Need help with digital cameras and action shots....PLEASE!!!!

[WendyZ]

Hi...I know we have alot of DC gurus on this board. I'm hoping someone can help me out. I got my 750 last fall. I love the camera, but am having a REALLY hard time with action shots. My DD is in basketball. I know gyms aren't the best place for photos, but the blur is driving me crazy. This is my first digital camera and I'm learning as I go. Hoping someone here can offer some advice....
This weekend I tried the following settings (and I'll give my results)...
First...just the action mode - great color but tons of blur.
Second...turned the shutter up to 1/1000 - no blur but VERY dark
pic.
Third...I turned my ISO to 400 (have no clue what that is) - lighted my pic a little.
Fourth...I turned down my shutter to between 125 and 200 left my ISO at 400 - not to bad, better pics, but still some blur especially at the lower shutter settings.
I know there is a way to get good pics without blur. I've seen others. I just have no clue how to do it. I'm no good at manual settings, I usually just use the ones provided on the camera.

Thanks for any help you can offer. I know it's a learning process, but it's discouraging when all your pics turn out bad!!
I'll try to post some pics...maybe this is as good as I can get. I don't know!

 

[WendyZ]

Hopefully these will work....
This one is shutter 1/125 and ISO 400. I have no idea what the ISO is. I just know it lightened the pic.

This one is shutter 1/200 and ISO 400.

This one is shutter 1/1000 and ISO 400.

Last this one is action mode.

I hope these don't turn out to large.

 

[WendyZ]

Just a bump...so it doesn't go to page 2.

 

[battricia]

ISO is film speed, like if you buy 100speed film, or 200, or 400. You usually buy 400 for indoor events. I'm not sure exactly how it works on digital cameras, but on regular film the reactivity of the film is faster, so it sucks in more light, but it's possible this might blur the images some more. Try not to zoom in too much, because that might cause blurring too. If you can just get as close as possible w/ the camera, and don't zoom in at all. What make/model of camera do you have? I could take a look @ the manual if they have it on line and see what kind of stuff they say about it.

tricia.

 

[WendyZ]

Thanks Tricia! I never thought of film speed! DUH!!! I always used 400 on my 35mm camera. Makes a little more sense now. I spent four hours on morning reading through my manual...256 pages. That's how I learned to play with the shutter speed. I have an Olympus 750.

Thanks again...

 

[DVC Daisy]

There are some C-700 series users groups on Yahoogroups. Those people can answer any of your C-700 series questions. They are way over my head technically, as I do not speak their language. Try this address to start:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Oly_C-700/


I have a C-730 and my son plays baseball and I found the best settings seem to be the action (sports) setting AND use the picture burst setting. If you take quite a few pictures in a row you seem to have a better chance of capturing the "exact" shot that you want. I also notice that proping your camera on somthing to hold it very steady will work wonders. You may want to try a tripod. I can freeze the ball in the air AND see the seams so for me, a "non-photographer" type of person, I can get GREAT shots. The C-700 series of cameras are wonderful.

I know that basketball can be much more challenging as it is indoors. I have not been able to figure out the right settings for basketball games, so if you figure that one out please post back with the settings so I can try.

Good Luck!

 

[disneyfan551]

Here is a site that you will learn to love, quickly! www.dpreview.com - go into the forums, and they will have them broken down by brand. The search works great, and people are very helpful, as most are professional photographers! Check it out! HTH...

 

[WendyZ]

Thanks for the links! I'm off to check them out.
DVC Daisy...I'll let you know if I come up with something. So far I think the best was shutter around 160 or 200 and ISO at 400.

I'll keep trying!

 

[WendyZ]

Just another bump.

 

[WendyZ]

A bump...in hopes Zurg might find this.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Your first picture looks pretty darn good to me. Yes, 400 ASA/ISO is good for indoor action. Try 1/60 also, see how it goes. Maybe a bit of a blur, but brighter. Also, you can take a slightly darker pciture and then photo edit it to brighten up a bit.

Indoor action is very tough. If you have ever seen pictures I have posted here and they are indoors, with action, you will oftentimes see blur. Nice thing with digital though, is you can practice trail and error to your hearts content, free.

Also........

http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=2/3/38&pq-locale=en_US

 

[WendyZ]

Thanks Dan....
Sundays pics were much better than Saturdays. I just kept shooting and deleting if I didn't like them. Love that feature.
I checked out those boards listed earlier...great ideas on them. A few new things for me to try new game. But it looks like I'm on the right path.
Thanks for everyone's help!!!