SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

For the right types of photography, a fast 50 can be ideal. I use one often. BUT, they are best for shooting individuals. As the lens gets faster and you get closer, exposure might be great as the lens is several stops faster BUT the DoF starts to get very thin. Getting two people in focus at the same time sometimes isn't possible. So the types of shooting and results one works for may change.
With more and more speed comes narrower shooting opportunities.
More speed is not always the answer but sometimes the best solution! ;-)
SS

btbg

Canon Lee,
I have a couple of questions. First, are you sure that they won't allow flash? I shoot a lot of wrestling and most venues do allow flash, especially for newspaper and year book photographers. Second, are the wrestling with all the gym lights on or just a flood light straight over the mat? Technique for shooting under a floodlight and under all the gym lights is very different.
Third, how close to the action are you getting? Most gyms allow a photographer at each corner of the mat, unless it is a big tournament with multiple mats then they may be more restrictive. The closer you can get to the action and the lower you can get the better the results tend to be.
Best wrestling results under a floodlight are generally achieved with an on camera and off camera flash set near mat level on a corner 90 degrees from the corner you are sitting at.
If the gym lights are on then most high school gyms tend to allow correct exposure at approximately f2.8 iso 1600, 250th of a second without flash. I know a faster shutter speed will freeze more action, but although wrestling does have quick and sudden movements much of the action has pauses where there is little actual movement and the action can be suitably stopped with the slower shutter speed.
Also noise is going to be inevitable in low light shooting. You have the choice of upping the iso, slowing the shutter speed or getting a faster lens. There are no other options. I personally shoot the lighter weight wrestlers with a 70-200 f2.8 and the heavier weights with a 24-70 2.8.
Light weight wrestlers (through about 170 pounds) I lay on my stomach to get as low as possible.
Shooting wrestling successfully is more about timing, and positioning then anything else although better equipment does help.
Your camera should handle low light fairly well it's a lot newer than mine. I am still shooting with a Nikon D300 and although noisy it can be pushed to iso 1600 when necessary.

Shoot Happens

The problem with f1.8 is getting what you want in focus. If the subject is moving, you could get a knee in focus and the face out of focus, even with continuous focus set on the camera. f5 to f8 insures moving subjects remain in focus with sufficient DOF.

ole sarg Loc: south florida

Not too sure of your statements regarding the 50. Of course we all have our own experiences. But, I used one as a combat photographer and later as a photojournalist - 50mm summicron f2 - both times on a Leica and found it the best all around purpose lens. Often a 35 was too wide and a 90 too long.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Sarge, was most of the combat you shot inside a gym under low light and within 15 feet??!!

I'm not sure what your combat shooting has to so with any THIS?!?! :lol:
SS

ole sarg Loc: south florida

lots of low light and much of it lower than in a gym. Heavy foliage and dark shadows. lots of dusk and dawn shots too, not mention night shots lit by parachute flares. BTW the max ASA was triX shot at 1600. I am sure you know all about pushing film.

I guess you weren't there or in any combat zone or you wouldn't have made the comment.

jerold222 Loc: Southern Minnesota

yes, It sure sounded like a low blow to me. Even with the smiley face attached.

sirlensalot Loc: Arizona

Camera(s) first - from experience, your 7D will do the job.
If you want to try a different brand, highly recommend the Sony a6000. IMO - still the best value and product for low-light out there, especially for sports. I use both.

Lenses - have pretty much given up on 2.8 lenses. Find it less stressful and more productive to use 1.8 & 1.4 primes on both of the above cameras. 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 85/1.4.

Settings - I can stop down a bit on the 1.4 or 1.8 or shoot wide open. Think you will find shutter speed needs to be a minimum of 1/350. I use 1/500 to 1/1000 a lot.
Guessing ISO will need to be 2500-3200 on your 7D. It seems to do okay there. Using 2.8 and f/4, you may have to go to ISO 6400. Hard to say for sure without seeing the actual conditions.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

85mm f1.8 will do better. How close can you get? If close, mat side, a 50mm f1.2 but dof is nil. I agree that f2.8 is pretty slow but for longer lenses is pretty much the best you can do.
Try for peak action points or other pauses as had to be done in the days of film when ASA 160 for color was called high speed film.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

222, ALL of us that are old film shooters probably cut our teeth with a 50.
Many of us used them exclusively for many years.
How my military experience, or Sarg's or yours will help with the OP shooting sports in a low lit gym is more of a hijack than sound photographic advice for sports.
I did look at Sarg's posting history before replying and it seems that Sarg has NEVER participated in a sports posting or possibly even ever posted a pic before.
222, how your response has helped the OP in his sports shooting problem in any way, other than to further a hijack also escapes me. Maybe you could explain the photographic connection there?
If you thought it was a low blow, maybe you should read it again, then come back with some sound advice for the OP!!! ;-)
SS

ole sarg Loc: south florida

It was a return low blow to the one was given.

but it is done with.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Funny, never had time to shoot anything but my rifle. BTW what does this have to do with the OP question?

pithydoug Loc: Catskill Mountains, NY

I did ice skating last week which is lots more motion than wrestling. I set shutter 1/500 and AP about 5.6 and then AUTO ISO. Will you get some grain, of course. Just hold the shutter 1/2 way see what the camera plans to use.

You can go as wide as your camera will allow but remember wider means shallower DOF. And don't forget your servo options, if you have them.

ole sarg Loc: south florida

I became a publisher and a photo editor (interned at Life and Miami Herald) and then for various pubs. I studied under Wilson Hicks. I have probably looked over thousands and thousands of pictures for publication. After i returned did not have much of a desire to shoot too much. I only shoot family, snap shots of where I have been, some dingy nightclub performers and some birds that are sitting still.

I was always a natural light photographer and am used to shooting on the one hand in unlit conditions and on the other in too much light conditions so I kinda of know about the capabilities of a lens. Also, when editing photos always had the data available.

If you want me to post that kind of stuff which is rather uninteresting and technically blah I will but don't think it will contribute too much.

Mightymouse Loc: Long Island NY

I have shot at wrestling matches with 2.8 70-200 and have gotten very good results!