Fellow Hogs need suggestions for lenses to cover high school Lacrosse: On March 21 will be attending high school Lacrosse match would like suggestions on lenses. I will have access to...

capt2575 Loc: New York City

On March 21 will be attending high school Lacrosse match would like suggestions on lenses. I will have access to the entire field except behind the goals. I have a Canon 5D III and a 7D II, 24-70 and 70-200 both 2.8 and IS. My request is for something with longer reach which I will rent for the day. Thank you for you help in advance. Also will use the time until the match to practice with some suggestions. This will be an outdoor day (4pm) event.

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

A 400 mm Prime? With a Monopod, cause big glass is heavy.

capt2575 Loc: New York City

Thanks for the advice (rgrenaderphoto).

Joe Blow

I would recommend an EF 100-400mm or a Sigma 150-600 Sport for a long lens. The 70-200 should be good for quite a bit up closer. It's when the action moves down the field you'll want the extra range.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

For an afternoon / evening event in early Spring, I'd still look at an f/2.8 lens. The 400 f/2.8L IS is a wonderful lens, but large and heavy. If you don't have a monopod for support, you might not want to use for the entire event. The 300 f/2.8L is much more manageable hand-holding with no support. Given your two bodies and existing lenses, you have options on which body to mount the lenses.

Shutterbug57

Rent the 400/2.8 for field sports. Put it on a monopod and put your 70-200/2.8 on the other body. Have fun. When you are done, be prepared to want to write a check for the 400/2.8.

Grnway Loc: Manchester, NH

I like what you have. Put the 70-200 on the 7D and you'll have an effective reach of 320mm. If anything, I'd rent the Canon 100-400 and put that on the 5D3. Despite its small maximum aperture (4.5-5.6), you should still be able to get some decent shots, especially with the quality of your camera bodies. The sun sets a little after 7 on the equinox, so you should have some decent light, unless it's raining or heavily overcast. You can always crank up the ISO, especially on the 5D3, to compensate. The image stabilization on that lens is awesome, and the low light shooting capabilities of the 5D3 are superb, as you probably already know.

mbarrett635 Loc: Harrisburg PA

Although I'm a Nikon shooter, I specialize in high school sports, and have shot lots of lacrosse games. I concur with the suggestions above. I had a 300mm 2.8 for a while, which I often used with a 1.4x teleconverter, until I acquired a 400mm 2.8. Never looked back. A monopod is an absolute necessity. I use two bodies, and have a 70-200 on the second body.

Standing near the corner of the field (but far enough up to be looking into the goal), the 70-200 is great for the near end of the field. You'll still want to crop the images shot with a 400mm at the farthest end of the field, unless you add a teleconverter. However, I've found that I can use the 400mm without a teleconvertor to shoot the opposite side of the near end of the field, as well as for 'sportrait' shots (focusing on just one player) that fill the frame. As Shutterbug57 said, it's a great lens, and if you rent one, it will spoil you and put a hole in your wallet.

jacklewis014

At least a 400MM.
Given the shooting locations available to you, unless the action is on the sideline you are standing on, you can setup with the one lens and have a fun.
I agree that in March with a late afternoon game, securing a f/2.8 lens will give you more flexibility in you depth of field.

JFCoupe Loc: Kent, Washington

I have shot images a a few soccer games, and assume the playing area is roughly similar to LaCrosse. As I recall, action at the far end of the field was nicely captured with my 300 mm f2.8 on a 5D MK II. Closer action was easier to shoot with a 70-200. I think if you put your 70-200 on the 7D II and your 24-70 on your other body you would have it covered nicely.
There are probably lots of local soccer and lacrosse matches going on most weekends and you could go out and try this combination prior to the date of the important lacrosse match you mentioned.

capt2575 Loc: New York City

Fellow Hogs these are all great ideas. I will go out with the two (2) lenses I mentioned prior to the match and get a basic idea of the field coverage. The idea of the 300 and 400's will also be checked also. Your ideas are greatly appreciated and give me some pre shooting to do.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

capt2575 wrote:

On March 21 will be attending high school Lacrosse match would like suggestions on lenses. I will have access to the entire field except behind the goals. I have a Canon 5D III and a 7D II, 24-70 and 70-200 both 2.8 and IS. My request is for something with longer reach which I will rent for the day. Thank you for you help in advance. Also will use the time until the match to practice with some suggestions. This will be an outdoor day (4pm) event.

Personally I'm having a little trouble with all those that are recommending the 400 2.8. I will make the assumption that all of those use the 400 on a regular bases. I'll admit, the mkll is a vast improvement weight-wise over the mkl but it's still a very heavy lens for someone that's never used anything bigger than a 70-200. THEN to recommend that a person without BIG LENS experience carry TWO big lenses, I think is a recipe for having NO fun at all!!!
I guess I'm just visualizing what it looks like trying to balance 15 pounds of gear on a monopod with ONE hand while one tries to shoot a second camera with the other, ONE hand??? Just saying!
SS

capt2575 Loc: New York City

SS I thought about your response and think I should get started "now," not with just the weight issue but trying to get comfortable with the use of these lenses together.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

capt2575 wrote:

On March 21 will be attending high school Lacrosse match would like suggestions on lenses. I will have access to the entire field except behind the goals. I have a Canon 5D III and a 7D II, 24-70 and 70-200 both 2.8 and IS. My request is for something with longer reach which I will rent for the day. Thank you for you help in advance. Also will use the time until the match to practice with some suggestions. This will be an outdoor day (4pm) event.

A fast 200-500mm lense or a fast 300mm prime. You might find a 400mm prime to be too long for quick operation. One can always crop from a wider image. But it is rather impossible to take a smaller image and widen the "capture".

Vector

I knew someone who shot HS hockey with the Sigma 120-300. On the 7D MkII, that's 192- 480! If you were able to rent it, then put the 70- 200 on the FF camera for when they are closer.