Finally I get a football field night game that I can shoot under 12,800 ISO: All I have had so far this year are fields that I need a flashlight in the endzones. Dropping 3 to 4 stops...

PaulR01 Loc: West Texas

All I have had so far this year are fields that I need a flashlight in the endzones. Dropping 3 to 4 stops of light was great. And I had a great night shooting on a small field.

(Download)

(Download)

Some Kungfu needed at QB Position

(Download)

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Excellent action!

PaulR01 Loc: West Texas

Thanks, I was laying down on the ground for the second shot with a f 2.8 300 using my fist to prop the lens up. The lights were flickering so bad I had to pull my full frame off of the 300 and use my 7Dii.

wilikioti Loc: Deep South, USA

Very professional!

tshift Loc: Overland Park, KS.

PaulR01 wrote:

All I have had so far this year are fields that I need a flashlight in the endzones. Dropping 3 to 4 stops of light was great. And I had a great night shooting on a small field.

Nice shots. Yes I shoot football also and soccer. I don't like night at all. What 300MM 2.8 do you have? I want one so bad, would really like to own a 400MM 2.8 but can't afford either one. Also what lens were you shooting the basketball photos on your website? Thanks

Tom

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

tshift wrote:

Nice shots. Yes I shoot football also and soccer. I don't like night at all. What 300MM 2.8 do you have? I want one so bad, would really like to own a 400MM 2.8 but can't afford either one. Also what lens were you shooting the basketball photos on your website? Thanks

Tom

Hey Tom - if you use Google / Chrome as your browser, you can install something called EXIF Viewer, free just search for it. It's only as good as the EXIF data in the image, but where available, you can quickly right-click an image and view the highlevel data (view the download version of the image, not the thumbnail). You don't have to download the image. Just right-click the "download" link below the image and say open in a new tab. Then, the image in that tab and have EXIF Viewer give you the available details. This process shows a body as 7DII and the oldest (non IS) of the Canon EF 300 f/2.8L. We'll need PaulR to confirm. Rockwell had a suggestion a few years ago to search out this model given the image quality and relatively low price as compared to the IS-enabled versions. Of course, these are not an option for your Nikon equipment ...

Rab-Eye Loc: Indiana

Great series!

PaulR01 Loc: West Texas

tshift wrote:

Nice shots. Yes I shoot football also and soccer. I don't like night at all. What 300MM 2.8 do you have? I want one so bad, would really like to own a 400MM 2.8 but can't afford either one. Also what lens were you shooting the basketball photos on your website? Thanks

Tom

Tom I have a version 1 EF 300 F 2.8 L. It looks like its been rolling around in the back of my pickup. This lens was maintained religiously by the previous one owner from 99. The glass if flawless. You can find them all day on ebay under 2Gs/. Sharpest and oldest lens I own. I wouldn't hesitate to buy it again.
During day game I use a 1.4 teleconverter with it. And occasionally the 2X converter with great results, no softness.
Paul

tshift Loc: Overland Park, KS.

CHG_CANON wrote:

Hey Tom - if you use Google / Chrome as your brows... (show quote)

Thanks for the information CHG CANON.

Tom

tshift Loc: Overland Park, KS.

PaulR01 wrote:

Tom I have a version 1 EF 300 F 2.8 L. It looks like its been rolling around in the back of my pickup. This lens was maintained religiously by the previous one owner from 99. The glass if flawless. You can find them all day on ebay under 2Gs/. Sharpest and oldest lens I own. I wouldn't hesitate to buy it again.
During day game I use a 1.4 teleconverter with it. And occasionally the 2X converter with great results, no softness.
Paul

Rentglass.com has a location half a mile from home. Have been tempted to rent, it is $199.00 for a week for the Nikon, Canon is $149.00. Should be enough to test. B & H has new for $5496.00, way to much for me. I will check out eBay to see what is out there. Thanks

Tom

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

tshift wrote:

Thanks for the information CHG CANON.

Tom

I'll go on with another suggestion to look at a rental if your need is limited or infrequent. I bought a used copy of the EF 300 f/2.8 IS II. Even though I saved a few $$ verses a new copy, it's the most expensive lens I have by the next three or four combined. The lens is a dream and my first thought for any situation with a need in the 300 to 600mm range, with extenders. But, when I want something longer, I get a rental for Canon's 400 f/2.8 or a 500 f/4. You might find a rental gets you access to a F-mount lens for your equipment without the full cost of ownership.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

PaulR01 wrote:

Tom I have a version 1 EF 300 F 2.8 L. It looks like its been rolling around in the back of my pickup. This lens was maintained religiously by the previous one owner from 99. The glass if flawless. You can find them all day on ebay under 2Gs/. Sharpest and oldest lens I own. I wouldn't hesitate to buy it again.
During day game I use a 1.4 teleconverter with it. And occasionally the 2X converter with great results, no softness.
Paul

Great background info. Keep up the excellent work!

tshift Loc: Overland Park, KS.

CHG_CANON wrote:

I'll go on with another suggestion to look at a re... (show quote)

Yes I will probably rent to see how much better it really is in low light. I have a 80-400MM f/4.5-5.6, it is an excellent lens and I get really good shots in the light. It is not very fast as you know and not good when the lights come on at most of the fields I shoot my sports at. Thanks

Tom

Jules Karney Loc: Las Vegas, Nevada

PaulR01 wrote:

All I have had so far this year are fields that I need a flashlight in the endzones. Dropping 3 to 4 stops of light was great. And I had a great night shooting on a small field.

Paul these shots are great. Nice lighting.
I am going to shoot my first night football game this Thursday.
I have a Nikon D500, 70-200 2.8, flash, 80-400 4.5-5.6 vr.
What are your suggestions with the equipment I have?
The school has poor lighting as most of them do.

PaulR01 Loc: West Texas

Jules Karney wrote:

Paul these shots are great. Nice lighting.
I am going to shoot my first night football game this Thursday.
I have a Nikon D500, 70-200 2.8, flash, 80-400 4.5-5.6 vr.
What are your suggestions with the equipment I have?
The school has poor lighting as most of them do.

Shoot with your 70-200 if under the lights. On camera flash will get you tossed in most cases around the country. Your D-500 will do just fine. Trust your equipment don't let the shutter get much lower than 1/1000 and I always shoot the first shots on auto ISO to see where we are at. Then I make a decision on where I want my ISO. Some endzones on smaller fields are less lit so you have to adjust for that. One other thing, reduce the focal points under the lights. If you are running all of your points the camera will have a hard time locking on and staying focus. And you want the camera to be set on full time focus on Canon it's called AL Servo Mode. Maybe a Nikon shooter will chime in on this.