Soccer

[ac12]

So there has been some discussion of what lens is best for soccer.
For on-field shooting:

• The traditional lens has been the 80-200 f/2.8 on a 35mm/FX/FF camera, shooting from the sidelines.
• I unexpectedly discovered that the 18-140 lens on a DX crop camera works VERY well, all around the field. During the day.

Photo deleted, sorry

It is the ability to capture these CLOSE shots that surprised me, in a good way.
In the past with my 80-200 on a 35mm film camera, I must have ignored the CLOSE shots, because I could not capture them. Unless I was well back of the end-line or the side-line.

On the long end, with only 140mm, and shooting from the end-line, I don't have enough reach to shoot the other half of the field, without a lot of cropping of the image. So I usually ignore the other half of the field. So when they go past the 50 yard line, I put the camera down and rest my arms.
Ideally, one would have another photographer to cover the other half of the field.

To get different perspectives, I usually shoot half the game from the end-line, and half the game from the side-line about the 20-30 yard line. Both times on the offensive side of the field, to try to capture the goal shots.

When the sun goes down, I used to switch to a 70-210 f/4, to get 1 stop faster than the 18-140. But the 70-210 has its problems, so has been retired.
#1 - 70mm on a crop body is too long for the close sideline shots.
#2 - The lens hunted a few too many times, and on the important shots, the goal. As a result, I missed the shot. Well I got the shot, but it was horribly out of focus, so I missed it. This was really not acceptable, and is what caused me to retire the lens from night sports.