anyone shoot paintball?

[brownieapple]

does/has anyone taken pictures on the field during a paintball game on a pro/am/local field? i am trying to figure out the best way to protect the camera. how do the pros do it if you know any?

any help would be great!

 

[Studio7Four]

Wear obnoxiously bright colors and identify yourself to the teams before the match so they don't mistake you for an enemy combatant.

 

[brownieapple]

Wear obnoxiously bright colors and identify yourself to the teams before the match so they don't mistake you for an enemy combatant.

no you will still get in the crossfire. it is inevitable that you will get hit while you are out there. lol thanks though!

 

[thruthelens]

Make sure none are using frozen paint balls before the game, I haven't played for years because of it, I hope that doesn't happen any more, regular paint balls have a sting to them but those frozen ones are real nasty. As to your question, that's a toughie. Cheap compact?

 

[12sndsgood]

ive taken pics before awhile back when i was playing but never took a shot to the lens id be more worried about your nuts then the lens lol wouldn't be surprised if it could take the shot okay. maybe buy a cheap filter and take it out and just blast it up close with 20 or 30 shots and see how it holds up.


and yeh at any modernt paintball tourney your going to get hit tons.

 

[brownieapple]

Make sure none are using frozen paint balls before the game, I haven't played for years because of it, I hope that doesn't happen any more, regular paint balls have a sting to them but those frozen ones are real nasty. As to your question, that's a toughie. Cheap compact?

nahh i will be shooting with a group of local players. playing scrimmages and a little with the general population as well. the group of guys i will be shooting know the owner of the field and you have to shoot the fields paint. so there is no chance of frozen paint.

i want to shoot with my camera instead of a compact. i have been there and done that with the compact and i can't get the shots i want from the sidelines unless i would bring my set-up.

i might have to venture to pbnation.com in order to get my answer, but it is really hard to get a good answer from there.

 

[brownieapple]

ive taken pics before awhile back when i was playing but never took a shot to the lens id be more worried about your nuts then the lens lol wouldn't be surprised if it could take the shot okay. maybe buy a cheap filter and take it out and just blast it up close with 20 or 30 shots and see how it holds up.


and yeh at any modernt paintball tourney your going to get hit tons.

thanks i might do that. i have seen a few videos where the photographer accidentally got in the way of the videographer and all he had was what looked like a towel wrapped around the body. but i'm sure he is on the professional level and would be able to afford it.

 

[GeneralBenson]

I would say you best bet is to have the longest lens possible, and be furthest away from the action. But some wide angle in-the-**** shots would be pretty gnarly. Another option would be to put your camera in an underwater housing. I bet those can take a hit...

 

[ChevyBaby]

I shot at a game a few months ago and i dunno if i was just lucky but the camera range wasn't even shot at, mainly my ass and lower back got f.cked.

You can get these sort of old fashioned camera cases made of leather though that fit real tight onto your camera and only leave the lens exposed - when not shooting, just press the lens against your body in safety. That's what i done. Bit of a pain though!

 

[12sndsgood]

most paintball fields nowadays esp tournament and speedball type courses are only about 100' wife by 200' long or so. people are shooting from the break, you can get pretty close up shots with a 50mm lens. id suggest just starting out in the middle somewhere that gives you a good angle on the prime bunkers, laying down and wait for the action to start.

 

[brownieapple]

most paintball fields nowadays esp tournament and speedball type courses are only about 100' wife by 200' long or so. people are shooting from the break, you can get pretty close up shots with a 50mm lens. id suggest just starting out in the middle somewhere that gives you a good angle on the prime bunkers, laying down and wait for the action to start.

thanks! i know a bit about the sport i used to play and most of my friends still do but i got into other hobbies and now i want to bring together the two that i enjoy the most. so the 50mm 1.8 would be a good choice for shooting some speedball? what about a little bigger field like a 7 man field? i am most likely going to be either at the 50 snake or right next to the teams start point/deadbox. so i will need to be able to get in their faces or close enough to not interrupt the game.

 

[12sndsgood]

if your shooting with friends you could probalby use the 50 and move some if need be. if some are strangers, you dont know how some will react with you on the field and it might be hard with the 50 if you get someone up close to you esp near the snake. you never see a game where the snake isn't used. and if they make a move where the opposing team didnt see him. u dont want to reposition yourself to get them away (doesnt happen allot in speedball. but it does happen). your 28-135 would do great for allowing you to get some close up shots of the backs without leaving your spot. id probably take both personally. shoot with the 50 and if its not working switch out. i think youlle probalby end up using the 28-135 for times when your just close in the action.

so real good shots will be about 30' outside of there start zone to catch the break or at the 50 zoomed in a bit. breakout when everyone is scattering and a guy or two turns and starts wailing on the trigger makes for some good shots.


ive thought about going up to our local feild and asking to get in some of the games. but its getting cold now so i'll proalby wait till spring lol.

 

[brownieapple]

ive thought about going up to our local feild and asking to get in some of the games. but its getting cold now so i'll proalby wait till spring lol.

yeah it is getting pretty chilly. kinda stinks that it is, but nothing we can do abut it other than get out there with a bigger jacket and snap-snap-snap away.


so any other good ideas on how to protect my gear?

 

[12sndsgood]

my origonal thoughts was just a mount with a pieve of lexan or plexi in front of it. not sure how much that would distort or deteriorate the shot. we did that awhile back while shooting a commerical for our local paintball store, they put a piece of lexan in front of the camer and then about 5 of us just lit the plexi up with paint. you'd have to mount a rig to hold it in place.

 

[Rekd]

There are two things to worry about: Impact damage and contamination. I like the leather cover idea, but a straight on shot in the wrong place could get ugly.

If you're hell-bent on getting into the action, get yourself suited up, go rent a water-box and have a go.