Sports camera w/300M lens under $1000? Considering some options

[gsgary]

cash - I'd get the Sony. With a fast card, you can shoot 12fps all day. Check this out (not a video - shot with 12fps burst mode): YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AOnCj_I9ZY

There are at least one or two good stills here - and, by the way, the A57's non-OLED viewfinder works fine. I shoot mirrorless, and you don't need an OLED to have a bright, clear EVF.

Here is a bundle with the A57 body, the 18-55mm kit lens, a 70-300mm Sony lens (not a Tamron) plus accessories for $819. (maybe that will keep you from getting screamed at )

Hope this is helpful,

Bill

You only get 12fps if you shoot on auto and that is no good

 

[ConradM]

So it drops down to 10 or 11 in manual? That's still better than anything else in the price range.

 

[gsgary]

So it drops down to 10 or 11 in manual? That's still better than anything else in the price range.

Another thing can you see the subject will doing these bursts with the veiwfinder on the Sony

 

[cashonly]

cash - I'd get the Sony. With a fast card, you can shoot 12fps all day. Check this out (not a video - shot with 12fps burst mode):

There are at least one or two good stills here - and, by the way, the A57's non-OLED viewfinder works fine. I shoot mirrorless, and you don't need an OLED to have a bright, clear EVF.

Here is a bundle with the A57 body, the 18-55mm kit lens, a 70-300mm Sony lens (not a Tamron) plus accessories for $819. (maybe that will keep you from getting screamed at )

Hope this is helpful,

Bill

Bill,
Thanks for the video, it gives me some real insight. I'm aware of the Amazon bundle, but I was under the impression that the autofocus on the Tamron was much faster which was why I had it instead of the Sony lens.

 

[cashonly]

Good info in this thread. Just to clarify a bit more about what I'm planning on doing with the camera. I'm interested primarily in capturing runners doing marathons. Also interested in capturing triathletes: coming out of the water, getting on/off the bike as well as while riding. Like these:
http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/ima...es/275776/Article/images/15040899/3496803.png
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mC0XfGFbQ.../GYf00fcWdxI/s1600/4549_3_triathlon-start.jpg
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01610/triathlon_1610519c.jpg
http://rockwallrocks.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/triathlon.jpg
http://media2.onsugar.com/files/201...32ae8d3a152_women_s-triathlon-.xxxlarge_1.jpg

Also looking to take photos of extreme obstacle course races like Tough Mudder (Tough Mudder - Probably the Toughest Event on the Planet) catching shots like this:
http://toughmudder.com/wp-content/u...udder-Carolinas-2012-Saturday-Gudkov-0030.jpg
http://toughmudder.com/wp-content/u...udder-Carolinas-2012-Saturday-Gudkov-0327.jpg
http://toughmudder.com/wp-content/u...udder-Carolinas-2012-Saturday-Gudkov-0381.jpg
http://toughmudder.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/TM-Carolinas-2012-Saturday-Gudkov-0641.jpg

I was wanting a high fps rate so that I could have as many opportunities as possible to catch the various extreme expressions which I really like. And I need good zoom because I can never be sure of where I can get into position... sometimes it's close, sometimes more distant, so a non-zoom wouldn't work well as I might need to get closer so I won't be blocked, yet a non-zoom would be unable to capture it at that range.

I'm also curious on the recommendations of cameras like the D30 which seems to have a 3fps rate?

 

[ChaseH]

Don't forget a few bucks in the budget for a card or two, maybe a monopod for sports at that length, camera bag, etc. She'll look at total cost, believe me.

 

[cashonly]

Oh yeah, I have that in mind, but it's outside the $1000. "Sure the 64GB Extreme memory card was $68, but think of how much you save on film and processing!"

Don't forget a few bucks in the budget for a card or two, maybe a monopod for sports at that length, camera bag, etc. She'll look at total cost, believe me.

 

[Tony S]

I'm betting msot of the pictures you are trying to emulate are not taken with the type and level of equipment you are looking at. All your Tough Mudder examples are taken at 135mm or shorter using a lens at f2.8

...and I'm betting not many of them were taken shooting 12 fps or close to it. Shoot events like that using even a slower frame rate and you quickly have way too many photos to go through to pick out the best face grimace... it's in the timing of when you take the shot.

 

[TheLost]

Best Option...
Refurb/Used Nikon D7000 = $750
Refurb/Used Nikon 70-300mm VR f/4.5-5.6G ED = $350
Total: $1100 ($100 over your limit.. but worth it)

You could go cheaper on the body (D90, D5100... etc) but its worth the extra $$$ for a better camera. The 70-300mm VR is a great lens for outdoor (daylight) sports. It has a super fast Auto Focus and is built extremely well. The 39 point AF system on the D7000 is good for sports. The 6fps will get the job done (but the buffer fills up quickly). The strong point of the D7000 is its ISO handling that will help shooting sports on cloudy days with non-f/2.8 lenses.

