topic Re: Adjusting the shutter speed in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

Adjusting the shutter speed

Hillera — Tue, 04 Dec 2018 01:01:44 GMT

When in manual mode I can’t adjust the shutter speed to over 200.

Re: Adjusting the shutter speed

MikeSowsun — Tue, 04 Dec 2018 02:43:00 GMT

If you are using flash, the shutter speed is automatically limited to 1/200.

Re: Adjusting the shutter speed

ebiggs1 — Tue, 04 Dec 2018 15:15:47 GMT

"When in manual mode I can’t adjust the shutter speed to over 200."

Have you ever been able to select a higher SS? If yes, than reset your camera as you are in a setting that limits it or you made a setting change by mistake that limits SS.

Re: Adjusting the shutter speed

Hillera — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 03:05:39 GMT

Thank you for the response, it was because I had the flash on. I am trying to take pictures at a basketball game and without the flash the pictures are too dark. The shutter speed of 200 is too slow to take action shots. Any suggestions?

Re: Adjusting the shutter speed

ebiggs1 — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 15:41:32 GMT

"Any suggestions?"

I suspect you are using the standard kit lens. If, yes, it is too slow for this type of shooting. And, I also suspect you are shooting from the bleachers or stands? Yes, no? I need to know answers to these questions for assistance.

BTW, how are you getting by with flash at a BB game? That is a huge no-no every place I have ever been!

Re: Adjusting the shutter speed

Hillera — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 16:00:14 GMT

Yes I am shooting from the bleachers as a beginer Mom who is trying to get the best shots of my children. I am using an EF-S 18-55mm and or a EF75-300mm. I appreciate any tips and tricks you can share.

Re: Adjusting the shutter speed

ebiggs1 — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 23:59:53 GMT

"I appreciate any tips and tricks you can share."

Unfortunately , Mom, neither of these lenses is going to be easy or even possible to use. Not that you can't do it but from the bleachers it is going to make the slow lens problem worse. If you dont' want to buy faster lenses, at least f2.8, all you can do is hike the ISO up. ISO 3200 and 6400, even higher, however, be aware the quality of the photos goes down as the ISO goes up. Gyms are notorious poorly lighted so the photographer has to compensate for that.

Can you get on the floor?

Re: Adjusting the shutter speed

Hillera — Fri, 07 Dec 2018 14:39:29 GMT

Thank you for your reply, I truly appeciate it! Any recommendations for a some what affordable lense?

Re: Adjusting the shutter speed

ebiggs1 — Fri, 07 Dec 2018 15:02:40 GMT

"...some what affordable lense?"

Yeah, a fast lens and affordable are generally on the opposite ends of the spectrum. The confine of the bleachers almost rules out a prime which is the top choice for fast and affordable.

However, if you can get by with a prime the best one is the ef 50mm f1.8 at about a $125 bucks. Another very good one with a bit more reach is the ef 85mm f1.8. It is around $300. Both of these are very much faster than your kit zoom lens and both are a constant f1.8 if needed. More inside the zoom range of your lens is the ef 35mm f2 but it is a bit more expensive.

Top choice would be the ef-s 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens. It also has a constant f2.8 aperture.

Question, do you post edit your shots? If you don't this a must. You can correct a lot of things and make any photo better in post editing. Take a look at Photoshop Elements or try the free Canon DPP4 which you can d/l if you don't already have it.

Keep in mind if you go the prime lens route which is not a bad idea, you can not zoom. Two ways to over come that limitation is using your feet to zoom or your post editor.

Re: Adjusting the shutter speed

Hillera — Fri, 07 Dec 2018 18:34:08 GMT

Thank you for all of the tips! One more question, if I do get out of the bleachers and onto the floor, any recommendations for settings?

Re: Adjusting the shutter speed

ebiggs1 — Fri, 07 Dec 2018 21:05:52 GMT

Your lens will still be an issue but on the floor it will be better. I use Av mode setting the lens as wide open as possible. This will allow the camera to select the fastest SS it can for proper exposure. Never use any of the 'auto' modes. You will still need to set your ISO pretty high. I would start at 1600 and go up from there depending on just how much light your gym has.

I shot for the KC Corporate Challenge last year. The lighting can be tough sometimes.

This is a typical shot. My 1D Mk IV with a 70mm lens set at f4, SS 1/100 and ISO at 3200.

In photography there is no free lunch. You always give up something to get something. I would have preferred to use a little faster SS. But that means I would have to up the already high ISO to 6400. Remember a doubling or halving of the number is one stop. I could have used f2.8 in favor of f4 but the DOF will shrink (the amount fo the shot in critical focus). So, Mom, all you can do is try several settings and see what works best. Never, ever, use any of the automatic modes! You didn't buy a P&S, you bought a DSLR. See if you can get on the floor otherwise, a new lens or just do the best you can. Most of all get that post editor. It is THE most important aspect of photography.

Let me know how it goes.

Re: Adjusting the shutter speed

ebiggs1 — Fri, 07 Dec 2018 21:16:02 GMT

"...or a EF75-300mm"

BTW, I would not even try to use that lens for indoor sports. Use your other lens the ef-s 18-55mm and set it wide open with Av.

Re: Adjusting the shutter speed

Hillera — Fri, 07 Dec 2018 21:43:38 GMT

Thank you so much for all of the advice! I will try a few different things and definitely the photo editor. I will let you know how it goes. Wish me luck!

Re: Adjusting the shutter speed

ebiggs1 — Sat, 08 Dec 2018 13:08:39 GMT

Good luck! And, do get back.

