Best "big" lense \for sports and marching band competition photography? (Page 2): :sm24:...

Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida

DaveO wrote:

A modern man! Perhaps "high performance vaping!"

Not knowing your vantage point, I'd use a 70-200 2.8 and have a 1.4 TC on hand.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

rpavich wrote:

This...you GOTTA HAVE the Canon 300mm f/2.8 IS! It's a must!!!
Buy it now....

https://www.amazon.com/Canon-300mm-Super-Telephoto-Cameras/dp/B0040X4PRW?SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duckduckgo-d-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B0040X4PRW

I tried it and it was a spectacular lens.

Buy it...go...now...money is no object.

It is a great lens! My son recently bought an earlier non-IS copy for a very reasonable $1300. Just shot a night football game with it (which is a classic use), and it’s worth every one of its 6 lbs (don’t forget your monopod).

Psergel Loc: New Mexico

I assume the competitions take place outdoors in good light?? If so, and assuming you are a Canon shooter, the 70-300L is a terrific lens. (the non L version isn't nearly as good but it is considerabley less expensive)

https://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-70-300mm-f-4-5.6-IS-L-USM-Lens-Review.aspx

It's about 1/5 the price of the 300 2.8 (which I lust for) and gives you some focal length flexibility while being compact and fairly light weight.

If the competitions are indoors in poor light.........you'll have to spend the big $$$s or shoot at very high ISOs

SteveR Loc: Michigan

My suggestion for sports and marching band would be different. Marching band can take up an entire field. I'd suggest the Nikon 28-300mm, esp. in combination with a Nikon crop camera such as the D7500 for its low-light capabilities. If competitions are all day-time propositions, the low-light would not be needed and the D7200 would be a good choice.

cjc2 Loc: Hellertown PA

Shutterbug57 wrote:

24-70/2.8 with 70-200/2.8 and 400/2.8.

I agree that this would be the BEST possible combination. It will also set you back @ $16,000. As a sports action pro, I use all three of these at most every outdoor sports event, but I am being paid to be there. Best of luck.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

OP still hasn't told us what camera they're using... brand/model/sensor format. So how can anyone advise them to get this Canon lens or that Nikon lens? Those won't work very well if they have a Pentax!

It would also be helpful to have some idea of the OP's budget, so that we aren't offering suggestions that are so far out of the box it's a waste of everyones' time.

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

I have been shooting the State Marching Band Championships for at least 12 years. THE lens is a 70-200. I shoot for an organization that wants waist-up images of the kids, so wider than 70 is not much use and 200 at the long end seems good MOST of the time. There are times when longer would be useful, of course. But since we shoot in bright sun AND stadium lights, that f/2.8 aperture is sure handy at night. Not to mention day or night the ability to take advantage of a narrow DOF to isolate the musician.

I do get to shoot from the sidelines, so your shooting location will determine your requirements. If you are in the stands, that 300 may be a better bet.
Use a monopod.

AndyH Loc: Massachusetts and New Hampshire

Judging from the OP’s other posts, he’s shooting Nikon (or maybe S&W 😉). I am looking for a similar range tele-zoom, and have been reading links and reviews for the past week.

Based on that I’m going with the Nikon 70-300 AF-P with VR, in the slower DX version. If he’s shooting FX, the comparable model would also be good. I’d probably go with the f 2.8 version if I had the funds and didn’t mind the extra weight/bulk.

Andy

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

amfoto1 wrote:

OP still hasn't told us what camera they're using... brand/model/sensor format. So how can anyone advise them to get this Canon lens or that Nikon lens? Those won't work very well if they have a Pentax!

It would also be helpful to have some idea of the OP's budget, so that we aren't offering suggestions that are so far out of the box it's a waste of everyones' time.

Excellent Point Alan. No idea why I thought he was shooting Canon - senior moment I guess 😡

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

mlkddk wrote:

Looking to get the opinions of the hedgehog community on what would be the best lens to do sports and marching band competition photography--you all have given me great advice as I advance in my photography endeavors so I am back to the best resource for knowing what to buy to address my latest project.
Also, I am sometimes working in low light with no flash allowed!!

Thanks in advance!!
Mark Kaiser

Sigma 100-300 f4 - but no IS/VR/OS.....

..

issa2006.

I am shooting band competition this weekend with my newspaper job. I will use my Nikon 18-200 2.8 lens which will work for the photos of the whole band and close ups of individuals. Of course I will be able to be fairly close to the band although not on the field since I have a press pass. You do need a zoom that has at least a moderately wide angle .

cjc2 Loc: Hellertown PA

issa2006. wrote:

I am shooting band competition this weekend with my newspaper job. I will use my Nikon 18-200 2.8 lens which will work for the photos of the whole band and close ups of individuals. Of course I will be able to be fairly close to the band although not on the field since I have a press pass. You do need a zoom that has at least a moderately wide angle .

Since WHEN does NIKON make a 18-200 F2.8 ???????????

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

mlkddk wrote:

Looking to get the opinions of the hedgehog community on what would be the best lens to do sports and marching band competition photography--you all have given me great advice as I advance in my photography endeavors so I am back to the best resource for knowing what to buy to address my latest project.
Also, I am sometimes working in low light with no flash allowed!!

Thanks in advance!!
Mark Kaiser

DEPENDS.
1. How close will you be standing? Are you in the stands or on the sidelines? Do you want the WHOLE band or individuals?
If it were me, I would stand at the top of the stands if you want the whole band. I would then move down to the field level to capture individuals in the band. A zoom lens could be used like a 18-200 mm comes to mind. If your going to stand in one spot, say the top of the stands and shoot the whole band and then want to get individual members without coming down to the field level you could go with the 18-200 and then switch to the 200-500 to get individuals.
However, I like shooting at the field level to get individuals because if you shoot individuals from the top of the stands all you may get is the top of their caps because of the angle.
So, I would go with the 18-200 and be fast a foot beating it from the top of the stands to the field to capture whole band and then individual band members.

Ltgk20 Loc: Salisbury, NC

I shot my daughter's bands for 5 years, always from the stands. For me, most of the events were at night with a few during the day. I used a 70-400 f4-5.6 on a Sony full frame camera. I would have liked a faster lens but I don't know that I'd have been happy with a fixed focal length. If I were to use a prime I'd have had a 300f2.8 with a 1.4 teleconverter handy. With the 70-400 I used a 1/250 shutter speed and iso6400 most of the time.

mlkddk Loc: Colorado

100 feet--see what lens will work the best and then figure out the budget