I would not get the Sony DSLR (Flame suit activating).... Sony makes great cameras with some good technology, but as a company they aren't doing that great. Remember that you are buying into a SYSTEM not just a simple camera. Nikon and Canon have a better back-catalog of products to build upon. Sony is putting all of its efforts into the NEX mirrorless cameras. I wouldn't be surprised to see the end of the Alpha DSLR soon.

The Nikon V1 is a great point-n-shoot camera with detachable lenses.. but that's about it. I've helped a few people use it for their kids soccer/baseball games and i wasn't impressed. IMHO, a cheap D3100 w/Kit lens would do a better job. It also has a smaller sensor that limits the DOF you can achieve.

I'd look into buying a system you can keep upgrading... rather then spending $1000 on a dead-end.

(*Edit*) Adding a picture taken with the D7000 and Nikon 70-300mm VR... Not a great picture but shows what that setup can do. If i remember correctly it was an overcast day and it had just stopped raining.. This shot is from the max @ 300mm.

1/1600 sec | ISO 500 | f/7.1 | 300mm

 

[cashonly]

Thank you for the great info... you've really given me something to chew on.

Best Option...
Refurb/Used Nikon D7000 = $750
Refurb/Used Nikon 70-300mm VR f/4.5-5.6G ED = $350
Total: $1100 ($100 over your limit.. but worth it)

You could go cheaper on the body (D90, D5100... etc) but its worth the extra $$$ for a better camera. The 70-300mm VR is a great lens for outdoor (daylight) sports. It has a super fast Auto Focus and is built extremely well. The 39 point AF system on the D7000 is good for sports. The 6fps will get the job done (but the buffer fills up quickly). The strong point of the D7000 is its ISO handling that will help shooting sports on cloudy days with non-f/2.8 lenses.

I would not get the Sony DSLR (Flame suit activating).... Sony makes great cameras with some good technology, but as a company they aren't doing that great. Remember that you are buying into a SYSTEM not just a simple camera. Nikon and Canon have a better back-catalog of products to build upon. Sony is putting all of its efforts into the NEX mirrorless cameras. I wouldn't be surprised to see the end of the Alpha DSLR soon.

The Nikon V1 is a great point-n-shoot camera with detachable lenses.. but that's about it. I've helped a few people use it for their kids soccer/baseball games and i wasn't impressed. IMHO, a cheap D3100 w/Kit lens would do a better job. It also has a smaller sensor that limits the DOF you can achieve.

I'd look into buying a system you can keep upgrading... rather then spending $1000 on a dead-end.

(*Edit*) Adding a picture taken with the D7000 and Nikon 70-300mm VR... Not a great picture but shows what that setup can do. If i remember correctly it was an overcast day and it had just stopped raining.. This shot is from the max @ 300mm.

1/1600 sec | ISO 500 | f/7.1 | 300mm

 

[ConradM]

Best Option...
Refurb/Used Nikon D7000 = $750
Refurb/Used Nikon 70-300mm VR f/4.5-5.6G ED = $350
Total: $1100 ($100 over your limit.. but worth it)

You could go cheaper on the body (D90, D5100... etc) but its worth the extra $$$ for a better camera. The 70-300mm VR is a great lens for outdoor (daylight) sports. It has a super fast Auto Focus and is built extremely well. The 39 point AF system on the D7000 is good for sports. The 6fps will get the job done (but the buffer fills up quickly). The strong point of the D7000 is its ISO handling that will help shooting sports on cloudy days with non-f/2.8 lenses.

I would not get the Sony DSLR (Flame suit activating).... Sony makes great cameras with some good technology, but as a company they aren't doing that great. Remember that you are buying into a SYSTEM not just a simple camera. Nikon and Canon have a better back-catalog of products to build upon. Sony is putting all of its efforts into the NEX mirrorless cameras. I wouldn't be surprised to see the end of the Alpha DSLR soon.

The Nikon V1 is a great point-n-shoot camera with detachable lenses.. but that's about it. I've helped a few people use it for their kids soccer/baseball games and i wasn't impressed. IMHO, a cheap D3100 w/Kit lens would do a better job. It also has a smaller sensor that limits the DOF you can achieve.

I'd look into buying a system you can keep upgrading... rather then spending $1000 on a dead-end.

(*Edit*) Adding a picture taken with the D7000 and Nikon 70-300mm VR... Not a great picture but shows what that setup can do. If i remember correctly it was an overcast day and it had just stopped raining.. This shot is from the max @ 300mm.

1/1600 sec | ISO 500 | f/7.1 | 300mm

You do realize Sony recently released a FF? What makes you think the Alphas are going anywhere?

 

[Dillard]

I would go the D7000 route. FPS is not the most important thing when shootings sports. Timing and practice will make the largest impact on your photos