Amateur New to "Action" Photography

[BlueQuark]

Hi All! This is my first post on the forum! I'm a physicist who's hobby is astrophotography. Living in NJ, my real hobby is...hunting ideal shooting locations that minimize light pollution.

I also have children. They're now in high school and I want to be able to shoot them live (in action) from the sidelines/stands. Marching band, swimming, soccer. I know NOTHING about this. I have a Nikon Z9 that I programmed for astro shots, but I know nothing about live action. My ask: I'd like to grab pictures of my swimmers (indoors, lower light, about 25m from the action) and also my marching band players (outdoors, 5pm lighting, slower than swimmers, roughly 50m from the action). I'd like 1 lens to allow me to do all of this. At this stage, totally thinking a used zoom lens or 400mm prime. Can y'all recommend something? Also, any reason why I shouldn't look for used lenses? The cost of new ones isn't worth it for me...

Thanks!!!!

 

[Splitpair25 8]

Also, any reason why I shouldn't look for used lenses? The cost of new ones isn't worth it for me...

If you want a good selection of used lens's park the mirrorless and purchase a used DSLR from a reputable supplier like B&H.

One of the major problems of getting into a newer technology body is a lack of used lens's.

Yea you can use an adapter but why?

Personally I think the mirrorless revelation is a marketing move more than a technical advantage.

 

[JoeW3 2]

Hi All! This is my first post on the forum! I'm a physicist who's hobby is astrophotography. Living in NJ, my real hobby is...hunting ideal shooting locations that minimize light pollution.

I also have children. They're now in high school and I want to be able to shoot them live (in action) from the sidelines/stands. Marching band, swimming, soccer. I know NOTHING about this. I have a Nikon Z9 that I programmed for astro shots, but I know nothing about live action. My ask: I'd like to grab pictures of my swimmers (indoors, lower light, about 25m from the action) and also my marching band players (outdoors, 5pm lighting, slower than swimmers, roughly 50m from the action). I'd like 1 lens to allow me to do all of this. At this stage, totally thinking a used zoom lens or 400mm prime. Can y'all recommend something? Also, any reason why I shouldn't look for used lenses? The cost of new ones isn't worth it for me...

Thanks!!!!

Generally speaking, what is behind the camera (ie: you, and your knowledge/skill) is more important than the camera. And a Z9 is a fine body, capable of lots of good sports photography. That said...

There are a couple of areas where the equipment matters a LOT. Shooting wildlife in the wild is one (usually you're going to start at 400mm and get bigger). And sports is another (ie: action--movement but you're not close and the light--especially indoors--is often crappy).

I wouldn't get the 400mm prime. Distance isn't the issue for you, it's sharpness. First, it probably has a very poor aperture (and it won't be wide open--probably like f8). I also don't know how many 400mm primes are also very sharp (which is usually the benefit of a prime). I think for sports with movement (soccer, marching band) you want fast glass, with some reach, and the ability to shoot at f5 and sometimes wider (when the marching band isn't moving). Zoom will be better for sports because your target (son or daughter) will be moving and probably very quickly.

Also, most 400mm lens (or the zooms you're probably looking at) will be heavy. So you'll want to try shooting from a tripod or monopod.

With the z9 and so much of the software available, don't worry about grain (from a big crop or a high ISO). Worry about sharpness and aperture. I'd choose a fast sharp 200mm zoom over a 400mm prime that isn't as sharp and doesn't allow me to get bokeh on either side of my subject.

Here's my suggestion: find a lens that you think might be a good fit. Then find a place you can rent it. Try it out for a weekend. Shoot a sporting event or two. Shoot some birds. Yeah, you're still learning how to use it so most of your early shots will be crap--that's fine. You need to see if at least a few of the shots are sharp (especially when no-one is moving) and if you can still have a fast shutter speed (should be easy given the Z9 ISO range) in bad light. Remember, it's going to get darker when we get daylight savings time changes so don't shoot at 5pm and go "it's good."

Also, were you looking at just Z lens or considering using the Nikon FTZ adapter and then getting an F-mount lens?

 

[petrochemist146 171]

Welcome to the forum!

