What sort of lens should I buy to help me better shoot Cheerleading indoor action

  • Thread starter Thread starter WcWorldwide
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WcWorldwide

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photography? my girlfriend is a coach and wanted me to take good shots during the performance. I'm currently working with a Nikon D40.
I have the kit lens on currently, whats the best setting to ensure the quickest shot and no blur.
what do I have to set to get the 1/500?
 
You have two choices:

1) Invest in a fast lens like the Nikkor AF-S 50mm f1.4 or the Nikkor AF-S 24-70mm f2.8 or the Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 Di LD IF-AF

2) Invest in the Nikon SB-600 flash unit and the Nikon SK-6 Power Bracket.

Of course the 50mm f1.4 will require you to zoom the old-fashioned way - back up or walk closer.

The Nikkor AF-S 50mm f1.4 is $479.95 at B&H.

The Nikkor 24-70mm f2.8 is $1,684.95 at B&H.

The Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 is $679.00 at B&H.

The Nikon SB-600 flash is $224.95 and the SK-6 Power Bracket is $269.95, both at B&H.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com

If you simply cannot afford any of the above options and have no choice but to use what you have then all you can do is use ISO 3200 and shoot in Shutter Priority. I seriously doubt that you'll get a shutter speed much above 1/100 sec. using the 18mm f3.5 end of your lens or thereabouts unless the gym is lit for broadcast TV. When you zoom to 55mm at f5.6 your shutter speed will drop to something like 1/35 sec. if it was 1/100 sec. at f3.5.

You'll have to do some post-processing noise reduction with a program like Noise Ninja. Don't expect to make prints bigger than 4x6.
 
You're talking about the 18-55mm lens right? that lens isn't goo enough for you? Then i'd try a longer one. I'd probably go (since you seem like a beginner) for the 18-200mm lens. Although it might be a bit expensive (nikon stuff is almost always more expensive than canon) (around 700USD). It also has VR (vibration reduction) which helps with the blurry photo problems.
For the shutter speed setting... i think you really should just look through the manual. It'll teach you how to use the manual settings and stuff. And if you still don't get it, you could get one of those books "photography for dummies" or something like that, that will teach you all the basic auto or manual controls.
When i first started using a SLR camera, i just looked through the manual.
 
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