Need help with night-time lacrosse game settings

[mpm1965]

Hi -

I hope you can help me with some suggestions for manual settings for a nightime lacrosse game under stadium lights, using my Canon 40D and a Sigma lens 50-500 telephoto zoom, and no flash assistance.

I am sorry to say I have absolutely no clue as to what settings to use, relying on point and shoot mode for the day-time games with pretty decent results for an amateur / lacrosse aunt.

I know I should take a class, and wish I had a better understanding of the unused potential I have in my hands with this equipment.

My posting on another forum got a snooty answer that I should read a book to understand what settings are needed, but the game is two days away, and I am hoping someone here will reply with plain english advice for a novice who admittedly doesn't understand the basics, and should not be wasting your time.

The last time it got dark during a game the results were awful, and the whole team is counting on me to capture the playoff memories - thanks in advance for your advice and empathy!

[NicoleScraps]

Well, with sports, you are going to need a pretty fast shutter speed to freeze the action. Rule of thumb is that is should be equal to or faster than your focal length. So if you are using that lens at 50mm, you should be using a shutter speed of at least 1/50, but probably that is not fast enough for a sporting event. Likewise, if you zoom in to 500mm, you should be using a shutter speed of at least 1/500. I have no idea what the largest aperture for that lens is, but your going to want to use it as wide as you can, ie; smallest number, this will assist with getting the proper exposure with those fast shutter speeds. And, since it is at night, your probably going to have to increase your iso to as high as it can go without showing noise. Or take it up as high as the camera will go, and then use noiseware afterwards to reduce the noise.
Maybe start with TV mode, setting your ISO up high, your shutter speed at where you need to be according to your focal length, and go from there.

Edited: That rule of thumb that I mentioned above. I don't think that I was very clear about that. This is the general rule for subjects that are essential sitting still, and it to avoid any blur from hand holding your camera. With your subjects being in motion, you are going to need a fast shutter. Really fast. I'd say at minimum 1/250

[jdepould]

Or shoot it at 1/15s and practice your panning.