Basil Loc: New Mexico

Anyone from New Mexico or Albuquerque with experience shooting at Tingley Coliseum? We are going to a rodeo this weekend and of course I want to take some pictures. The lighting seems so-so, so I expect getting fast shutter speeds would be an issue, meaning I will want to get widest aperture possible (to keep ISO as low as possible). Our seats are box seats and fairly close to the arena near the chuts. I'm trying to decide what camera / lens(es) to take.

I'm ruling out the Sigma 150-600 because of limited aperture size. The three lenses I have that I "think" would be best suited would be either:

Canon 300mm f4 L (IS), Canon 70-200 f4 L (non-IS), or Canon 135 f2 L.

I have a 6D and a 7DII but will likely use the 7DII just for the better AF and faster FPS.

Does anyone who has ever shot pictures in that venue have any thoughts/suggestions?

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

I haven't been to the Tingley Coliseum, but I own 2 of the same lenses. Without knowledge of where you'll be seated, the focal length is hard to suggest. Looking at images from Google, I'd take the 135L. When I add "rodeo" to my image search, the light looks similar to my visit to the IL State Fair last month for the Angus competition. Even standing at the wall and using the model f/2.8 zoom, I was shooting at f/2.8, 1/125, 200mm, and ISO-5000 in RAW with a 5DIII. Unless you can expect to get better light, I'd take the 6D and lose the crop factor for better high ISO performance.

If you're confident of better light, being close to the chutes will have fast action. With the chute detail, maybe the 70-200 is the better choice so you can adjust your zoom rather than your seat. And, the 7DII will be a better choice for the fast action.

Difficult, difficult. You can close the aperture for more DOF, but you can't "open" an f/4 lens if the light is too low and you've maxed the ISO ... Based on the rodeo images I quickly reviewed, I'd still take my f/2 lens and my best ISO body and hope 135mm isn't too far from the action even if cropping the images is needed. I don't have the 7DII body, so you'll have to use your own experience on what is best in your arsenal.

Basil Loc: New Mexico

I am torn between the 6D and the 7D2 but leaning toward the 7D2 for its better AF and FPS in AIServo. The 6D has somewhat better low light performance but the 7D2 isn't terrible.

I expect the lighting to be poor so I am leaning towards the 135 f2 but will also take the 1.4 extender. Between the crop sensor body and the extender, the equivalent focal length would be just over 300mm and still be able to do 2.8 aperture. The challenge will be to get high enough shutter speed without pushing the ISO ridiculously high. I wish my 70-200 was the f2.8 version and not a non-IS f4.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

The 2.8 IS is as heavy as the 100-400L II. It's a dream in performance, but the weight is only if you need it. I've found I tend to "see" at 135mm except when zoomed out to 200mm so the 135L is my preferred lens when I can get by with a prime in that range. The extender is a good idea if you have one. It's a little bit better stepped down to f/3.5 or f/4 if you can get away with it in the light.

Basil Loc: New Mexico

I'll try stepping down but the key will be keeping the shutter speed high enough to stop action.

alfeng Loc: Out where the West commences ...

It has been well over decade since I was in the Tingley Coliseum ...

And, if things haven't changed then I think that you are being generous when you say that the lighting was "so-so" ...

If things haven't changed, then I would say that the dim-and-relatively-uneven lighting do not lend themselves to most non-flash (obviously, a Flash would NOT be beneficial in that space) photographic situations ...

I would expect you to require ISO 1600-or-more ...

Manual pre-focusing will probably yield better results than using the camera's auto-focus ...

But, try BOTH.

BTW. I think that you'll probably get more interesting pics if you take the time to walk through the paddock/stable area ... my 'recollection' is that access for participants is through the northern most gate on San Pedro ... so, I guess THAT area would be north of the "Carnival" Fairway.

Post your rodeo & State Fair pics ...

Good luck!

Basil Loc: New Mexico

Thanks - yes, I am anticipating lousy lighting. Will be a challenge I'm sure.

Basil Loc: New Mexico

I have posted some pictures in Gallery: http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-486021-1.html#8172765

alfeng Loc: Out where the West commences ...