Marathon Gear List

JackMcIntyre

JackMcIntyre

Messages
560
Name
Jack McIntyre
Edit My Images
Yes
After getting myself 4 bookings for big running events, :runaway: I need to start rounding up my gear and making sure I'll be prepared for them properly.

I'm going to list my entire gear set below and if you have anything to add please just pop it in a comment and I'll add it onto a 'Need to buy' List below.

Currently Have:
Canon 40d
Canon 18-55 Kit Lens
Canon 70-200 F4/L
Sigma 70-300 DG APO Macro

Accessories:
1 Battery
Filters
Rocket Blower
Flashgun

What I will need to buy:

Waterproof things for me and my camera
Fast Glass (in the future)
Grip

All ideas appreciated - note that I'm not made of money so don't be suggesting 200 F2 primes.

Edit; Forgot to mention that memory cards are supplied by the agency!
 
Hi Jack :)
Not much experience but I covered a Charity 10K a few months ago - and like any sport I would suggest you need a fast lens 2.8 or faster - you will need to isolate the subject against the background of others runners/foliage/buildings etc etc and at length the 70-200 f4 will be the only lens that will start to do it but really you will need faster.

You can pick up the 200 2.8 MkII prime for £450 ish? Is that still too much?

Perhaps if you are charging you could look at hiring a faster lens?

HTH matey and best of luck.
 
if you're spending all day in portrait orientation picking off every runner that waddles past, get yourself a grip just to avoid having your right arm sieze up on you half way through.... they're like £30 on ebay, 'linkdelight' is the seller.

oh, yeah, and some ponchos...
 
Tayler said:
Poncho! Incase it rains? ;)
Click to expand...

Noted. ;)

smoothedit said:
Hi Jack :)
Not much experience but I covered a Charity 10K a few months ago - and like any sport I would suggest you need a fast lens 2.8 or faster - you will need to isolate the subject against the background of others runners/foliage/buildings etc etc and at length the 70-200 f4 will be the only lens that will start to do it but really you will need faster.

You can pick up the 200 2.8 MkII prime for £450 ish? Is that still too much?

Perhaps if you are charging you could look at hiring a faster lens?

HTH matey and best of luck.
Click to expand...

200 2.8 is very tempting, although at this point in time I only have about £100 to my name, so it may not be viable within the next 2 months until I start getting a few more jobs. Cheers for the advice!

birdy961 said:
Back up body, especially as you have bookings
What happens if yours dies
Click to expand...

I have a spare 350d just incase, I certainly can't afford another 40d. :'(

redmonkee said:
What agency do you shoot for and do you do this full time?

Sorry to be off topic :D
Click to expand...

I just struck lucky by contacting a random agency who happened to have not enough photographers in my region - if you do a google search for marathon photos its the first one.
 
itsdavedotnet said:
if you're spending all day in portrait orientation picking off every runner that waddles past, get yourself a grip just to avoid having your right arm sieze up on you half way through.... they're like £30 on ebay, 'linkdelight' is the seller.

oh, yeah, and some ponchos...
Click to expand...

Ahh a grip would make it a million times easier, I'll look into getting either one of the z-bay one or a second hand Canon one.
 
I did the a local half marathon for a big running agency, they wanted full body shots in portrait mode on the lowest quality memory card my camera could muster (8mp).

So thats what they got. They also wanted you to use manual focus and to fire shutter when the runner came into shot.

So find out exactly what the want. Grip is a good idea.
 
Also - a high vis - very useful for safety but also has a very canny knack at keeping people out of the way! I got mine from a local t shirt printers for £5 all in which had Photographer on the back.
 
Good idea on the hi-vis. I was supplied CF cards by the agency, they also provided a free waterproof cover.

There must have been 10 photographers which were stationed around the course, some at start finish who got start line shots, then hung about until the end when each finisher was shot with a medal.
 
andrewc said:
I did the a local half marathon for a big running agency, they wanted full body shots in portrait mode on the lowest quality memory card my camera could muster (8mp).

So thats what they got. They also wanted you to use manual focus and to fire shutter when the runner came into shot.

So find out exactly what the want. Grip is a good idea.
Click to expand...

