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Question: What are the best camera settings for indoor sports to produce sharp images!?
I am a complete novice to changing settings manually in digital cameras!. I am using a Casio Ex-P600 (yes I realise it's nothing special)!. I want to capture sharp images (not blurry movement ones) of my martial arts class in order to add them to the clubs website!.
I have used the camera as normal and in fact even used the "best shot" mode that Casio offers, which led me to photos but not great ones!.
I want sharp pictures mid motion but I am unsure how to achieve this!.I used settings as said by another website for indoor sports, but I got practically black photos!?!
My aperature (f) value goes from 2!.8 to 8!.0!.
My shutter speed goes from "BULB", then 60" to 1/1000 (1/2000 in shutter speed priority mode)
I put my AF mode to Continuous!.
My ISO goes from 50 to 400!.
I don't know if anyone is able to help me but I would be very appreciative if you are able!I don't need to know everything, only this one activity setting as the camera suits me fine to do everything else!
Thanks!!Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
To produce sharp images you need a) a fast shutter speed and b) lots of light!. Since there is limited light indoors, a high ISO is needed!.!. yours only goes up to 400, which is probably not enough!. A large aperture is also important!. Keep it at 2!.8, which is your widest one, to let in the most light!. Use the fastest shutter speed possible without having your pictures turn out too dark!. I'm not sure if you'll be able to get good photos out of your camera, but good luck!Www@QuestionHome@Com

I want to know this answer too so I had to put text in this box to read your answers!.

I guess you need high-speed shutter that doesn't lose light!.

I am aware that if you need sharp photos for fast moving subjects, the higher the shutter the better!. But you DO lose light which is your problem!. Have you asked them to fight outside for the photo shots!? lolWww@QuestionHome@Com

If it is your martial arts class then you should not have a problem "setting up" the shots!.
I!.e!. rather than just snapping away whilst they are training etc!. you set them up properly by arranging the lighting and pose the subjects!.

Best settings - best done with proper studio flash!. That way you have more control!.
If you don't have access to studio flash then a decent on camera flash gun will do!.
Set the camera to the highest shutter speed which will work with the flash (could be upto 250 depending on the camera)!. The aperture will be fairly large which will through the background out of focus!.

Pre-focus on where the action will take place and go for it!.

If you cannot use flash then you need to set the iso at its highest and the aperture at its most open 400/2!.8!.
The shutter speed will need to be at least 250 to get rid of movement but it is doubtful that you will get that indoors unless the light is very good!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

To get crisp, clear photos you should use a fast shutter speed!. Generally 1/60 is the slowest you can use when shooting a still subject without a tripod (unless you have a very steady hand)!. For sports, experiment with anything higher than 1/400 to get blur-free photos!.

I'm not sure about your particular camera, but most include these for settings:

Automatic (P): The camera chooses the f-stop and shutter speed according to it's internal light meter

Manual (M): The user sets both the f-stop and shutter speed

Aperture (A): The user chooses the f-stop and the camera selects the optimal shutter speed using the internal light meter

Shutter speed (S): The user chooses the shutter speed and the f-stop is determined automatically by the camera!. This is the one you want!. You will be able to choose the shutter speed and the camera will make sure the f-stop is set so your pictures don't turn out black again!.

You can also try setting the ISO to 400, which will make it more sensitive to light!.


Edit: according to the Casio website your camera has a function called “Manual Assist” that might help you!. Look it up in the instruction book that came with the camera!.

and to the other answerer: You're not THE Karl Pilkington, are you!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

With your camera (and any point and shoot from what I know) your aperture is at it's widest when your not zoomed in!. If you zoom in your aperture slides to f/4 so you may try shooting wide angle to get the most out of your camera!. Try getting closer to the action to compensate!.

So, since your up against a wall with aperture and ISO set your camera to ISO 400, Aperture Priority, with your aperture wide open (f/2!.8 - f/4)!. This will give you the fastest shutter speed to freeze the action!. If you were to try to go faster than the shutter speed the camera gives you you will get dark photos (or you could tell the camera to underexpose and the shutter speed will speed up, which ever way you want to look at it)!. The only other thing you can do is to add more light, and that little flash on your camera is only good for about 9 feet or so!.

One thing you can do is practice panning!. Follow a player as they move across the court!. If you get good at it, and can judge your shutter lag correctly you will have a somewhat clear player with a very motion blurred background!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

This is not going to be easy to do with a point and shoot camera!. Basically in order to get action shots you need a shutter speed of at least 1/250th of a second!. Preferably even faster!. To do this inside without flash you need a large aperture like F2!.8!. You will also need to raise your ISO!. I don't think the 400 ISO or your camera is going to cut it!. It might but it will depend on the available light!. To give you an example!.
Recently I shot some pictures at my sons basketball game!. I used a Canon SLR, a Canon 70-200mm F2!.8L IS at 2!.8 with my shutter speed staying at or above 1/250th!. I needed to use an ISO of 800 to get well exposed shots!.

So set your camera to ISO 400 your aperture to F2!.8 and see what happens!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

set F2!.8, use a flash to freeze movement and use 400asa film speed!.

put the camera on shutter priority at 1000th/1s!.

remember, subject moving straight towards you will freeze at around 250/500th!.!.!. subject moving across the frame require much faster shutter speeds to stop the action!.

unless you have a great flash, (metz ct 45) itll be pretty useless in an arena!. so use the available light!.

and if all else fails, try panning the subject!.!.!. when you get it right, the subject stays pin sharp, and everything eles blurs!.!.!. but it does req some practice!.Www@QuestionHome@Com