I strongly suspect your new requirements will be much less demanding than your astrophotography.

Like Joe I'm not convinced by the 400mm, I think you may often want more field of view than this will give you, something like a 70-210mm feels more likely to give you the right framing.

Being a cheapskate I use a lot of adapted lenses, most of the time this leaves me having to focus manually. I don't know if that would suit you, though there are adapted options that allow AF too.

 

[greybeard63 35]

Set you Z9 to SHUTTER PRIORITY/AUTO ISO. Shutter speed to 1/1000 or faster. Set the shutter release to multi and shoot with short bursts. The lens will automatically set to the aperture and the ISO will set automatically. I shoot a lot of birds and I use this setting and sometimes I shoot Manual auto ISO and set the lens to f/8. At this setting you need to watch the exposure meter as sometimes in really bright light it can over expose.

Nikon D850, af-s 70-300 @ 125mm, f/8, 1/2500, Manual-auto iso

 

[zombiesniper141 7]

I agree with @petrochemist that a good mid range zoom lens will be more flexible than a 400MM.

I wouldn't get the 400mm prime. Distance isn't the issue for you, it's sharpness. First, it probably has a very poor aperture (and it won't be wide open--probably like f8). I also don't know how many 400mm primes are also very sharp (which is usually the benefit of a prime). I think for sports with movement (soccer, marching band) you want fast glass, with some reach, and the ability to shoot at f5 and sometimes wider (when the marching band isn't moving). Zoom will be better for sports because your target (son or daughter) will be moving and probably very quickly.

Also, most 400mm lens (or the zooms you're probably looking at) will be heavy. So you'll want to try shooting from a tripod or monopod.

With the z9 and so much of the software available, don't worry about grain (from a big crop or a high ISO). Worry about sharpness and aperture. I'd choose a fast sharp 200mm zoom over a 400mm prime that isn't as sharp and doesn't allow me to get bokeh on either side of my subject.

I have no idea what lenses you have been trying but I've shot every DSLR 400mm prime that Canon has and my 500mm and I'll lay money on it that they are sharper wide open than any zoom lens of the same era. Almost everything here is completely opposite to reality.

 

[benhasajeep76 74]

I used to shoot for college paper. But supplied own gear. I shot outside for football, inside for basketball, volleyball. A 70-200 f/2.8 (shooting 3200 t-max no flash) will be fine for the indoor action (even f/4). A 300mm is a bit short for shooting from football stands if you want to fill the frame with your kid on the field. So something in the 200-400 range or 200-500. Try to keep the aperture down to 5.6. You can crank up the ISO and use something like DXO Photolab to tame the noise. A 400 f2.8 and the bigger lenses are overkill, unless you want best possible. I have the 180-600z and it would be fine for outdoor shot. But it's still heavy.

I also disagree with other statements the big fast lenses are not as good as people think. I still have all of my big lenses 300 2.8 mf ( from college), 300 2.8 af, 400 2.8 afs, 600f4 afi. I can still produce excellent pictures with them today. I also have multiple of the slower superzooms. 80-400, 150-500, 180-600. They all will produce fine images when used properly.

 

[IpseLux]

Set you Z9 to SHUTTER PRIORITY/AUTO ISO. Shutter speed to 1/1000 or faster. Set the shutter release to multi and shoot with short bursts. The lens will automatically set to the aperture and the ISO will set automatically. I shoot a lot of birds and I use this setting and sometimes I shoot Manual auto ISO and set the lens to f/8. At this setting you need to watch the exposure meter as sometimes in really bright light it can over expose.
View attachment 300578
Nikon D850, af-s 70-300 @ 125mm, f/8, 1/2500, Manual-auto iso

Gorgeous!!!

 

[IpseLux]

I shoot DSLRs and I'm not up to specs on Nikon mirrorless, but a favorite telephoto combo is a 300/4.0. Relatively fast, somewhat compact, or at least not brutally huge and heavy, often available used at a discount. Being a prime, it should give you a little better optical performance than a zoom. But that is a subjective benefit and really up to you. Look for an AF-S on the lens. I think the Z line requires a built in motor.
Enjoy the hobby. Kind regards.