Shooting through Chainlink fences???

[AliasPros]

Ok PROBLEM, this is gonna be my first season shooting Softball with pro equipment. I used to use my XTI with 75-300mm kit lens to shoot through the chain-link fence of a softball backstop. I sold my kit lens to a softball mom for a few bucks that also had an XTI with only the 18-55. Now that the season is back around I was at practice and realized all my good glass is freakin' HUGE! My cheapy 75-300 would nestle itself between the chain-links and I would get awesome shots without the chain being a factor. Now my glass is just too big at 72mm and 77mm front filter sizes. I realize if I wanna keep getting the shots parents pay $$$ for I need to get me some glass with a filter size in the 50mm's like this one below at 58mm front filter.

However at $550.00 the price seems steep as it would only serve the purpose of the back stop shots I am used to getting. I thought I was done buying glass for a while. Anyone wanna recommend another option that is in the 70-300 range with a small front filter size and is good glass? Do I just buy my 75-300 kit lens back and dare strap it on a 5d MKII just for those shots?

 

[Misfitlimp]

I shoot stuff at my daughters softball games and I use my 70-200 2.8 and shoot from the dugout so as to not deal with the fence, I dont get why you wanna shoot from behind the batter unless u are shooting all the field players from the backstop. Can i see these money shots you speak of?

 

[AliasPros]

I shoot stuff at my daughters softball games and I use my 70-200 2.8 and shoot from the dugout so as to not deal with the fence, I dont get why you wanna shoot from behind the batter unless u are shooting all the field players from the backstop. Can i see these money shots you speak of?

Yeah I got the 70-200 2.8L also, but how can you not shoot a pitcher looking at her right down the line? I am not saying my shots are phenomenal by any means, but the parents love this angle of their daughter pitching and I can't begin to get this shot from the dugout although I do shoot from there a lot as well with my canon 70-200mm and sigma 120-400mm. If the parents like the backstop shots I am gonna keep giving it to them this year...

If you haven't shot this angle for the pitcher you might consider it. You can get a lot of good shots right down the light over the batters shoulder, just saying...

 

[Misfitlimp]

hmmm never done that before. Dont really like the one with the bat in the way but the second ones interesting. In some of my stuff I like to shoot the batters but show some motion. You might wanna try that with the pitcher also. ill post if I can find em

 

[AliasPros]

hmmm never done that before. Dont really like the one with the bat in the way but the second ones interesting. In some of my stuff I like to shoot the batters but show some motion. You might wanna try that with the pitcher also. ill post if I can find em

Yeah, the 1st one is part of a sequence I usually shoot bursts of 5 at a time and batter was in the way, but I like the pitchers expression in that one. Motion? you mean like blurred? Can't wait to get out there and do some shooting with the new heat 5D! just wish I could keep the sweet spot behind the backstop and I don't want cheap glass either... seems like all good glass come with huge front filter sizes...

 

[Misfitlimp]

Yeah your gonna have trouble doing 5 shot burst with a 5D mark 2 seeing as how it does a meer 3.9 FPS, if you wanna do fast sequence shots your best bet would be a 1d mark 4 or a 7D and to leave that mark 2 in the studio brotha

 

[AliasPros]

Yeah your gonna have trouble doing 5 shot burst with a 5D mark 2 seeing as how it does a meer 3.9 FPS, if you wanna do fast sequence shots your best bet would be a 1d mark 4 or a 7D and to leave that mark 2 in the studio brotha

OK sista, sorry I meant almost 4 frames per second bursts (it's a new camera to me) I will buy a 7D just for the field I am sure I can't do any damage with my slow 5D... LOL

 

[Misfitlimp]

Im also a brotha. I own a a gripped 50D and I am looking to unload it if you are interested

 

[AliasPros]

sorry brotha I meant 7D, LOL I corrected that in my post... how much you want for the Fifty? I might no some peeps interested?

 

[Misfitlimp]

1g obo let me know

 

[AliasPros]

anyone with any lens options? Or do I just pick up a cheap 75-300mm canon with 58mm front filter size on my 5D just for that shot, to get through the chain-link?

 

[mrmacedonian]

...2-3 good cuts with these you can keep your fancy glass on!

 

[AliasPros]

...2-3 good cuts with these you can keep your fancy glass on!

HAHA! Lookin' like my only solution right about now...

 

[AliasPros]

does anyone out there at least have the 70-300mm IS USM and can comment on it? It has a small front size at 58mm, seems price for a range I already have covered in other lenses...

 

[Stosh]

There is a slight misunderstanding going on here regarding your request for a small front filter lens. The front filter is a good indication of the size of the beam of light coming in to your lens at maximum aperture. If you want a smaller aperture, stop your lens down. To determine the correct f-ratio that will give a 58mm size "hole", take your focal length divided by f-ratio and that's the true aperture. For instance 200mm/2.8=71mm aperture. 200mm/3.5=57mm. There's no reason to buy another lens unless your real reason is for a lighter lens.

Also, I assuming you know that to shoot between the chain link fence you need to be right at the fence - like touching it. You can't be back away from it. Also, you have to center the lens "between" the links. You'll see the links in the outside of the view finder, but when the picture is taken, the lens will be stopped down and they will be gone.