Camera shake: I attended a college graduation last Friday. This was at the hockey arena at the University of Minnesota and we sat about 1/2 way up in the stands. I would guess about...

tarsen Loc: Minneapolis MN

I attended a college graduation last Friday. This was at the hockey arena at the University of Minnesota and we sat about 1/2 way up in the stands. I would guess about 400 ft. to the stage. I used my new Rebel T6I with my Tamron 70 to 200 lense (set to max = 300 mm for APC). Most of the pictures were taken at 160 sec at 2.8. I see camera shake in everyone.
Is/was there anything I could have done to reduce that? I don't think even a monopod would have helped.

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WayneT Loc: Paris, TN

A mono pod with feet like the Sirui. This one is one of their lighter units.

https://www.amazon.com/Sirui-SUP204SR-Photo-Video-Monopod/dp/B00I5NKCNE/ref=sr_1_1?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1494763756&sr=1-1&keywords=monopod&refinements=p_89%3ASirui

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

tarsen wrote:

I attended a college graduation last Friday. This was at the hockey arena at the University of Minnesota and we sat about 1/2 way up in the stands. I would guess about 400 ft. to the stage. I used my new Rebel T6I with my Tamron 70 to 200 lense (set to max = 300 mm for APC). Most of the pictures were taken at 160 sec at 2.8. I see camera shake in everyone.
Is/was there anything I could have done to reduce that? I don't think even a monopod would have helped.

What ISO did you use? Could you have increased the ISO to allow you to use a faster shutter speed?

moonhawk Loc: Land of Enchantment

Does the lens have any sort of VR?

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

tarsen wrote:

I attended a college graduation last Friday. This was at the hockey arena at the University of Minnesota and we sat about 1/2 way up in the stands. I would guess about 400 ft. to the stage. I used my new Rebel T6I with my Tamron 70 to 200 lense (set to max = 300 mm for APC). Most of the pictures were taken at 160 sec at 2.8. I see camera shake in everyone.
Is/was there anything I could have done to reduce that? I don't think even a monopod would have helped.

As others have said, a higher ISO would have helped. The recommended shutter speed for that focal length would be 1/200. Faster is better.

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

tarsen wrote:

I attended a college graduation last Friday. This was at the hockey arena at the University of Minnesota and we sat about 1/2 way up in the stands. I would guess about 400 ft. to the stage. I used my new Rebel T6I with my Tamron 70 to 200 lense (set to max = 300 mm for APC). Most of the pictures were taken at 160 sec at 2.8. I see camera shake in everyone.
Is/was there anything I could have done to reduce that? I don't think even a monopod would have helped.

I would probably tried to get the shutter speed up to 500, or at least 250, a mono pod might have helped, if you were on solid ground, Bob

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

If that camera allows you to set the ISO to automatic, then use that setting. Then, using Manual mode, set your shutter speed to 1/500, which would be needed with that telephoto, especially if there is no image stabilizer in the lens. If you use a monopod you might be able to go slower. Set your aperture to 2.8, and shoot away. If you do not have enough light for the highest ISO it will signal you. At high ISO's your images may be a little noisy, but they won't be shaky.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

tarsen wrote:

I attended a college graduation last Friday. This was at the hockey arena at the University of Minnesota and we sat about 1/2 way up in the stands. I would guess about 400 ft. to the stage. I used my new Rebel T6I with my Tamron 70 to 200 lense (set to max = 300 mm for APC). Most of the pictures were taken at 160 sec at 2.8. I see camera shake in everyone.
Is/was there anything I could have done to reduce that? I don't think even a monopod would have helped.

Higher ISO for a faster shutter speed - ideally faster than 1/300 because of the crop factor, vibration reduction on the lens, proper breathing (breathe normally and press shutter at the end of an exhale, like snipers are trained to do), careful attention to technique, and a glass of cognac BEFORE the event will all help calm things down. Coffee, energy drinks, matcha, and other caffeinated beverages should be avoided at all costs.

A monopod may help a little, especially if you can brace it against something solid. You may still get some lateral movement. Tripod is better, but not likely permitted for safety reasons.

Don't underestimate the value of stabilization. With good technique you can shoot at very slow shutter speeds. Here is an image taken with a 600mm lens on a full frame camera at 1/25 second.

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detail crop from above
detail crop from above...

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GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

The old 1/focal length suggestion for finding the minimum shutter setting applies 35mm or full-frame cameras. You would need to use the equivalent focal length (x 1.6 rop factor) to find that setting with your camera. As suggested, monopods can be quite handy and are more portable than a tripod.
Too late now, but in Photoshop CC there is a shake removal tool that may improve things a bit.

Winslowe

tarsen wrote:

I attended a college graduation last Friday. This was at the hockey arena at the University of Minnesota and we sat about 1/2 way up in the stands. I would guess about 400 ft. to the stage. I used my new Rebel T6I with my Tamron 70 to 200 lense (set to max = 300 mm for APC). Most of the pictures were taken at 160 sec at 2.8. I see camera shake in everyone.
Is/was there anything I could have done to reduce that? I don't think even a monopod would have helped.

One option not mentioned is to hold the camera steadier.

tarsen Loc: Minneapolis MN

I forgot to include the iso setting. I set it to auto and auto max to 3200. All were taken at 3200. Had I used 6400 it may have solved the problem and been using 1/320 for shutter speed. In this case I would rather have grain than camera shake. Did not buy the image stabilization on the Tamron lense. I might have gone to 12800 ISO also.

BebuLamar

What I did in such a situation I sneak. I know it's not allowed but I use a shorter lens like 50mm and find a place where I could jump in and take a shot before got kicking out.

tracs101 Loc: Huntington NY

Great crop photo of the cat.

TomV Loc: Annapolis, Maryland

A 200mm lens for a 6 ft subject 400 ft away is too small for sharp pictures. A small subject on your frame does not improve its resolution just because you zoom in on your monitor.

I would try this setup on a tripod and determine how sharp you can really get with your rig.

aellman Loc: Boston MA

tarsen wrote:

I attended a college graduation last Friday. This was at the hockey arena at the University of Minnesota and we sat about 1/2 way up in the stands. I would guess about 400 ft. to the stage. I used my new Rebel T6I with my Tamron 70 to 200 lense (set to max = 300 mm for APC). Most of the pictures were taken at 160 sec at 2.8. I see camera shake in everyone.
Is/was there anything I could have done to reduce that? I don't think even a monopod would have helped.

Tripod and faster shutter speed.