canon 6d for sports: Good morning all I'm considering buying a 6d to use mainly for sports. I'm I wrong for thinking that i can overcome the autofocus deficiency course by use of...

juanderfulpics Loc: central jersey

Good morning all
I'm considering buying a 6d to use mainly for sports. I'm I wrong for
thinking that i can overcome the autofocus deficiency course by use of proper technique. I also use a 1d mkiii and 7d which are are both great, just limited iso for poorly lighted gyms and stadiums. I started with a 350 xt and was able to function well for the most part for many years course 5d mkiii would make my life easier, but I really want to save some $$ for the tamron 24-70vc. I value your advice. Do I pull the trigger?
Thank you for all your comments in advance

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Try renting a 6D from LensRentals.com. You can confirm for yourself without taking the full plunge.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

juanderfulpics wrote:

Good morning all br I'm considering buying a 6d to... (show quote)

Pics, yes, you are wrong. Of course, you can use ANY camera for any use. The 6d is billed as a travel landscpe camera, for good reason, but it will shot sports, as many say, it only takes one shot.
Pics, the problem is, that like the 5dll, it has only ONE cross-point, the center one. As soon as the center point falls of the subject, the other points don't have the sensetivity to track fast and accurately. The results are very low successful hit rates. You'll get some shots, but it will be spotty.
If you are on a budget, get a used 7d. The 7d is designed for action and has a focus system specifically designed for it, as well as dual processors for frame rate.
It's not a matter of low frame rate, as it only takes one shot. It's a matter of focus lock.
If you're brave enough to give it a go anyway, good luck. ;-)
SS

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

The 6D would be your best bet as far as low light situations. As already mentioned though focusing is the other issue and the 6D just isn't designed for sports. On the other hand, it does quite well if you can use its single center point. Try one of your other cameras on single center point and see how that works for you. If the results are unacceptable then I don't think the 6D would be much, if any, improvement. Take a look at the 70D also. Not as robustly built as the 7D. (Aluminum frame instead of magnesium) Unless you are a professional I don't think that is a big deal, and may not count for much even then. The 70D has a good frame rate, very good focusing, especially in live view, and better high ISO performance then most. It's DIGIC5+ processor is Canon's newest and isn't too much, if at all, behind the dual DIGIC4 processors of the 7D. Personally, I would concentrate on the 5DIII and have the best of everything. That lens you want isn't going to do you much good if the body just isn't up to the task.

amehta Loc: Boston

juanderfulpics wrote:

Good morning all br I'm considering buying a 6d to... (show quote)

I think you are wrong, because that implies you wouldn't use proper technique with another camera. This is all about "miss rate", will you need five shots to get a good one, or just two? And if you only get one or two shots for a particular action, will you get the shot? If there was any significant reason to prefer the 6D over the 5D Mark III (other than cost), it might be worth considering. But for what you want to do, the 5D Mark III is simply the better choice.

BTW, if you are using the proper technique with a 5D Mark III and a f/2.8 lens, the center AF point is a dual cross-type sensor, so it can autofocus on diagonal lines.

juanderfulpics Loc: central jersey

Your comments are all well received, priceless insight from very
respected individuals here. I am now leaning more to the 5d mkiii, unless some 6d shooter convinces me otherwise. Again thank you for your advice.

oldtool2 Loc: South Jersey

juanderfulpics wrote:

Your comments are all well received, priceless insight from very
respected individuals here. I am now leaning more to the 5d mkiii, unless some 6d shooter convinces me otherwise. Again thank you for your advice.

I love my 6D even for wildlife, as long as it is stationary! A BIF is a real challenge. The suggestion of taking a camera and try shooting with the center focus point is a good idea. You don't say what sports you are shooting but most are moving. If you can track well with the center point then go for the 6D, you will not regret it.

Because I want to shoot a FF for BIF I am considering selling my 6D and getting a 5D mark III. Using just the center point on BIF is tough!

