New member - please help

Hi, I have a digital Rebel XT. Last weekend I took photos of my
daughters cheer team at a competition. I used the original lens most
of the time (35-70mm) with the external flash on slave mode. I had the
camera set on auto, however, most of the photos were still dark and /
or grainy. How do I get the crystal clear phtos? do I need to change
the settings to something else? The only thing I am planning to change
is to possibly switch to the sport mode. I would like to stop the high
flying action when the girls are in the air, but I am not sure how to
get the quality. Please help!!!!! what settings should I use? Do I
need to change settings when I change lenses? I also want to use the
70-300mm lens to get close ups when they are on the floor and I am in
the stands.

Marie

"Marie" writes:

SNIP
I had the
camera set on auto, however, most of the photos were still dark and /
or grainy.

You're in the stands and they're way off, right? It's too far for your
flash. There is little you can do; I don't think there are flashes powerful
enough, but I don't know the distance involved.

SNIP
I would like to stop the high
flying action when the girls are in the air, but I am not sure how to
get the quality.

Not gonna happen if you're too far away.

--
Phil Stripling | email to the replyto address is presumed
The Civilized Explorer | spam and read later. email from this URL
http://www.cieux.com/ | http://www.civex.com/ is read daily.

In article .com,
"Marie" wrote:

Hi, I have a digital Rebel XT. Last weekend I took photos of my
daughters cheer team at a competition. I used the original lens most
of the time (35-70mm) with the external flash on slave mode. I had the
camera set on auto, however, most of the photos were still dark and /
or grainy. How do I get the crystal clear phtos? do I need to change
the settings to something else? The only thing I am planning to change
is to possibly switch to the sport mode. I would like to stop the high
flying action when the girls are in the air, but I am not sure how to
get the quality. Please help!!!!! what settings should I use? Do I
need to change settings when I change lenses? I also want to use the
70-300mm lens to get close ups when they are on the floor and I am in
the stands.

Marie

Firstly, your flash is ineffective at distance (all those flashes you
see at night sports events are wasted)
Your Rebel XT allows you to shoot RAW and change your ISO to 1600 if
necessary and you can forget your flash using the available light in the
auditorium. Hopefully your 70-300m is image stabilized. If not, use a
tripod and remote switch.
If you are in doubt about Aperture, F stops etc, then use P.
Simple enough to test before them selected event, as you can see the
result on your LCD screen, then Delete your test image.
Good luck and by the way you should fudge your email address in groups
to save yourself from the spammers.

On 19 Jan 2006 14:45:39 -0800, "Marie"
wrote:

Hi, I have a digital Rebel XT. Last weekend I took photos of my
daughters cheer team at a competition. I used the original lens most
of the time (35-70mm) with the external flash on slave mode. I had the
camera set on auto, however, most of the photos were still dark and /
or grainy. How do I get the crystal clear phtos? do I need to change
the settings to something else? The only thing I am planning to change
is to possibly switch to the sport mode. I would like to stop the high
flying action when the girls are in the air, but I am not sure how to
get the quality. Please help!!!!! what settings should I use? Do I
need to change settings when I change lenses? I also want to use the
70-300mm lens to get close ups when they are on the floor and I am in
the stands.

Marie

What 35-70mm lens? The kit lens with an XT is 18-55mm,and there's no
EF 35-70mm, but there is an older FD 35-70mm lens. Is that what you're
using?
What external flash?
It sounds like you bought an ensemble from somewhere. Anyway, if
you're consistantly getting underexposure, read the manual to see how
to adjust the exposure.
If you're trying to get these shots from in the bleachers, it's not
going to work; read up on guide numbers, and see what they will do for
you in terms of distance you can light up.
It really sounds like you're just not quite understanding what it
takes to get good exposures in other than bright sunlight. A good book
on basic photography, and experience, will help a lot here.

--
Bill Funk
Replace "g" with "a"
funktionality.blogspot.com

Thank you so much!!!

Jim Townsend writes:
An external flash is *always* better than the one on the camera, but
from your description of what's happening, it appears it isn't bright
enough.

Using a powerful flash in a gymnastics event doesn't sound nice at
all! Better use a large-aperture lens, a fast shutter speed, high
ISO, and be willing to put up with some image noise.

