DSLR for sports photography?

itznfb · Aug 14, 2009

i can't give you the Canon equivalent but a good option for you would be the D80 with a nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8 or 70-200mm f/2.8 if in the budget.

Rekd · Aug 15, 2009

Man. I knew this was going to happen! You ****ers got me looking at the D300 now! :lol:

I'm gonna have to go down and put my grubby little paws on one to see what the real difference in the AF speed is between the D90 and the D300. You guys suck! (And I mean that in the nicest possible way)

Oh, and I've thought about the glass vs body issue. I'm going to be getting both eventually. I might was well get the body with the features I want, then get the glass to match. I'll just have to wait a month or two to get a faster lens.

Thanks for the input. I think. :thumbup:

itznfb · Aug 15, 2009

About ATVs said:
Man. I knew this was going to happen! You ****ers got me looking at the D300 now!

I'm gonna have to go down and put my grubby little paws on one to see what the real difference in the AF speed is between the D90 and the D300. You guys suck! (And I mean that in the nicest possible way)

Oh, and I've thought about the glass vs body issue. I'm going to be getting both eventually. I might was well get the body with the features I want, then get the glass to match. I'll just have to wait a month or two to get a faster lens.

Thanks for the input. I think. :thumbup:

I haven't experienced any difference in AF speed between the D90 and D300. btw.... get the D300s.

KmH · Aug 16, 2009

+1 ^^^ You might as well. You basically get the video and extra card slot for free since it and the D300 are essentially the same price right now. Could come in handy for resale down the road too.

Ship date on the D300s is now 8/28.

Rekd · Aug 17, 2009

KmH said:
Ship date on the D300s is now 8/28.

singing Happy birthday to me! (Within a few days... WTH) :lol:

Rekd · Oct 12, 2009

Didn't see this coming... A week and a half ago I (finally)
got a Canon 50D with a kit lens. Figured I'd save on lenses
because I've got several from my film EOS'

Spent the next day shooting Freestyle Motocross at the
Pamona Fairplex (in Easy mode/sports cuz I'm such a n00b)
with the Canon 70-210 EF lens from my film cameras.

They came out ok, I've got a lot of practice to do:

See the light pole in the below shot? It had 3 more rows of light
that went up past the rider's back. I removed them so you could
see the separation from the bike.

I've got a few hundred more, but I won't bore you with those
(Got some real good sequence shots this last weekend at another
event, I'll try to put them together later).

Anyway, the best part is that I will be trading the 50D in and
getting a 7D, and probably another Canon slightly below the
50D that has video for the wife.

Watch out, economy. You're about to get stimulated.
/looks for the dancing smilie. :lmao:

Rekd · Oct 14, 2009

The wife just called. BB Still doesn't have the 7D's yet and tomorrow is the last day I can return the 50D without a restocking fee.

Looks like our 15 year anniversary Disneyland trip this weekend will be shot with the old Sony Cybershot. :meh:

Hopefully it will be waiting when we get back Sunday. :mrgreen:

gsgary · Oct 14, 2009

The MP's on the 7D will show how bad those older lenses are, spend your money on glass because you will not be happy if you buy the 7D without top quality glass

Hobbes · Oct 14, 2009

Well if you want to trust and believe those experts at Dpreview then you may want to know this:

It appears that Canon has reached the limit of what is sensible, in terms of megapixels on an APS-C sensor. At a pixel density of 4.5 MP/cm² (40D: 3.1 MP/cm², 1Ds MkIII: 2.4 MP/cm²) the lens becomes the limiting factor. Even the sharpest primes at optimal apertures cannot (at least away from the center of the frame) satisfy the 15.1 megapixel sensors hunger for resolution. Considering the disadvantages that come with higher pixel densities such as diffraction issues, increased sensitivity towards camera shake, reduced dynamic range, reduced high ISO performance and the need to store, move and process larger amounts of data, one could be forgiven for coming to the conclusion that at this point the megapixel race should probably stop. One consequence of this is that the 50% increase in pixel count over the 40D results in only a marginal amount of extra detail.

Canon EOS 50D Review: 31. Conclusion: Digital Photography Review

Wolverinepwnes · Oct 29, 2009

usayit said:
Just have to ask... have you already planned out your purchase in terms of glass? The glass itself is more important than the choice of DSLR body.

i agree, save save save, and then get 70-200 f/2.8. from personal experience the d300s shoot plenty fast for sports photography. but the glass you get is far more important

Rekd · Oct 29, 2009

I understand how important the glass is. Honestly, I do.

But, I was not about to go without a DSLR while shooting the FMX stuff I've been doing and will be doing over the next few months, and don't want to compromise when I can afford a good body now and use ok glass.

There would be no sense in deciding to move to a DSLR and buying the lenses first. I'll make due with my old lenses (that actually do pretty damn good, all things considered) until I can afford better stuff.

Here's a freehanded macro shot with the kit lens, un-post-processed.

Wolverinepwnes · Oct 29, 2009

I just noticed you got the 7D, great choice of camera!!!! i'm a nikon person, but if i wasn't i would have went for that camera as well! in good lighting the kit lens will do amazing, so as long as you are in a situation that lighting is great, you'd be good, but in low light it'd be different! you have a great camera, so enjoy it and eventually start upgrading ur glass! congrats on the camera again.

Rekd · Oct 29, 2009

Wolverinepwnes said:
I just noticed you got the 7D, great choice of camera!!!! i'm a nikon person, but if i wasn't i would have went for that camera as well! in good lighting the kit lens will do amazing, so as long as you are in a situation that lighting is great, you'd be good, but in low light it'd be different! you have a great camera, so enjoy it and eventually start upgrading ur glass! congrats on the camera again.

Agreed. Most of my motorsports shooting is outdoor daytime shots. The 70-210 macro lens should work out fine for that. I'm probably going to go to Pala Raceway (I've got full track access any time I want) this weekend and get some practice in before the FMX event next weekend and the FMX team shoot/interview the next day. I'm a bit nervous because I don't know quite how to set it up yet, but I should be able to muddle through. I'm sure if I can get good shots with a P/S I can put this sucker on Auto as a last resort.

Kegger · Oct 29, 2009

Read that manual from front to back, it'll help out a lot.

And for a cheaper alternative in the glass department, look into the 70-200 f/4 L IS.

Super quick AF, sharp, and Image Stabilization. It'll be a great piece of glass for you.

Rekd · Oct 29, 2009

Kegger said:
Read that manual from front to back, it'll help out a lot.

I'm on the second run through now. It's not the best manual I've seen, but everything's there. I just have to interpret it. :mrgreen:

And for a cheaper alternative in the glass department, look into the 70-200 f/4 L IS.

I was looking at that same lens. Ritz has them (on line) for $1,400, and Dell(?) has them for half that. Why is Dell selling those? B&H has then for about $1,200. I've bought from B&H before and when I pull the trigger it will likely be there.