Football game at night?

[1tkman]

Can anyone advise me on the best camera/lens setup for shooting a football game at night (I am assuming low light would be an issue?)... shooting from the press box (think high and center). 

 

During post, I would like to be able to zoom in with an acceptable quality... it would be a highlight film for specific players.

 

It makes more sense to me to not shoot in 4k due to time limitations during recording and having to stop-and-start recording. 

 

Any input would be appreciated.

 

 

[fuzzynormal]

For what you're trying to accomplish, my guess would have me starting with a GH4 with a longer prime lens (85mm)?  Not sure how wide of a field of view you'd want.  Not too close, not too wide; covering about 1/4th the field all the time?

 

I'd also suggest you study up on the concept of resolution.  Unlike what a make believe Hollywood narrative suggests, you can't zoom in during post, hit a button that goes "bloop, bloop, bzzzzz" and "enhance that there!"  "Yeah!  We can read the label on his pocket!  We solved the crime!"

 

You CAN post-zoom in on a 1080 image, but it might be too blurry for your uses.

 

If you want impressive close ups you have to use optics or move your feet and get closer to the action.

 

Now, since you can't move, you better shoot the highest resolution you can with an appropriate lens.  4K for sure.

 

I've found that many stadium lights will give you a decent exposure around f5.6 and 800iso.  Of course, that depends on the stadium.  Smaller organizations' fields tend to be not as bright.  Modern cameras like the GH4 tend to deliver a good picture at 800iso.  Most slower zoom lenses are still in the 5.6 f-stop range.  You'd want to stop down for better sharpness anyway.  And old prime lenses are cheap.

 

Whatever you do, try to test out your gear beforehand.  If you're setting yourself for a long run at all this and plan on using the gear for awhile, maybe rent and test for a few days to find the right solution.

[Guest Ebrahim Saadawi]

If it were me, I would find a 4K 60p camcorder, fow slownotion (the players will love it!) and 4K for post zooming and flexibility in editing, and has infinite recording times with an effecient codec and dual slots. Get one with a small-ish sensor and massive zoom range. I think this type of camera is much more suited for this work rather than a large sensor DSLR and a prime lens.

Look at the Sony PXW-Z100 or Panasonic HC-X1000

[leeys]

AF on most of these HDSLR-types won't cut it if you're going to be zooming in up close. A small sensor camera with its large DoF and faster readout for AF would be much better. Of course there'll be issues with noise at night but it's better to have a noisy image than an out of focus one.

[animan]

At that distance your tripod needs to be top class.. 

 

From my (little) experience zooming / cropping 4k material at anything over the lowest ISOs doesnt work well at all, you can instantly see its a digital zoom as the size of the noise changes