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Lens for shooting soccer at night
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Jan 3, 2017 09:15:57   #
rayadverb
 
My daughter plays soccer, and I take a lot of pictures of her games using a Canon 100-400 II on a 7D Mark ii. I get good results from daylight games, but when they play at night -- usually on fields with pretty bad lighting -- the pictures tend to be marginal at best. Even when I use the slowest shutter speed I can get away with, I often wind up with a too-high ISO, and I get noisy, often dark pictures. I'm thinking maybe I need a faster lens for night shots, which probably means a prime telephoto. I'd appreciate any suggestions from folks who shoot outdoor sports at night, especially youth sports where the lighting tends to be poor. Thanks in advance.

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Jan 3, 2017 09:49:06   #
catchlight.. Loc: Wisconsin USA- Halden Norway
 
A Used 200mm f/2.0L, $529...

https://www.adorama.com/us%20%20%20%20839207.html?gclid=Cj0KEQiAtK3DBRCBxt-Yxduq5p4BEiQAbFiaPcyezE-xwYAyeOpt2UNqZFGCwvUZKjlD0dYWM364kWcaApoR8P8HAQ

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Jan 3, 2017 10:14:34   #
mas24 Loc: Southern CA
 
I have shot kids soccer games in daylight hours from the sidelines, using a prime 50mm f1.8 on a crop sensor camera. Although I haven't used it for any night games, because the kids didn't play night games. But, with a higher ISO and slower shutter speed, I'm suspecting it may have worked. However, the 50mm f1.8 may not be enough focal length for you on your Canon crop sensor camera.

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Jan 3, 2017 10:15:44   #
catchlight.. Loc: Wisconsin USA- Halden Norway
 
....f2.8

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Jan 3, 2017 10:16:32   #
MT Shooter Loc: Montana
 
rayadverb wrote:
My daughter plays soccer, and I take a lot of pictures of her games using a Canon 100-400 II on a 7D Mark ii. I get good results from daylight games, but when they play at night -- usually on fields with pretty bad lighting -- the pictures tend to be marginal at best. Even when I use the slowest shutter speed I can get away with, I often wind up with a too-high ISO, and I get noisy, often dark pictures. I'm thinking maybe I need a faster lens for night shots, which probably means a prime telephoto. I'd appreciate any suggestions from folks who shoot outdoor sports at night, especially youth sports where the lighting tends to be poor. Thanks in advance.
My daughter plays soccer, and I take a lot of pict... (show quote)


Best option is the Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 OS SPORT lens, especially on your camera.

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Jan 3, 2017 10:31:10   #
mas24 Loc: Southern CA
 


That's quite a deal. And from a reputable vendor.

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Jan 3, 2017 10:48:25   #
catchlight.. Loc: Wisconsin USA- Halden Norway
 
Great deal for a very good L!

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Jan 3, 2017 13:35:06   #
Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)
 


That's an F2.8. If it was a F2 I'd run down there right now and buy it, then turn around and sell it for $4500, the going rate for that lens.

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Jan 3, 2017 13:43:28   #
Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)
 
rayadverb wrote:
My daughter plays soccer, and I take a lot of pictures of her games using a Canon 100-400 II on a 7D Mark ii. I get good results from daylight games, but when they play at night -- usually on fields with pretty bad lighting -- the pictures tend to be marginal at best. Even when I use the slowest shutter speed I can get away with, I often wind up with a too-high ISO, and I get noisy, often dark pictures. I'm thinking maybe I need a faster lens for night shots, which probably means a prime telephoto. I'd appreciate any suggestions from folks who shoot outdoor sports at night, especially youth sports where the lighting tends to be poor. Thanks in advance.
My daughter plays soccer, and I take a lot of pict... (show quote)


You can get a faster lens, but you will have issues with depth of field being very thin. There are some fast zooms, like the Sigma 120-300 F2.8, and the 70-200 F2.8 which is very nice with the 1.4X TC, but you'd only be gaining a stop or two of more exposure, and you'd still have the DoF issue, so your focusing would have to be precisely on the money.

All I can say is that you may have to go to a camera body that gets better results in low light, but your camera is already one of the better choices for high ISO/low light photography. The 5D would be better, but considerably more expensive. Perhaps the answer is in post processing - you are shooting raw, aren't you?

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Jan 3, 2017 14:01:11   #
catchlight.. Loc: Wisconsin USA- Halden Norway
 
I did reply after posting 2.0....even at 2.8 that is cheep date!

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Jan 3, 2017 14:27:24   #
MT Shooter Loc: Montana
 
Gene51 wrote:
That's an F2.8. If it was a F2 I'd run down there right now and buy it, then turn around and sell it for $4500, the going rate for that lens.


Lots of people would! At F2.8 that's only about $200 off new price.

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Jan 4, 2017 07:11:16   #
Smiling Elk
 
I've shot high school football under lousy stadium lighting using only an 18-200 zoom with my D 7000 at ISO 6400. Had pretty good results depending on uniform color and distance from subject. But I was also on the sideline. So unless you want to spend big bucks on a sport lens that will reach out and touch someone, I'd see about getting closer to your subject. The other possibility to see what will work best for your situation would be to try and rent a lens and see what you like best.

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Jan 4, 2017 07:12:44   #
rayadverb
 
Thanks to all for the helpful replies.

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Jan 4, 2017 07:39:52   #
Japakomom Loc: Originally from the Last Frontier
 
Having spent the last couple years shooting night high school football games I can tell you what has worked best for me. Due to the poor lighting at school stadiums a full frame camera has worked best to cut out the noise. I was using a 6D and recently moved up to the 5D4. I can up the ISO to 6400 and still get pretty good shots. I also use the 70-200 1:2.8L IS II USM. I have tried using my 100-400 II and it was ok for the up to the first half of the game but once it was full dark it really struggled. A 5D3 would work pretty well too. I seriously thought hard about using the 7D2 (actually bought one and returned it) for my football shooting but knew if I was seeing noise with the 6D, then it would be even worse with the 7D2. Unfortunately, it costs money to shoot a nighttime sporting event with poor lighting and have a good, decent picture in the end. Either that or spend a lot of time in post to make it a decent picture. My best advice though is to enjoy your time and the kids. It has been very rewarding for me to be able to get to know the kids on the team and spend time with my boys.

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Jan 4, 2017 07:53:09   #
rmm0605 Loc: Atlanta GA
 


Minor point: This lens is f2.8.

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