*Also posted to Canon thread*

I'm new to all this fancy photography and am having trouble getting my setting just right for photographing my son's hockey games.

I'm gettting about 1 out of 8 pictures that come out just ok. I was getting some better shots, but I think I changed some settings.

My question to any expert out there is what are the correct settings on my Canon Rebel XT 350D that would give me the best pictures. I am using a 75-300mm lens as well. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Current Settings:

Tv
Shutter Speed = 250
ISO = 800
AF Mode = AI Servo
White Balance = Flourescent

Pictures are a bit grainy and not very focused.



Thanks for any help!!

cotaker,

we can't really help you unless we see some examples. every venue is different as far as lighting goes, so ISO 800 1/250 may work in some but be way too dark in others. my guess is it they are grainy, they are underexposed. overexpose to shots to prevent noise. also, you didn't mention what aperture you are using. I would never use shutter priority, because it doesn't give you correctly exposed shots. shoot on aperture priority.

A "75-300mm lens" tells me it's most likely a Canon f/4.0-5.6 which is tough for hockey unless you've got a very well lit rink and/or you are using a good flash, and if you're using flash you'll need to be above the glass or in the box to prevent glare. Shooting f/2.8 will definately help to produce more keepers.

Thanks for the response guys. You are both right. The aperture is 4.5 / 5.0. And yes it's a Canon 75-300 4-5.6 lens. But I have gotten some great/clear shots previously with a little help from Adobe Photoshop. I can't seem to repeat this now.

I can't seem to insert any examples here.... can you guys advise on how to do that? I would love to have you take a look.

I use a F4-5.6 at night and I put it on ISO 1600. On sports mode i'll tell me 1/30 at full 300mm, and 1/60 at 70mm. If I put it in manual, I can shoot 1/200 and still have them bright enough to auto level in photoshop, then take noise out with noise ninja. Or I just use a flash, but I've never done hockey.

I would think the white ice would be pretty bright for the camera to get good shutter speeds.

specradio, can you post some examples of your shots you took the noise out with noise ninja? if you shoot that much under the recommended exposure, im interesting to see what your noise ninja profile is.

Hockey is such a fast moving game that in my experiance, I pre-focus on areas that I know are going to have the puck moving into it. An example would be: face off circles, the points at the blue lines, the corners of the goal crease, to try and follow the game through the viewfinder of a camera is a waste as I've never used a camera that allowed me to feel the game, as well as photograph it through the viewfinder. Another suggestion is to get as close to the ice as possible. I love shooting out of the penalty box, and at some arenas, they have camera holes at ice level to facilitate shooting through them. Last arena I shot in was the Ralph in Grand Forks ND, and I was shooting at ISO 400, and my speeds were 1/250th @f 5.6. getting down onto the ice level makes a huge difference. Another thing to take into cosideration is your White Balance, get your camera's off of auto and do a manual balance and you'll be amazed at the improvements.

specradio, can you post some examples of your shots you took the noise out with noise ninja? if you shoot that much under the recommended exposure, im interesting to see what your noise ninja profile is.

http://www.mizsmo.com/soccer.jpg

Bethlehem High School.

cotaker,

Hockey is like shooting in a cave. You need what is known as a "fast lens," which has an aperture of F/2.8. These lenses let in barely enough light to get a decent hockey photograph.

When you shoot your next couple of games, get above the glass and shoot down onto the ice. You should get more light from reflections off the ice.