I love this lens!!!!!!

[KmH]

Not if it's mid-day, sun high in the sky.

It still is because you want wide apertures to isolate players i mostly shoot field sport at F2.8 but max i would go to is F4

I frequently shoot field sports with the Sigma 150-500 mm lens at f/6.3.

Lens aperture isn't the only parameter that determines DOF.

Someone who understands the performance of their equipment can usually set up in a way to mitigate it's limitations, which is part of the reason I usually shoot from the end lines.

It may also be we have more wide open spaces here in Iowa than you have available where you shoot.

 

[KAikens318]

The next one I am going to rent is the 70-200 Nikkor AF-S VR 2.8 and try that one out.

 

[gsgary]

The next one I am going to rent is the 70-200 Nikkor AF-S VR 2.8 and try that one out.

Now your talking quality

 

[gsgary]

Not if it's mid-day, sun high in the sky.

It still is because you want wide apertures to isolate players i mostly shoot field sport at F2.8 but max i would go to is F4

I frequently shoot field sports with the Sigma 150-500 mm lens at f/6.3.

Lens aperture isn't the only parameter that determines DOF.

Someone who understands the performance of their equipment can usually set up in a way to mitigate it's limitations, which is part of the reason I usually shoot from the end lines.

It may also be we have more wide open spaces here in Iowa than you have available where you shoot.

The only sport i shoot at apertures similar is cricket 300F2.8 with 2x = F5.6 which is still a bit short most other are shot in the winter when F6.3 would never cut it

 

[KmH]

The next one I am going to rent is the 70-200 Nikkor AF-S VR 2.8 and try that one out.

Big mistake. Huge. You'll be forever spoiled.

That is sweet glass.

As far as purchasing, for less than half the cost there is the AF 80-200 mm f/2.8D that is almost as nice.

 

[KAikens318]

I am still not sure as to whether the 200 will be enough zoom for sports unless I am really close, but no harm in trying it out right?

 

[KmH]

Yep, no harm.

For field sports, unless the action is pretty close to you, 200 mm won't give you enough subject scale. To get subject scale with a 200 mm lens you would need to crop.

When you crop you discard pixels (resolution).

The fact of the matter is that shooting sports effectively, requires some of the most expensive photography gear available.

Pro sports shooters often have well over $50,000 invested in gear so they can cover night and indoor events.

Just a couple of Nikon D3s bodies ($10,400) and an AF-S 400 mm f/2.8 ($7000) eats up quite a chunk of change.