Hockey pictures - what could I have done?

[SushiWarrior]

I was trying to take some pics at a local game - settings were generally F/4-5.6 (wide open), set to aperture priority (also tried to use shutter priority, didn't work that well) ISO1600 with shutter speeds generally around 1/320 to 1/200. I still didn't get many usable pics at all, mostly due to manual focusing (starting to hate the D40X!!! :er. Lens used is a 70-210 F/4-5.6. Here are a couple of examples... like the title says, what could I have done differently?

 

[TJ K]

A better lens like a 70-200 2.8 would be better for this type of photography. f/4-5.6 just isn't fast enough for indoor photography even hockey with the decent lighting. If you're going to be doing mostly sports photography you might want to look into a better body that is better at higher ISOs like the d90/d300 area. GL
TJ

 

[SushiWarrior]

A better lens like a 70-200 2.8 would be better for this type of photography. f/4-5.6 just isn't fast enough for indoor photography even hockey with the decent lighting. If you're going to be doing mostly sports photography you might want to look into a better body that is better at higher ISOs like the d90/d300 area. GL
TJ

Well, quite simply I don't have the budget for that. What could I have done with what I have? Is there a better focusing technique for manual? Is H1 (ISO3200) worth the extra noise? And I don't shoot sports much but some tips would be nice to have for when I do.

 

[Gaerek]

A better lens like a 70-200 2.8 would be better for this type of photography. f/4-5.6 just isn't fast enough for indoor photography even hockey with the decent lighting. If you're going to be doing mostly sports photography you might want to look into a better body that is better at higher ISOs like the d90/d300 area. GL
TJ

Well, quite simply I don't have the budget for that. What could I have done with what I have? Is there a better focusing technique for manual? Is H1 (ISO3200) worth the extra noise? And I don't shoot sports much but some tips would be nice to have for when I do.

Try experimenting. What TJ K said was right. A faster lens would do wonders. With what you have, it's just going to be difficult to do much better. I would certainly try shooting at ISO 3200. It can't hurt to try. Whether the amount of noise is going to be acceptable or not is up to you. Personally, I will deal with almost any amount of noise, as long as I can get the shot. Speaking of that, if new glass isn't in your budget, then maybe picking up software such as Noise Ninja would be a good idea. It's a lot cheaper and might be able to reduce the affects of the high ISO.

It's unfortunate, but this type of photography is one of the few where gear can make a huge difference. Low light + a lot of action = bad news without a fast lens.

 

[gsgary]

These are good for the lens you were using, and i'm glad you were using aperture priority because most think shutter priority will work better even though i keep telling them it wont
These are better than some i have seen with a D300 and better and n f2.8 lens so when you can afford a better body and lens you should be rocking

 

[gsgary]

Just realised i gave some positive feed back

 

[Gaerek]

Just realised i gave some positive feed back

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::lmao:

 

[SushiWarrior]

Yeah I felt pretty inferior next to the newspaper photographer with a fast prime (Canon grey lens) and a special strobe mounted in the arena. But I am pretty happy with the results, I think I realize how much of a bonus autofocus is now.

 

[gsgary]

Just realised i gave some positive feed back

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::lmao:

Not sure how long it will last

 

[Gaerek]

I realize I replied to your request for help without commenting on the photos. I agree with gsgary here, the photos look great, especially considering the equipment you had to use for it. I really like the first one, and the second one turned out very sharp, all things considered. There's a little blur on the last one, not sure if it's out of focus or motion blur issue, but still a nice shot.

Like I said, if you feel you need some more shutter speed, don't be afraid to try cranking your ISO to max if need be. Noise can be dealt with, but you'll be kicking yourself if you miss a shot, or it's so blurry it's useless because you couldn't get a fast enough shutter.