need tips! desparate! indoor ice hockey photos

[jason_bobich]

I've recently started shooting indoor ice hockey, but the rinks are so damn dark usually. I am poor and I'm wondering if someone can tell me how to improve my photos with equipment I already have.

 

The problem is my pictures are coming out too dark. They aren't terrible, they just look pseudo amateur because they are grainy.

 

I'm using a nikon D50 with a 70-300 mm zoom lens. The lowest setting I can get my appature to is 4 when the lens is zoomed all the way out and 5.6 when it is zoomed all the way in. So naturally, my farther shots are more grainy.

 

I have been shooting with the apature as low as I can get it (between about 4-5.6) and the Asa/iso at 1600. And I am able to get the shutter speed to 1/180 sec and stop the the motion just fine. I obviously can't afford to buy a new lens with a better apature. Is there something I'm overlooking with the equipment I have. Is there anyway to make my shots come out less grainy and dark?

[frank_skomial]

Since getting faster lens is out of question, you say, you overlooked a tripod, or at least monopod. Possibly you may need a noise removal software ?

[ratface1]

Set the proper white balance for the situation will imrpove the colour.

Monopod.

Use a flash when the action gets close (unless you're shooting through the glass, in which case, find your way to the players box and shoot from there instead.)

Under expose slightly and bump it in photoshop. Digital photo's can be usually be pushed a stop or 2 without any major quality loss.

[dtmchan]

Try auto ISO if your D50 has this feature. Also adjust the white balance and +2 or 3EV. Take some pictures and adjust the setting if needed. Also search this site about shooting ice hockey, they really help...

 

Have fun....

[mark u]

I think you are probably mostly equipment limited. The D50 isn't renowned for having the best performance at 1600 ISO (but at least you are using it), and otherwise you are limited by the aperture of your lens if you can't factor in a faster one.

 

It sounds as though you are underexposing your shots though it's not clear whether that is because of your intentional choice in manual mode, or because you are using aperture priority mode which may well tend to underexpose the white ice unless you apply exposure compensation, and that is leaving too much work for software to recover the best out your captures. The problem with underexposing is that noise will be more prominent when you correct the exposure in your software, and noise reduction software will have to work harder, probably leading to an awkward compromise between noise and soft images due to heavy noise reduction. You will give yourself the best chance if you shoot raw NEFs rather than jpegs because they give your software more data to work with, but that will limit your continuous shooting capabilities.

 

Of course, the only other cures are using long shutter speeds to avoid so much underexposure, which will rather limit your ability to capture action, or persuading the rink owners to install better lighting.

 

If you aren't already using noise reduction software, then get some - Noise Ninja, Neat Image and Noiseware are the best known. Meantime, you better start saving for that fast lens, putting it at the top of your list for gifts...

[j.kivekas]

A couple of threads downbound you'll find "indoor sports" posted by Laura M. Similar problem there.