tarsen Loc: Minneapolis MN

We were in the stands in a concrete arena.

waegwan Loc: Mae Won Li

I agree on the 70-200 without IS, it is a very capable lens but I'm using it on a 6D, I've not tried I on a Rebel. I have a Rebel XS, I should try it. :b

Ltgk20 Loc: Salisbury, NC

There has been some good advice in this thread but I'll recommend working on technique and getting a longer lens. The 1/focal length is a very good rule of thumb, but with good technique it should be possible to go lower. I especially recommend being very careful how you squeeze the shutter button as it's very easy to pull the camera while doing it.

There other thing is 400ft is a long way to be with that lens.

Sinewsworn Loc: Port Orchard, WA

Shutter speed too slow. Use a monopod.

Attached shot taken using a Nikkor 200-500. Used a monopod. From a moving tram. Shutter speed and ISO can be adjusted to reduce camera shake.

(Download)

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

First, your sample image was shot at 1/80... not 1/160.

That's a very slow shutter speed when using a 200mm lens on an APS-C camera. If the lens doesn't have image stabilization, you need to use a minimum of 1/320 shutter speed! Even if the lens has stabilization, you would need to be careful and use good technique - and, yes, a monopod or tripod would have helped - but even so still may have problems with slow shutter speeds because people moving will tend to show subject motion blur.

The best solution... use a higher ISO and/or larger lens apertures (f/2.8 was probably the largest avail. with that lens). Those would allow faster shutter speeds to be used, helping with both camera shake blue and subject movement blur.

I don't use a T6i, but because it's a newer camera I imagine it can do at least as well as my 7D Mark IIs. I regularly use those to ISO 6400 (twice as fast as the 3400 you were using)... and sometimes as high as ISO 12800 or even ISO 16000.

One "trick" when using really high ISO... get as close as possible and "fill your viewfinder" with your subject. You don't want to have to crop really high ISO images, because that will amplify image noise and the higher the ISO the lower the resolution of images. Also, really high ISO images might need extra noise reduction in post-processing, which is better done from a RAW file in 16-bit mode than from a JPEG that's 8-bit. And, be very careful at high ISOs to avoid underexposure. If you have to boost exposure at all in post-processing, that also will greatly amplify any noise in the image. It is usually better to slightly over-expose high ISO images, then "pull back" the exposure in post-processing.

Oh, another thing... I'm not sure what lighting was being used in that venue, but if it's sodium vapor or fluorescent, many recent Canon models have a "Flicker Free" mode that really helps with those types of lighting. Finally, the best solution of all would be to use a flash to add light to the scene... but working from a distance like that you'd need a fairly powerful flash and might even need to use a Flash Extender (the camera's built in flash is way, way too anemic and wimpy to help at all at those distances... it also is more likely to cause redeye issues, is slow to recycle, plus it draws upon the camera's batteries and will rapidly exhaust them).

canon Lee

I wonder if pressing the shutter down hard, thus moving the camera might have added to the shake? Would it be possible to somehow use a cable release, along with a mono pad? Distance is always a problem.
It might help using a rapid drive mode, with the stabilization turned off. Also shoot in JPEG so that the camera can copy faster, something that I do when shooting sports.

Acountry330 Loc: Dothan,Ala USA

As everyone has said not enough shutter speed. Auto ISO works wonders. Happy shooting,

Dun1 Loc: Atlanta, GA

One thing that made the shot difficult was the distance from the stage.
The venue itself may also have made the shots more difficult, the center of the arena the ice is of course brighter given the color temperature of the ice. Most indoor venues contain every type of man made lighting, from incandescent to fluorescent adds to difficulty.
Shooting at 3.2 or 3.5 vs 2.8 might have helped even though the ISO may have had to be increased, getting the shot is essential, removing any noise caused by higher ISO reduced by noise reduction software
Adjusting the ISO until the shots could have been taken at no less than 1/500 would help. At 1/500 camera lens shake would not be that much of a factor.
Most venues may certainly not allow tripods and may the use of monopod. A monopod may not have reduced camera shake or made the shot better, if the area allowed monopods to be used

tarsen Loc: Minneapolis MN

Thanks guys for all the comments and good advise. I am still working on all of it, lately on getting the color right. I was getting a lot of orange color in the faces. At the advise of Nat Cam, I set the picture mode to Faithful (5700 deg.)and then used auto white balance at the last concert. Pictures came out much better. I still have a lot to learn (have been taking pictures since 1963) and even more problems remembering what and how to do it.

Dun1 Loc: Atlanta, GA

Indoor arenas are so difficult to get a good color balance setting, you next indoor shoot you might try using a grey card to set a custom color balance at the start of the shoot.