Shooting a cheerdance competition with the Nikon D40x, advice?

Question

I'll be getting the Nikon D40x tomorrow, and as a first time DSLR user, I want the cheerdance competition of my sister to be my first "project". As much as possible I want to have good photographs.

I wonder, since cheerdances are mostly girls moving consistently (dancing), will the D40x capture objects/people in motion accurately without problems? Are there any settings I need to adjust in the camera?

Any advice would help!:)

18-50mm lens

Answer 1

In addition to the pointers above, you can consider using the continuous shooting mode, which will give you about 3 frames per second. See page 32 of your user manual (or "Shooting Modes, continuous" in the index, if it's not on page 32) for more information. Don't try to take a frame-by-frame video of the whole event, but use the camera in short bursts when something is happening that you want to capture. This will make it much more likely that you WILL get that peak of the jump or whatever. Shoot of 3-5 frames when you think you want to capture that "moment" in time and you probably will get it.

It's not cheerleaders, but check out http://www.flickr.com/photos/samfeinstein/tags/goose/ The sequence comes up backwards, so "read" from right to left. This goose landing was captured in a burst lasting only one second. Actually, I was using 3 frames per second, so the time from the first image to the last was exactly one second. Things happen quickly! (Zero, 1/3 sec, 2/3 sec, 1 second.)

You will NEED a larger card than the camera comes with and you will need a decent write speed if you are going to use continuous mode. You want at least a 2 GB SD memory card. I recommend a genuine Sandisk Ultra II (60X) or Extreme III (133X). Lexar is another excellent card supplier and they have the "Professional" 133X as well as the Platinum 80X to choose from. Both Lexar and Sandisk come with image recovery software and limited lifetime warranties. Nikon recommends these brands, as well as Toshiba and Panasonic. The manual states, "Operation is not guaranteed with other makes of cards."

Answer 2

As always it isn't the camera but the photographer. But the photographer need able camera. D40x can do that.

I own a D70 and if D40x is anything near like the D70 then you would have no problems. Just learn these things:

ISO setting
Manual exposure
Shutter priority

Unless you can get very close to stage you will have to depend on the stage lighting. In my experience the stage light is very bright and you would not have much problem with light levels.

You will need to use higher ISO setting to be able to stop motion. I believe that ISO 800 is very usable setting. Don't trust the LCD. Everything looks good in that tiny screens.

Learn to use the manual exposure and shutter priority. You will find that if the background color is very dark or light, you will end up with wrong exposure. So then you will have to kick it in manual exposure.

No matter what don't promise any thing for the first time around. Anytime you use new equipment at new setting, use the first time as an experimentation.

Good Luck.

Answer 3

Your question makes me respond with -- it depends.

If you will be shooting indoors, then you will have an available light issue. To shoot things like this you'll need fast glass(f/1.8 or f/2.8) and probably a zoom lens that is fast at that. If it's like any of the cheerleading competitions I've been to, you'll not be able to get as close as you'd like. I'm guessing that the kit lens you're getting with the D40x will not be fast enough. The camera is capable, but here we are talking about the lens not being up to the challenge.

Flash is probably not allowed, or even if it is, you'll not be close enough or it to be of any use.

You'll need a fast shutter speed, probably in the 1/125th to 1/500th of a second range, which means a large aperture and high ISO.

Believe it or not, even though you think that the lights in a gymnasium are "bright"...they are not to a camera lens. Your eyes adjust to the dim light pretty fast and have more range than film or a digtial sensor.

Nopw, if you luck out and this is outside, and you have a nice bright sunny day or even better an overcast day...then you should be good to go. Your only issue then is range. If you fget the 18-55mm kit lens, you might need something longer, as you might still run into the issue of how close you can get to the floor.

Good luck.

Answer 4

You will need to use a high ISO - 800, maybe 1600. If the camera has Noise Reduction use it. If not you'll have to use an after-market program to "clean up" images shot at ISO 1600. (Your images will have a lot of "digital noise" at ISO 1600.)

You'll need that high of an ISO to keep your shutter speed at a minimum of 1/125; 1/250 would be better. This will allow you to capture the continuous movement of the competition.

Try a few with intentional blur with a slower shutter speed. It shows movement and can be especially effective if there are stationary figures in the background.

Watch for "peak" moments - when the cheerleader is at the top of a jump or during a back flip.

You didn't say what lens you'll be using but its likely you'll be at or close to wide open (f2.8? f3.5?) so focus will be critical. Unless you have the Nikon AF-S or AF-I lenses you will have to use manual focus.

Turn your flash off - it will be useless in the gym.

A monopod could be useful.

Answer 5

I just want to chime in and say that the other have done a good job explaining what to do.

Come early to get a good spot

Your flash will be useless depending on the distance between you and the dancing cheerleader

Bring a tripod (or a monopod if there's not much space around you). It won't freeze the cheerleader's action but you still might get a motion blur effect out of them.

Sometimes I would let myself undercompensate my picture for -1/3 to -2/3 EV and let Photoshop brighten the picture afterwards but I only use that as one of the last option. Most of the time the overall color will be really unnatural.

I usually use manual setting or shutter priority but that's just me.

Answer 6

As I see it, you will have no problem with it. Many experts say that it is one of the best of Nikon 's Models. Oh, and also, if it can't capture the picture without bluring, then try reading the manual for the settings you can change. Although sometimes when you do that the quality might not be the best but it will not make a blurry picture.

Answer 7

Just get as close as you can to the front!
and of course practice, and play around with the settings!!
Although for moving subjects - putting the camera in the mode 'Shutter Priority' (S) and finding a speed that suites.