 Charles E. Mann |
how to choose aperture with a flash & shoot sports I am shooting some indoor sports(basketball right now), I can get on the sidelines and under the baskets. I'm trying to find the best combo of film & flash.I shot a Nikon N80 with Sb600 flash. I've used 1600sp but it can be grainy & sometimes the flash seems to be to strong. Is there a balance between flash,aperture,& film speed. Thanks hope I gave enough info. P.s. I love this site
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robert G. Fately |
Hi, Charles, Well, first, I'm pleasantly surprised to hear that you are even allowed to use flash at a game - typically the flashing distracts (and annoys) the players. You are right about the 1600 film being grainy - this is the compromise with film speed - faster film is coarser grained. As for shutter speed, you are somewhat limited by the synch speed of the camera to the flash - this is because the way a focal plane shutter works at faster speeds is to have the rear (closing) shutter curtain start to move before the front (opening) curtain has gone the entire height or width of the film plane. The result is a "slit" effect - and if you fire a flash at 1/1000th second your film will only get exposure to the flash's output wherever that slit happened to be at the instant the flash fired. So, number 1 - set your camera to the highest shutter speed allowed with flash (I forget what that is on the N80; probably 1/125th second). Next, the question becomes how much light your flash can contribute to the shot. If it's a dark gym, and basically all the light will be from the flash, then you can decide what film speed to use based on the GN (guide number) of the SB600 - which is 98 in feet). This means, using ISO100 film, the flash can work a distance of about 50 feet at f2. (GN divided by f-stop will give your maximum distance in feet). If you want to shoot at f4, then you can either expect the flash to work out to about 25 feet OR use ISO200 film to compensate. GNs are set for ISO100 sensitivity - so the higher the ISO of the film the further out you can expect the flash to work. I hope that at least helps you start figuring things out.
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Mark Feldstein |
Greetings Charles: You can easily use 400 ISO film. If you're shooting as ISO 1600, I assume you're using black and white or pushing some color negative stock 3 stops. I'd recommend shooting Tri-X at 250 ISO processed in D-76 1:1. With your flash at maximum sync speed, you should be working at around f4-f5.6. Remember, your flash will freeze the motion as it fires at a much faster speed than your shutter opens and closes, so shutter speed isn't important for your purposes so long as the camera will sync at whatever speed you're working at. BUT, you had best make sure that you have permission from the coach(es) to use flash from those positions you mentioned. OR be careful as you might end up wearing a basketball in your mouth or find a basketball impaled on your lens. Take it light.
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Charles E. Mann |
Thanks guys for the help. I didn't get the info until after the game. I did a few things, first I used 800 & 1600 Speed films & used the 50mm @ 1.8 with and without flash. Second I borrowed a 80-200mm @ 2.8 with/without flash. I'll have to try your methods next time. Football was alot easier!!! Anyboby ever use a 85mm @ 1.8 for indoor sports & wouldn't it stay at 1.8 on D70, but with the 1.5 increase? Thanks again!
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robert G. Fately |
Yes, Charles, if your question is wouldn't the 85MM f1.8 still have a maximum aperture of f1.8 even though it 'behaves' like a 128MM lens. That is, you donot lose lens speed with the 1.5 factor calculation. Obviously if you are allowed to use flash you will have better chances at good shots (at least at close enough distances for the flash to make a difference), but it's not always possible to do that.
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Charles E. Mann |
thanks Bob. I'm just trying to make the most out of what I have and can afford right now. With the N80 the camera fired faster with 50mm no flash combo (also shutter speeds of 250-350) than the others but of course I gave up distance. I trying to save my pennies and get the D70. I
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