Follow on re: Camera for shooting baseball team

[GreenmanX]

In my post on Jan 16 ....... http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=107968 .........(Help please! Please advise on Camera!), Picture Daddy spec'd out a nice option to address my needs. However, I don't know if I want to invest that much money now for this undertaking. Is there an alternative inbetween, that would yield noticeably better results than my current camera (see prior post) at a cost that would be less than the option provided by Picture Daddy?

Thanks.

 

[Coldow91]

how much are you willing to spend?

 

[GreenmanX]

$500 for "used" stuff. If it can't be done, that's fine. I'll make due with what I've got. Thanks.

 

[Coldow91]

You could get a used DSLR and then a decently fast lens for that much

 

[GreenmanX]

Please offer some specific suggestions for cam body and lense. Thanks.

 

[tr0gd0o0r]

Also, everyone here is assuming you are shooting night time games. If the games are during the day, then the speed of the lens becomes significantly less important because there is a lot more light.

A used low-end digital SLR could be had for under 500 (I think). Canon's low end is the digital rebel (also known as the 400D). I believe Nikon's is either the D70 or D80 (i could be wrong, hopefully someone else will pipe up soon enough). Also it will be tough to get "good" action shots with a lens of less than 100-150mm, unless you are standing quite close to the action.

If you don't have the budget to get a second lens, then a small digital with a longer zoom range may work just as well or better (the key factor here would be the shutter lag)

 

[GreenmanX]

I will probably stick to day games. I appreciate the info and will do some checking. Thank you.

 

[Coldow91]

I would see If you can get a Nikon D50. For a lens. it depends how far away from the court you are. IF you are right next to the court I would get something in the 20-100 range like the 18-135 or 24-70. I know some one who shoots our basketball games with a 50mm f/1.8, it is really fast and on a cropped sensor is like shooting with a 75mm focal length lens. This works for him but I am not sure if fixed focal length is what you want.