K-5 for sports-photography

Sage97 · 09-15-2013, 09:01 PM

jake14mw · 09-15-2013, 09:50 PM

Sage,

Your volleyball photos are definitely better than mine were. Looks like you had a good deal of light in that gym. I was shooting at ISO 6400, f 3.5, 1/500th. What were you getting for yours?

jake14mw · 09-15-2013, 10:44 PM

Too many photos like this!

jake14mw · 09-15-2013, 10:54 PM

Took some high school football pics today. I was very happy with today's set.

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Last edited by jake14mw; 01-11-2016 at 10:52 AM.

Sage97 · 09-16-2013, 09:16 AM

Originally posted by jake14mw

Sage,

Your volleyball photos are definitely better than mine were. Looks like you had a good deal of light in that gym. I was shooting at ISO 6400, f 3.5, 1/500th. What were you getting for yours?

Thanks Jake but I was wrong. I used my Tamron 70-200 for my football pics but not for my volleyball pics. I brought it with me but I ended up using my 43mm. This maybe the biggest difference. It's hard to get the ball in the pic when you're super zoomed in. Maybe try a wider lens and crop to taste? I also shot in continuous mode and shot a few milliseconds before and after the "action" shot.

It took me awhile to adjust my settings because the lighting was bad. I ended up going back and forth from 800 to 1600 ISO (higher settings result in too much noise for my taste) and opened up my apertures close to your settings. I also went back and forth from 1/500 to 1/400 to 1/320 which is why some pics show more movement blur on the ball. I shoot raw and thank goodness for Lightroom's ability to adjust lighting.

Hope this helps.

rawr · 09-16-2013, 12:41 PM

Originally posted by jake14mw

Has anyone else been frustrated by this? Is there some setting that could have been affecting it?

Is this after firing off a burst of shots at high ISO? It's worth noting that high ISO files are [often significantly] larger than low ISO files, whether they be JPG or RAW. Pushing all that extra data into the buffer, through the camera circuitry, and into the SD card will take extra time. The 7 fps for the K-5 is measured at ISO 100.

rawr · 09-16-2013, 12:48 PM

Originally posted by jake14mw

Too many photos like this!

EXIF for that photo says: 'K-5 Ver 1.12'. Maybe it's time for an update.

The K-5 firmware is up to v1.15 now. It may make some difference to camera and AF performance.

jake14mw · 09-16-2013, 01:16 PM

Originally posted by Sage97

Thanks Jake but I was wrong. I used my Tamron 70-200 for my football pics but not for my volleyball pics. I brought it with me but I ended up using my 43mm. This maybe the biggest difference. It's hard to get the ball in the pic when you're super zoomed in. Maybe try a wider lens and crop to taste? I also shot in continuous mode and shot a few milliseconds before and after the "action" shot.

It took me awhile to adjust my settings because the lighting was bad. I ended up going back and forth from 800 to 1600 ISO (higher settings result in too much noise for my taste) and opened up my apertures close to your settings. I also went back and forth from 1/500 to 1/400 to 1/320 which is why some pics show more movement blur on the ball. I shoot raw and thank goodness for Lightroom's ability to adjust lighting.

Hope this helps.

Oh, OK, that makes more sense then. Thanks. Working with such high ISO, I do try to shoot as tight as possible, because cropping with that amount of grain just starts to look too grainy for me. I don't like the amount of noise uncropped even.

jake14mw · 09-16-2013, 01:22 PM

Originally posted by rawr

Is this after firing off a burst of shots at high ISO? It's worth noting that high ISO files are [often significantly] larger than low ISO files, whether they be JPG or RAW. Pushing all that extra data into the buffer, through the camera circuitry, and into the SD card will take extra time. The 7 fps for the K-5 is measured at ISO 100.

Actually, no, this is on the first shot. I don't shoot too many big bursts. I don't usually shoot at ISO 6400, so I wonder if there is something about exceeding the 3200 threshold that makes a difference? I will test that out the next time I do it. It could simply be that I know basketball much better, so anticipating ball movement is much easier for me. Also, the ball moves at a higher rate of speed of speed with volleyball. Practice will probably help.

jake14mw · 09-16-2013, 01:23 PM

Originally posted by rawr

EXIF for that photo says: 'K-5 Ver 1.12'. Maybe it's time for an update.

The K-5 firmware is up to v1.15 now. It may make some difference to camera and AF performance.

Wow, I didn't realize I was three versions back, time to upgrade, thanks.

