Lens for the gym: With grandkids involved in numerous indoor sports, volleyball, basketball, wrestling etc. I find myself wanting a fast medium zoom. First thought is the Canon 24-70 F...

billnourse Loc: Bloomfield, NM

With grandkids involved in numerous indoor sports, volleyball, basketball, wrestling etc. I find myself wanting a fast medium zoom. First thought is the Canon 24-70 F 2.8. Really pricey, but we are talking grandkids, plus I can see a lot of other uses for it.

Any thoughts? Anyone have a personal review?

Bill

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

billnourse wrote:

With grandkids involved in numerous indoor sports, volleyball, basketball, wrestling etc. I find myself wanting a fast medium zoom. First thought is the Canon 24-70 F 2.8. Really pricey, but we are talking grandkids, plus I can see a lot of other uses for it.

Any thoughts? Anyone have a personal review?

Bill

I've used a 70~200 f/4 in a gym and provided quite nice results. This was a wheelchair basketball game. I was able to stop the action, good colour rendition, in all, quite satisfactory photos.
--Bob

GTinSoCal Loc: Palmdale, CA

I would recommend something with a little more reach, like the 70-200 f2.8.
Most times your're not going to be all that close to your subject, and you're going to want all the speed you can get.
:-D

GT

billnourse wrote:

With grandkids involved in numerous indoor sports, volleyball, basketball, wrestling etc. I find myself wanting a fast medium zoom. First thought is the Canon 24-70 F 2.8. Really pricey, but we are talking grandkids, plus I can see a lot of other uses for it.

Any thoughts? Anyone have a personal review?

Bill

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

GTinSoCal wrote:

I would recommend something with a little more reach, like the 70-200 f2.8.
Most times your're not going to be all that close to your subject, and you're going to want all the speed you can get.
:-D

GT

I think the f/2.8 is a bit of an overkill for this particular usage. The 70-200 f/4 worked just fine in my case.
--Bob

GTinSoCal Loc: Palmdale, CA

Just 'cause you have it doesn't mean you have to use it,
but you can!
:D

GT

rmalarz wrote:

I think the f/2.8 is a bit of an overkill for this particular usage. The 70-200 f/4 worked just fine in my case.
--Bob

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

GTinSoCal wrote:

Just 'cause you have it doesn't mean you have to use it,
but you can!
:D

GT

Happiness is...!

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

GTinSoCal wrote:

Just 'cause you have it doesn't mean you have to use it,
but you can!
:D

GT

GT, the reason I have it is to use it. If I were shooting film, I'd have to give serious consideration to an f/2.8. However, with digital came the nicety of being able to change ISO as needed. Thus, a great deal of monetary savings purchasing an f/4 as opposed to an f/2.8.

I don't remember the ISO setting I used for that basketball game, but could research it if needed. It was a pretty standard gym with pretty standard gym lighting. Certainly not needing the expense of a faster lens, if that was a concern.
--Bob

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

billnourse wrote:

With grandkids involved in numerous indoor sports, volleyball, basketball, wrestling etc. I find myself wanting a fast medium zoom. First thought is the Canon 24-70 F 2.8. Really pricey, but we are talking grandkids, plus I can see a lot of other uses for it.

Any thoughts? Anyone have a personal review?

Bill

The f/2.8 would be great for a gym, but you can buy refurbished or used, and you can do very well with non-Canon lenses. The smaller the aperture, the more you will have to raise ISO and lower shutter speed.

I just bought Nikon's previous "best" lenses, 35-70 and 80-200, both f/2.8 and both for much less than the new f/2.8 lenses. Take a look at KEH and ebay.

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

While the 24-70 f/2.8 is a great lens I think you might find better results with a 70-200 f/2.8. The 70-200 is a great portrait lens and sports lens. The 24-70 is more suited for landscape images. Good luck.

billnourse wrote:

With grandkids involved in numerous indoor sports, volleyball, basketball, wrestling etc. I find myself wanting a fast medium zoom. First thought is the Canon 24-70 F 2.8. Really pricey, but we are talking grandkids, plus I can see a lot of other uses for it.

Any thoughts? Anyone have a personal review?

Bill

billnourse Loc: Bloomfield, NM

I have a 70 to 300 that is just too big for gym use shooting on the floor. I did some experimenting yesterday with the 18-135 and found that 24 to 70 seemed like a good range. I also tried a 50 1.8 and it was not wide enough in some instances and did not have enough reach in others. In the gym I was in, I was having to push to 6400 ISO and 4.0. Would like to be able to drop that to 3200 or less.

Bill

Japakomom Loc: Originally from the Last Frontier

I ended up purchasing a 70-200 f/2.8 - I did not like the noise that resulted from my 24-105 f/4 and I was shooting with a Canon 6d that is excellent in low light. I think you will be happier with a f/2.8. If you are shooting with a crop frame then the 24-70 will probably be fine, otherwise I would go with a 70-200.

Grnway Loc: Manchester, NH

I use 70-200 f2.8. Gives good reach and the low light really makes having the wide aperature available, esp. on 200mm close up shots.

GTinSoCal Loc: Palmdale, CA

That's the whole point, Bob.
But if you don't have it, you can't use it! :-D

If you prefer to shoot at f4, that just means you'll get sharper photos by not shooting wide open.

GT

rmalarz wrote:

GT, the reason I have it is to use it. If I were s... (show quote)

Goldenrams

Whatever you decide make sure it is at least f/2.8. Gym lights are notoriously poor except for major college and pro sports. I use the f'2.8 at a higher ISO (32000) on a Canon 7D Mark II or 5D Mark III in dimly lit gyms.

GTinSoCal Loc: Palmdale, CA

WOW!
and mine only goes to 25,600!!!

:D

GT

Goldenrams wrote:

Whatever you decide make sure it is at least f/2.8. Gym lights are notoriously poor except for major college and pro sports. I use the f'2.8 at a higher ISO (32000) on a Canon 7D Mark II or 5D Mark III in dimly lit gyms.