Hello all from Cali. I have the Nikon D3000 with the Sigma 70-200m 2.8 lens and I am so frustrated and need help please. I have been trying to figure out the right settings to get the best shot for my sons indoor wrestling matches and I am having no luck. Can you please help. I have since reset my camera settings and cant even remember what I had it set to for the best shots. I am still a beginner and I dont know what else to do. My sons last tournament is this Saturday and will be my last chance at getting good shots. PLEASE HELP!
Desperate help for indoor sports setting (Wrestling) recommendations
- Thread starter mrstvp
- Start date
Is flash photography allowed? Use a speed light to help out lower the ISO level.
Set your camera in Manual, 1/125, f3.2 -f4, Auto ISO 1/3200, Auto White Balance.
Will you be using a tripod? Play with the shutter speed and f stop. Ask your son to practice for you while at the house and take some pictures to see how your settings and hand holding technique works out.
I use to photograph wrestling matches and many times the lighting was so incredibly bad nothing turned out well. Soooo I asked the pro who would shoot and sell pictures and he told me he got the shots he did because of in great part the massive flash he used. Of course he had good high end pro equipment but he told me it still came down to his flash.
AxeMan - Rick S.
Senior Member
I have a D3000 and a 70-200mm 2.8 lens. However I never put the two together. Just a word of warning, I moved away from the D3000 into a D90 because I found it could not handle high ISO over 800 very well for my taste.
With that in mind I would take gqtuazon's advice, but check your photo's to make sure your not 'graining out" at a high ISO.
If you can use a flash I think with that lens you'll be fine, without a flash personally I don't think the D3000 is going to handle the use of higher ISO well, for you I hope I'm wrong, good luck.
With that in mind I would take gqtuazon's advice, but check your photo's to make sure your not 'graining out" at a high ISO.
If you can use a flash I think with that lens you'll be fine, without a flash personally I don't think the D3000 is going to handle the use of higher ISO well, for you I hope I'm wrong, good luck.
Last edited by a moderator:
How far away from the action are you? If you're shooting with the lens at 200mm and the subjects aren't filling the frame then I'm assuming you will be too far for a flash to have any effect.
Best advise is to bump up the iso, keep your shutter speed up around 1/300 min if handheld and test, test, test.
Best advise is to bump up the iso, keep your shutter speed up around 1/300 min if handheld and test, test, test.
Thank you all. I was shooting From the corner of the mat without the flash to avoid being a distraction. I think the highest ISO I can go on this camera? But I found when I go into the ISO sensitivity it gives I believe a min or max ISO sensitivity then the shutter speed. Is this where I need to adjust? I just got the sigma lens this week I'm thinking maybe I should send it back and just upgrade my body. What would you all recommend? Mainly shooting sports events so I need indoor low light fast pase and outdoor low light (late night football games)
AxeMan - Rick S.
Senior Member
First off DON"T SEND THE LENS BACK unless your upgrading to the Nikon equivalent. No matter what you do down the road with a camera body your going to need it because it's a 2.8 lens and that IS what your going to need for the events you want to shoot.
As for camera settings you need to come out of auto ISO, and you're going to have to set it by hand (read your manual to see how this is done)
I'm going to guess your ISO is going to "cap out" (start to show grain) around ISO 800-1000 ISO. You could go higher but you run the risk of more grain in your photos.
If your thinking about upgrading the camera body I think the D5100 would be a good move for you. I would like to recommend the D7000 however in your original post you stated your just a beginner and I think the D7000 might be a little too much camera for you, but I could be wrong.
Either camera would be a better match to that lens than the D3000. I'm sorry I don't have that many good things to say about the D3000 and higher ISO's Don't get me wrong it a good camera until you start moving into low light situations, then it starts to show it's short falls.
As for camera settings you need to come out of auto ISO, and you're going to have to set it by hand (read your manual to see how this is done)
I'm going to guess your ISO is going to "cap out" (start to show grain) around ISO 800-1000 ISO. You could go higher but you run the risk of more grain in your photos.
If your thinking about upgrading the camera body I think the D5100 would be a good move for you. I would like to recommend the D7000 however in your original post you stated your just a beginner and I think the D7000 might be a little too much camera for you, but I could be wrong.
Either camera would be a better match to that lens than the D3000. I'm sorry I don't have that many good things to say about the D3000 and higher ISO's Don't get me wrong it a good camera until you start moving into low light situations, then it starts to show it's short falls.
D5100 or D7000 will improve the ISO performance upto ISO 3200 - 6400 which is always needed when shooting with poor lighting. If you buy a SB 910 or SB 700, you can try using bounce flash so that it doesn't distract the athletes. You can then you can go with 1/250, f4, ISO 3200 with the flash.