Other possibility: shoot video. Blur from one frame to the next won't
be noticed.

Right now I have my camera set to Auto. I have the canon external
flash set on Slave mode. I am about 20-30 ft away from the actual
competitors. I interchange between my 2 leses. Sounds like I iwll
have to learn how to use this thing manually if I want better photos,
or at least get a flash with a wider aperature, I will have to check
what is the one I am using.

I don't know how every combination of camera and flash work, but with
my Rebel XT and 550EX, the flash doesn't fire if it's on the camera and
in slave mode. Check and see if it's firing. If not, throw the switch
to "off".

In article ,
Jim Townsend wrote:

Marie wrote:

Hi, I have a digital Rebel XT. Last weekend I took photos of my
daughters cheer team at a competition. I used the original lens most
of the time (35-70mm) with the external flash on slave mode.
I had the
camera set on auto, however, most of the photos were still dark and /
or grainy. How do I get the crystal clear phtos? do I need to change
the settings to something else? The only thing I am planning to change
is to possibly switch to the sport mode.

Hi Marie..

First off.. The 35-70mm lens isn't going to do it for indoor low light
situations..

It's only f/3.4 - 4.5 If you used it zoomed to 70mm you were using
f/4.5 You'll need a faster lens. One good low priced performer
is the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8

An external flash is *always* better than the one on the camera, but
from your description of what's happening, it appears it isn't bright
enough.

Changing from f/4.5 to f/1.8 or f/1.4 WILL make a big difference.
(I really mean big

FWIW, I shoot gymnastics indoors under some pretty dim conditions
and I'm not allowed to use a flash.. I use the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4
and it works *great*. (I can get near the sidelines so I don't need
longer focal lengths).

I've still got my 10D and at ISO 800 I can freeze action and not have
to put up with the grain that really begins to show at ISO 1600. Not
only that, but with an f/1.8 or f/1.4 lens, your flash will have much
more 'reach'...

I shoot in Tv mode and set my ISO to 800. I adjust the shutter speed
to the fastest it will go without seeing the display blink a warning
that the image will be underexposed.. This forces the lens wide open
so I can take advantage of the wide f/1.4 aperture. Even in dim gym
lighting I can usually get between 1/125 second and 1/250 second which
is adequate to give me unblurred action shots without using a flash.

Use what you have and ignore the tech heads.
35-70mm is a conventional lens and when fitted to the 300D is 48-112mm.
Marie's 70-300mm will be 112-480mm
(OT: File info only displays it as nomenclature, not reality.)
All good for her purpose.
I agree 1600 may be grainy and 800 ISO might be good.Of course, you will
have to be shooting as fast as possible. The beauty of DSLR (your Rebel)
allows ISO changes from shot to shot. Your flash was limiting your shots
to 1/60th of a second.... no good at all for action of any kind.
If you have Photoshop at home you can help your images along, also.

"Marie" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi, I have a digital Rebel XT. Last weekend I took photos of my
daughters cheer team at a competition. I used the original lens most
of the time (35-70mm) with the external flash on slave mode. I had the
camera set on auto, however, most of the photos were still dark and /
or grainy. How do I get the crystal clear phtos? do I need to change
the settings to something else? The only thing I am planning to change
is to possibly switch to the sport mode. I would like to stop the high
flying action when the girls are in the air, but I am not sure how to
get the quality. Please help!!!!! what settings should I use? Do I
need to change settings when I change lenses? I also want to use the
70-300mm lens to get close ups when they are on the floor and I am in
the stands.

Marie


Was the external flash camera-mounted? If so, don't use slave mode; it
probably didn't fire. Second, crank the ISO up to 1600, and use manual
exposure. Expirement, and try 1/125 at f5.6 for starters. Fire a few test
shots before the action, and adjust as necessary.

When a flash is in slave mode, it won't fire until it detects a signal from
another flash, and is usually set off when some other flash fires. Don't use
any special modes on a camera mounted flash.

Canons, when using flash, are always trying to use "fill flash." As a
result, the camera will try to balance ambient light with flash, and that's
not always the best thing, since it results in slower shutter speeds that
can cause a bizzare combination of blue and flash. Using manual forces the
camera to expose using only the flash.