Prime lens for sports
May 11, 2017 07:00:36 #
mas24
Loc: Southern CA
The 70-200mm f2.8 is a supreme lens for sports photography. I have met two NFL pro photographers in the past 2 years, who have told me it is required to own it. Both photographers had Canon Gear with a Canon 1DX camera body. Since I cannot afford now, either the lens nor the camera, I will get by this coming summer, taking photos of kids playing soccer, from the sidelines, using a Nikon DX body and an inexpensive Nikon 50mm f1.8 prime lens. Love that lens. I do have another DX zoom lens that would qualify for sports action.
May 11, 2017 08:14:07 #
May 11, 2017 08:23:04 #
juicesqueezer wrote:
As others have stated, the 70-200 f2.8 is my go to lens for sports. However, when I need more reach, you just can't beat the 300 f2.8, 400 f2.8, 500 f4 as well as the big boys. Having owned the 300, I loved it, it just wasn't long enough. Saving for the 400 with a 1.4 tele. The IQ on this lens is outstanding.
Personally, I would rent one and see how you like it. They are heavy and you will need a monopod for support, but nothing better for sports, in my opinion!
Personally, I would rent one and see how you like it. They are heavy and you will need a monopod for support, but nothing better for sports, in my opinion!
I'm curious, do you turn off IS for sports hand held? What about on your monopod?
May 11, 2017 11:50:16 #
CO wrote:
The Nikon D5 and D500 have the best Nikon autofocus system. They are the first two Nikon cameras to have separate processor dedicated to just the autofocus system. They are rated to work dowm to -4EV.
I use a Nikon D5 and a Nikon D4 with Nikkor 400 f2.8 and 200-400 f4 lenses. As quick as the autofocus is on the D4 the D5 is even faster. The two big lenses I use mainly for football and baseball, sometimes softball. For other sports such as basketball, volleyball, tennis and swimming I normally use my Nikkor 70-200 f2.8 lens. Sometimes to shoot the opposite end of a basketball court i will use the 200-400 or a Nikkor 300 f2.8.
I use various shorter lenses for sideline and under basket shots.
May 11, 2017 12:26:32 #
billnikon wrote:
Your 70-200 should be ideal for sports on the D750... (show quote)
...I burned out the VR motor on my 70-200 vII shooting "sports"...best to leave it off and make sure to get enough shutter. Luckily it was under warranty, so after the "tsk-tsk" from the repair tech, he clued me in, lol...so, you guys like "group", eh? I've been fine with my present settings, but will try that out...
May 11, 2017 12:33:52 #
Tracy B. wrote:
I'm curious, do you turn off IS for sports hand held? What about on your monopod?
I do turn off the VR, as it is known on Nikon gear, when shooting sports, don't need it. That applies when using the monopod. I don't use a monopod for anything smaller that my 300 f2.8. At our football games, I see do called photographers using the monopod for all sizes of lenses, including wides to get crowd and sideline stuff. I'm not sure why.
May 11, 2017 12:37:50 #
chasgroh wrote:
...I burned out the VR motor on my 70-200 vII shooting "sports"...best to leave it off and make sure to get enough shutter. Luckily it was under warranty, so after the "tsk-tsk" from the repair tech, he clued me in, lol...so, you guys like "group", eh? I've been fine with my present settings, but will try that out...
I do use the "group" auto focus setting for basketball, seems to work a little better. For other sports I use 153 focal point setting on the D5.
May 11, 2017 13:00:54 #
picsman wrote:
I use zoom lenses, 80-400, 70-200, 24-120, 16-35 for different purposes and different sports. I know there is overlap but each lens serves a purpose depending on how close I want to get or how far away the participant is. Eg 80-400 for canoe and skiing, others for MTB.
I want to try a prime lens, probably 85mm or 105mm for the MTB events. Can anyone tell me about speed of autofocus and/or recommend a prime at or under 200mm? I use a D750 body.
I want to try a prime lens, probably 85mm or 105mm for the MTB events. Can anyone tell me about speed of autofocus and/or recommend a prime at or under 200mm? I use a D750 body.
I've used my 135/2.0 indoors and the focus was never an issue, snappy and accurate, the lens's speed however, was not quite fast enough though! Even I would not rate this as a slow lens, for sports it sure is!
May 11, 2017 13:04:12 #
JohnSwanda wrote:
I can't see any advantage to using stabilized lenses for shooting sports. Stabilization only helps with camera motion, and with sports you are going to have to use a high enough shutter speed to stop subject motion.
I agree, for shooting sports, one always turns off any stabilization anyway!
May 11, 2017 15:11:27 #
During the film era, I found the 1.8 85mm and the 1.8 135mm to be perfect for basketball and night football. I covered both of those for newspapers. I pushed Tri-X to ASA 1600, with the ability to set ISO on the 750 I think it would probably be even better with those lenses now.
May 11, 2017 15:34:04 #
Tracy B. wrote:
I'm curious, do you turn off IS for sports hand held? What about on your monopod?
It depends with hand held on the shutter speed. If I am under 1/500, it is still on. Over that, off. Monopod, I turn off the IS.
When I had my 300 f2.8 on the Nikon D4, I left VR off with monopod as well. That was one sharp lens and for sports, it is a sought after lens. The only problem I had was the reach, even with using the 1.4 tele on the 300. That's why I am looking at the 400 or possibly 500 f4. I want to fill the frame!
Taken in 2014 at the Titan's practice field in Nashville with the 300 f2.8. Hope to get on the field this year when I come up to visit. I plan on renting the 500 f4 to try out.
May 11, 2017 16:16:41 #
juicesqueezer wrote:
It depends with hand held on the shutter speed. I... (show quote)
Thank you for answering me. And that is a Great picture!
May 11, 2017 16:59:07 #
When I am shooting action sports, which is my main work, I use both my D5 and D500 with perhaps the D810 for venue shots if required. One of my most used lenses for all sports is my 70-200/2.8 - with the latest version being fantastic. If outdoors in the daytime, the 400/2.8, with a 1.4TC as needed, is my go to lens. In the evening, I use the 400/2.8 by itself. Since my purchase of my D500 last November, I have been experimenting with the 300/4 PF on it, with some pretty amazing results -- been very happy with that combination as well as a 300/2.8. Indoors, for basketball, I prefer fixed lenses, a 180/2.8D, an 85/1.4G, a 50/1.8G and a 35/1.8G and even a 20/2.8D. For other indoor and outdoor sports, any combination is possible. I also like to go to local games just to experiment with combinations that I haven't used a lot and I sometimes force myself to use only one lens for a game just to see what I can get. There's always more than one way to go! Best of luck.
May 11, 2017 22:44:49 #
Dziadzi wrote:
Pardon my ignorance, what is "MTB"?
That would be mountain bicycle racing.
May 12, 2017 06:49:42 #
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