I'm going for WWE Smackdown! Need photography tips.

[KSeet]

I have a Olympus C730, sitting at least 20-30 metres away from the stage at middle of T15 (see pic).

I can set my cam to ISO 400 and my best shutter stable time is about 1/30 or so to have sharp pictures. Is it advisable to use external flash? Or will my flash be good enough? Or no flash but just let it be grainy?

Any suggestions for me to be able to get good shots of those wrestlers in action? The previous time I went, I used a film consumer cam, which resulted in a total waste of film and money becoz two rolls of dark shots were all I had. I don't want to waste the opportunity again.

Thanks!

 

[mpenza]

your built-in flash is not enough. you need to use a powerful external flash (get one with a max GN of 50m or more).... btw, if you are using an external flash as the main light source, you could set a fast shutter speed, e.g. 1/300s.

 

[Falcon]

Wow... SO lucky!!! Use a powerful external flash if possible. Looking forward to seeing your smackdown shots.

 

[KSeet]

Hmm okie! I will try to get a cable for my external flash (an old Crown 246 model), then I'll try my best to take the best shots! Then I'll definitely post it up for everyone! hee..hope my 10x can get close enough for action!

 

[Prismatic]

Hmm.... honestly, I think you are still quite far from the ring. But if it's like what they have on TV, with all the spot lights and all, I dun think you will need the flash.

 

[TME]

I have a Olympus C730, sitting at least 20-30 metres away from the stage at middle of T15 (see pic).

I can set my cam to ISO 400 and my best shutter stable time is about 1/30 or so to have sharp pictures. Is it advisable to use external flash? Or will my flash be good enough? Or no flash but just let it be grainy?

Any suggestions for me to be able to get good shots of those wrestlers in action? The previous time I went, I used a film consumer cam, which resulted in a total waste of film and money becoz two rolls of dark shots were all I had. I don't want to waste the opportunity again.

Thanks!

U're quite far away.... u will be needing at least focal lengths of 200mm or more to get really good shots of the wrestling action! And u will need a tripod..... and if u are ok with blurred motion, then shutter speeds of 1/30 or 1/60 will be ok...... but if u want to freeze frame all those slam-bang action, I think u need at least 1/125 or higher... in which case u need a very powerful flash..... best is to use TTL mode for the flash... also need to look out for the powerful spotlights in the background...... can screw your shots up easily........

 

[sehsuan]

just remember dont inch your way too close to the ringside and find yourself AND your camera being squashed to a pulp by the heavy beefcakes... :bsmilie:

wonder if you can smuggle in your camera for the event in the first place...

 

[West_ray]

wonder if you can smuggle in your camera for the event in the first place...

can ~~ no prob one ... last time i went ... saw many ppl actually brought tripods inside ...

 

[sehsuan]

later you'll see gitzos being the weapon of choice for the wrestlers to beat the living dayilghts out of their opponents should they choose to cheat...

 

[TME]

later you'll see gitzos being the weapon of choice for the wrestlers to beat the living dayilghts out of their opponents should they choose to cheat...

haha..... depends on what kind of Gitzos..... those little ones cannot lah...... those beefcakes like mountains of lard like that... the little Gitzo no power......

 

[KSeet]

hee hee...

wah if can bring tripod in then I will! hope the lights are bright enough! spot metering is a no-no or a yes-yes?

what is focal length and how to judge or calculate it? thanks!

 

[darrelchia]

Never been to a WWE event before, but i doubt the lights would be bright enough, so you have to be prepared for low lighting conditions ...

i went to a NBA match about half a year ago. Sure it looks bright on TV, but most of my shots came out underexposed AND (action) blurred. And you would need a pretty good zoom and a fast lens to get good shots (unless you can get really really close), so be prepared .....

 

[KSeet]

Never been to a WWE event before, but i doubt the lights would be bright enough, so you have to be prepared for low lighting conditions ...

i went to a NBA match about half a year ago. Sure it looks bright on TV, but most of my shots came out underexposed AND (action) blurred. And you would need a pretty good zoom and a fast lens to get good shots (unless you can get really really close), so be prepared .....

hmm ok. Guess I'll have to go there and see what I have to do. Just hope that I can at least get 1/100 of shutter time and a proper sharp picture, w/wo grain.

 

[TME]

Sorry KSeet just to borrow your thread...

Do sports events like basketball, badminton, squash, tennis, etc allow flash? I thought it was not allowed cos can blind or distract the athlete right? I remember that in one tennis match some world class player wanted to stop playing cos of the distracting flash bulbs and shutters clicking.......