Zooming for action sports

[pisapa]

I just bought a Rebel T6s with 18-135 lens and was wondering if I should buy a lens with a better zoom for taking pictures of my boys playing hockey. I am a newbie when it comes to higher end cameras so please excuse my questions.

Thanks in advance

[ScottyP]

I listed primes because while I agree it is a great lens, the Canon 70-200 is a $1,900.00 to $2,200.00 lens.  

The fixed focal lengths are much more affordable, in case the OP is not earmarking that much money for this.  

I know fixed length lenses may not be as flexible as a zoom, but I know the pro photogs use fixed long lenses (500-600mm) at football games and get good results. True they may be using 2 cameras at the same time, and one of them will be shorter than the long lens.  

I would say the Canon 70-200  2.8 IS mk 2 is worth the money, if you are willing to spend that much on your camera gear.  If not, as a budget-friendly alternative that will give sharp images with fast shutter speeds, the fixed length lenses liike the ones listed above will give good service. 

[ebiggs1]

ScottyP,

I can't argue the price difference between the ef 85mm and any of the offerings in the 70-200mil range.  But what is the photo worth to you.  If the OP is in a fixed seat, like most of us would be, a prime of any focal length is going to be a handicap.

A ef 85 f1.8 is around $400, I think, and a Tamron 70-200 f2.8 is around $1500.  Is it worth the extra $1100 bucks?  To me without hesitation, a resounding, yes.  Still too steep, check the used market but the zoom is going to be the choice.

The 'pros' use a 500mm or 600mm prime mainly because there aren't high quality zooms in that focal length.

"True they may be using 2 cameras at the same time..."  More like three or four!

I have come to realize you love primes.  So do I; I have several but I still choose the best lens for the job.   In this case it is a 70-200mil zoom.  When I can control the focal length necessary, I use a prime.

The ef-s zooms are too slow to be a good choice.

[jrhoffman75]

The 70-200 f/2.8 is an outstanding lens. I disagree with the advice that an admitted newbie should be attaching that lens to a Rebel. Hand holding is not easy with that lens and by the time you pick a high enough shutter speed to compensate for that the stop and a half advantage in light gathering disappears.

For someone just learning techniques a little digital noise is the last thing to worry about.

[ebiggs1]

"... an admitted newbie should be attaching that lens to a Rebel"

We were all a 'newbie' at one time or another.  He's no different and has to start somewhere, just like we did.

It is silly to think a 70-200mil on a Rebel is an impossible package to handle. I guarantee people all over the world do it all the time with great success.

[Waddizzle]

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@jrhoffman75 wrote:

You could get a 55-250 zoom, whcih would almost be twice the magnifcation. It would be a good starter lens. You want the STM version of the lens.

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The EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM is a pretty good lens.  It doesn't have a wide aperture [not fast], and it may struggle to focus under low light conditions on subjects that are any significant distance away from you, particularly if you're focusing through the safety glass that surrounds hockey rinks. 

Your T3i is not the best Canon DSLR under low light conditions.  It begins to yield noisy pictures at ISO 800, and higher.  However, if you're shooting distant subjects, then the noise may not be as noticeable.  And, you can always invest in software like Adobe Lightroom 6, which can do a remarkable job of removing noise from images. 

With advanced noise reduction, you can shoot as high as ISO 1600, or even ISO 3200, on subjects that fill less than 50% of the vertical height of the image.  Shooting at a higher ISO speeds will mean that you can use faster shutter speeds, which will help to freeze the subject's motion, reducing motion blur.

If you get the sense that there is a trade-off involved with ISO, Aperture, and Shutter Speed, then you're catching on.

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I would suggest learning how to pre-focus by focusing manually on an area of the rink, and taking advantage of the camera's Depth-of-Field.  Every lens has a range of distances where subjects are in acceptable focus.  This range is called Depth-of-Field, DoF.

I would use the camera's One Shot mode, for example, to focus on one goalkeeper net, and then switch the lens to MF mode.  Every time action is near the net, your camera is in focus and you will not have to wait for the camera to lock focus before it can shoot a picture.  Make to sure periodically check focus accuracy in your focus zone.  Remember, if you change the focal length of the zoom, then you will also lose focus, and will have to recapture it.

Using a tripod, or monopod, support, helps reduce camera shake when you hand hold the camera.