Taking photos at DNiece's basketball final

[chirurgeon]

I have never taken sports pictures before. I have a DSLR and I don't want to use the flash so I don't distract any of the players (at not the ones on my DN's team ), so what is the slowest shutter speed you would suggest to set the camera on. The kids are in elementary school. I have a Canon XT with the kit lens and the 700-300 zoom. Any suggestions for at the least semi-decent shots?

Thanks,
Kim

 

[Master Mason]

I have never taken sports pictures before. I have a DSLR and I don't want to use the flash so I don't distract any of the players (at not the ones on my DN's team ), so what is the slowest shutter speed you would suggest to set the camera on. The kids are in elementary school. I have a Canon XT with the kit lens and the 700-300 zoom. Any suggestions for at the least semi-decent shots?

Thanks,
Kim

Set your camera to AV mode, bump the iso up to 1600 set the apeture as wide as it will go, and maybe even make the exposure comp -1 or so (you'll have to post process it back a little, but it might help you get the shot)

Also if you keep the lens zoomed out as much as possible, you keep it at a wider apeture. Most K-12 gyms have crappy lighting. Anything below 1/125 is probably going to show some bluring.