Another cheer photo/lens question

[My2Girls66]

My DD and her JV team competed Saturday(AND WON!) in a high school cheer competition. I used my 50mm 1.8 with decent results at wide aperatures. My question- I am looking at the Tamron 28-75 2.8 at Calumet for next Sundays finals. Is 2.8 going to be fast enough if 1.8-2 on my 50mm was giving me decent results? I'd like to be able to use lower ISO since I can see a lot of noise in these. I haven't tried noise reduction, tho.
Any advice? On the lens? Anything to improve? Thanks
Some examples of what I got.

1.8, 1/640sec, iso 1250, cropped and lightened(using shadow protection on Capture NX2)(btw, I stink at PP- don't know much about it)

exif same as above

again exif same as above
below-This is another team but they were allowing(or I should say everyone was using a flash and they didn't say we couldn't) so I tried a couple with flash.

since I had the sb-600 on I put the iso to 400 and the aperature to f/4, 1/200
After DD's team was done I was just playing

this one has had nothing done to it-f/3.5, 1/200, iso 1250, no flash

 

[wenrob]

I personally like the ones without the flash better and I'm a flash user, lol. I would think with the f 2.8 you're going to have to jack up your ISO even higher to get that kind of shutter speed. I guess you have to choose between wider angle w/more reach or lower ISO/lower noise levels. I wish I could be of more help but I haven't used mine in those kind of conditions yet other then playing around in the house.

 

[My2Girls66]

I like the no flash better, too. I took a couple to see the difference- saw I didn't like the look and put the flash away. The diffuser was on the flash.
Thats what I'm afraid of with the 2.8. I don't want to go higher on the ISO- I would prefer to be around 800. I also don't want to buy a lens just for this competition and I'm not one to buy, use and return. I feel funny, even if its not what I want
The zoom would be handy on the 28-75mm and it would be a good range as compared to the 50mm but the 50mm is ok. I would love to feel comfortable just trying it and returning if I didn't like the results.

 

[wenrob]

I like the no flash better, too. I took a couple to see the difference- saw I didn't like the look and put the flash away. The diffuser was on the flash.
Thats what I'm afraid of with the 2.8. I don't want to go higher on the ISO- I would prefer to be around 800. I also don't want to buy a lens just for this competition and I'm not one to buy, use and return. I feel funny, even if its not what I want
The zoom would be handy on the 28-75mm and it would be a good range as compared to the 50mm but the 50mm is ok. I would love to feel comfortable just trying it and returning if I didn't like the results.

Is there somewhere you can rent one for the day? The ones I posted on your thread that I took with the Tammy were at ISO 1600 and above and I was struggling to get over a shutter speed of 1/100th. I would think the gym had more overall light then I had when taking those. Lots of lights above versus one or two overhead.

 

[Code]

The difference between f/1.8 and f/2.8 is one and a third stop, so assuming the same ISO, the shots you took at 1/640th @ f/1.8 would need 1/250th for the same exposure at f/2.8. Jacking up the ISO to 1600 would still only be 1/320th. Not really fast enough to freeze cheerleading in those lighting conditions.

 

[My2Girls66]

From the looks of the last photo I might be able to get away with 1/320th. It was taken at 1/200, f/3.5 but then they weren't really in motion. Not sure what to do. Calumet is in Boston so I could actually drive down and grab one if I decide I want it- only 30-40 mins from here. Just hate to spend the $$ if it won't improve my situation some. Calumet does do rentals. Doesn't look like they have that particular lens. Only Nikons and Canons.
What to do

 

[DisneydaveCT]

Susan-First congratulations to you DD and her JV on a successful meet. One of my DD's is competing at State's this weekend. So I will be there with my 50mm f1.7.

I am interested in seeing what everyone else has to say as I have been thinking about getting either the Tammy 2.8 or the Sigma counterpart by next season. And one of the questions I have been wondering how much I would get by making the purchase.

 

[Groucho]

No need to rent the lens if you're just trying to figure out if it would work, just put the camera in aperture priority mode and choose F2.8... there's your information. Or, like Code said, just work out the math... since you have photos taken in the same environment, you know the exposure you need so from there, it's just a matter of figuring out what your shutter speed and ISO options are and if they will be acceptable.

Of course, renting may make sense if you think the numbers are favorable (or at least "close enough" that it may work) and you want the additional reach for the upcoming event.

 

[Code]

From the looks of the last photo I might be able to get away with 1/320th. It was taken at 1/200, f/3.5 but then they weren't really in motion. Not sure what to do.

You caught a moment of relative stillness in that last one, at 1/320 the first three would have a lot of motion blur. The lighting conditions are brutal, I don't think you'd be happy at f/2.8.

 

[My2Girls66]

We have states this weekend, too. I think I've decided. I'll just use my 50mm again and try it at different aperatures to get an idea. This weekends meet is at a different school so maybe I'll get better lighting.
Thanks for the help.

 

[DisneydaveCT]

Good Luck with the States! I think I will try Groucho's suggestion to set my aperture at 2.8 and see the quality of the shots I am able to get at that setting.

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

This is a little late for you, but when I needed extra reach in low light (theatre/symphony/concert photography) and wanted to keep the fast aperture, I bought the Nikon 85mm 1.8. It's great. (The 85mm1.4 is really nice, but a lot more expensive.) I think I paid around $480 for the 1.8 a couple of years ago. I rarely get to use it now, but it was great when I needed it. Of course I always brought the 50mm and other lenses too just in case my seating was too close, etc. More oftan than not though, the 85mm allowed me to be a fair distance away from the stage. My son played percussions, so he was always in the far back of any theatre/stage. I would guess that a cheering competition distance would be similar. What kind of camera do you use?
ETA: Smacking my head - my son also did wrestling and the conditions were probably very similar - dimly lit gym, no flash. It worked fine in that kind of scenario.

 

[DragonSlyr]

I agree with everyone, you should probably try one out before buying to make sure you like the finished product.

I use f2.8 for shooting DD's gymnastics and works out in most venues. Sometimes a little motion blur adds to the composition of the photo. Personally i would slow the shutter a bit and close the aperture to get a larger depth of field while shooting a group that large.

Here are a couple of gymnastic pics I shot at slower speeds and there was not much motion blur noticeable.

Tom

f2.8 iso 1600 1/160

f2.8 iso 1600 1/250

 

[My2Girls66]

Thanks for the ideas. I will def. try one out next winter. I have a while to get it together now.
For tomorrows competition I'll be using the 50mm. Our Ritz didn't have any 2.8's in stock. The guy there told me I could try one for 10 days. There weren't any close enough by to get it to me in time. No biggie. I'm on my own for this comp so I may mostly be videotaping, anyway. Hmm. Unless I can set up a tripod in the stands with the video camera and take pictures, too!

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

I'm on my own for this comp so I may mostly be videotaping, anyway. Hmm. Unless I can set up a tripod in the stands with the video camera and take pictures, too!

I've done that! A mom's gotta do what a mom's gotta do! They are only young once!