Best DSLR Camera for Sports/Fitness Photography

[CreationsByCray]

While I'm in no position right now to own a DSLR camera, I was wondering what would (to you all) would be a good fit for my purpose. As mentioned several times, I'm interested in starting a local freelance sports/fitness photography business and would like to use a camera more advanced than my Olympus Stylus VR-370 camera.

Again, this won't be an immediate purchase for me due to my financial state, but any help in the right direction will be awesome. Thank you.

 

[Tomasko]

Nowadays it's pretty much hard to find a "bad" dslr camera. As long as you know what you're doing, probably any would be fine. For sports I'd prioritise one with a good autofocus system and good lenses, but other that than it doesn't really matter that much.

Wait till you get more money and then start looking around to find one to fit your needs. It's really no use in searching now if you want to buy one next year or something. These things get obsolete pretty quick and every year there are new models coming out.

 

[astroNikon]

This question is fraught with unlimited answers as Any time you mention "freelance sports" you open up a whole can of potential worms.

A DSLR with a set of lenses can cost up to $16,000.
Or maybe your budget is only $10,000?
or maybe only $7,000
or maybe only $4,000
or maybe only $2,000
or maybe only $1,000
or maybe only $ 500

The AutoFocus system gets better and better as you get a better (and more costly) camera body. And the same with lenses.

So the answer is best solved by knowing much more about the "very specific" types of photography you do (we can't read your mind) and also your budget.

 

[Destin]

This question is fraught with unlimited answers as Any time you mention "freelance sports" you open up a whole can of potential worms.

A DSLR with a set of lenses can cost up to $16,000.
Or maybe your budget is only $10,000?
or maybe only $7,000
or maybe only $4,000
or maybe only $2,000
or maybe only $1,000
or maybe only $ 500

The AutoFocus system gets better and better as you get a better (and more costly) camera body. And the same with lenses.

So the answer is best solved by knowing much more about the "very specific" types of photography you do (we can't read your mind) and also your budget.

Agreed. Which sports do you want to shoot? Are you shooting in game action shots, or is this editorial work/environmental portraiture?

Far too many variables. The best "budget" sports camera on the market today is the Nikon D500. But it's $1800 USD without a lens.

 

[beagle100]

While I'm in no position right now to own a DSLR camera, I was wondering what would (to you all) would be a good fit for my purpose. As mentioned several times, I'm interested in starting a local freelance sports/fitness photography business and would like to use a camera more advanced than my Olympus Stylus VR-370 camera.

Again, this won't be an immediate purchase for me due to my financial state, but any help in the right direction will be awesome. Thank you.

the "best sports" camera is probably a Canon model but like others have mentioned your budget and the choice of lens are important variables
www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless

 

[Designer]

I'm interested in starting a local freelance sports/fitness photography business ..

Please tell us more about this plan. IMO, if you're talking about a photography business, then you're going to start calling yourself a professional photographer, and logically you would probably need professional-level gear.

More information please.

 

[fmw]

While I'm in no position right now to own a DSLR camera, I was wondering what would (to you all) would be a good fit for my purpose. As mentioned several times, I'm interested in starting a local freelance sports/fitness photography business and would like to use a camera more advanced than my Olympus Stylus VR-370 camera.

Again, this won't be an immediate purchase for me due to my financial state, but any help in the right direction will be awesome. Thank you.

Whichever one makes you happy will do just fine.

 

[CreationsByCray]

After seeing my initial post, I should have made it a bit clearer. My goal is to provide photos for aspiring and rising fitness models in my area and those that are in sports or have kids in sports to have moments captured forever. Yes, they can easily do it on their smartphones and their compact cameras, but there's nothing quite like having professional photos in your grasps. Truthfully, maybe the word I should have added was "LOCAL freelance sports/fitness photography" and not just "freelance sports/fitness photography", as it definitely has the ability to open a can of worms. These photos can be used to build their fitness modeling resume or just to have some awesome professional-like photos to use on their Facebook. I don't see myself having my work in a publication.

Was I more specific this time around?

 

[weepete]

Generally speaking you'll want to choose a camera body towards the top of the range for good AF and low light performance. So a top enthusiast level camera: Nikon D7500 or Canon 7D mkii (crop sensors) full frame Canon a 5D mkiv, 1DX or 1DX mkii or Nikon D850, D500 or D5. Couple that with a 70-200mm f2.8 and some fast primes and thats the general kind of kit most people would look to use for sports.

 

[Destin]

Generally speaking you'll want to choose a camera body towards the top of the range for good AF and low light performance. So a top enthusiast level camera: Nikon D7500 or Canon 7D mkii (crop sensors) full frame Canon a 5D mkiv, 1DX or 1DX mkii or Nikon D850, D500 or D5. Couple that with a 70-200mm f2.8 and some fast primes and thats the general kind of kit most people would look to use for sports.

Yep. And if you also wanna shoot commercial style sports/fitness portraits you NEED to invest in a set of powerful, portable strobes. Think profoto B1 or Flashpoint Xplor 600. You absolutely cannot shoot fitness modeling with natural light and get anywhere remotely close to professional results. This style of shooting is all about high speed sync and dramatic lighting.

