How can I get sharper photos at an indoor pool with a Nikon D40x?
Asked 4/21/2015
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2 answers
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I’m photographing my daughter’s swim class in an indoor pool with a Nikon D40x and a Tamron 18-200mm lens. The main problems are low light, fast movement, and the fact that the best moments often happen across the pool. A tripod isn’t very practical because she moves around a lot, and without flash my shots are blurry. One example image was shot at ISO 1600, 200mm, f/6.3, 1/60 sec. I’m still learning photography—what settings or techniques would help me get better indoor pool photos?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
11y ago
2 Answers
2
How far away is it? It looks like the flash is working OK for you.
Fundamentally, you've only got 3 things to work with, Aperture, Shutter time, and ISO setting.
One thing you might try though is shooting in raw, so you've got a little more dynamic range to play with for lightening dark images.
For example, you might try pushing the ISO to 3200 or even 6400 (try it and see how noisy it is), then setting your Exposure compensation down a stop. Of course, a faster lens would help as well, but I don't know if that's an option.
Also, remember there are times when a motion blur is a nice effect. If you can get a shot with her arms moving but her face relatively still that could be a good shot. Easier said than done though, :-).
Originally by user39138. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user39138
11y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Indoor pool photography is tough because you need more light than your current settings provide. At 200mm, f/6.3, and 1/60 sec, blur is very likely from both subject movement and camera shake.
What helps most:
- Use the widest aperture available. Your 18-200mm is relatively slow at the long end, so a faster lens would help a lot.
- Raise ISO as far as your camera can tolerate. Try ISO 1600 and higher if available, then judge the noise.
- Aim for a faster shutter speed for action. Around 1/100 sec or faster is a better starting point for swim shots.
- Consider manual mode so the camera doesn’t choose shutter speeds that are too slow in dim light.
- Shoot RAW if possible, so you have more flexibility to brighten and adjust the image later.
Flash may work for nearby shots, but across the pool it’s usually less effective. If you can’t get enough shutter speed, try embracing motion creatively: use 1/30–1/40 sec and pan with the swimmer for a dynamic effect.
In short: more ISO, widest aperture, faster shutter, and ideally a faster lens are the biggest improvements.
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