Blurry Sports pics! HELP

greenspurs

Hi all.

i take pics of sports for a club.

I was given a Panasonic Lumix DC TZ90 to use.it is quite a good camera, but im having trouble getting the correct setting for hi speed/moving pics.

The fastest part of the image is blurry - ie where the hurley strikes the ball/ foot meets the ball.

I have tried using manual settings, - ss @1600 etc but it seems to adjust ...

I have gone through the 'Manual' , but its vague....

(sorry or the lack of info/knowledge)

Can anyone help?

magicbastarder

what actual shutter speed are you getting? and aperture?

you should be able to tell (if you're using windows) by right clicking on the image, going to properties, and then the details tab, and scroll down to the camera section:

Gregor Samsa

If you are shooting at 1/1,600s, it might not be a fast enough shutter speed to stop very quick motion like a hurley in action. I'm not familiar with the camera, but a glance at the spec sheet tells me that the mechanical shutter goes up to 1/2,000s and the electronic shutter to 1/16,000 - so you should have lots of scope to increase it. Problem will of course be that as you increase shutter speed, you decrease the amount of light captured, so you may meet the limits of what wider aperture and higher ISO can do to keep the image bright and clear.

As well as confirming the settings as magicbastarder suggested, maybe post up an example pic if you can?

magicbastarder

also, given that specific number mentioned - are you sure that's shutter speed you are selecting, and not ISO? the ISO is the sensitivity of the sensor.

Beasty

1/1,600s should be fast enough for any sport. I've got helicopter blades to just about freeze at less than that. F1 cars at 1/800s or less

As magicbastarder suggested, you are not getting it mixed up with ISO are you?

greenspurs

Sorry, I wasnt getting any notifications about this thread. 😕

Im a bit out of my depth with Iso /ss/aperture etc, i have a wee idea about it , but not enough ! (obviously!!) 🙄

When i had the camera firstly, i just used the Auto settings, which was ok - took ok pics but just blurred the 'impact' pics

So then , i started messing around and then it took 3 pics with each click - 1 underexposed - 1 ok - 1 overexposed.

I know its very hard to give help over a forum like this

Furze99

You want to look for a setting that sets the exposure for 'Shutter Priority'. In this you select the shutter speed and pick a suitable one, quick enough to catch the action. The camera will then select the best aperture (the size of the hole the light gets through) to suit this shutter speed so as you get a good exposure. Don't use Auto or Manual.

This should work OK in conditions of good light. If it's getting dusk or light is poor, then a problem may arise in that the widest aperture the camera can select is not enough for your chosen shutter speed. So then you need to dial back the shutter speed. Sports photography ideally needs good light, a bright day.

A basic photography night class or online course would be a good help. It's not complicated but there are a few concepts worth acquiring.

greenspurs

The top pic i posted was taken using the SS setting, on a very bright morning, the pic is ok, except for the fastest moving bit - feet and head of the player in red.

So, maybe if i have a faster ss , that would eliminate the blur ?

(thanks to all for the help )

Gregor Samsa

Faster shutter speed will definitely eliminate the blur. There's no EXIF data (the camera setting data) on the pics you've posted here, but they must be at something significantly lower than 1/1,600s.

greenspurs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119611105#Comment_119611105

whilst looking at the screen on the camera , what i thought is the shutter speed was changing while moving the camera?

I had set it at 1600 for the lower pic

Gregor Samsa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119611112#Comment_119611112

As mentioned above, are you sure it wasn't the ISO that was set to 1600? There's significant motion blur. One wouldn't expect a junior camogie player to be able to move a few centimeters in one thousand six hundredth's of a second. To capture 2cm of movement in 1/1600s, the object would have to be traveling at 115.2 km/h

greenspurs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119611168#Comment_119611168

Now, that makes sense....

She is quick, but not THAT quick !!!! 😮 😁

So, i think using the S setting, and try set the ss speed to 1600-2000 is the best way ?

Gregor Samsa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119611187#Comment_119611187

For sure. According to the spec sheet, the mechanical shutter on your camera can do up to 1/2000s. Start at 800 or 1,000 and see what it gives you - that way you're letting in more light, and the speed might be enough for these shots. The electronic shutter can go up to 16,000, but there's no way you'll need (or be able to get a properly exposed photo) with those kinds of speeds.

The effect of shutter speed in freezing the motion depends on how far you are away from the subject, and what focal light ("zoom") you're using. On wide shots, you can get away with slower shutter speeds, as you won't notice any motion blur relative to the wide angle photo. Zoomed right in to the action, you'll need higher speeds to eliminate the motion blur at closer quarters.

Gregor Samsa

Just a quick and dirty example, but here's a long jumper at 1/1,600s, from about 6 feet away. It was a good, sunny day, so no problem with light. Motion is completely frozen.

Camera is completely different to yours, but the principles carry over:

• SS: 1/1,600s
• ISO: 250
• Aperture: f5.6
• Focal Length: 28mm (this is a crop)

greenspurs

lost more pics than i kept at another game last night.

