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HS baseball with some new gear
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May 5, 2022 22:16:20   #
rickberns Loc: Conroe, Texas
 
Okay haven't posted in a while (sorry about that). Day time job and honey-do list keeps me busy, but I did cut away from all that to shoot 1 or 2 baseball games a week (never shot baseball before). Anyways, I sold my 20+ year old Canon EF 400mm f2.8L non-IS II (25+ lbs lens) and replaced it with a newer 'used' model EF 400mm f2.8L IS II (feels like 10 lbs now!), also added another 'used' purchase a 1.4x III teleconverter giving my 400mm a reach of 560mm f4.0L during the daylight hours. I also used my 700-200mm f2.8L III on my 2nd camera, each lens paired to a Canon R6 mirrorless body. The photos ranged from 1/1000 to 1/4000ss, f/2.8 to f/4.0, ISO 1000 to 10000 set to autoISO (yeap baseball goes into the night down here in the South, almost like
the darn Fall football games). My focal lengths were either 200mm, 400mm and 560mm(400mm+1.4x)

Let me know what you think of these. I did capture a team jubilation (team just won the district championship that late evening) so I'm getting better at taking those shots. I really enjoyed the snappiness of the 400mm (also with the 1.4x TC) with the R6, nearly dead on every time for focusing except for 1 photo I haven't posted of an outfielder making a diving catch and got his back foot perfectly in focus!


Rick


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May 5, 2022 23:10:10   #
TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC
 
The new 400 and the R6 is doing a great job for you, and it sure helps to have an excellent photographer holding the camera - congrats!

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May 6, 2022 05:57:26   #
Cheapshot Loc: California.
 
Excellent photographs!

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May 6, 2022 08:10:26   #
jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana
 
Nice--good timing on your part.

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May 6, 2022 10:51:59   #
raymondh Loc: Walker, MI
 
Impressive DOF! Your subjects really standout.

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May 6, 2022 10:53:40   #
rickberns Loc: Conroe, Texas
 
TriX, Cheapshot, jamatt,

Thanks for the early feedback! It probably took me around 3 games to really get comfortable shooting with a 1.4x tc on my 400mm, so many captures I had to delete with incorrect framing now that my reach is greater. Nothing like capturing the upper body but having half the players head cropped off!

Rick

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May 6, 2022 10:57:02   #
jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana
 

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May 6, 2022 11:53:29   #
rickberns Loc: Conroe, Texas
 
raymondh wrote:
Impressive DOF! Your subjects really standout.


Thanks raymondh for the comment,

At 560mm and even the 400mm, from where I was shooting from definitely enhanced the separation, I wasn't stretching for the center fielder even though that player was almost in range with my 560mm (have to do some cropping)!

Rick

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May 6, 2022 16:49:13   #
joecichjr Loc: Chicago S. Suburbs, Illinois, USA
 
rickberns wrote:
Okay haven't posted in a while (sorry about that). Day time job and honey-do list keeps me busy, but I did cut away from all that to shoot 1 or 2 baseball games a week (never shot baseball before). Anyways, I sold my 20+ year old Canon EF 400mm f2.8L non-IS II (25+ lbs lens) and replaced it with a newer 'used' model EF 400mm f2.8L IS II (feels like 10 lbs now!), also added another 'used' purchase a 1.4x III teleconverter giving my 400mm a reach of 560mm f4.0L during the daylight hours. I also used my 700-200mm f2.8L III on my 2nd camera, each lens paired to a Canon R6 mirrorless body. The photos ranged from 1/1000 to 1/4000ss, f/2.8 to f/4.0, ISO 1000 to 10000 set to autoISO (yeap baseball goes into the night down here in the South, almost like
the darn Fall football games). My focal lengths were either 200mm, 400mm and 560mm(400mm+1.4x)

Let me know what you think of these. I did capture a team jubilation (team just won the district championship that late evening) so I'm getting better at taking those shots. I really enjoyed the snappiness of the 400mm (also with the 1.4x TC) with the R6, nearly dead on every time for focusing except for 1 photo I haven't posted of an outfielder making a diving catch and got his back foot perfectly in focus!


Rick
Okay haven't posted in a while (sorry about that).... (show quote)


Dazzlingly beautiful action shots βšΎπŸ†βšΎπŸ†βšΎ

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May 6, 2022 18:32:02   #
pnittoly Loc: Mountainside, New Jersey
 
Great shots. Crisp, tack sharp and filled the frame. Cant ask for anymore ! Paul

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May 6, 2022 19:35:22   #
david vt Loc: Vermont
 
Really good. Color saturation and DOF exceptional

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May 6, 2022 21:20:01   #
rickberns Loc: Conroe, Texas
 
david vt wrote:
Really good. Color saturation and DOF exceptional


david vt and Paul,

Thank you for your feedback this really helps on seeing if I made a good decision on upgrading my 400mm and adding the 1.4x TC. My Canon R6 coupled with the 400mm and 1.4x TC perform at the full 12fps (mechanical shutter) and lock focus extremely fast between eye/face tracking and single point focusing. I'm starting to enjoy my longer EF prime lens and what they can capture with the mirrorless system.

Rick

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May 6, 2022 21:21:29   #
rickberns Loc: Conroe, Texas
 
joecichjr wrote:
Dazzlingly beautiful action shots βšΎπŸ†βšΎπŸ†βšΎ


Thanks joecichjr for taking time to look at these! I'm in feedback/learning mode at the moment as baseball is winding down here in South Texas.

Rick

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May 7, 2022 16:37:59   #
Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC
 
Epic exposures... Fabulous color harmonies latent within...
Maybe a few more with the ball in the frame?

Thank you for sharing Rick...
Looking forward to more of your stellar efforts!

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May 7, 2022 19:01:53   #
rickberns Loc: Conroe, Texas
 
Thomas902 wrote:
Epic exposures... Fabulous color harmonies latent within...
Maybe a few more with the ball in the frame?

Thank you for sharing Rick...
Looking forward to more of your stellar efforts!


Thomas902,

Thank you for the comments. I'm getting better at capturing 'eyes/ball' while filling the frame (doesn't happen all the time but hopefully improving). I'm constantly working on my timing and reading of the play to hopefully capture the right event, frustrating at times but exciting when it happens.

I'm learning so much from the best in this sports forum! I might not post all the time since I'm still learning the ropes but I guess its a much faster climb if I share and have many helpful comments/suggestions/improvements to help me along to a much better sports photo.

Your insightful comments and attention to details to many of the other photog's post on this forum are incredible hands down.

I look forward to your posts if I may add!

Best,
Rick

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