Upgrading Canon Body & Lenses...Help! Hi pros! I do lots of low light sports photography and need help! 2 questions: I am getting ready to upgrade to a Canon 5d Mark IV and not sure if...

Jacqueline Taylor Loc: Sarasota, Fl

Hi pros! I do lots of low light sports photography and need help!

2 questions:
I am getting ready to upgrade to a Canon 5d Mark IV and not sure if I should buy used or new. I can get a damage warrantee with new from b&h but not so sure about used. What's the better option?

I also need to get full frame lenses. A lot of what I shot was wide @ 18mm, 70mm, and @ 250mm on my crop sensor so I'm thinking to get something in the 18-135 range and also 100-400 range but my budget is around $2000 for both if I get the body used or $1200 if I get the body new. What are the best lenses for low light sports photography that will fit my budget??? Should I try an all in one? And should I get new or used?? It's so confusing!

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

18-135 is a cropped sensor zoom. You won't find the same zoom-range for full frame lenses from Canon. The lowlight requirement and a budget makes for difficult trade offs as a 16-35 f/2.8L and / or a 100-400L II will each eat your budget with just one lens.

The best zoom for low-light sport is a 70-200 f/2.8L, either with or without IS.
For a wide zoom for low-light, there's various versions of the 16-35 f/2.8L.

There are many prime options with wider apertures or maybe a combo of a 24-70 f/2.8L and a 200 f/2.8 prime assuming you're zoomed to 200mm anyway. Your three example images show a distance to the subject where it seems focusing on how to cover 200mm should be the initial decision and the other distances follow.

RichardSM Loc: Back in Texas

Hello Jacqueline
Have you tried looking at Canon refurbished center for your Canon 5D Mk4 Canon gives a one year warranty on all camera’s and lenses plus there refurbished merchandise is gone over with an fine tooth comb!

Jacqueline Taylor wrote:

Hi pros! I do lots of low light sports photography... (show quote)

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Jacqueline Taylor wrote:

Hi pros! I do lots of low light sports photography... (show quote)

Low light sports = big $$$ ...........IMO, for the focusing abilities, Canon lenses will be preferred. The 70-200's will do you well. You will also need 24-70 ? !

..

Jacqueline Taylor Loc: Sarasota, Fl

They don't have the camera body at the moment but I will check for the lenses! Thank you!

Jakebrake Loc: Broomfield, Colorado

Jacqueline Taylor wrote:

Hi pros! I do lots of low light sports photography... (show quote)

Hi Jacqueline, I'll let the pro's chime in here, but I tried to buy a used Mk IV for several months and always got outbid on ebay and the two I looked at on Craig's List were a little rough with high shutter counts. KEH and the NYC big boys were selling theirs for only a couple of hundred less than new. Adorama to the rescue as they advertised a new Mk IV with the Canon grip for $3100, and I jumped on it. However, my GAS attack hadn't subsided and I sprang for the 24-105L II as well and this is an awesome combination. You will absolutely love your new Mk IV. Best of luck in your quest, and your images are wonderful.

MountainDave

You cannot use EF-S mount lenses such as the 18-135 on a 5D. An EF 24-105 lens is equivalent to a crop frame 15-65mm.

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

Boy, you Cannon (and Nikon) types are really focused on OEM glass only. I think you are doing the OP a disservice in not considering the Tamron 24-70 G2 and their new 70-200 G2 lenses. Or the Sigma 105 mm F/1.4 ART, which is a beast of a lens.

As far as full frame, you will definitely get better low light performance.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

rgrenaderphoto wrote:

Boy, you Cannon (and Nikon) types are really focused on OEM glass only. I think you are doing the OP a disservice in not considering the Tamron 24-70 G2 and their new 70-200 G2 lenses. Or the Sigma 105 mm F/1.4 ART, which is a beast of a lens.

As far as full frame, you will definitely get better low light performance.

For the fast focus of sports, OEM glass - especially with Canon - works best - since Canon does not share it's algorithms .....

..

Jacqueline Taylor Loc: Sarasota, Fl

CHG_CANON wrote:

18-135 is a cropped sensor zoom. You won't find th... (show quote)

Thank you so much for your help! I cant go big on both so I'm thinking this combo will work. I won't be using the wider lens in low light much until Jan which gives me time to get the better 24-70 at the higher price point. I won't be able to use a tripod so thinking the IS will help. The 70-200 2.8 IS I and IS II look great but out of my budget at the moment. Do you think these will be ok? I also can't find the body used but the new comes with a lot of extras that will be helpful to have.

Jacqueline Taylor Loc: Sarasota, Fl

imagemeister wrote:

For the fast focus of sports, OEM glass - especially with Canon - works best - since Canon does not share it's algorithms .....

..

Thank you for your recommendation! I was considering Tamron but don't know much about them. I looked those two up and they are both about $1300 range so I'll have to hold off for now either way.

Jakebrake Loc: Broomfield, Colorado

Jacqueline Taylor wrote:

Thank you for your recommendation! I was considering Tamron but don't know much about them. I looked those two up and they are both about $1300 range so I'll have to hold off for now either way.

That's the Mk IV bundle I purchased a couple of months ago and it was great. I don't think you will regret that purchase.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Jacqueline Taylor wrote:

Thank you so much for your help! I cant go big on both so I'm thinking this combo will work. I won't be using the wider lens in low light much until Jan which gives me time to get the better 24-70 at the higher price point. I won't be able to use a tripod so thinking the IS will help. The 70-200 2.8 IS I and IS II look great but out of my budget at the moment. Do you think these will be ok? I also can't find the body used but the new comes with a lot of extras that will be helpful to have.

JT, welcome to the Hog.
I'm gonna suggest that you might look into a couple of prime lenses instead. Maybe like a 50mm 1.4 and/or an 85 1.8/100 2.0, non L lenses.
The zooms are very convenient but bulky for the range. The primes are smaller and at LEAST a stop FASTER.
It looks to me like possibly you won't be running all over the place during those performances, so once you have the range that works well for the distance, you might be able to do it with ONE focal length until you can afford some fast zooms, though NO zoom is fast!!
2.8 is fast for a zoom but not fast for a lens. Look for "refurbished" lenses on Canon's site.
Also, food for thought, I shoot my sports with a 1Dx mkl that I found on Craig's list for $1750. Pretty cheap for a good lowlight camera, but low mp.
It's best feature is that it will spot meter on any single focus point that you set manually. Very good for your type of shooting. Not sure that feature has made its way onto any of the 5D's yet? just a thought! Good luck
SS

OllieFCR

I must admit I am confused by some of the advice you got. If you are doing sports you will need a longer lens, especially with a full frame sensor. You have good ISO performance in the camera so I would go with the used 70-200 f2.8 Canon lens. That should be enough reach for indoor events. I have had excellent luck with both used and refurbished.

jam Loc: Beaufort, NC

I bought a used 5D MIV from Canon refurbished site and it has been great. I have a Canon 70-200mm f2.8 and it has been great for sports, weddings all shot in low light situations. Good luck.