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EOS 7D Indoor Sports Photography with No Flash

forloines
Contributor

Brand NEW to any sort of Photography, let alone the Canon EOS 7D-Indoor Sports without flash issue.

Hello!

I'm new to photography.  Normally, I use 'Auto' everything when I take pictures of indoor sports for a HS cheerleading team, but someone got upset with the use of the flash.  

I have a Canon EOS 7D.  The only lens I have is:  EFS 18-200mm 0.45m/1.5ft.

I am vaguely aware that the f/ should be lower to allow more light in, I think the lowest it goes is 4.5.  Zooming in makes this worse.

What settings could I use to make this work without the flash.  With the flash, everything's great.

Any constructive help for a "photography dummy" would be great.  If I need a different lens, that would be 'ok', too.

Thank you!!

 

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

What focal lengths are you currently using not factoring in the variable aperture limiting you. Before we recommend either the 24-70mm F/2.8 or the 70-200mm F/2.8 lens. Canon has discontinued the EF 70-200mm F/2.8L IS II USM lens but they can be found on the used market. If you want a new lens the EF 700-200mm F/2.8L IS III USM lens has replaced the older version. I own the EF 700-200mm F/2.8L IS III USM its a very good lens.

-Demetrius

EF 16-35mm F/2.8L III USM, EF 24-70mm F/2.8L II USM, EF 28-135mm F/3.5-5.6 IS USM (Retired), EF 50 F/1.8 STM, EF 85mm F/1.8 USM & EF 70-200mm F/2.8L IS III USM

EOS 40D (Retired) & 5D Mark IV

430EX III-RT, 470EX-AI & 600EX II-RT


-Demetrius

Current Gear: EOS 5D Mark IV, EF F/2.8 Trinity, EF 50mm F/1.8 STM, EF 85mm F/1.8 USM, 470EX-AI & 600EX II-RT

Retired Gear: EOS 40D

View solution in original post

42 REPLIES 42

I am currently looking at obtaining the Canon DF 70-200mm f/2.8L is II USM Lens.

I don't always have to zoom all the way out to get the furthest cheerleaders, but with my current lens, and not zooming in at all - I get very dark pictures.

 

What focal lengths are you currently using not factoring in the variable aperture limiting you. Before we recommend either the 24-70mm F/2.8 or the 70-200mm F/2.8 lens. Canon has discontinued the EF 70-200mm F/2.8L IS II USM lens but they can be found on the used market. If you want a new lens the EF 700-200mm F/2.8L IS III USM lens has replaced the older version. I own the EF 700-200mm F/2.8L IS III USM its a very good lens.

-Demetrius

EF 16-35mm F/2.8L III USM, EF 24-70mm F/2.8L II USM, EF 28-135mm F/3.5-5.6 IS USM (Retired), EF 50 F/1.8 STM, EF 85mm F/1.8 USM & EF 70-200mm F/2.8L IS III USM

EOS 40D (Retired) & 5D Mark IV

430EX III-RT, 470EX-AI & 600EX II-RT


-Demetrius

Current Gear: EOS 5D Mark IV, EF F/2.8 Trinity, EF 50mm F/1.8 STM, EF 85mm F/1.8 USM, 470EX-AI & 600EX II-RT

Retired Gear: EOS 40D


@forloines wrote:

I am currently looking at obtaining the Canon DF 70-200mm f/2.8L is II USM Lens.

I don't always have to zoom all the way out to get the furthest cheerleaders, but with my current lens, and not zooming in at all - I get very dark pictures.

 


“ What focal lengths do you use the most with your current 18-200mm lens? 

This answer is crucial,

--------------------------------------------------------
"The right mouse button is your friend."

Uh, not to sound dumb...okay, so I will sound dumb - no clue what the focal length is.

Focal length tells us the angle of view of how much of a given scene will be captured by the image sensor. Every lens has a focal length ie 18-200mm for a zoom lens. Or 50mm for a prime lens (fixed focal length lens). The zoom ring (if you're using a zoom lens) on your lens shows markings for all the available focal lengths 18mm, 24mm, 50mm etc. All lenses list focal lengths in millimeters even if your in The U.S. and other things in photography are listed in metric/ millimeters.

-Demetrius

EF 16-35mm F/2.8L III USM, EF 24-70mm F/2.8L II USM, EF 28-135mm F/3.5-5.6 IS USM (Retired), EF 50 F/1.8 STM, EF 85mm F/1.8 USM & EF 70-200mm F/2.8L IS III USM

EOS 40D (Retired) & 5D Mark IV

430EX III-RT, 470EX-AI & 600EX II-RT


-Demetrius

Current Gear: EOS 5D Mark IV, EF F/2.8 Trinity, EF 50mm F/1.8 STM, EF 85mm F/1.8 USM, 470EX-AI & 600EX II-RT

Retired Gear: EOS 40D

It changes, a lot.  Sometimes I am focused in on one subject, then 'all' of them. I've never noticed the length before - like I said, I'm a complete novice.  (Point and shoot.)