Sage97 · 09-16-2013, 01:39 PM

Originally posted by jake14mw

Oh, OK, that makes more sense then. Thanks. Working with such high ISO, I do try to shoot as tight as possible, because cropping with that amount of grain just starts to look too grainy for me. I don't like the amount of noise uncropped even.

If I have to shoot tight, I'd shoot in continuous and hope that I get lucky enough to get a shot with the ball in the ideal spot. I still think it would be too difficult because I'd spend most of your time trying to catch the players in the frame. They move around too much.

**dadipentak** · 09-17-2013, 08:19 AM

Originally posted by rawr

It's worth noting that high ISO files are [often significantly] larger than low ISO files,

Didn't know that--good to know.

Originally posted by jake14mw

Working with such high ISO, I do try to shoot as tight as possible, because cropping with that amount of grain just starts to look too grainy for me.

Right.

Originally posted by Sage97

They move around too much.

Seriously--why can't they just stand still? ;~)

Originally posted by jake14mw

. Practice will probably help.

To a point. Also try meditation--shooting action in crappy light takes its toll on the soul.

RonHendriks1966 · 09-17-2013, 09:27 AM

Wow lots of nice images. I haven't been here in a while. I do still take sports images, but not so much the last months. I'm a bit more picky on wich games to follow and wich ones I just go and sit in the audience. I'm looking more into the value off the images and some games simply never can make a sale on an image. The womens soccer league started again, but there are some changes to this. Fridaynight (before fridaynight and saturday afternoon split the games) is the gameday and some off the teams aren't playing in a stadium anymore, so working light is not to good on many games. So I only go to games in a stadium and when both teams are very good and other games I don't take images from. It's just a waist of my expensive cameragear I think.

I'm busy to make a little photobook on one off the players. So busy with photoshooting, working on images and I still have to take the interview. Together it will make a nice book that people could even buy. In this way I have a project with some value and I can send out pressreleases.

Sage97 · 09-17-2013, 10:06 AM

Originally posted by dadipentak

Seriously--why can't they just stand still? ;~)

And smile while they're at it.

GvilleRick · 09-19-2013, 06:05 PM

It's nice to shoot a game that starts early enough to have good light. Here are some shots from this afternoon.

09-17-2013, 10:06 AM	#1514
Sage97 Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2012 Photos: Albums Posts: 3,238	Originally posted by dadipentak Seriously--why can't they just stand still? ;~) And smile while they're at it. Last edited by Sage97; 09-17-2013 at 11:44 AM.

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09-15-2013, 09:01 PM	#1501
Sage97 Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2012 Photos: Albums Posts: 3,238

09-15-2013, 09:50 PM	#1502
jake14mw Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Connecticut, USA Posts: 977	Sage, Your volleyball photos are definitely better than mine were. Looks like you had a good deal of light in that gym. I was shooting at ISO 6400, f 3.5, 1/500th. What were you getting for yours?

09-16-2013, 09:16 AM	#1505
Sage97 Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2012 Photos: Albums Posts: 3,238	Originally posted by jake14mw Sage, Your volleyball photos are definitely better than mine were. Looks like you had a good deal of light in that gym. I was shooting at ISO 6400, f 3.5, 1/500th. What were you getting for yours? Thanks Jake but I was wrong. I used my Tamron 70-200 for my football pics but not for my volleyball pics. I brought it with me but I ended up using my 43mm. This maybe the biggest difference. It's hard to get the ball in the pic when you're super zoomed in. Maybe try a wider lens and crop to taste? I also shot in continuous mode and shot a few milliseconds before and after the "action" shot. It took me awhile to adjust my settings because the lighting was bad. I ended up going back and forth from 800 to 1600 ISO (higher settings result in too much noise for my taste) and opened up my apertures close to your settings. I also went back and forth from 1/500 to 1/400 to 1/320 which is why some pics show more movement blur on the ball. I shoot raw and thank goodness for Lightroom's ability to adjust lighting. Hope this helps.

09-16-2013, 12:41 PM	#1506
rawr Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,913	Originally posted by jake14mw Has anyone else been frustrated by this? Is there some setting that could have been affecting it? Is this after firing off a burst of shots at high ISO? It's worth noting that high ISO files are [often significantly] larger than low ISO files, whether they be JPG or RAW. Pushing all that extra data into the buffer, through the camera circuitry, and into the SD card will take extra time. The 7 fps for the K-5 is measured at ISO 100.

09-16-2013, 12:48 PM	#1507
rawr Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,913	Originally posted by jake14mw Too many photos like this! EXIF for that photo says: 'K-5 Ver 1.12'. Maybe it's time for an update. The K-5 firmware is up to v1.15 now. It may make some difference to camera and AF performance.