Weepete nailed it on the camera gear. I'll add that the 70-200 2.8 is really too short for field sports like football or soccer.. especially if you get a full frame camera. You'll also something in the 400mm range.. either a 100-400, 80-400, etc. and those lenses only work for day time sports because of their slow aperture. If you want to shoot field sports at night you'll need a 300 or 400 2.8 prime.. and there's really no way around that. Buying new those cost $6500 and $10,000 respectively.

It sucks, but sports is one of the areas of photography where top end gear is absolutely essential if you want top end images.

Also, to make matters worse the rerurn on investment is terrible. Selling some photos from local sporting events is NOT likely to make you much money. Trust me I've tried it and failed. At an average high school sporting event I'll sell maybe $30-40 worth of photos and it just isn't worth my time anymore. At a full day event like a motocross or stock car race I might make $20 or I might make $800. I've had both happen and you can never really predict which way it'll go.

Also, most aspiring fitness models looking for photos like this usually get it on a "time for print" basis from an aspiring photographer. This means that VERY few of these models are actually paying photographers for this type of photo.

I absolutely love shooting sports and sport portraits. It's my passion, and I still do it for that reason. But you cannot run a photography business solely on those two things. I make 95% of my money shooting high school senior portraits and family portraits.

 

[Designer]

Truthfully, maybe the word I should have added was "LOCAL freelance sports/fitness photography" and not just "freelance sports/fitness photography", as it definitely has the ability to open a can of worms.

I don't understand that comment. What can of worms?

Anyway, I thought some about who your potential clients are, and I think there might be two different groups:

First; the "model" aspect leads me to think maybe they would be interested, but only if they were being paid by someone to pose for photos.

Second; the amateur fitness enthusiast who might like to have some photos, but only if the price was affordable.

Either way, I don't see this particular niche as being profitable.

If you like photography, go for it, but don't limit yourself to such a narrow practice.

 

[goodguy]

Best Sports Camera today with crop sensor is the Nikon D500
10 FPS
200 pictures buffer
BEST auto focus system in the market
Price is 2000$ or less
Even better is the newly released Nikon D850 which has same auto focus system, better low light sensor, more dynamic range, 9 FPS with battery grip.
But its more expensive 3300$

Above it is the Nikon D5 and Canon 1Dx but those cost over 6000$

 

[KmH]

You'll need as many as 3 camera bodies (at least prosumer grade with a vertical grip on each, and preferably pro grade) and a suite of lenses for a freelance sports/fitness photography business, local or otherwise.
When I shot soccer I used 3 camera bodies - one with a 24-85 mm f/2.8-4 lens (used about $500) mounted for close action shots, 1 with an 80-200 mm f/2.8 lens (used about $500) mounted for middle distance shots, and the 3rd with a 150 mm - 500 mm lens (used about $500) mounted for shooting action at the other end of the field. The 150-500 was on a monopod.

Way more important than your photography skills will be your business skills.
You'll need to promote, market and advertise your business. You'll need to keep financial records so you can determine if you are or aren't actually making money.
The State of Tennessee has requirements for businesses - Registration and Tax Requirements - TN.Gov
Tennessee may in fact require you to keep financial records.
Your local government likely has separate requirements.

I've seen a boatload of 'new business' owners financially ruined over the years by state and local back taxes/fines/penalties because they did not have a legal business and got caught. Usually they get caught because a competing legal business told the state/local governments about the illegal business.

You'll need to save up enough money to not only buy photography and lighting gear, you'll need even more $$$$$s to start the business and keep it viable for the 3 to 5 years it will take to develop sufficient revenue that you cover all your costs.
Don't forget the IRS - Business or Hobby? Answer Has Implications for Deductions | Internal Revenue Service

If local is not a major city in Tennessee - Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville,Chattanooga, Clarksville, or Murfreesboro - it will be hard to make enough money to keep a business as specialized as a freelance sports/fitness photography business, in business.
Being that specialized severely limits the pool of potential customers you will have to draw on for repeat business. The smaller the town, the smaller the pool of potential clients.
Repeat business is what keeps a photography business alive, because it costs way less to get a client/customer to repeat than it costs to make a new client/customer.

You'll also need lighting gear for the fitness photography part of the business. Shadows and highlights are what define the musculature of an athlete. Relying on just ambient light severely limits ones ability to control highlights and shadows.
For team portraits I used 3 light with modifiers. For individual team member shots I used 2 lights.
So for league team shooting day I had 5 lights w/modifiers set-up and had 2 assistants working with me. One assistant wrangled the teams/individuals into position for me to shoot and the 2nd assistant handled the paperwork/money.
For the team shots I used a 300 mm prime lens (bought used for $3500) and for the individual shots I used a 200 mm prime lens (bought used for $4500).

You might get by with less capable gear but less capable gear limits what you can creatively & artistically do to stand out from the competition with your photography.