Re: Adjusting the shutter speed

Waddizzle — Sat, 08 Dec 2018 15:10:28 GMT

@Hillera wrote:
Thank you for your reply, I truly appeciate it! Any recommendations for a some what affordable lense?

Before I could give you any advice, i would like to know what camera model you are using. Judging from your lenses, it sounds like you have a Canon Rebel.

Not every camera body is capable of capturing “clean” images at ISO 1600 or ISO 3200. Those settings push the limits of most Canon Rebel bodies. The definition of “clean” is pretty subjective, and can depend upon how you frame and compose the subject. Closeup shots tend to reveal more noise than more distant shots. The current crop of Rebel bodies are much better performers in this regard than their predecessors.

However, I can recommend one lens, which I think any Rebel owner should have in their bag, the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens. This is a very affordable lens, actually the least expensive lens that Canon currently sells. But, it has surprisingly good performance at almost any price.

The wide f/1.8 aperture will come in handy in low lighting, and it will teach you a lot about photography. I think it is a better buy than a photography class in many ways. If you took a class, you would be encouraged to own a lens with similar performance, anyway.

As far as using a 50mm from the stands to photograph indoor sports, you will be disappointed with the results. You will discover that you are probably much too far away to capture much of the emotions on the faces of the athletes. You will need a “longer” lens. You would a telephoto zoom lens with a maximum focal length that is at least 200mm to 400mm. It really depends upon how far away you actually are from the action.

The problem with zoom telephoto lenses, or any lens for that matter, is that they fall into two basic categories. The first category is the budget lens designed to teach you about photography, and not so much for capturing high quality images, such as the lenses that were included with your Rebel camera kit. These are cheap throwaway lenses, which are not worth the cost to repair if they break.

The second category of lenses are designed to capture quality images. The quality of the images tends to go up as the price of the lens goes up. Lenses at the lower end of the price range can be throwaway lenses, too. A zoom telephoto lens tends to cost more than lenses with shorter focal lengths.

But, investing in at least one quality lens is what makes photography rewarding. I strongly encourage you to invest in the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM lens that I mentioned earlier. Your 18-55mm lens that came with the camera is designed to be something to use to teach you about DSLR photography. If it is the 18-55mm STM model, then it can capture images that are sharper than your average smart phone. The trick is to use a fast shutter to freeze your subjects’ motion.

A good wide angle prime lens is good to have in your bag, too. A prime lens has a fixed focal length, and cannot zoom. It used to be that primes had better image quality than zooms. Today’s zoom lenses have just about made primes obsolete. But, primes tend to have wider apertures than zooms, which gives them an edge in some shooting scenarios, such as your low light gym.

If you want a lens suggestion for shooting sports, then I would suggest a 70-200mm zoom lens. If there is such a thing as a general, all-purpose lens for sports photography, then a 70-200mm telephoto zoom would be it. Canon makes four of them.

https://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/ef-70-200mm-f-4l-usm

That is a link to the least expensive 70-200mm that Canon currently sells. It is a high quality zoom lens with a fixed aperture of f/4. It’s big brothers feature IS, Image stabilization, and wider f/2.8 apertures. This lens would work well with minimum shutter speeds of at least 1/200 to 1/400.

Of course, the faster shutter is usually better when it comes to sports photography. In this case, though, I recommend these minimum shutter speeds because the lens lacks IS. With your Rebel, you want a minimum shutter speed that is equal to 1 / ( 2 * FL ), where FL is the maximum focal length of the lens. This rule of thumb applies to any lens you might use, too, IS or no IS.

Again, I suggest that starting out with the 50mm and learning a bit more about photography. It will help you make smarter decisions when, and if, you decide to invest some money in a high quality lens like the 70-200mm that I suggested. You will better understand why I suggested it.

Re: Adjusting the shutter speed

John_ — Sat, 08 Dec 2018 15:38:13 GMT

NewEgg has the EF 50mm f/1.4 USM lens for $267 which I am considering adding to my Christmas list...about $150 more than the 50mm f/1,8 STM...my question is, is it worth the extra money? From my old film days I remember wishing I had a f1.4 over my f1.8 for low light situations but made due with the f1.8

Re: Adjusting the shutter speed

ebiggs1 — Sat, 08 Dec 2018 16:17:43 GMT

"...my question is, is it worth the extra money?"

IMHO, it is. First off it is made much better less plastic and more metal. A bit faster never hurts either. As far as IQ goes they are about equal in actual use. Now some keyboard jock is going to chime in that lab charts might show differently. But how many lab charts are you going to photograph? Grab the f1.4, you'll love it.

Re: Adjusting the shutter speed

John_ — Sat, 08 Dec 2018 16:29:28 GMT

It was my opinion too, especially the speed but I wanted a more educated opinion before I asked Santa...it is on my list now!

Re: Adjusting the shutter speed

Hillera — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 17:59:33 GMT

I purchased the EF 50mm F1.8 and what a difference it makes, thanks for the recommendation. I am still learning but I am already noticing big improvements in my photos. I sat in the first bleacher this week and used my new lense. I still have so much to learn but am excited to keep trying. Here is a picture I took at tip off on Monday.

Re: Adjusting the shutter speed

ebiggs1 — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 18:23:08 GMT

Looking good, Mom! Don't forget to set your WB to the type of lights used in your gym. Looks like tungsten so set it appropriately. Better yet shoot in Raw mode and set the WB in post edit.

You are on your way, Good job.