The less light available the higher ISO level you'll need to take a better quality photo (that appears the same level of light).

You will need a higher ISO depending upon the ambient light. Darker conditions will require a higher ISO. Unless you are taking a night scene or the moon, when you will probably shoot at 100ISO.

You will need a faster shutter speed to stop action.

In football you need to shoot at 1/500" or faster (day games typically one will shoot at 1/2000") - 1/500" is probably the slowest speed to stop the action.

Now to give you more ambient light you will need to adjust the ISO in dark conditions as already mentioned, but also you need to watch the focal length of the lens. You will need to open the lens as wide as it will go. That is why we have to use large (and expensive!) lenses that will to f2.8. I would like wider than F2.8 (say f2 or f1.4, but these would cost the earth, be massive even if the could made in a longer lens)

Of course with a wide open lens you will reduce the background, which is of course what you want often for football or any sport for that matter - you do not want the background getting in the way of a decent picture

Hope that helps

Yep

I have a crap 'f' numbers lol (f numbers)

Thanks for the How too,

and if you have 3 more seconds of your time "what" is ISO
No more than 150 words lol
Thanks Ian

Kind of curious if you can adjust the focal length on cheaper cameras... lol

ISO is the measurement of how sensitive a digital camera's sensor is to light. The speed or light-sensitivity of a digital camera's sensor is rated in ISO numbers -- the lower the number, the slower the response to light.

Higher ISO numbers indicate a higher sensitivity to light, so less time is needed to expose a picture. Most digital cameras let you control the ISO setting to allow the use of higher shutter speeds and/or smaller apertures, according to circumstances.

I used the 24-70L f2.8 for this shot, great lens but my longer lens is one of the 70-300 f4-5.6 IS - takes a good image in good light but in the low-light of most weddings where they don't let you use flash it's nearly impossible to get a decent image without some blur from subject movement. I've assisted in ~8 weddings this past year, but before I do another I need to upgrade my longer lens. I like the 70-200 f2.8 IS but at $1600 US it's kinda not in my range (btw, canon rebates should start today :yay:) I may go with the 135L f2 or the 100/2.8 macro until I can save my pennies

Thanks Ian Its now Crystal Clear, i thought it was something like that, but you put it nicely and made sense

Me go play with F Numbers

The 24-70L is a nice lens, and is reckoned to be the wedding lens of choice Although I do not have one yet - might pick one up from say beach cameras when I am in the US later this month. They have some good prices, so check them out Mind you I do not think I will be able to claim the cash back (although if I can use your address for it, you can have it )

I have a 70-200L (both f2.8 IS and F4) and they are nice lenses I use a 16-35L f2.8 for wide angle shots.

Always go for the L versions if you can of any lens

You should check out Ritz Cameras as well; they have some great prices

I like b&h and amazon.

Need any help with an address, I'm your man PM if assistance is needed.