Ice Hockey - Coventry Blaze v Cardiff Devils

[scott wiggins]

Final warm up game before the start of the season this weekend and Blaze won 3-0 icing their back up netminder throughout.

As always C&C welcome.

http://srwiggins.smugmug.com/photos/636922405_JCMEo-L.jpg
Jason Robinson marshalls the defence.

http://srwiggins.smugmug.com/photos/636922462_Sninu-L.jpg
Robinson and Tom Murdy stop Brad Voth from poking the puck home (Check the bottom of the post.)

http://srwiggins.smugmug.com/photos/636922488_uYzub-M.jpg
Tom Murdy, deserved MOM for his shut out.

http://srwiggins.smugmug.com/photos/636922389_mDPzA-M.jpg
Jon Weaver keeps Devil's Max Birbraer at bay.

http://srwiggins.smugmug.com/photos/636922348_pvAB7-L.jpg
Greg Owen

http://srwiggins.smugmug.com/photos/636922312_2eKbs-M.jpg
Weaver one handed.

http://srwiggins.smugmug.com/photos/636922333_dKVPb-L.jpg
Derek Campbell showing he can do a bit more than whack people.

http://srwiggins.smugmug.com/photos/636922290_2uQFb-M.jpg
Luke Fulghum continues his trend of scoring the opening goal of a game. He's been a real pick up.

Well I finally feel that I'm back in the groove as these seem to be the best set of images from the games so far. Roll on Sunday...

[carshop]

excellent shots
i want to shoot better hockey.
your shots are great
whats your technique and lens
do you shoot in raw?

[scott wiggins]

Carshop,

Tell me a bit about the kit you have and what the widest aperture lens is you have a f2.8. A bit of info about the rink in terms of lighting and we might be able to suggest some setups and techniques.

Scott

[carshop]

Hi Scott
I only have whats in my signature.
Been using the 55-250 and sigma 70-210
Hoping to get a 70-200 f2.8.
The rinks my 8 year old son plays in are usually dark.

[scott wiggins]

Can you tell me your normal settings and what is a T1i, I've never heard of it.

[carshop]

Sorry, its also called the Canon EOS Rebel 500D.
Im very new at the hockey pics.
I have tried lots of different settings, AV, TV, M modes, over exposure, higher saturation, custom white balance, higher ISO (its capable to go as high as 12,800).
Just cant seem to get the right combination.
Thanks

[scott wiggins]

Okay, let's have a look at things:

Camera - It will probably go up to 1600 ISO at the top end without too much image degradation, I don't own one so can't really comment. Anything higher than ISO1600 and you might be needing noiseware or neat image in post production to calm the noise down. Play with it though, digital is free.

It has AV, TV and M so you can pretty much take your pick as to what mode you want to shoot in. It will probably do 3 frames per sec and you can set it to AIServo to track focussing.

Read your manual and see if it will let you set the * button on the camera to act as a focussing button. That will let you focus with the back button and use the shutter button to capture images. Set the focus point to be the middle one as this is the most sensitive.

Lens - This is where you are going to struggle, you really need to get something that is f2.8 across the range. Canon 70-200 L f2.8 (IS or Non IS) is the ideal lens, alternatively the Sigma equivalent, maybe the 50-150 sigma version as you're on a crop sensor so will get the length. Don't rule out the old magic drain pipe 80-200 neither. Other options are 85 f1.8 or similar primes if you can get close enough but it must have a USM/HSM motor for focussing speed. Glass is key to shooting indoor sports and if you want to do a lot of it is where I'd initially spend my money.

Setup - Okay, let's assume AWB as the lighting isn't too tungsten, if not sort yourself out a custom one.

We're going to need to compromise a bit because you are going to have to balance the exposure triangle and having f2.8 would give you 2 stops to play with over f5.6.

Let's try: TV, ISO 1600, 1/320th with +2/3rds Exp Comp

My normal setting would be TV, ISO 1250, 1/400th with +2/3rds Exp Comp with my f2.8.

See how your exposures come out, as I'm assuming your son isn't skating too fast then you could try dropping down to 1/250th and see how that comes out. Face offs and just after may be an opportunity as the players will be moving a little bit slower.

Try things out, you can always drop me a note, it would be interesting to see how things go.

[carshop]

Great info.
I have:
0:AF/AE lock
1:AE lock/AF
2:AF/AF lock, no AE lock
3:AE/AF, no AE lock
I will try your recommendations and let you know.
Thanks for your help Scott.

[BobRelyea]

Scott

Pictures are really good. assuming that you are not connected to arena strobes, that is one of the best lit rinks i have ever seen.

Bob

[scott wiggins]

Bob,

Thanks for the kind words. Nope, no strobes. Arena lights are 9 years old. The other bonus is it's toughened glass not plexi so it doesn't scratch; I just go in early and clean both sides of the glass where I shoot so it gets rid of the leisure skaters hand prints off the inside.

Nottingham has even better lighting, really good there. Although the best lighting has to be Munich but they were put in to be TV friendly for the winter olympics; that's really bright.

[Skid]

Scott, nice shots..

Thinking of the 2.8 IS myself... I usualyl shoot down Cardiff's rink, the lighting isn't that great, but it's not too bad either (i.e. seen basingstoke's lighting).

Do you find the IS version helps in rinks? Looking to upgrade my body too, so I'm wondering if I'll *really* need the IS (I know, I know there's millions of threads on this) - I'm a hobbist mostly, but if I save on the non-IS, I can stump up for a better body than what I currently have.

[Alan Dye]

Great Work as Always Scott! 'Specially since these are thru the glass!

[carshop]

Those were shot in September.
Where are you Scott?
Always like looking at your Hockey Shots.
Thanks

[Skid]

sorry to bump this again, forgot I'd posted on it.. from memory (the shots aren't loading up here now) it looks like he shot that @ the Coventry rink (UK) - didn't look like the devils ****e rink here ;)