Tomorrow is a game I will be at, and I've managed to acquire a lens - we'll see how that goes! 🙂

 

If you're not sure what focal lengths you've been using the camera attaches all of that info (EXIF Data) with the picture. If you've moved pictures from your camera to the computer all the info is there. Or if you haven't moved your pictures yet the camera will provide all of that info for you on the rear LCD screen. You can look at the closet and furthest focal lengths to determine what focal lengths you use the most. Or you can upload a few pictures with the metadata intact.

The number circled in red is what we need to better assist youThe number circled in red is what we need to better assist you

-Demetrius

EF 16-35mm F/2.8L III USM, EF 24-70mm F/2.8L II USM, EF 28-135mm F/3.5-5.6 IS USM (Retired), EF 50 F/1.8 STM, EF 85mm F/1.8 USM & EF 70-200mm F/2.8L IS III USM

EOS 40D (Retired) & 5D Mark IV

430EX III-RT, 470EX-AI & 600EX II-RT


-Demetrius

Current Gear: EOS 5D Mark IV, EF F/2.8 Trinity, EF 50mm F/1.8 STM, EF 85mm F/1.8 USM, 470EX-AI & 600EX II-RT

Retired Gear: EOS 40D

If you will re-read my post, this is the best advice to get the best you can from what you have. The addition of a better lens will be up to you. Most of what I explained can be done for free. I always tell folks the gear you have is way better than the gear you wished you had. These steps will get you the best possible results from what you have. And, for any future upgrade, too.

"The camera is great. The lens, The only lens I have is:  EFS 18-200mm 0.45m/1.5ft." is not. It is going to be very difficult to get good indoor sports shots with it.

Rule of thumb, never buy a zoom lens that is over the 1:3 zoom ratio. The "EFS 18-200mm 0.45m/1.5ft" is not only over that ratio but it shatters it!

That said and understood here is what you can do to get the best it can deliver. The three most important things in sports photography are location, location and number three is location. Where you shoot from is paramount. This brings us to number four and that is, know your sport. If you don't what is going on and/or what is about to happen forget it. You will never get good shots and that brings us back to location. Knowing puts you in the right spot at the right moment.

Number 5. Always shoot Raw format never, ever, jpg. And, use a good post editor. A favorite setting used by the best pro sports photographers is Av mode where you set an aperture, in your case select wide open. Use One shot not Ai-servo at first and rarely after that.  Use Auto ISO, set an upper and lower limit that you can live with (more grian as it goes higher but less light is needed). Now with Av mode set up the 7D will determine the correct SS for the proper exposure. Using Raw and a post editor will allow for enhanced ability to adjust exposure, sometimes up to 4 or more stops. That is extremely important and valuable. So far all of this is free to do. It costs you nothing as Canon offers you for free the very good DPP4 as a post editor and Raw converter. Raw files basically do not save any other information besides exposure and focus. All that can be set in DPP4 or other good editor like Photoshop. However, all editors use the jpg settings to make the initial viewable image so keep that in mind. Raw images are not viewable themselves.

Last piece of advice that does cost you money is buy a better lens. This is your weakest link.  Good news is almost any lens will be better. Of course the very best for indoor sports is probably one of the 70-200mm f2.8 constant aperture lenses but they can be very expensive. My own personal lens combo for indoor sports is my ef 24-70mm f2.8L and Sigma 120-300mm f2.8 Sports lens on my 1DX. I have done the Corporate KC Challenge volleyball games and was allowed courtside. I used my ef 50mm f1.2L and ef 85mm f1.2L. Notice all are fast aperture lenses"

EB
EB
EOS 1DX and 1D Mk IV and less lenses then before!

Tintype_18
Authority
Authority

Interesting re: Amazon as authorized retailer. Good to know. Not sure how I would approach the situation. Shut off the flash (good advice). Open F stop? High ISO? Would think there would be some things that are dependent on the lens itself. Watching this thread and replies.

John
Canon EOS T7; EF-S 18-55mm IS; EF 28-135mm IS; EF 75-300mm; Sigma 150-600mm DG

ebiggs1
Legend
Legend

"They have an upper deck in the gym, which is where I am most of the time."

OK, that answers point 1, 2 and 3. It is not ideal but now you need to work with what you have and the restrictions you have placed upon you. All photographers run into stuff like that. The good ones overcome it.

"The pictures don't have to be "Pro", ... "

Yes they do! There is no reason you can't have "pro" looking pictures.  Yes, your gear is a limiting factor but not an insurmountable one. Sometimes you run into the limits of photography. In other words the best highest cost fancy gear sometimes can't do the the shot. All photo gear has its limitations. Your iphone has its limits, too.

If you are in a position to buy a new lens like on of the 70-200mm f2.8 models, that will be a huge plus. If price is a concern there is always the used market and the current third party offerings are really good. But be warned even it will run into situations where it won't be able to get the shot.

EB
EOS 1DX and 1D Mk IV and less lenses then before!
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