Good lens for HS volleyball

[JLosh23]

I am in need of a good (and inexpensive) lens to shoot high school volleyball. Am typically shooting in poorly lit gyms and my images continue to come out very blurry (already have ISO cranked to 1600). It's an older Rebel - any recommendations?

 

[DB_Cro]

Saying what lens you're using now and what zoom range it is might be a good start or you'd get recommendations
for what you already have and/or worse.

Sigma 70-200 2.8 OS is the absolutely cheapest 2.8 zoom for sports available at around $900 locally, I went
from 55-250 F4-F5.6 to this for my Rebel. Also, don't be affraid of ISO3200 if it's a T2i or newer, it'll look better
properly exposed at 3200 then underexposed at 1600 and then brought back in editing.

EDIT: Someone just opened a thread recently asking for same
thing, also a rebel owner, but basketball. He's doing ISO6400
with his T2i. I wouldn't recommend over 3200 but look at that
thread too.

 

[JLosh23]

Saying what lens you're using now and what zoom range it is might be a good start or you'd get recommendations
for what you already have and/or worse.

Sigma 70-200 2.8 OS is the absolutely cheapest 2.8 zoom for sports available at around $900 locally, I went
from 55-250 F4-F5.6 to this for my Rebel. Also, don't be affraid of ISO3200 if it's a T2i or newer, it'll look better
properly exposed at 3200 then underexposed at 1600 and then brought back in editing.

EDIT: Someone just opened a thread recently asking for same
thing, also a rebel owner, but basketball. He's doing ISO6400
with his T2i. I wouldn't recommend over 3200 but look at that
thread too.

 

[JLosh23]

current lens being used is a Canon EF 75-300mm 1:4 6-5.6
1600 is the max ISO the camera offers (which I realize might be part of the problem)

 

[tirediron]

I am in need of a good (and inexpensive) lens to shoot high school volleyball. Am typically shooting in poorly lit gyms and my images continue to come out very blurry (already have ISO cranked to 1600). It's an older Rebel - any recommendations?

Unfortunately, the two elements of your requirement are mutually exclusive. Good lenses aren't inexpensive and inexpensive lenses aren't good (for this sort of thing). Really the only two options that come to mind are the 50 and 85mm f1.8s....

 

[DB_Cro]

Oh, that's probably a very old body then (which one is it?).. getting a good lens is definitely the first
recommendation that everyone will do here, but you might be able to get a nice used T2i for next to
nothing worth of cash, and that thing will do 6.400 natively.

Cheapest GREAT lens is the Canon 70-200 F/4, available with or without stabilization, the one without
is rather cheap, but at F/4 you'd probaly want a bigger upgrade. You might be able to find a non-IS
Canon 70-200 2.8 used, these have been around for 20 years now.

Also, using the highest available ISO setting usually means horrible noise. :-/
Look into a used T2i and 70-200 F/4 IMO, you'd be able to use ISO3200 and at F/4 get more light in.

 

[JLosh23]

Oh, that's probably a very old body then (which one is it?).. getting a good lens is definitely the first
recommendation that everyone will do here, but you might be able to get a nice used T2i for next to
nothing worth of cash, and that thing will do 6.400 natively.

Cheapest GREAT lens is the Canon 70-200 F/4, available with or without stabilization, the one without
is rather cheap, but at F/4 you'd probaly want a bigger upgrade. You might be able to find a non-IS
Canon 70-200 2.8 used, these have been around for 20 years now.

Also, using the highest available ISO setting usually means horrible noise. :-/
Look into a used T2i and 70-200 F/4 IMO, you'd be able to use ISO3200 and at F/4 get more light in.

 

[JLosh23]

It is an older model (think it's at least 12 years old) - I was afraid the only way to drastically improve would be the more expensive route. Have looked a bit into upgrading the camera to something that offers a higher iSO option.
Will look into the T2i 70-200 F/4, see if there are any around.

 

[DB_Cro]

Yeah, it's just too old, T2i, T3i, T4i, T5i all use the same sensor, work great to about ISO800, rather clean at 1600, usable at 3200.
Between all of those you should get the cheapest option, best condition, as low shutter count as possible. They're all rated for
100.000 shutter actuations so make sure you check. DO NOT go under T2i (550D in some markets).

Again, I have that one, have had it for about 5 years now, you can see the images in my flickr stream (link below). Up until recently
I used the 55-250IS F/4-F5.6 lens with it (every image has lens information, and ISO used next to it so it's useful if you want to see
what's what).

 

[matt_m]

Nikon user myself but on a DX body a 70-200 2.8 was pretty close to perfect. I rarely zoomed even close to all the way to 200 and if I was shooting from the corner of the court 70 was too long for the near side so if you have an full-frame body its probably about perfect. I have the Sigma myself.

 

[TallDude]

Here is the post about shooting indoor basketball (or volleyball) that DB_Cro was talking about. Had it dialed in...then what happened?
What you're trying to shoot will push the limits of even professional gear. I've become better acquainted with my T2i over the past few years. I've tried a variety of lenses on the camera and you get what you pay for. If you are within 10 to 15 ft of the court lines then the 17 to 50 f2.8 will work well. If you are in the bleachers and further away from the court, you will want a lens that goes maybe a 100mm or more. This will cost you more$$. Fortunately, I can stand court side so the 50mm is just fine. The difference I see between basketball and volleyball is the action facing you is further away in volleyball. I stand baseline in basketball and the offense action is all around the basket. Volleyball your offense action is in the backcourt and behind or over the net. That being said, you may need more focal length and shoot from higher in the bleachers. A fixed might work if you figure out what kind of focal length you're going to need first. You're going to need at least f2.8. I don't think an f4 will cut it, unless the gym has better than usual lighting. I'm in the same boat.

 

[Derrel]

Biggest problem you have is a the slow-aperture,consumer-grade zoom lens, the EF 75-300mm, which is a mere f/5.6 lens at the longer ranges, and that is combined with an older, low-specification camera with a rather primitive autofocusing module and a low-powered CPU... I'd rate the lens as the worst offender, then the AF module, and then the CPU bandwidth as the limiting factors in order. It's been years, but I had a Rebel XTi for a while back in 2008. It worked okay with the L-series lenses I had for Canon at that time.

I think I would go with a 50mm f/1.8 Canon lens as the best low-cost choice. For volleyball, try to keep the shutter speed at 1/400 second, or faster if you can. ISO 1600, 1/400 second at f/2.8 or f/2.5, and shooting from the bleachers about 12 feet to either side of the net, and about three feet higher than the top of the net is where I would tell a beginner/novice to try and shoot HS or collegiate volleyball with a 50mm lens on a 1.6x old-school Rebel camera. You'll be able to get some kill shots and some blocks, as well as digs and sets on your side of the net. Yes, you'll need to crop some, but the longer distance will make focusing easier and faster and less-critical. At 1/400 there will be a little bit of ball movement. I do not mind "some" ball elongation...opinions vary on how much looks good, and how much looks like too much ball elongation.

You just simply can NOT rely on a slow, f/4~5.6 consumer tele-zoom indoors on a camera like that; you will be MILES ahead to shoot with a 50mm lens and to crop-on later, at the computer. You're not a pro shooter, so I am advising you to shoot volleyball in a way that a less-experienced shooter can do it with low-end camera and one, low-cost lens. Being able to pick up the target with the 50mm lens will be fairly easy for you.