The auto portrait mode? Wierd.

smoothedit said:
Also - a high vis - very useful for safety but also has a very canny knack at keeping people out of the way! I got mine from a local t shirt printers for £5 all in which had Photographer on the back.
Click to expand...

I'll definatley need one of those. PHOTOGRAPHER COMING THROUGH! :bonk:
 
I'll definatley need one of those. PHOTOGRAPHER COMING THROUGH!
Click to expand...

Absolutely mate. It should be standard because you will be working in a traffic environment but it should also help with people being aware of your presence and keeping out of shot (hopefully).

I would have thought the agency would provide you with one/ fund one.
 
I quite fancy the idea of using my monopod with the 7-2 F4, its not heavy to hold but i'm guessing its going to feel like a tonne of bricks after 3 hours. I only have little arms. :lol:
 
It might be worth going to a local athletics club for an hour to see what you might need or be able to leave at home, a lot of interest is in the runners' facial expressions so hiring a fast portrait lens could be most useful.

Stu.
 
Having worked for this company:-

Get Boots Shower Caps .79p for 3, excellent to put around your camera and cheap/disposable, possibly a post office red elastic band to put over lens and seal the bag to camera lens (get some and you'll see what i mean!)

Shammy Leather (Big one) from Halfords to go over your lens and part of the camera to keep most of the rain off, a tip given to me from a rally tog! Works!

Monopod

Small seat - cos on a big marathon it's a pain to stand up all the time and you can photo the runners and sit!

Hi-Vis Jacket but they might supply one!

Take Waterproof gear for yourself!!! Even if it stays in a bag or car, suprising how you cater for your gear and not you!

Food/Drink - especially drink!

They provide memory cards!

They'll insist on you using the 70-200, it's very unartistic type of event photography, runner in the middle, space above and below the runner.

Runners will get almost to you and jump in the lens cos they think it's funny and think you're taking there photo, where you've already got them 50 yds back!! Pillocks!!!

Enjoy, it's hard work, ok pay but I did enjoy it!

They'll expect 1000s upon 1000s of photos so it will be machine gun photography!!!

I did Great North Run for them a few years, they did it with 22 of us photographers! I got a nice Great Run organisers jacket out of it, great lightweight coat!!!

Lastly, ENJOY!!!!!

Carl.
 
CarlOgden said:
Having worked for this company:-

Get Boots Shower Caps .79p for 3, excellent to put around your camera and cheap/disposable, possibly a post office red elastic band to put over lens and seal the bag to camera lens (get some and you'll see what i mean!)

Shammy Leather (Big one) from Halfords to go over your lens and part of the camera to keep most of the rain off, a tip given to me from a rally tog! Works!

Monopod

Small seat - cos on a big marathon it's a pain to stand up all the time and you can photo the runners and sit!

Hi-Vis Jacket but they might supply one!

Take Waterproof gear for yourself!!! Even if it stays in a bag or car, suprising how you cater for your gear and not you!

Food/Drink - especially drink!

They provide memory cards!

They'll insist on you using the 70-200, it's very unartistic type of event photography, runner in the middle, space above and below the runner.

Runners will get almost to you and jump in the lens cos they think it's funny and think you're taking there photo, where you've already got them 50 yds back!! Pillocks!!!

Enjoy, it's hard work, ok pay but I did enjoy it!

They'll expect 1000s upon 1000s of photos so it will be machine gun photography!!!

I did Great North Run for them a few years, they did it with 22 of us photographers! I got a nice Great Run organisers jacket out of it, great lightweight coat!!!

Lastly, ENJOY!!!!!

Carl.
Click to expand...

Brilliant advice carl, thanks a lot. I hear the photographer tally for this year is over 50. That's one of us for every 1000 runners, at least. :lol: The seat is a great one I didn't think of, hopefully they won't have me stood in the middle of the road dodging people as I've seen them do years back when I used to run the junior as a kid.

I quite like the idea of myself setting up a small photographic 'Pillbox' at the end of a road, hundreds of nazi's (runners) coming at me while I mow them down with my 6.5 bullets (frames) per second. Sounds like something out of a war movie. :bonk:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top