09-16-2013, 01:16 PM	#1508
jake14mw Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Connecticut, USA Posts: 977	Originally posted by Sage97 Thanks Jake but I was wrong. I used my Tamron 70-200 for my football pics but not for my volleyball pics. I brought it with me but I ended up using my 43mm. This maybe the biggest difference. It's hard to get the ball in the pic when you're super zoomed in. Maybe try a wider lens and crop to taste? I also shot in continuous mode and shot a few milliseconds before and after the "action" shot. It took me awhile to adjust my settings because the lighting was bad. I ended up going back and forth from 800 to 1600 ISO (higher settings result in too much noise for my taste) and opened up my apertures close to your settings. I also went back and forth from 1/500 to 1/400 to 1/320 which is why some pics show more movement blur on the ball. I shoot raw and thank goodness for Lightroom's ability to adjust lighting. Hope this helps. Oh, OK, that makes more sense then. Thanks. Working with such high ISO, I do try to shoot as tight as possible, because cropping with that amount of grain just starts to look too grainy for me. I don't like the amount of noise uncropped even.

09-16-2013, 01:22 PM	#1509
jake14mw Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Connecticut, USA Posts: 977	Originally posted by rawr Is this after firing off a burst of shots at high ISO? It's worth noting that high ISO files are [often significantly] larger than low ISO files, whether they be JPG or RAW. Pushing all that extra data into the buffer, through the camera circuitry, and into the SD card will take extra time. The 7 fps for the K-5 is measured at ISO 100. Actually, no, this is on the first shot. I don't shoot too many big bursts. I don't usually shoot at ISO 6400, so I wonder if there is something about exceeding the 3200 threshold that makes a difference? I will test that out the next time I do it. It could simply be that I know basketball much better, so anticipating ball movement is much easier for me. Also, the ball moves at a higher rate of speed of speed with volleyball. Practice will probably help.

09-16-2013, 01:23 PM	#1510
jake14mw Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Connecticut, USA Posts: 977	Originally posted by rawr EXIF for that photo says: 'K-5 Ver 1.12'. Maybe it's time for an update. The K-5 firmware is up to v1.15 now. It may make some difference to camera and AF performance. Wow, I didn't realize I was three versions back, time to upgrade, thanks.

09-16-2013, 01:39 PM	#1511
Sage97 Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2012 Photos: Albums Posts: 3,238	Originally posted by jake14mw Oh, OK, that makes more sense then. Thanks. Working with such high ISO, I do try to shoot as tight as possible, because cropping with that amount of grain just starts to look too grainy for me. I don't like the amount of noise uncropped even. If I have to shoot tight, I'd shoot in continuous and hope that I get lucky enough to get a shot with the ball in the ideal spot. I still think it would be too difficult because I'd spend most of your time trying to catch the players in the frame. They move around too much.

09-17-2013, 08:19 AM	#1512
dadipentak Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,590	Originally posted by rawr It's worth noting that high ISO files are [often significantly] larger than low ISO files, Didn't know that--good to know. Originally posted by jake14mw Working with such high ISO, I do try to shoot as tight as possible, because cropping with that amount of grain just starts to look too grainy for me. Right. Originally posted by Sage97 They move around too much. Seriously--why can't they just stand still? ;~) Originally posted by jake14mw . Practice will probably help. To a point. Also try meditation--shooting action in crappy light takes its toll on the soul.

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09-17-2013, 09:27 AM	#1513
RonHendriks1966 Banned Join Date: Jan 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,675 Original Poster	Wow lots of nice images. I haven't been here in a while. I do still take sports images, but not so much the last months. I'm a bit more picky on wich games to follow and wich ones I just go and sit in the audience. I'm looking more into the value off the images and some games simply never can make a sale on an image. The womens soccer league started again, but there are some changes to this. Fridaynight (before fridaynight and saturday afternoon split the games) is the gameday and some off the teams aren't playing in a stadium anymore, so working light is not to good on many games. So I only go to games in a stadium and when both teams are very good and other games I don't take images from. It's just a waist of my expensive cameragear I think. I'm busy to make a little photobook on one off the players. So busy with photoshooting, working on images and I still have to take the interview. Together it will make a nice book that people could even buy. In this way I have a project with some value and I can send out pressreleases.

09-19-2013, 06:05 PM	#1515
GvilleRick Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2011 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,689	It's nice to shoot a game that starts early enough to have good light. Here are some shots from this afternoon.