Shooting Hockey

Do you just shoot a pic of the ice to use for custom white balance?

hypertech wrote in post #7311260
Do you just shoot a pic of the ice to use for custom white balance?

Yes you can. Just make sure that it is exposed correctly. I also have a "White Balance Lens Cap" that I use some times.

But honestly, I have had very good luck using Auto White Balance shooting hockey. The only time I have a problem is when I happen to catch the lights cycling. Then everything had a pinkish cast.

TopGear1Ds wrote in post #7310988
A few comments...



the * button is good, but if you've never used it before, don't start at this game. It takes some getting used to for most people, and it'll probably just frustrate you. Shoot with what you're used to for this game.

Getting 1600 would be nice, but don't depend on it. Use 3200 if you need it.


AWB probably wont cut it. Go for a custom white balance.


Yes, definitely shoot M. No, I don't think you should shoot 1/250. Thats not fast enough to freeze motion.

If I had to choose between ISO1600 1/400s or ISO3200 1/800s, I'd go for the 1/800s.

I agree on most points.

You need to practice with the * button. The first time I tried to use it at a hockey game, I thought my camera was busted because EVERYTHING was out of focus.

AWB works fine for me at all of the hockey rinks that I shoot at. Basketball courts are a different thing. There I do set a custom white balance using a cheap Ebay White Balance Lens Cap.

I can get decent shots shooting youth hockey at 1/250. But you are right, faster is better. But some rinks that I shoot at, it isn't possible to get 1/250.

Higher ISOs are definately OK. I was very surprised by the quality at 3200 on my 40D. If you pixel peep, you might not like what you see. But if the moms are happy with a 20 x 30 taken at 3200, I guess I should be too!

The game was last night, overall I think it went well. I was in the box with the team using the 24-105 and my wife was in the stands switching back and forth between the 50 1.4 and the 100 2.8. I was able to shoot f/4 1/500s at ISO 1250. I almost rented a 70-200 2.8 but I think it may have been too long since I was able to sit in the box. Between the two of us, we ended up with 2355 pictures. They sure rack up fast when you have it set to high speed continuous shooting.

Here is one of the images (post noise reduction which I am still learning to fine tune).

Thanks everyone for the help!

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Pix look good...I have been shooting lots of local hockey action, high school so no "pro" lighting. I have tried different things and really settled on most rinks allow me do set on "M" and go to 2.8, 1/400, 1600. I am using the 70-200 2.8IS, although I have IS turned off. I sneak in a few close up personal photos when the action is stopped and I'm able to drop the app and shutter speed to get some nice tight shots. It sounds like your 2000+ photos were just what you needed to work in different lenses and settings!!

Ok..it is Hockey time again....started shooting my grandson last year..by the end of the year..I was getting some pretty decent shots.

On exposure, I agree with the manual, but rather than trial and error, I was thinking of walking around the arena at ice level taking incident light readings and using that to set the manual exposure.

My thinking is that by being at eye level, I might get better facial exposure.