Next Lens...suggestions? Sports, Dark subjects, Low light

Kwenami

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I have a canon t5i. I want to focus on sports and my subjects are usually dark (dogs). Currently, I'm using settings of approx 1/1500 - 1/2000 sec, f5.6-8, ISO 400-800 ish to get about 50% of shots in focus, and cut that down to maybe 20% that I actually like, don't have excessive grain (after LR). I know my gear is letting me down-the autofocus is slow, and I'm using BBF to pre-focus on the jump or spot which has helped. It's painful to throw away a great pose/expression because the focus was slightly off. My current lens is 55-250, and I mostly use it in the 200-250 range (and could go a bit farther sometimes). The photos look okay at 800 ISO but I'm happier with the grain at 100-400 ISO on the , given the dark subject.

I want a new lens, around 1200$ ish. I want to notice a difference in how many shots I can keep, and the focus on those shots to be tack sharp.

Suggestions, other than upgrading to a full frame? I would appreciate lenses that work with both but I'm not sure if the extra weight is necessary yet. I'm mostly aiming for faster focus, and a sharper lens, than dealing with the low light, but it's on the radar. If I take better photos with more consistency during the better light, I don't need to take as many (or any) in low light once the sun is setting if there's excessively shaded areas. I have appreciated the flexibility of zoom lenses (currently working with 55-250 usually on the longer side, so 200-300mm ish is good?).

I've borrowed the 70-200 F4 EF IS before, but not in the context I was hoping to shoot in. The focus was definitely improved, but I can't say how dramatic it was since it was borrowed on a photo walk rather than for what I'm currently looking for. I might be interested in renting a few lenses and playing around first. I might be interested in a lens/camera combination, but my budget is low for that (suggestions for the future are welcome, but doubtful). I am mostly doing this as a hobby and sometimes shooting events for photos to be sold fairly cheaply and started out recently enough that my gear probably will reflect that.
 
You should be able to pick up a used 70-200 f2.8 for somewhere in the ballpark I would think.
 
yes, look for a used 70-200 2.8 Canon ... or maybe Sigma or Tamron
 
^^^^^^^^^^^^
What they said. For action the 70-200 f2.8 is generally the first lens most people will pickup due to it's relatively economical price for what you are wanting it for.
 
I also echo the 70-200 F/2.8. I haven't used Canon for a few years, but at one time, F/2.8 and faster, opened up a new and improved level of AF.
 
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