Shooting High School Sports

tarzanboy

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Hey all

Brand new here...how you all doin? I am wondering what kind of zoom I need to capture the action of high school sports. The main reason I bought a DSLR (Canon Rebel XT btw) was to take better pics of my kids. I can get decent shots on it. I want to be able to zoom in action across the soccer field and basketball court and have a well lit action photo. I would also like to be able to shoot wild life from a distance as well.

thanks in advance
 
You're going to want to be looking into the big glass, 70-200 f/2.8 and longer.
 
Ya. This is definetly the type of photography that calls for big/expensive glass. I would look at the Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 if i were you. Thats a goos range and the large aperture will allow you to get well lit shots and also stop the motion.
 
IMO

Bigger and better glass is definitely better. But good results can be had with lesser lenses when the light is good. What sports are your kids playing, that is your budge and where will or can you shot from? Those are the big thinks to thing about.

The Canon 70-200 2.8 L ($1600 US) or 100-400L ($1700 US) and 24-70 2.8 ($1200 US) would be a very nice setup from most sports but that is not in most folk's budge.

A very good alternative setup would be something like the Canon 200mm 2.8 L ($660 US), 2x Extender ($280 US), 1.4 Extender ($280 US), 50mm 1.8 ($90 US) (This my film camera setup)

Also think about the Canon 70-200 4 L ($670 US) but you would not want to use an extender with this lens

Another also, on the camera what exposure mode and ISO are you using. You DO NOT want to use Auto exposure mode because it will adjust the ISO. Use shutter or aperture priority. The ISO should be set to at less the length of the lens. Plus try using a monopod.
 
long distance sports photography is probably the most expensive type of photography
 
You should be good with most lenses for outdoor shooting, but indoor is another problem. Try and get a 50mm f/1.8 for that.
 
High MP camera + a crisp cheap (compared to thousands of dollars) lens like 50mm f/1.8 like above post said, get as close and u can and try cropping afterwards, see what happens.

Soccer is normally outside, more light
Basketball is normally inside, less light

so it really comes down to what u wanna do, what kind money are u willing to put down into a lens? How far down the rabbit hole do u really wanna go? ;)
 
Ouch...Thanks for the very expensive advice. My kids play soccer and basketball. So it looks like I save up before next basketball season.

All these setups are confusing to me. I have never used them. I have tried automatic and I have also adjusted my white balance indoors.

I am readin a book about my camera and trying to get up to speed. I was hoping to spend between 500 and a grand, with the grand being my high limit, not my preference.

I definitely want the ability to zoom in and stop time for action photos
 
85mm f/1.8 is good for indoor sports photography and it will also allow you to be further than the 50mm will. XT 409 and 85mm around 300.

the 100mm f/2.0 isn't a bad choice either. Between the 85 and 100 they are great portrait lenses as well.

You could probably get the job accomplished with the above for outdoor shots but recommended outdoor sports are very expensive lenses to have. Cheapest one below is around 600 I think and that's the 70-200mm f/4.0L...you may or may not need tripod. Its all about what you would be happy with vs what's the best to use vs. what people here would recommend.

The reason I am probably not going to get into sports photography just yet is because its buku bucks. If I did get into it I'd probably get the 70-200mm f/4 or the F/2.8 just because they are at least in something that resembles my price range.


Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM Lens
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L USM Lens
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0 L USM Lens
Canon EF 1.4x Extender
Canon EF 400mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens
Canon EF 300mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens
Canon EF 500mm f/4.0 L IS USM Lens
Canon EF 600mm f/4.0 L IS USM Lens
 
A sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 is right there in that range.
 
On well lit days, I use the Canon 70-200 f/4 non-IS, it is good to handhold, use ISO 200. For shots across the field, you'll have to crop it a bit, but the quality is still very good. For indoor shots, I would recommend the 50 f/1.8 or the 85 f/1.8.
 
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^I highly doubt she want's to buy L glass though. It's really expensive. You guys are telling her to get the best stuff, but I don't think she's willing to spend all that money to get pro stuff.
 

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