Shooting indoor volleyball HELP!!

[dvddynamix]

I do sports memory videos and use pictures as much as I use video. All the ones I have done have been outdoors. I recently got asked to shoot the varsity volleyball team. I showed up with my fz20 ready for action and all my pictures came out dark. I mean really dark. I was able to enhance them with PSP 9.0 but I lost quite a bit of quality. I still have several games to shoot and need any advice on trying to lighten things up. I just ordered a Sunpak 383 hoping that will help, but I wouldn't want to mess someone up because of it. I've read a lot of threads and taken some notes but thought I would go ahead and ask just in case I haven't come across something. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[eastbluffs]

I don't think they'll want flashes going off, also it wouldn't carry all that far. You need higher ISO ("film" sensitivity to light) an lower "f-stop".

You may have an "action" mode on your camera that will help, but the photos will then come out all grainy. Some of the grainyness can be addressed in software (Noise Ninja or PS 9.0's noise reduction) but its doubtful it will be very acceptable.

So, it really depends upon your budget.

Your real solution, if you're serious about this, may just be a new camera.

This is one area where digital SLRs really separate themselves from digital Point and Shoots. The latest Fuji's have "high ISO performance", but fall behind the DSLR's in several other ways, so you may ultimately decide to go that route.

[dvddynamix]

Thanks for the advice and yes I may need to bump up to a digital slr or just make sure I stick to outdoor sports.

[jcon]

I disagree with what Eastbluff said. I have a Pana FZ20 with a Sunpak 383. I have attended many proffesional(commercial) wrestling(WWE) events and have had wonderful success with this combination. It takes practice and the right settings but its deffinatly possible without spending thousands on higher ISO digital SLRs. Just incase anyone wondered, the lighting isnt all that good at the live events. The flash goes alot further than people would suspect. Here are two examples taken with Z20 and Sunpak...

[jcon]

And the second...

[genece]

You need to look at the exif on your photos and see if you had any room for getting the photos lighter.
Such as what was the ISO....ISO200 is not bad to use at all and even if you use ISO 400 something like Neat Image can remove the noise with good results.

And what was the Fstop ...you want to be sure your using F2.8

Also what was the shutterspeed maybe you can set the shutterspeed to the slowest speed that stops the action enough for you. But using shutter priority is the last step I would try as you can end up trying to force the camera to do something it can not do.

Low light is tough for the FEZ cameras but usually not impossible.

And if you are allowed to use a flash do not be afraid to do so.

[eastbluffs]

I disagree with what Eastbluff said. I have a Pana FZ20 with a Sunpak 383. I have attended many proffesional(commercial) wrestling(WWE) events and have had wonderful success with this combination. It takes practice and the right settings but its deffinatly possible without spending thousands on higher ISO digital SLRs. Just incase anyone wondered, the lighting isnt all that good at the live events. The flash goes alot further than people would suspect. Here are two examples taken with Z20 and Sunpak...

Would a larger post perhaps show these photos lighter and allow better view of the ISO performance. Also; do you have actual action shots to post? And, how close do you sit?

I do not know the flash protocol for indoor volleyball, but I'm not sure a larger flash is the ideal solution. Possibly the protocol would be different from a competition volleyball match vs. for-show wrestling display. Also; a volleyball court is a big area and even the best seating will mean many missed shots on the other side.

An FZ20 solution may indeed be possible, but I can say with certianty that a digital SLR with a good lense for the job will do worlds better, in particular if they plan on printing anything larger than a newspaper clipping.

The FZ20 is a real nice camera but indoor action sports is probably the most demanding of camera environments. I suppose its a question of what caliber of results will be more satisfactory.

BTW: Nice shots. I like the first one the most for its clarity and the pose.

[jcon]

Thank you for the comment of the picture. While I certainly agree that a digital SLR would do much better at these low light settings teh FZ does perform better than its given credit. When I have the cash for the body and extra lenses I will go that route someday, but for now I am happy with my all in one Z20. I would like to point out that the arena where I took these pictures was filled to capacity at about 20 thousand people and I was in the lower level maybe half way up. I couldnt post the full image do to size restrictions. I have printed 8x10s of those 2 pictures and there is no visible noise. Yes I took action shots, I practically had the camera glued to my eye that night,lol. here is an example..

[jcon]

Yes this one is a little blurry but you still get the idea.... Maybe to help you out with my settings, I was forcing the camera with shutter of 1/100. It always chose f/2.8, with the shots I have posted the ISO was surprisingly set to 100. Yes I used the Sunpak, which may not be your option, but if you are allowed to, you will be able to take excellent pictures at the indoor volleyball as I assume you will be much closer than I was, maybe you can even get on the side of the court since you were asked to take the pictures? BTW, on all the pictures ive posted here, NO noise reduction software has been used!

[dvddynamix]

Thanks for all the tips thus far. As for the settings I was using I had iso @ 200, app. F2.8 and played with the shutter speed but I wasn't using any flash at all. Also I was not using a tripod so next time I will have it set up. Something I've been meaning to do is go to one of the practices and pratice myself with the camera. Also find out if I can use my sunpak 383 during one of the games. Will also be looking in noise reduction software. Jcon your pictures came out great for indoor action and yes I am able to get right up next to the court. I will try to post some of the pictures I've enhanced when I get to my home computer. As for the originals they were almost completely black. Thanks again for the tips cause I have a game coming up this weekend.