selmslie wrote:
I will concede that I have not done a lot of sports photography but I have done my share of portraits.
Portraits done from a few feet away can benefit from fill flash. It has nothing to do with whether the subject is an athlete or anyone else. An ultra-high speed shutter probably does not improve matters. A modest burst rate is plenty to capture a series of changing expressions. Besides, the flash needs to recover and that can slow the burst rate down unless you back off on the power.
On the other hand, fast moving sports situations are seldom close up. Flash has a limited range and the drop off in intensity is significant. It's very difficult to get the benefit of fill flash for a fast-moving animal or athlete even for a single shot. But you can do a lot with a camera whose DR lets you pull up the shadows. Also, there are some situations where flash is not allowed.
In your experience, have there been instances where you wished you could go above the A9 II maximum shutter speed of 1/8000s mechanical or 1/32000s electronic?
I'll grant you that the global shutter is a great idea, theoretically. I look forward to it becoming available at a lower price point and on a camera with a wider DR and lower base ISO.
I will concede that I have not done a lot of sport... (
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Quote) In your experience, have there been instances where you wished you could go above the A9 II maximum shutter speed of 1/8000s mechanical or 1/32000s electronic?
The answer is yes , gun shooting events , archery, lacrosse shots, super fast Osprey diving , auto racing wrecks, hockey pucks firing and loads more, and then there is nothing faster than the flying punch of a top professional boxer. Now you have to time your boxing shot when the boxer first starts his punch or you will likely miss contact, if contact is even made at all. Now with the A9III, 1/80,000 sec and precapture of up to a full second, it will make the job of pro boxing photographers more efficient.
And yes we do get to set up remote cameras that are very close to the action and the athletes, with approval of our secure setups by the sports governing bodies and officials. And those remote cameras can be inside the rail at the finish of a Triple Crown Horse Race, and above a basket at an NBA game (often with remote strobes triggered). And every day credentialed sports shooters sit in arenas right up to baselines and we get action up close and often get hit and/or run over during our capture of the fast action.
At the Olympics even close up remote pro cameras in underwater housings with strobes have been allowed in actual swimming finals for some amazing action shots. All with the approval and supervision of the Olympics with the athletes safety first in mind.
And that goes for sidelines also of field sports where you will see the credentialed sports shooters right on top of the action and often get run over too. It has happened to me numerous times covering NHL hockey from the penalty box, NCAA and NBA basketball right on the floor under the basket, NFL and MLB games from right on top of the action. And with my "HOT" pass covering NASCAR and INDY Cars right along the track and inside the working pits during race action. It have been hit by flying pucks, sticks of all sports , flying basketballs, flying baseballs, flying tennis balls, flying athletes, race wreck debris, flying officials too and more.
Up close and intimate is what the top sports pros do every day, along with those long lens shots, we always have at the ready a second or third camera body with a wider lens for that instant the action is on top of you.
One of the top Basketball shooters I know is ecstatic he will have his new A9III in time for 2024 March Madness and the NCAA tournament. The excitement and anticipation for this camera on pro sports photography forums and groups is immense.
Yes this camera can make excellent portraits with great advantages to use flash at any sync speed, and top portrait shooter are ecstatic about it too. But sport , action and wildlife shooters are just as and even more ecstatic about the creative possibilities of this global shutter fullframe camera.
Just watch and listen to these folks in videos I and others have posted.
Cheers and best to you.