Good lens for the rodeo/speed events?

[MiiLovely]

Hi everyone! So I have a quick question, my friend races horses in speed events at rodeos (barrel racing, poles, dash for cash etc) and I was just wondering what would be a good lens to use for photographing her and the other riders?

edit:* Lens for Nikon D7000

Thanks! xxx

 

[jwbryson1]

What's your budget? I've taken indoor rodeo shots before with success but they tend to be low light situations so you'll need a fairly fast lens and you'll also need something with reach to get up close to the action.

Are you looking to buy a lens or rent a lens?


EDIT: Is this an indoor or an outdoor rodeo?

 

[MiiLovely]

budget would be under 1000$ and most of her rodeos are outside but she does do the odd indoor rodeo.

 

[cgipson1]

I would highly recommend either the 24-70 2.8 or the 70-200 2.8 VRII, depending on the distance to subject and the framing desired. Both will work well for either indoor or outdoor events.

EDIT: whoops.. started the post before you posted your budget.... at that price.. I would try to find a used 80-200 2.8 in that range, Amazon.com: Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF Zoom Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras: Camera & Photo

or the 28-70 2.8 Amazon.com: Nikon 28-70mm f/2.8D ED-IF AF-S Zoom Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras: Electronics

 

[jwbryson1]

Others may disagree with me, but I think if I were shooting this I'd probably use one of these that are both within your budget. Is the rodeo at night under lights or during the day?

The 70-300mm gets really good reviews and will give you good reach with you D7000. The 55-300mm is good too but I think the quality is supposed to be better on the first lens.

If $$$ were no object, I'd suggest the 70-200mm f/2.8 which I also linked below, but it's much more expensive.

If you could push up your budget just a bit, the Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 is a faster lens and is better for low light conditions than the Nikon, but you are going to be outdoors, so I think you'd want reach more than speed.

Nikon AF-S VR Zoom-NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED 2161 B&H

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR Zoom Lens 2197 B&H

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II Lens 2185 B&H Photo

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG APO OS HSM for Nikon 589306 B&H Photo

 

[jwbryson1]

I would highly recommend either the 24-70 2.8 or the 70-200 2.8 VRII, depending on the distance to subject and the framing desired. Both will work well for either indoor or outdoor events.

EDIT: whoops.. started the post before you posted your budget.... at that price.. I would try to find a used 80-200 2.8 in that range, Amazon.com: Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF Zoom Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras: Camera & Photo

or the 28-70 2.8 Amazon.com: Nikon 28-70mm f/2.8D ED-IF AF-S Zoom Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras: Electronics

Charlie, if she's shooting outdoors during the daytime, do you think reach is more important or speed of the lens?

 

[sovietdoc]

70-300 for outdoors at that budget, definitely.

 

[tirediron]

There are two critical factors in this sort of shooting: Long reach and large maximum aperture. Here is a gallery I did of a barrel-racing event a couple of years ago. These were almost all shot with a 70-200 and shot either wide-open or f4, BUT... I was shooting from inside the ring. A fast lens is necessary to minimize distracting background elements which are almost always going to be present, and over which you have little control as well as to achieve shutter-speeds in the 1/500 range. If you want to do a really good job, consider renting the 200-400 f4. That will allow you sufficient reach for most situations and a reasonably large maximum aperture to soften the background.

 

[cgipson1]

I would highly recommend either the 24-70 2.8 or the 70-200 2.8 VRII, depending on the distance to subject and the framing desired. Both will work well for either indoor or outdoor events.

EDIT: whoops.. started the post before you posted your budget.... at that price.. I would try to find a used 80-200 2.8 in that range, Amazon.com: Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF Zoom Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras: Camera & Photo

or the 28-70 2.8 Amazon.com: Nikon 28-70mm f/2.8D ED-IF AF-S Zoom Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras: Electronics

Charlie, if she's shooting outdoors during the daytime, do you think reach is more important or speed of the lens?

I also almost suggested the 70-300 as you did.. great lens! BUT.. she also mentions shooting indoors! Indoors, the 2.8 would be far superior! The quality on the lenses I suggested are also superior to the 70-30, or any of the others you listed (faster aperture, faster focusing, better light transmission). For most rodeos, I would consider 200 adequate... although 300 would be nice for some closeups (but cropping would achieve that also. But if she wants to shoot in low light.. the faster, the better! The 300, or any of the slower lenses would be less than optimal there..

P.S.> I grew up riding rodeos, quit that after high school.. and after I opened my studio, in the 80's... I used to shoot a lot of rodeo. A lot of the smaller towns in Texas had outdoor arena's.. but most of the larger towns would have many events indoor, at the local coliseum. So my recommendation is based on experience.

Edit.. I see John has shot Rodeos with a 200mm range lens also. Is it the best? Maybe not.. but for the price.. probably! Can you do it with a slower lens.. sure! But at the cost of higher ISO, and lower shutter speeds.

Always a compromise.. between lens reach, lens speed, ISO, and Shutter speed.

 

[nmoody]

A lot of people are mentioning the 70-300 Nikon which is a great lens for the price. You also may want to consider the 70-300 SP Tamron. I am very pleased with my Tamron and I know a few others on this forum really like it too. Its image quality is pretty close to its Nikon counterpart. Some even say its better.

 

[jwbryson1]

A lot of the smaller towns in Texas had outdoor arena's.. but most of the larger towns would have many events indoor, at the local coliseum.

Where did you grow up in Texas? I grew up in San Antonio.

 

[MiiLovely]

Thank you everyone for the replies! I think I am going to look into the 70-300mm as most of her rodeos are outside (only her really BIG rodeos are usually indoors and I usually cant/dont go to those ones) I usualy stick to the local ones that are all outside

 

[Seefutlung]

For rodeo (most sports actually), you typically want long and fast. You'll have to pay to get long ... then toss in an arm ana leg for fast. Long will allow you to fill the frame and fast will allow you low light capabilities and additional isolation due to a shallow DOF. With your price point, I suggest used or third party lens like Sigma or Tamron.

I really do not think you'll be happy with anything shorter than 200mm. I also depends on where you're sitting. If you're in the front row you'll need less lens (minimum 200mm) than top row (minimum 300mm).

340mm front row

400mm front row

200mm front row

70mm front row

Sigma makes a 150-500 for a little over $1000, but it is a f/5-6.3 which will not work for indoor/night event. Sigma also makes a 120-400 for $1000 and its a bit faster at f/4.5-5.6 (daytime only). Sigma has a rebate of $100, so subtract $100 from both lenses. Tamron makes a 200-500 for a little under $100, f/5-6.3.

Gary

PS- Try renting a few different lengths and apertures to see what works best for you.
G

 

[MiiLovely]

The size of the ring arent as big as official sized rodeo rings (there are no bullriding/caff roping at the type of rodeos she goes to just english and western horse back riding events((Ive been to a rodeo that had bull riding+western/english horse back riding with an offical rodeo size ring and they are much bigger then the rings my friend usually rides in) so I think either a 200mm or 300mm will be good, I dont think I would have to go as far as a 400mm as I can be right up agenst the fence/almost in the ring if I wanted as long as I let the announcer/producer (the one who orginizes the horse show know that I will be there taking photos)

 

[cgipson1]

A lot of the smaller towns in Texas had outdoor arena's.. but most of the larger towns would have many events indoor, at the local coliseum.

Where did you grow up in Texas? I grew up in San Antonio.

Born El Paso
Grew up in Pecos
Lived in Midland/Odessa in the 80's and San Antonio from 89 to 95! Miss it sometimes!