p.1 #1 · Help A New Sports Shooter Understand Shutter Priority
I've watched videos and did a decent amount of research, but obv not enough to answer my questions.
For this example I was shooting my son's soccer game where half the field was getting hammered by 5pm sunlight, while later in the game the other half was gradually transitioning into shade from nearby trees. So as I swing across the field my rental Nikon D4 (yes I rented a dinosaur ) is adjusting aperture and auto ISO to compensate for my need for speed.
Nikon D4
Nikon 70-200 2.8 VR1 (also a dinosaur)
Sometimes using Nikon 1.4/1.7 teleconverters for IQ and performance testing
Minimum Shutter Speed of 1/800
ISO-Auto
From what I understand for sports I want to shoot wide open at all times if I can, but that proved challenging depending on where the action was.
So my question(s) are;
1) How does one try to hone in on shooting wide open on a naturally very well lit field?
2) Should I be adjusting shutter speed or something else to try and get into the open end of the aperture?
3) Am I doing something wrong?
4) Are you scratching your head, yelling at the screen "duh...idiot"?
p.1 #2 · Help A New Sports Shooter Understand Shutter Priority
No, you are not an idiot. Put the body in Manual mode, set the ap to what you want, set the shutter to at least 1/1250 (1600 is better) and set the iso to Auto. Now the camera will always use that ap and shutter BUT the auto ISO will adjust based upon the scene. Just make sure to do a test shot to make sure that the shutter speed selected is still not overexposing, if it is increase the speed.
p.1 #3 · Help A New Sports Shooter Understand Shutter Priority
It will depend on preferences what one will use. From reading on forums and watching Youtube, I think many sports photographers use other modes than shutter priority as well. Some will depend on the camera and when it offers auto-ISO.
1. Using aperture-priority mode gives the option to set the wide open aperture and camera will choose shutter and ISO. Most cameras offer an option to set a minimal shutter speed and when in aperture-priority mode the camera will not go slower then the set minimum and raise ISO first. It will only dishonor the minimum shutter speed when it can no longer up the ISO.
2. Another option is to use 'manual' mode, but with auto-ISO. So you set your aperture and shutter speed as you want and the camera automatically selects this ISO. If you reach the limit of upping the ISO the photo will get darker (since the camera will not reduce the set ISO speed).
3. Also there is the 'true manual' mode, where you set aperture, shutter and ISO. When the light is different between areas of the field, ISO needs to be adjusted on the go.
Personally I shoot sports most of the time in 'manual with auto-ISO'. I set my aperture wide open and pick a shutter speed I need to freeze the action.
The 'risk' in this case is when too much light is entering the camera, when the ISO is 100 and the camera can't do anything else. So I usually pick a shutter speed that will lead to an ISO of maybe 400 or 800. If a bit more light hits the scene, the camera can lower the ISO a few stops (back to 100) to compensate.
I also keep an eye on my ISO and if I feel that I can reduce my shutter speed, because ISO is running high, I will do that.
So let's say I set my aperture to f2.8 and shutter to 1/2000 to get an ISO of about 800 . When ISO goes towards 3200 I will lower my shutter speed to maybe 1/1000. If the camera gets ISO 200 or ISO 100 most of the time, I up my shutter to 1/2500 or 1/3200 . So I use my shutter most of the time for control.
When light is stable over the field and over de duration of the match, full manual works well. But if light suddenly changes, you need to adjust one of the settings accordingly. With auto-ISO for the control is a bit simpler. But that is because I'm used to my way of shooting.
p.1 #4 · Help A New Sports Shooter Understand Shutter Priority
schlotz wrote:
No, you are not an idiot.
I will be sure to pass this information along to my wife!
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jkaper1977 wrote:
It will depend on preferences what one will use. From reading on forums and watching Youtube, I think many sports photographers use other modes than shutter priority as well. Some will depend on the camera and when it offers auto-ISO.
So it sounds like I had my blinders on for needing Shutter Priority for some reason. I just got back into photography and didn't shoot much action back in the day, but now that I have a reason to with kids sports I wanna be good at it.
My 14yo son took some interest when I started gathering camera gear, but really didn't seem to care too much. Yesterday after the game he asked if I got any good pics, and when I responded that I don't think I did he decided to ride home with mom instead of me. Sh#thead
p.1 #5 · Help A New Sports Shooter Understand Shutter Priority
Manual mode with auto-ISO (cap the top ISO to your taste and be happy with the noise levels). Fix the aperture to 2.8 (on this camera model), decide on shutter speed (1/1250 or 1/1600).
What's good for bird photography is good for sports.
p.1 #6 · Help A New Sports Shooter Understand Shutter Priority
I will agree, as well, on manual aperture/shutter speed and auto iso.
And I’m a new convert to auto white balance as well, especially under changing lighting conditions.
Today’s camera technologies are quite accurate and I’d rather have to adjust a handful of files than a lot of them.
) is adjusting aperture and auto ISO to compensate for my need for speed.