Looking for a new camera for indoor ice hockey pictures

Hello. I am new to this forum and need a little help. I would like to

buy my wife a good camera for xmas. She as I, are beginners but have

owned a Sony DSC V3 for about a year now. I would like to buy a camera

that is good for taking indoor youth ice hockey pictures. I am looking

at the following cameras. Sony DSC-H1, Canon Powershot S2IS, Panasonic

Lumix DMC-FZ20K, FinePix S5200 Digital. Can anyone help me out or

suggest a diiferent camera?? Thanks Rob

You need and SLR so you can use a fast lens. The happy snap cameras you mention will not cut it if the light at your rinks is anything like mine.

 

I suggest looking at a DSLR and the simple rule is the more you spend the better the camera. If budget is a concern look at film as you could get a used f90x for next to nothing, couple it with a 80-200 2.8 ed and your in business for less than $1k, problably less. For a lens you will get good coverage with a 70,80-200 2.8, my lens of choice for hockey.

 

regards

Mark<div></div>

I was going through the same exercise 4 months ago - except my sport is soccer. Came very close to going with a FZ20 but in the end hooked up with some other local sports photogs that talked me out of it and into a DSLR. The issue that they educated me on is that sports = action = high shutter speed. Especially with indoor sports (incl hockey - or soccer at daybreak) you have little light to work with, so even at largest aperture you will have to bump up the ISO to be able to maintain a decent shutter speed. Higher ISO = more noise = poorer result. Unfortunately, the prosumer digicams (and you've already narrowed it down to the best of that lot) have small sensors that are inherently noisier than DSLRs. not having tried shooting any of those camereas in an ice rink I cannot say its im[possible, but I knowo you'll be pushing the limits and suspect you'll be disapointed with the results. Hate to tell you, but what you really want/need is a DSLR and a 2.8 lens. I went with a 20D, but she'll get just as good results as me with a Rebel XT (I'm big so the 20D felt much more comforotable in my hands). Can even get great results with a Rebel (fewer megapixels but still a much less noisy sensor). For a lens consider a Sigma 70-200 f/2.8. I started with a Canon 75-300 f/4-5.6 iS USM and it was just too slow (and IS is of no help for shooting action with high shutter speeds). might be able to save $$$ with an f/4 lens, but for hockey I would not.

<B>Play some adult hockey and you will learn the game alot better. This allows one to "feel" where game action is going to go. </B><BR><BR>1/112 second @F2.8 5.5mm lens; olympus 1.3 Megapixel digital camera that cost 80 bucks used on Ebay.<BR><BR><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/ektar/hockey/Oct20ArkansasDezainde.jpg"><BR><BR><BR>Audiovox 8900 cell phone<BR><BR><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/ektar/hockey/tripods-547.jpg"><BR><BR><BR>Kyocera 1/4 VGA cell phone<BR><BR><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/ektar/hockey/tripods-361.jpg"><BR><BR>Rollie E3 F2.8 Royal-X pan asa 1250; 1/250 second at F2.8<BR><BR><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/ektar/hockey/tripods-452.jpg"><BR><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/ektar/hockey/tripods-453.jpg"><BR><BR>Leica M3 asa 800 fuji superia from walmart; processed at Walgreens 10.5cm F2.5 Nikkor 1/250 second @F2.5<BR><BR><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/ektar/hockey/tripods-406.jpg"><BR><BR><BR>Leica M3 13.5cm F3.5 Nikkor; tri-x; d-76 1/250 @F3.5<BR><BR><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/ektar/hockey/tripods-456.jpg"><BR><BR><BR>Zorki 3c; 15mm VC lens 800 press Fuji<BR><BR><img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/ektar/15mm%20VC%20lens/tripods-412.jpg">

Today a dslr,auto focus and zooms are great tools to shoot hockey. Some of us still use older tools and have alot of fun shooting hockey; a game we have followed and played for many decades. Here I have found a zoom, monopod the be annoyances with shooting hockey. I like to use 800 4 layer Fuji films; of some digitals for hockey.

I found my Canon G6 stayed in sharp focus in T mode. Shutter speed was about 1/250. Unfortunately, the images were a bit yellow even with my Canon 580EX flash attached. I should have used my 10D instead I guess. I'm leaning toward purchasing a 70-200 f.28L series lens but the price is a bit high.

Colin Stark<div></div>

While it really isn't necessary to play hockey to shoot it well, I will agree with a couple of posters here in encouraging you to look at either film or digital SLRs. The cameras you list won't have the lens speed, shutter speed (lack of significant shutter lag), AF tracking ability or performance in low lighting conditions to give you the results I'm sure you're looking for.

 

Along with a film or digital SLR, you'll really need a fast, constant aperture lens. A 70- or 80-200 f2.8 is the ideal lens for shooting hockey. I'd also encourage you to pick up a monopod. They're inexpensive and help you more comfortably and solidly support that big, heavy lens.

 

Finally, try to avoid shooting through the glass if at all possible. Either shoot over it or get into a position like a penalty box or timekeeper's area. I've shot hundreds of hockey games and haven't been plunked by a puck yet, and it will greatly improve the quality of your shots.<div></div>

Film...I find my F100 just about perfect for all sports, but there are times I miss the 8fps Nikon F5. The F5 is just a sick camera. It would flat out outperform anything on a cost/quality basis in filmland. Downside... film, even cheaply developed, printed to a CD at Sam's/Walmart ($5 per roll) and using expired Fuji 800 located on Ebay (.65cents a roll) it still adds up in a hurry. Time traveling to and from Walmart is a headache...

 

Digital... For the same cost of the Porsche performance of the F5 (GREAT VIEWFINDER), a D70 and its dinky viewfinder and a slow autofocus. Cost going forward...$0

 

Personally, I'm patiently waiting for the D200.

 

Good luck!

One question you might consider before you make the camera/lens decision: How serious is your interest in photographing youth hockey and how long do you expect it to last? If your 'youth' is playing casually and hockey is one of many activities, then you may be happy with the kind of camera you mentioned. If it's more serious, then my experience coincides with that of most of the other posters -- you won't consistently get what you want, and what you will want more and more as the years go by, with anything but an SLR (digital or film) with good autofocus and an 80-200 f2.8 lens. Rinks are notoriously ill-lighted (nothing like NHL). More and more have so much side netting above the glass, as well as glass around penalty and scorers' boxes, that I often shoot through the glass near the goals. That's a preference, and comes at a price in image quality. But wherever you stand, game in and game out, the equipment matters.

Thanks for all the input. I have decided to purchase the canon rebel xt. Now for the big question... What lens would you recommend in the 300 - 500 $$$ range that would work good in ice rinks as well as all around??? the 70-200 f/2.8 is just too expensive....for now.

I'm thinking of going with a CANON EF 85MM F/1.8 USM. Anyone have a better recommendation?