PLEASE help a rookie!

[czycropper]

I got a Canon T2i with 18-135mm IS lens which is what I've been using BUT tonight my DDs are going to be doing a cheer spirit night and I would really like to use the 75-300mm lens 1:4-5.6 (nonIS) since I'll be sitting in the bleachers, so.....

Should I put it in AF/MF?
If MF, What manual setting should I use?
Should I use a tripod?

More info - it will be outside from 6-7:30 pm and I believe that they will be the field lights on; also, I do have a filter for the lens but not a hood.

Any and all recommendations are greatly appreciated!!!!!!

 

[photo_chick]

I'd skip the filter. If it's good field lighting you should be able to get the shots with a 75-300. I've got this elephant and you can push it to do this.

I'd use auto focus.

Here's how I would attack the settings. Use Tv (shutter priority). When you're zoomed out to 300mm you'll need a shutter speed of 1/500 or faster to stop cheer action. If you're wider, like at 75mm you may be able to get away with 1/250 or even a tiny bit slower if you're steady. Once you set the shutter speed, bump up the ISO until the aperture number in the view finder stops blinking, telling you that you have a good exposure. Faster shutter speeds are better but you may not be able to get fast enough zoomed out to 300mm if there is not enough light, so keep in mind that if you stay wider you can slow the shutter speed down just a little down some.

Do check the image for motion blur so you know if you need to bump up the shutter speed more. Zoom in to 100% on the LCD so you can really see.

This is by no means the only way to approach this, but it's how I'd go at it.

 

[bob100]

I got a Canon T2i with 18-135mm IS lens which is what I've been using BUT tonight my DDs are going to be doing a cheer spirit night and I would really like to use the 75-300mm lens 1:4-5.6 (nonIS) since I'll be sitting in the bleachers, so.....

Should I put it in AF/MF?
If MF, What manual setting should I use?
Should I use a tripod?

More info - it will be outside from 6-7:30 pm and I believe that they will be the field lights on; also, I do have a filter for the lens but not a hood.

Any and all recommendations are greatly appreciated!!!!!!

I would get off the bleachers and try to get as close as possible with the 18-135IS (AF) in manual mode shooting at f4 or f5.6 aperture, ISO 1600 and with the lowest shutter speed you get by with freezing the motion, say 1/250. and go higher on the ISO if the pics look dark. Unfortunately the old non-IS version of the 75-300mm zooms is one of the worst of the Canon telephoto lens. The newer Canon 55-250IS is much better and sharper (and only $150) although it's still "slow" for night time shots.

 

[ukcatfan]

You already got some good advice on the exposure settings, but let me clear one thing up for you. You said manual focus vs. auto focus but you were really talking about manual exposure. You almost always want to use auto focus.

 

[czycropper]

Thanks all - I knew I could count on DISers to help me out

Yep, I know that it was one of the worse lens when I bought it BUT I wanted to get to know the camera before I splurged on a better lens. I'm actually going to rent a better lens for their actual cheer competitions, there is a great store in Princeton that will rent them - so they'll be getting alot of my business till I buy one

 

[mom2rtk]

1600 may very well be where you need to be with the ISO, but I just wanted to say don't be afraid to push it a little higher if you have to. You can always run the photos through some noise reducation software later if needed, but there's nothing you can do with a blurry photo. The T2i does pretty respectably at 3200.

The other consideration might be your metering mode. Most leave it set to evaluative metering, which works great in a wide variety of settings. But if it starts to get darker (which it might not at 7 pm yet) but if it does, and you have brightly lit subjects against a dark background, spot or center weighted metering will be better. It can get confused with all the dark background and overexpose your subject.

 

[GrumpyGoat]

Thanks all - I knew I could count on DISers to help me out

Yep, I know that it was one of the worse lens when I bought it BUT I wanted to get to know the camera before I splurged on a better lens. I'm actually going to rent a better lens for their actual cheer competitions, there is a great store in Princeton that will rent them - so they'll be getting alot of my business till I buy one

If you can afford to rent the 70-200 f2.8 IS, do it... Although it is a bit heavy, at least according to some, You'll have the advantage of the faster f2.8 aperture and Image Stabilization. The IS will allow shooting at slower shutter speeds.

Personally, I think an F4-5.6 lens is just too slow to shoot in the conditions you described, especially since the lens is a variable aperture. As you zoom out to get closer, the maximum aperture will get smaller, limiting you to slower shutter speeds and the increased possibility of camera movement.

 

[photo_chick]

Personally, I think an F4-5.6 lens is just too slow to shoot in the conditions you described, especially since the lens is a variable aperture. As you zoom out to get closer, the maximum aperture will get smaller, limiting you to slower shutter speeds and the increased possibility of camera movement.

I'd probably say the same thing if I hadn't used that lens to shoot dance competitions in a theater with my old Rebel XT (so I was limited to ISO 1600 back then). I also used it in some pretty low light situations with my 35mm Rebel. It's not the best tool for this job, but if it's all you have with the reach you need then you have to make it work.

and just to make it clear... this is the only Canon lens I tell people to run far, far away from. It was a great entry level lens for film. Not so much for digital. You can pick up a used 70-210 f/4 for less money and end up with a better lens.