Jim D

anotherview Loc: California

This review may help you decide:

http://www.kenrockwell.com/canon/6d.htm

Good luck.

juanderfulpics wrote:

Good morning all br I'm considering buying a 6d to... (show quote)

juanderfulpics Loc: central jersey

Thank you oldtool, anotherview has given me more food for thought. It seems that 6d users all love the camera. I'm sure I will also. I just shoot mostly sports and reviews suggest that 5dmkiii is better. I'm going to continue to listen to you guys a few more days. I still believe 6d will work for me but I want my life to be easier, just retired from UPS LOL

jackm1943 Loc: Omaha, Nebraska

juanderfulpics wrote:

Good morning all br I'm considering buying a 6d to... (show quote)

I have the 6D with the Tamron 24-70. Just two days ago I photographed a motorcycle observed trials meet and thought this combination worked just fine. I set it up the same way I used to with my old 60D with the 17-55 lens: Set the camera to manual and the ISO to automatic. Then set the desired shutter speed (1/1000 for me). Then set the aperture to a value that gives an ISO of 200-1600 or so (f8 outdoors). Then set the shutter and focus to continuous and let 'er rip. It's not quite as fast as the old 60D but plenty fast enough.

juanderfulpics Loc: central jersey

Jack that's exactly my point, before my 1d's and their 10 fps I shot 4.5 fps without all these focus assist and it worked for me. I needed to anticipate more but it did the job. I use center focus point 90% of time anyways. I even use my sl1 for basketball and I get mostly keepers with that.
Now I'm really confused lol
what a dilemma, "to 5d or not to 6d" that is the question

this is why love this forum. Great members and advice

oldtool2 Loc: South Jersey

juanderfulpics wrote:

Thank you oldtool, anotherview has given me more food for thought. It seems that 6d users all love the camera. I'm sure I will also. I just shoot mostly sports and reviews suggest that 5dmkiii is better. I'm going to continue to listen to you guys a few more days. I still believe 6d will work for me but I want my life to be easier, just retired from UPS LOL

Glad you made retirement! Here is a little more info on the 6D.

In auto you can select A1 focus or A1 servo. When you use A1 servo the camera first focuses using the center point. If the subject (bird) moves it will automatically use one of the other points to track and focus the bird with. In A1 focus you can select auto focus points but it seams to always try to focus on the closest object.

In manual point focus you can select any one of the 11 points. Only the center point has the cross hair function for use in f2.8.

To be honest I haven't tried A1 Servo with the focus in auto so don't know how well it would track. Got to try it. It might be the answer but it will use all 11 points, not just the 5 like the 7D does. I prefer using just the center 5 points like the 7D does in expansion but..........

Jim D

juanderfulpics Loc: central jersey

Try it soon and let me know how it works, I'm very curious . I love my 7d and my 1d mkiii, I hardly ever miss with them. In good lighting I'm perfectly fine. Just the limits of the iso is troublesome. I have good glass. 70 200L 2.8 is , sigma 120 300is the new one among others. Some gyms and arenas I absolutely need a better performing camera as far as iso goes. I will buy one or the other by the end next week. Thats why I'm asking here. I was hoping to hear from a 6d user who has also used it for sports.
Thanks again

amehta Loc: Boston

juanderfulpics wrote:

Try it soon and let me know how it works, I'm ver... (show quote)

I think that when we get a better camera, we challenge ourselves to take shots of situations which we wouldn't even have tried before. Of course we were able to take pictures of sports with all sorts of equipment, and we may even have had good keeper rates. A lot of that I think is because we knew the limitations of our equipment and stuck with pictures which would work.

Your "sports kit" of these two lenses plus the new 5D/6D would be worth about 8-9k, so the difference in price of the two bodies is about 15% of the kit price. Will your set of pictures from each event be 15% better? I think it will, both because of more keepers and because of shots you will get with the 5D Mark III which you wouldn't try with the 6D.

juanderfulpics Loc: central jersey

Nicely put Amehta