Started off using the S setting... but i couldnt change the speed, so lots of blur... was taking soooo long to focus also.

Speed was set at 500?

Just i just went to Auto and hoped for the best.

dinneenp

Go with manual and figure out what speed, aperture & ISO will get you what you need.

Push ISO up as high as you can without getting noise.

What focus mode are you using?

b318isp

I have the exact camera as a backup. It is very hard to get a good motion shot for a number of reasons.

To help, put it into S mode on the top dial, and select a shutter speed of 1/800 or faster. Set up burst mode (the lower button in the menu quadrant). Use the rear screen to track subjects, as the viewfinder is hopeless. Some of the burst shots should get you a result.

Adjust ISO as necessary, however picture quality degrades rapidly over ISO400. Shoot with sun behind you too, if you can, to get as much light on the subject.

Don't over zoom, you may be better shooting wider, and then crop later.

Make sure you have Macro mode off too.

greenspurs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119675262#Comment_119675262

Ive tried all the modes. Head is wrecked.

i ended up using the IA mode for the last game, and while there was still some blur, at least i got usable pics.

With some of the other settings, it was taking sooo long to focus , the moment was gone, or was blurred.

So, if i use the S mode,

ss - 800.

Exposure comp - 0

iso - auto

Focus single spot - (Centered)AF Single

AF Single - AFS

4:3 LMP4 HD25p

Thats what i have the settings set on S mode at the moment, (will they be saved as that, or will i have to reset? )

If pics are blurred at that setting - What should i change ?

The SS and/or ISO ?

RE - Burst Mode - it was taking 3/4 pics, 1 under exposed , + 1 over exposed-?

Im not even gonna start about shooting under floodlights ! 🙄

Thanks to you all for your patience..... 😣

The camera was not the one i chose, its a 'loan' from another committee member, until they decide to get me a 'proper' one for pics

b318isp

A few clues in there:

"it was taking sooo long to focus , the moment was gone, or was blurred." This is why Burst mode is better. You can pre-focus by half pressing the shutter button.

"4:3 LMP4 HD25p" - sounds like a video mode. Make sure you are in the photo burst mode.

"Focus single spot - (Centered)AF Single" I can't remember the exact setting for this, but use AFF or AFC, and with Tracking or 49 point AF (all under REC in the menu section)

"RE - Burst Mode - it was taking 3/4 pics, 1 under exposed , + 1 over exposed-?" Sounds like you have exposure bracketing turned on (I think this is under the exposure button on the left side of the menu quadrant, but might be in the menu.

Settings are saved.

b318isp

If it is all too much, just try iA in Burst mode.

could be camera shake. Are you holding it out or using it up to your eye?

greenspurs

Hi again. (time for the dreaded question...)

Would anyone recommend a camera that would be good for sports pics?

Lens length etc? Also suitable to take pics of games under lights also..

Thanks in advance.

CabanSail

Can I ask why you want to eliminate all the blur?

Some blur will give the feel of movement and speed. It is not a bad thing.

Fuzzy Logic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119934952#Comment_119934952

It's not so much the camera although a decent sensor does help but it's primarily the glass that you use because if you're shooting under lights and not under any of the new LED floodlight systems installed you're going to need a decent lens. It's actually a joy to work in Thomond Park, Aviva and recently Pairc Ui Chaoimh under the new lights but local clubs will primarily have very poorly lit pitches.

greenspurs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119943558#Comment_119943558

In certain circumstances thats true, but not when its peoples faces, or the ball, or the hurley etc.

Lime Tree Farm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119675369#Comment_119675369

Try changing the AFS from those listed by you to AF-C (auto-focus continuous), if that's possible on your camera.

Kurooi

500 , 800 shutter is a little low for sports isn't it? If you set it at 1600, do you still get blur? Is there a lot of noise?

greenspurs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120220884#Comment_120220884

Hi.

i did increase the ss but, the speed of a sliothar was creating blur.

I have gotten a different camera, a Canon eos2000d , it came with an 18-55mm lens, but i have bought a 55-22mm to get up close ..

Beasty

This was taken from at least 120m away, 95th minute of a Champions League match under lights, F4.0, ISO 1250, 1/320s (and yes it went into the net)

Sony bridge camera.

I've had nearly as good from the same distance with a Canon compact - PowerShot SX730 HS

ISO 1000, 1/160s, F5.6

And this was my Nikon digital SLR (D750) from further away

ISO400, 1/250s, F7.1 in poor light

And this one was taken with my mobile phone

(World Athletics Championships, London - 110m hurdles final) (and I also used the phone for taking pictures at a Cycling World Cup indoor track event again using the blur of the cyclists/bikes to create that impression of speed))

The point is you can actually get good pictures whatever your camera is. Yes the fancy/pricey ones can give absolutely brilliant results, but you can sometimes be more creative with much more basic equipment

greenspurs

@Beasty Nice ! You know your craft well !