Indoor Sports Zoom Lens for EOS 20d - $1000 max

MattF · Sep 30, 2005

High everyone - I'm new here and it seems like a wicked nice board with excellent advice. Please help me spend my money

I'm purchasing a Canon 20d with a EF-S 18-55mm lens (is it worth getting this lens?). I've got an addition 1K to spend on a zoom lens. I'm looking for a lens specifically for shooting indoor sports (ice hockey). Any suggesstions?

Thank you very much

Matt

Digital Matt · Sep 30, 2005

Do you need a wide angle zoom? If you are planning on shooting sports, don't get the kit lens. It's junk. For <$1000, a good lens for you is the Sigma 70-200 f/2.8. You really need 2.8 for indoor sports, and if you could afford the Canon 70-200 f/2.8 IS ($1600) that would really be ideal.

There are other options. Canon makes a 200 2.8 prime that is around $700. Depending on how close you will be to the action, you could try a 135 2.8, or 85 1.8.
It all depends on your needs vs your budget.

Big Mike · Sep 30, 2005

Welcome to the forum.

I would say, get the kit lens with the camera. It's no gem, but it will give you a decently wide view on that camera for only about $100.

As for everything else, I agree with Matt. The Sigma 70-200 2.8 would be my choice...the Canon verison would be nice but probably not worth an extra $600-$700.

A 200 or 300 prime would be a spectacularly sharp lens...but not as versitile as a zoom.

thebeginning · Oct 1, 2005

my suggestion would to be a build a good prime base (and a walk around zoom) before getting pricey zooms. fortunately, hockey is a 'brighter' sport than others, especially since the ice reflects back onto the players, so you wont need the speed of lenses you'd want for football. you may want it though. as for specific lenses, looks like matt and mike suggested the best. that kit lens has absolutely terrible build quality, but the optical quality is actually good when stopped down to f8 or f11. doesnt really help you with sports photography, though. i say save the 100 bucks and get a 50mm 1.8 instead. there are some terrific semi-wide third party zooms you can get for around $400 (sigma 18-50 2.8, tamron 17-35 2.8-4). you may want to look into those. make sure you look at extensive amounts of reviews for any lens you look into, it's always best to know before you buy.