Sharp photo settings at night | Sports photography under floodlights

[@NikCan66]

Another great vlog and great work

[@pascalkesselmark7529]

First, all night games are different. Last night I shoot an UEFA Nations League game with excellent light. My ISO was below 4000. Tonight I’ll be shooting a Cup Game on a 3rd league pitch. There it will be like shooting under tealight candles… and ISO will go up to 51200 🫣 but what can you do? I’m already at 1/1000 and f2.8. So I shoot RAW and use DxO to denoise the pictures. My workflow is still quite fast, so I get pictures out from the pitch. It’s just one step more in the process. But of course I prefer not to use any denoise software whenever possible. I use AutoISO only due to - as you mentioned - different light situations at the field. Since I only shoot RAW I can correct any exposure errors in post production. I’m using an R6ii and a 1DXii. My experience is that the 1DX performs better at high ISO. Both cameras start to struggle at high ISO with the AF, so you need the players to fill the frame, then it’s fine. But to be honest, I prefer night games. Much easier to shoot than day games where the sun blows out everything or the worst with artificial grass which acts as like a mirror when shooting towards the sun. (I know you should not do that, but if your a team photographer, you always want to shoot your team in the attack)

[@paulmiller7671]

Nice shots of my local team.

[@Quinnysings]

Yep coming out of bright days to dark miserable nights gets me every year 😂 it’s like having to get to know the camera settings all over again … very challenging 👍 that along with getting P155 wet through and freezing our 🥜 off 😂 but hey chin up well soon be complaining it’s too hot at pitchside 🥵 …. but ‘We love it don’t we’ Nice video mate. I see a Tranmere fan at FTU every now n then and I always ask how they’re playing. Take care Cheers Quinny 📸⚽️

[@SanGioSports]

Great content as usual. I shoot a lot of sports under horrible floodlights. What seems to work is to underexpose to preserve highlights and increase exposure manually in lightroom / camera raw to keep iso as low as possible. Even doing this it's not unusual to end up at 8000 iso. Current denoising software can handle that without losing much detail.

[@Talru]

Thanks for watching and for the kind words. Yes, great advice. I've experimented a little this season but will definitely be shooting in RAW and underexposing slightly is the way to go. I'll be doing that for a game I'm due to shoot this evening.

[@DaveWilliams-e1t]

Great video it is really difficult shooting non-league football at night, I work in Welsh Prem, and that's a challenge, but it's nice to get to some of the Vanarama grounds where they have a bigger budget for candles.

[@Talru]

Thank you Dave, appreciate you watching and commenting. I definitely understand your challenge, and sympathise. I did have Welsh Prem at one stage myself. Having shot in the Vanarama for 3 years, i found it a really mixed bag - some were okay others shocking. I remember a game at Southport before they replaced their lights and I was having to drag my shutter down so slow, the word "candles" is perfect to describe them!

[@TJVHS9]

Nice video mate, what camera do you use? As I wish to get into photography I may need a link or something

[@Talru]

Thank you. My main body is a Canon 1DX ii and I also use a Canon 1D IV. I recently did a video all about the gear I use if you want further info: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l6nConesoLmfkNU Best of luck getting into photography!

[@TJVHS9]

@ I’m looking for a camera within the £500 region for football photography

[@Twobarpsi]

Shooting action sports at night is a big challenge. I use high ISO, and just accept the noise.

[@Talru]

I pretty much go along with that also, despite the fact I hate it!

[@Twobarpsi]

@Talru I tested out DXO Pure RAW 4 and Topaz Photo AI, and DXO is amazing. Makes my high ISO CR2 and CR3 files completely useable! I highly recommend it!

[@fasttracksportsphotography6311]

Funny I shoot auto ISO in far worse lighting (16000 ISO and higher) and have less noise than you do. It may be time for you to switch to mirrorless. I use an R6 shoot in jpeg and use the in camera noise reduction. 1DX is great during the da6 but indoors and night games it just does not compare to the R6 which is actually fairly inexpensive now especially used