Russ is right on (as usual.) Colors look very nice. The D700's look a touch hot on my uncalibrated monitor -- at least compared to the D3s. I suspect a lot of that is coming from those lighted scorers tables. What a pain in the neck they are when it comes to getting a proper exposure.
My only question is a technical one. Most of the shots with the D3s were at ISO 5000 -- and a couple of them are at 1/1000th. Have you tried dropping the ISO back to say 3200 or 4000? I know you will sacrifice SS but there's no reason that you can't get the same stopping power for the girls game at 1/640th. My (limited) experience with the D3s is that the lower the ISO goes, the more magnificent the files become -- no only in lower noise, but in more depth, richness, fullness and overall texture. It also seems to me that when the ISO drops down, my white balance is much more accurate. Have you found the same thing?
I just wanted to second that about the SS, if you take a look at my post for NCAA basketball, I shot boys basketball at 1/500-1/640 with no problem and was able to drop down to ISO 2500-3200. I had been trying to shoot at 1/800-1/1000 but was driving the ISO up. BTW nice images!!
Nice work again Grant. Does your Nikon have a "Scorer's Table Meter" setting?
I second the SS comment. I'd like to see #2 cropped to accent the girl with the ball. Is it already cropped too much, being a far-court shot?
Wayzata and Washburn. Some memories there. Nice shots. Some of the best HS lighting I've ever seen. I find in the really dark gyms where I work I can go 1/500 at ISO 3200 but have to shoot with fast primes to do so. The 1DIV can do an acceptable job at 5000 - 6400, but one does give up some IQ at that those high settings. I assume the Nikons are similar. Judging by the bleachers no one was interested in seeing these girls play. Sad. I often find the girls' games far more intense and they don't all want to "look like Kobe Bryant."
It's a professional camera body. I don't mean to be mister negative, your shots are great, but when it comes to anything that involves a FF Nikon body now... Several are hot for me, which is a mistake I make on a regular basis, but are you doing any PP? Most look as overexposed for me(3, 4, 5).
