Help me justify the 300MM F/2.8

AHHH threads about nice shiny expensive lenses! Gotta love em. Can't wait to even try using a 300mm prime... sigh that will be the day. Oh and i thought of a excuse for buying a lens that you shouldnt use so am not going to post it
 
Ukkor said:
AHHH threads about nice shiny expensive lenses! Gotta love em. Can't wait to even try using a 300mm prime...
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I cheated on my 300mm f/4 AF-S. I got a client I was doing a shoot for to pay for it. It was my "fee" for a day's work photographing one of their corporate events. ;)
 
Kaouthia said:
I cheated on my 300mm f/4 AF-S. I got a client I was doing a shoot for to pay for it. It was my "fee" for a day's work photographing one of their corporate events. ;)
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Hmmm might have to try that..... seeing as my local football club has never paid me, im sure i could muster up some excuse :lol:
 
Rovers_Andy said:
Hi mate, the issue wasn't with the Aperture more with the AF speed. Some may disagree but the bulk of the guys i spoke to (Agency & Freelance) ditched the 70-200 in favour of the 135 f/2.
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KIPAX said:
he swapped for an f2 prime as did I .. massive difference for some very poor lit grounds
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Now thats an interesting choice.

I would have thought maybe the 200mm f2 but not a 135 f2. The 200 is still a lens IMHO designed for action, the 135 I would have said was more about portraiture.... and what I've seen of really wide aperture stuff, that tends to be more mechanically geared for a slow measured response with high accuracy rather than speed.

Interesting discussion...
 
Ahhh see the 135 was chosen because of focal length and specifically for football. It was a toss up between the 100MM F/2.8? and the 135MM F/2 because on a 1.3 Crop the 135MM frames anything from the edge of the box to right up close, I have found its VERY quick to focus and the colour reproduction and sharpness are superb
 
Andy, I used my 3-8 siggy and D300 for the first time in ages/months the other day.

I had forgot what a bloody awesome bit of kit it is.No use for indoor sports or the like, but for what I do, it is superb.

Primes are fantastic, but don`t discount some zooms mate.Especially for the wildlife stuff.
 
But moving slightly back on thread i think im sold on the 300MM especially after the feedback from Ian. I think it must be Canons most versatile long prime. I :love: the 200mm F/2 but at close to 5K it will have to wait until i can at least have a play with one. It would be interesting to see a comparison of its IQ versus the 200MM f/2.8
 
Rovers_Andy said:
Ahhh see the 135 was chosen because of focal length and specifically for football. It was a toss up between the 100MM F/2.8? and the 135MM F/2 because on a 1.3 Crop the 135MM frames anything from the edge of the box to right up close, I have found its VERY quick to focus and the colour reproduction and sharpness are superb
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Having never even been to a "proper" football match, let alone shot it... whereabouts are you standing? How far back from the touch line and whereabouts on the pitch are you talking about - presumably on the back line somewhere to get the faces as they kick the ball thing into the little net? :D

Haha I know nothing about football! (although I do seem to be about to take photos of it for the rag)
 
fracster said:
Andy, I used my 3-8 siggy and D300 for the first time in ages/months the other day.

I had forgot what a bloody awesome bit of kit it is.No use for indoor sports or the like, but for what I do, it is superb.

Primes are fantastic, but don`t discount some zooms mate.Especially for the wildlife stuff.
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I don't know if i should have a play with the Canon 70-200 again im quite tempted by the some of the sigma zooms too, and it would fill the big gap in my current lineup nicely especially alongside the 300
 
Rovers_Andy said:
But moving slightly back on thread i think im sold on the 300MM especially after the feedback from Ian. I think it must be Canons most versatile long prime. I :love: the 200mm F/2 but at close to 5K it will have to wait until i can at least have a play with one. It would be interesting to see a comparison of its IQ versus the 200MM f/2.8
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Siggy 120-300 F2.8 Andy, flexibility and sharpness in one super little bundle.........:)
 
desantnik said:
Having never even been to a "proper" football match, let alone shot it... whereabouts are you standing? How far back from the touch line and whereabouts on the pitch are you talking about - presumably on the back line somewhere to get the faces as they kick the ball thing into the little net? :D

Haha I know nothing about football! (although I do seem to be about to take photos of it for the rag)
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I have 2 different spots usually. The Prime:D spot is about 10-15 feet in from the corner flag, behind the goal. The other spot is on the sideline level with the edge of the box.

Usually i sit with my back against the advertising boards, some grounds have you sit behind the advertising boards though.


Of course if you have inside knowledge :naughty: you can position yourself so that when PNE score a 93rd minute equaliser against Middlesborough you get the goal scorer and team mates running right to where your sat whilst the Action Images and PA guys are on the other side of the goal and only get the backs of the players :D:p
 
(sorry to drag this thread about a bit)

How far back is the advertising hoarding from the actual line at a place like that?
 
Each ground is different but off the top of me ed its probably 10ft from the advertising boards to the Goaline. The grounds where i've sat behind the hoardings i would say it was another 5-10ft on top of that
 
Doing some quick maths there and I can see you are right then, assuming you are staking out the box (because apparently thats where it all happens??) and from the positions you indicate, 135mm on a APS-H is about perfect.

Don't worry, I'm going back to my petrol driven stuff just as soon as winter is over :D
 
desantnik said:
Doing some quick maths there and I can see you are right then, assuming you are staking out the box (because apparently thats where it all happens??) and from the positions you indicate, 135mm on a APS-H is about perfect.

Don't worry, I'm going back to my petrol driven stuff just as soon as winter is over :D
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Indeed it is :D im hoping to get some motorsports with the Agency in the new year but i've no idea if they'll be able to get accreditation i would love to do BSB or Touring Cars
 
I would find the 200 too long for football given the positions we are given... At Burnley the other week I was sat with a nikon user whos second lens was I think 180? or 185? and it was too long... we only had a certain place we could be.... I was perfect with 135
 
I think 200MM is too long for football i agree. Infact sometimes 135mm can be too long, it all depends on how far away from the action you end up. At PNE i have free reign to sit where i want but i know at any other ground i'll be restricted so need some other options

Edit

As much as i love football i'll need top be able to turn my hand to any sport to make my self more employable which is another reason to try and cover some of focal lengths i dont use yet
 
Because most motorsport is daytime and spring-autumn, a 300 2.8 and a 1.4x TC is a pretty good combo. That and a 70-200 2.8 for closer stuff on a second body and then something short and a decent flash for the pitlane/paddock portrait shots.

So there you go, if you want motorsport action, get the 300 2.8 :D
 
I'm sure you will love the 300mm Andy.

I did some indoor athletics earlier on in the year and found the combination of the 300mm on one body and the 135mm f2 on another suited me just fine.

300mm IS f2.8
3528497231_124c679373_o.jpg


135mm f2
3557109006_ec8d1dee2e_o.jpg
 
Emailed Kerso today :D so i hope to have the 300 waiting for me at home when i get back. I know i could probably walk in to Calumet and get it cheaper than Kerso but he delivers to my door and i wont have the hassle of extra luggage coming back

I think your right Ian the 300 will find its place for shoots where i'll be moving round alot and dont want the extra weight of the 400.

Superb shots you posted, IMHO two of the best Athletics shots ive seen for a long time
 
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