Last year was my last year as a High School wrestling coach. I shot thousands of pictures every year. With a D70 & D90.
Your camera will do fine. What you need is a speedlight and a very large bounce card. It WILL NOT distract the wrestlers.
That being said. I never shot with a flash. Couldn't wait for recyle times.
The lighting in gyms is really horrible.
And the mats absorb alot of light.
The best lens I found for shooting at mat side with no flash. Was the 50mm 1.8
That lens netted me some great shots over the years.
Hope this helps.
Your camera will do fine. What you need is a speedlight and a very large bounce card. It WILL NOT distract the wrestlers.
That being said. I never shot with a flash. Couldn't wait for recyle times.
The lighting in gyms is really horrible.
And the mats absorb alot of light.
The best lens I found for shooting at mat side with no flash. Was the 50mm 1.8
That lens netted me some great shots over the years.
Hope this helps.
Thanks everyone. So I juggled the ISOs from 400/800 in aperture pri. At 2.8. Hand held. I was able to get a few shots but still blurry. I tried in S pri at 1/250 2.8. W/o flash still blurry. Tried to be really steady. I said screw it n used the flash in a few shots n the pics were good but then the red eye. I'm gonna go crazy but I will eventually get it. I've been so use to just doing the action on the dial and have never really gotten into priority modes until this wrestling. You gotta learn sometime right? I have been thinking about upgrading to the D5100 as some of you have recommended to see how that will work for me. In the meantime, I will have to figure this d3000 first. ;-)
Depends on how close you can get to the mat. I was lucky getting to sit in the corner.
Your camera will work. Just pump up the ISO, or use a speed light.
Also try shooting in sports scene mode. With a higher ISO. Some of my parents did that with pretty good luck.
Also remember that dark colored mats absorb an incredible amount of light.
Your camera will work. Just pump up the ISO, or use a speed light.
Also try shooting in sports scene mode. With a higher ISO. Some of my parents did that with pretty good luck.
Also remember that dark colored mats absorb an incredible amount of light.
jcottone45
Senior Member
I set my D300s to 1000 ISO and kept moving the shutter speed from 125 to 250 @ f5.6 ( which was the best aperture on my zoom lens at the time) I got good results at a concert no flash needed, as the lights were lowered I upped the ISO as needed. This of course depends on the light available in the arena. In some shots the spotlights were so bright I had to re adjust the settings.
I hope this helps you!!
Joe
The lens is fine and will allow you to not be so close that you become a distraction to the wrestlers. I've been shooting in dimly light gyms for the last 8-9 months now. And while its a challenge for sure without a flash, its like an addiction to see if you can get away with no light. What would help you a lot would be a study monopod if you're not using one. That will allow you to raise shutter speeds and lower your ASA/ISO if you deem necessary. Also it will cut back on camera shake for sure. As a general rule I'm shooting basketball events at an ISO of around 400 with a shutter speed that I vary from around 1/250 down to 1/60 for shots that don't have movement. Generally, its always poor lighting and plenty of it to be had. I don't use Auto WB because sometimes lights in gymnasiums have cycle times that cause a color temp change, and I don't want my cameras going nuts adjusting for the changes in lighting even if it is only an occasional frame or two. As a result I setup custom WB using 18% grey or I adjust to sunny (yeah I know I'm indoors but I am able to corrections @ post edit). Sometimes I change my EV as a way to comp the exposure. But the best single thing toward capturing images is very fast glass, so you have a plus for sure with that Sigma @ F2.8 in my opinion as well.
Dawn McKee Nolde
New member
I have the D90 and the 50 1.8. What settings do you use?
Changing from a D3000 to a D5200 won't fix your issue, nor any other body or for that matter any other lens.
Its down to the available light and shutter speed. If you use flash the shutter speed issue goes away , if you set the ISO somewhere in the 100 - 400 range( max 800).
You need to get a flash, ideally a Speedlight but not essential. The Speedlights take all the guesswork out of shooting if the are mounted on the camera.
This will fix your blurry shot problem.
Then you need to spend some time and practice in low light situations. There is no quick fix.
You have to set the aperture to as wide as possible given the lens you have, set the camera to aperture priority.
Its down to the available light and shutter speed. If you use flash the shutter speed issue goes away , if you set the ISO somewhere in the 100 - 400 range( max 800).
You need to get a flash, ideally a Speedlight but not essential. The Speedlights take all the guesswork out of shooting if the are mounted on the camera.
This will fix your blurry shot problem.
Then you need to spend some time and practice in low light situations. There is no quick fix.
You have to set the aperture to as wide as possible given the lens you have, set the camera to aperture priority.
Last edited: