Sports and action camera/lens setup recomendations

antc

antc

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Anthony
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Hi all,

I haven't shot sports for some time now due to various reasons. I used to own a Canon 40d and 70-200 2.8 IS and 100-400 about 3 years back now which I shot various sports with.

I no longer own any Canon kit or any other dslr kit as I sold it all due to health issues and not being able to carry the weight of the gear around for a long time.

So, the time has come and the itch has grown, I would like to get back to shooting sports again. To add to this I would also like to throw in a little nature. I participate in various camera club competions, national competitions and salons/exhibitions that I have just started doing.

For me the sports I would like to shoot could be anything from football, ice hockey, golf, horse eventing, mtb and so on and as I say I would like to give wildlife a try. I realise however, that the type of lenses required for sports work may not also be the same as lenses for wildlife.I would really appreciate some assistance with this as I have been out of the dslr world for over two years now.

As an example a friend uses a 7d and 300 f4 IS for his wildlife work, specifically birding, I believe he also uses a 1.4x convertor as well. He gets some very nice results using this.
 
Things haven't really changed much in the past few years so what you used to use would still do the job now. I reckon 300mm, even with a 1.4x telecon, might be a bit short for some wildlife but good fieldcraft will often get you closer.
 
Nod said:
Things haven't really changed much in the past few years so what you used to use would still do the job now. I reckon 300mm, even with a 1.4x telecon, might be a bit short for some wildlife but good fieldcraft will often get you closer.
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Ok cool thanks. My main concern I "think" is reach. I used to have a 100-400 and even with that I found sometimes it was not long enough.

WHat would you/anyone else recommend then?
 
Depends how much sharpness you want/need! I was happy with my Sigma 150-500 OS on a full frame DSLR but there are faster and sharper options (tend to be primes). I no longer have the lens since I could rarely be bothered lugging the weight around. These days, I use a 70-300 on a 2.7x crop body for long stuff and tend to use the same lens of the DSLR for the rare occasions when I shoot motorsport. A birding friend (he's a birder, I'm not!) uses a 600mm f/4 to great effect and has also recently bought himself an 80-400.
 
Thanks Nod, 150-500 is a lens that has been recommended to me by someone else as well as yourself. I wonder how it compares to the 100-400 i used to own.

Mike, around £1500 ish for body and lens. Could be stretched a little.
 
I've got a Sigma 150-500 OS and had a Canon 100-400 L when I had a 5D2 and 7D but sold both bodies and bought a 5D3. I didn't need two long zooms for one body so I decided to have a test between the two and keep the best. Both are virtually the same in sharpness and overall IQ (tested on wildlife, aviation and even brick walls with about 400 shots with each lens), the OS/IS battle was won hands down by the Sigma (I've managed to get shots as slow as 1/10sec handheld at 150mm and 1/15sec at 500mm) and on the 5D3 there wasn't really any noticeable difference in AF speed. I also found that the Sigma, although being a bit slower at f6.3 @ 500mm, locked on to a target for longer in failing light. Please bear in mind that this was 'my findings with my lenses' and may not be the same for all but I've been using the 150-500 as my mainstay lens for wildlife, BIF and aviation shots on my 5D3 for over 2 years and has given me a lot of excellent shots.

Just before christmas I got a Canon 300 f4L IS so I will be testing that out, both with and without converters, in the coming weeks/months to see how that compares. I've also got a 70D as a second body now and I've been testing my Canon 70-200 f2.8L IS II and 2x MkIII extender on the 70D and my 5D3 as well and that is a great setup too (but a rather expensive option).
 
I'd say you need to consider your primary subject first and plan for getting the best gear for that. Football, Ice Hockey, and horse eventing all shout out to me as requiring an f2.8 lens, so the choice goes down to a 70-200mm lens, or one of the older sigma 120-300 f2.8 versions. You could choose from a sigma 70-200 for around £400, a canon non-is 70-200 for around £550, or the sigma 120-300 for around £800 (all rough prices for used gear).

Golf is a completly different setup, depending upon the type of shot you want, and which event you're at. Unless you have a specific market i mind, I'd say Golf may be best left down towards the bottom of your list. Large expensive lenses for portrait type shots taken after the swing, or wide angles for the arty stuff. A lot will depend up[on the co-operation of your subjects. If you play golf you'll know what I mean, if not it might be one to avoid.

Downhill MTB you could probably do with the 70-200mm f2.8 and a wide angle, maybe something like the tamron 17-50mm f2.8 for about £200, and I often see these type of shots taken with added flash.

The best budget lenses for wildlife come from Sigma. A used 150-500mm will put you back around £500 or the 120-400mm about £400.

Football, Ice Hockey and eventing, you'll want a decent AF setup on your camera - the best crop cameras for this at the moment would be the canon 7d or 70d. In the Nikon camp, the D7100 is supposed to be their current best, although, on your budget I'd be very tempted for a D300 for around £300.

After all that is said, with £1500 in my pocket and your intended list of subjects, I'd buy the D300 with a sigma 70-200mm, sigma 150-500mm and the tamron 17-50mm. If you decide to specialise in one subject, maybe a newer body and drop the lens you need the least.
 
Thank you very much Stuart and Mike! Very helpful indeed.

Some thinking to do on my side now but you have all helped a great deal.

Cheers
 
Well, incase anyone was interested to hear progress I have now secured myself a nice 7D :) Just got to really decide on the lens now.
 
Hmm.. a 70-200 might do it.. depends how close you can get. I hear the new Mark 11 is razor sharp. HAving said that, I went to the olympic cycling test event and using a non is 70-200 with my 5D bagged a shot on the bend which went into my L panel. Hope you have the budget for one of those babies…I don't! For outdoors, a converter plus a 100-400 might do the trick too.
 
Chipper said:
Hmm.. a 70-200 might do it.. depends how close you can get. I hear the new Mark 11 is razor sharp. HAving said that, I went to the olympic cycling test event and using a non is 70-200 with my 5D bagged a shot on the bend which went into my L panel. Hope you have the budget for one of those babies…I don't! For outdoors, a converter plus a 100-400 might do the trick too.
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Nice one Chipper, I have my L judgement day at The Photography Show this year in March :) Glad to see others from the forum going for it as well.

Think 70-200 will be most flexible to start with, might also consider a 1.4x convertor as well. Been looking at the Canon IS mk1 70-200……..I actually used to own this lens about 3 years ago. Would love a Mk2 but think its going to be out of budget even second hand.

Been reading reviews of the Sigma DG OS 70-200 which seems ok but perhaps not upto Canons standard.

Having said all that as its for sports, I wonder if I will need IS at all, in which case I could look at a copy of the 70-200 non IS Canon which should fall in budget.

Tough choice I think this one, finding it hard to make a decision. Any help from yourself or anyone else would be much appreciated.
 
Love the 7D good choice for sports, I have two of them! Lens wise I use a 70-200 2.8 non IS L and a 300 f4 IS L, I enjoy this set up. If light is too bad and floodlights are poor I drop the 300, but for daytime I enjoy my set up.
 
Mrrikki said:
Love the 7D good choice for sports, I have two of them! Lens wise I use a 70-200 2.8 non IS L and a 300 f4 IS L, I enjoy this set up. If light is too bad and floodlights are poor I drop the 300, but for daytime I enjoy my set up.
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Hey Rikki, someone was just telling me about the non IS version of the 70-200 and pointed out that for sports, do I really need IS? Its been a while but as far as I remember from shooting sports over 3 years ago, if you are shooting high shutter speeds IS isn't really necessary? A friend has a 300 F4 IS he uses for wildlife and he swears by it. I bet it would come in hand for motorsport too. Do you use a 1.4x convertor with either of those lenses? If so how do you find the IQ?

Thanks again!! :)
 
antc said:
Hey Rikki, someone was just telling me about the non IS version of the 70-200 and pointed out that for sports, do I really need IS? Its been a while but as far as I remember from shooting sports over 3 years ago, if you are shooting high shutter speeds IS isn't really necessary? A friend has a 300 F4 IS he uses for wildlife and he swears by it. I bet it would come in hand for motorsport too. Do you use a 1.4x convertor with either of those lenses? If so how do you find the IQ?

Thanks again!! :)
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The shutter speeds I shoot at I find IS redundant for the sports I cover. I use a 1.4x at times and it works fine.

Most of the photos here are with the 70-200 or my old sigma 400 as havn't had the 300 long but you can see some examples here http://www.flickr.com/photos/56834624@N06/sets
 
Mrrikki said:
The shutter speeds I shoot at I find IS redundant for the sports I cover. I use a 1.4x at times and it works fine.

Most of the photos here are with the 70-200 or my old sigma 400 as havn't had the 300 long but you can see some examples here http://www.flickr.com/photos/56834624@N06/sets
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Thanks again for that.

I have just picked up a 70-200 F2.8 IS MK1 Canon, which I am pleased with.

Which extender version are you using Rikki?
 
antc said:
Nice one Chipper, I have my L judgement day at The Photography Show this year in March :) Glad to see others from the forum going for it as well.

Think 70-200 will be most flexible to start with, might also consider a 1.4x convertor as well. Been looking at the Canon IS mk1 70-200……..I actually used to own this lens about 3 years ago. Would love a Mk2 but think its going to be out of budget even second hand.

Been reading reviews of the Sigma DG OS 70-200 which seems ok but perhaps not upto Canons standard.

Having said all that as its for sports, I wonder if I will need IS at all, in which case I could look at a copy of the 70-200 non IS Canon which should fall in budget.

Tough choice I think this one, finding it hard to make a decision. Any help from yourself or anyone else would be much appreciated.
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Good luck at your panel. Which day are going for it and what is your time slot? We are going up on Saturday and always like to come in and watch some of them.
 
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