Torn between 2 lenses (Page 2): Best answer yet ....

cwilliams31 Loc: Salisbury, North Carolina

MikeMcK wrote:

To be safe,I would take both. You can change lenses anytime, there are lots of timeouts in basketball. It will become clear which one you should stay with. Good luck.

Best answer yet ....

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

Both lenses are excellent. However for versatility, I would choose the 24-70mm. That lens is on my wish list. I already have a 50mm prime 1.8 that I like and was inexpensive. But not as good as a top notch 85mm prime. Good luck.

OviedoPhotos

Take both, arrive early and take some practice shots. You don't mention the type of camera either cropped of full frame. But as a suggestion rent a 70/200 f2.8. Usually at indoor sports events light is not a problem.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

adikeo13 wrote:

I am going to a KU basketball game and can't decide which lens to use. I will be sitting behind the home team 23 rows back. My choices are my 24-70 f/2.8 lens or my 85mm f/1.8 lens. Any advice? Thanks in advance.

Rent or buy a good and fast 70 - 200mm. Sorry, I know that is not what you wanted to hear from so many people. Note, I wish I had a fast 85mm lens, that is one focal length I am lacking myself. Good luck.

wmurnahan Loc: Bloomington IN

I'd go with the 85. it is faster and for the most part you are going to want a telephoto. I know if I was going with my equipment and only one lens it would be my 200 2.8, that is what I bought it for, high school basketball. Other then some overview shot and maybe some other artsy shot the wide angle is of no use for a game.

Weddingguy Loc: British Columbia - Canada

adikeo13 wrote:

I am going to a KU basketball game and can't decide which lens to use. I will be sitting behind the home team 23 rows back. My choices are my 24-70 f/2.8 lens or my 85mm f/1.8 lens. Any advice? Thanks in advance.

Personally . . with those seats . . . I would leave the camera at home and just enjoy the game. You will learn too soon that seeing your life through a lens, and only being half there mentally, will come home to roost when you look back and remember all the things you missed.

aardq

If you have time to catch a HS or college practice, take both lenses and sit 23 rows back if possible. By the end of the practice session you will have a very good idea which will work best. I would take a different lens, but you asked for the preference between the two. Basketball courts all vary in their choice of light source, so you will probably have to make some adjustments using your favorite photo program.
Good luck and have fun.

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

Weddingguy wrote:

Personally . . with those seats . . . I would leave the camera at home and just enjoy the game. You will learn too soon that seeing your life through a lens, and only being half there mentally, will come home to roost when you look back and remember all the things you missed.

There is some true in this for sure.
I have decided over the past several years of shooting my son drag racing that I prefer to shoot practice and qualifying runs and just watch and enjoy the elimination rounds.

Best,
Todd Ferguson
Harrisburg, NC

adikeo13 Loc: Kansas

Forgot to mention I am also limited by the size of the bag allowed inside: 13x8x6 inches. I have other lenses but because of the lighting, etc. I thought those two would be my best options. I have a 75-300 4-5.6 IS lens, a 70-200 4L ( which I am considering selling in order to get the 70-200 f/2.8) a 35-105 4.5-5.6 and a 28-300 3.5-6.3 macro Tamron lens. I have used both the 85 prime and the 24-70 zoom at basketball games but was sitting much closer and even had the opportunity to walk around a couple times. There is a slight possibility I could borrow a 135 2L lens. Thanks for all the input, I appreciate it.

aardq

Yup, you can take pic or watch the game. Looking through the view finder does not mean that you actually saw the game. I covered the local HS hockey team for 7 years and I had to take pic, but to get the story of the game I had to talk to the coach and statistician after the game.

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

You might take the 70-200L f4 if you are using it on a body that you can push the ISO on without getting too much noise. You will want to keep the shutter speed up. I would shoot in shutter priority probably and shoot at F4 or just above. Depth of field should not be an issue at that difference. If you can swing a 70-299 f2.8 even better... Also are you using a full frame or crop body...that could be a factor too.

Best,
Todd Ferguson
Harrisburg, NC

adikeo13 Loc: Kansas

I have a 7d and 70d. Taking the 70d.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

adikeo13 wrote:

I am going to a KU basketball game and can't decide which lens to use. I will be sitting behind the home team 23 rows back. My choices are my 24-70 f/2.8 lens or my 85mm f/1.8 lens. Any advice? Thanks in advance.

Honestly, you will struggle with both because you will be pretty far from the action. A better choice, which you unfortunately don't have, would be a 70-200 f/2.8. But of the 2 lenses you do have, the 24-70 f/2.8 will give you more framing options, although slightly less reach. The 1 & 1/3 stop difference between the lenses may or may not be an important factor depending on the venue's lighting and your cameras high ISO performance. Its hard to gauge from our vantage point. You're going to want to keep the shutter speed as close to 1/1000 of a second as possible. Anything less than at least 1/500 second may give you mediocre results.

mcveed Loc: Kelowna, British Columbia (between trips)

Take the 75-300, keep your shutter speed up and don't worry about the ISO. Sports images look fine with a bit of noise.

cambriaman Loc: Central CA Coast

I'd go with the 85mm if that's the longest you have and don't want to rent. I would be interested in the game action not the crowd. If the crowd is what you are interested in I would choose the zoom.