Nikon 85mm for indoor sports

bcjames

bcjames

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James
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Hey everyone,

As a coach and manager of an athletics club, I take a lot of photos from various training and competition events. At the smaller end of the scale, this gives me pretty unparalleled access to shoot from where I like, within reason, so I can often get away with shorter lenses.

In the sports hall, I am finding myself a little stuck for a lens. I have a 35mm 1.8g and 18-70 3.5-4.5, and also a 70-300vr. For outdoor use, I get by with these quite happily. But indoors, the first two are a little short, and the latter has a length I never make use of, and thus feels like I'm carrying around a big lump for nothing, and it starts at f4.5. Most of my shots are around 80-100mm, with only group/trophy shots generally coming wider.

My D7000 works well at a higher iso, so gives me some flexibility, but I am now wondering about the 85mm 1.8D, shooting at f2 something, giving a compact, low light package.

Could anyone recommend this lens for fast moving, indoor subjects? Some of these kids can really shift! Or is there anything else I should be looking at. The budget is about that of the 85mm 1.8d, a few hundred tops.

Thanks for your input,

James
 
nikon 85mm 1.8D great lens with good AF speed. But swapped for 85mm 1.8G now. Hard to tell which one AF is faster between them... very similar... I think D version is a good buy. I bought one from this one forum sometime ago... i think i paid £170 (?)
 
if its anything like the canon 85m 1.8 (and they usualy are) then great for indoor use.. absoloutly perfect focul for things like basketball
 
Thanks for the feedback chaps, sounds ideal! I'll keep an eye out for a used one to try, or failing that they aren't too pricey when new.

asaspasas6​
 do you have any preference between the two having owned both? Perhaps not just in AF performance, but general handling too?
 
bcjames said:
Thanks for the feedback chaps, sounds ideal! I'll keep an eye out for a used one to try, or failing that they aren't too pricey when new.

do you have any preference between the two having owned both? Perhaps not just in AF performance, but general handling too?
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Loved the D version, and love G version even more :) they both reallllllly good
 
As luck would have it, I mentioned this question to a colleague and will now have a 1.8G to try out next week!

Thanks for your input everyone.
 
Hello James, I'm in Rushden and have the 85mm 1.8D. If you want to have a play with it your welcome to come and try it.
 
Hey James, I shoot indoor pageantry (color guard and drumlines) here in SoCalifornia, and have been using a 70-200 forever...from my D70s when I started to now with the newer VII version hooked to my D4. While the 85 *is* by all accounts a great, fast lens, I can't imagine limiting myself to a prime when there are so many opportunities for shots available. If you're shooting a D7000 you get great resolution and ISO range indoors plus a little extra stretch via crop factor (my FX cameras allow me to go to "crop" to take advantage of that stretch and I use it alot...)...why not rent one and give it a try one time?
 
metroman said:
Hello James, I'm in Rushden and have the 85mm 1.8D. If you want to have a play with it your welcome to come and try it.
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That would be really helpful, thanks! I'll have a play with the G version first, then drop you an email if that's okay.

Charlie Groh said:
Hey James, I shoot indoor pageantry (color guard and drumlines) here in SoCalifornia, and have been using a 70-200 forever...from my D70s when I started to now with the newer VII version hooked to my D4. While the 85 *is* by all accounts a great, fast lens, I can't imagine limiting myself to a prime when there are so many opportunities for shots available. If you're shooting a D7000 you get great resolution and ISO range indoors plus a little extra stretch via crop factor (my FX cameras allow me to go to "crop" to take advantage of that stretch and I use it alot...)...why not rent one and give it a try one time?
Click to expand...

Hi Charlie,

I'm not going to rent a 70-200 because my bank balance won't like the outcome! ;) That would be the ideal lens really, but it's far beyond my otherwise quite modest photographic investments. This is how I ended up with the good-but-not-as-good, variable aperture 70-300. Also, with the indoor sessions, I'm actually the coordinator, rather than photographer, so it's nothing too serious, just getting a few clicks in in-between the parents asking me questions!

Perhaps if the photos shift from predominately internal use to external, then it's a an idea I could revisit. In fact, I'm sure it's an idea that I will visit one day!
 
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