they are just training and try different settings instead of auto, although judging the speed of the fighters maybe the shots are not so bad after all.
I took some handheld with the 300 lens while sitting on the stairs at the start, no blur on those, but with people going up and down the stairs it was a bit off putting.
Once again thanks, there is so much to think of at the moment, but I will get there. ;-)

Hey Doc ..... your over exposed on all three of these ..... look at your whites ..... If you drop the ISO to 800, that noise will disappear .....

..... you could always lighten it up in 3 seconds using Elements .....

Dadyassa Loc: Spain

Wabbit wrote:

quote=Dadyassa Thanks for your help guys, I will ... (show quote)

Thanks wabbit, def time to leave auto and dive in to the unknown world of settings, oh yeah how do I lower the iso, ;-)

Wabbit Loc: Arizona Desert

Dadyassa wrote:

quote=Wabbit quote=Dadyassa Thanks for your help... (show quote)

Hey Doc ..... it's easy ..... in P, S, A, or M mode you can choose your ISO .....

..... Lets try S (shutter priority)

..... press menu button, toggle to the green pic of the camera (shooting menu) toggle down to High ISO sensitivity settings, push OK .....toggle right, now toggle down to 800 and push OK

..... now you're using straight 800 ISO

..... this should be in the manual

..... you now have to choose your shutter ..... start with 1/60 and check motion blur

..... hope this helps .....