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Lens for fast action sports shots
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another suggestion Zorro is an F4 from sigma.. 100-300mm it is priced $1300, I got it in Singapore on my way home from the travels earlier this year for ~800 euro. I was getting it for my Dad, I’ve used it a bit on his camera (Canon Eos 300D), lovely lens to use, but I thinkt he camera body is letting it down badly.
if you take a look at the irish surf association website you’ll see a few pictures using it.I think the 1st and 3rd pic on this page: http://www.isasurf.ie/index.php?page=ireland5thateuropean
and definitely the main picture on this: http://www.isasurf.ie/index.php?page=ferrolbronzethat picture really shows the limits of the camera. I’ve got a Minolta dynax 5D myself using a basic 75- 300mm and the colour quality even in bad light tends to be much better than the Canon.
Basically most of the pictures on the ISA site from the eurojuniors are mine, and most are with the Canon using the F4. There are a couple of group shots using the minolta with a 28-80mm lens.
Thanks Lahinch_lass. $1300 is beyond what I’m willing to pay though at this stage of things.
Interesting point you make about the camera letting down the lens. Am I mad to spend big bucks (the Sigma f2.8 is $800) while using a Nikon 70s?!It also depends on the sport your after. If it’s indoors, like Volleyball, badminton etc, something like a 85/1.8 is perfect, and at way lower cost.
Field sports, you’ll want 300+ for most of it, but if your willing to run around a bit, the 80-200 you mention is fine. Many sports pro’s carry a 300+ on one body, and keep a 70-200 on the second for closer action.
Hiring would be a good idea if you’ve just had one day out. best advise is to just buy once, and be sure of it!
Merv.
Zorro wrote:
Thanks Lahinch_lass. $1300 is beyond what I’m willing to pay though at this stage of things.
Interesting point you make about the camera letting down the lens. Am I mad to spend big bucks (the Sigma f2.8 is $800) while using a Nikon 70s?!I’m not particularly familiar with that camera body Zorro, but I know I’m having serious mental chats with myself everytime I start looking at getting another lens for my own camera. but the upside for you is that investing in a lens for Nikon mount you’re not going to lose the investment, you can always upgrade to a better nikon body at a later stage. In my case I’ve a minolta kit myself and they’ve now exited the camera business. I’m just praying sony decide to develop a really good digital body with the minolta mount, such that any lens investment I make won’t be wasted.
My alternative is to buy more canon mount lenses and continue to borrow my dad’s canon 300d (shudder at the thought – It is a rubbish performer for field sports compared to the minolta). For now I’m limiting the minolta based purchases to the lower end, getting a flash and a wider angle f2.8 lens, so I can use it for the ancillary activity around the matches. If sony announce a higher spec DSLR body I can then feel better about getting the longer zoom f4/f2.8 type lenses.
Returning to this thread again to close the loop.
I went ahead and bought the Sigma APO 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG MACRO HSM in the US. Just couldn’t stretch the budget to go 300mm/2.8.
It got its first day out to a sporting event last weekend. Some shots embedded here.Am very happy with it overall. Obviously 200mm is not enough to capture action from every area of a pitch which is a disadvantage when you don’t have press access to allow you walk the touchline to follow the action. It’s certainly enough though to get shots when play is in your quarter of the pitch.
I’ve also used it at a couple of friend’s weddings and the large aperature makes it ideal for church shots without the need for a flash.
I’m looking forward to more days out with it. If only Offaly hurling would pick up………
Only seen the link now but you should have checked out the for sale section
https://www.photographyireland.net/viewtopic.php?t=6325
Price was neg…..
I have absolutely no knowledge of sports photography, apart from borrowing a 300/2.8L for a day from someone here. Its a brilliant lens, and worth the price tag. 300/4L is also considered as a good value for money lens, mainly because its really sharp and has IS, its around $1400, and I am hoping to get one soon-ish…
Ps: didn’t notice there was a page2 on this thread! Doh! Nice shots, I like the last one the best.
Zorro from what I have seen it looks like you are doing ok with what you have, really like your shots particularly the 2nd of series 2.
SodaTry before you buy is very good advice. a 300mm prime F4 will work verywell for 90% of the time, it’s just the evening gloomy low light matches where it will struggle. I shoot cannon, so cannot comment on the Nikon version but I’m sure it’s fine. Prime lenses work better with TC’s so it’s easy to turn this into a 420mm f5.6, and that that length you get reasonable seperation.
Merv.
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