Sports Photography Questions- Nikon D7000 with Sigma 70-200mm 1:2.8

[Laxdad80]

I just shot my first lacrosse game with my new Nikon D7000 and Sigma 70-200mm 1:2.8D EX. It was a sunny evening and I selected Aperature priority (chose 2.8) and had camera set to AUTO ISO not to exceed 800 and shutter speed not to go below 1/1000 sec. I didn't notice what the camera selected for these.

1. I was hoping to get more zoom. Should I buy an extender? If so which one? What are the downsides of using an extender vs buying a lens with more zoom?

2. The photos that I down loaded to I photo were quite nice. When I cropped them, however, I lost detail and they became rather blurry. This was especially true when I cropped quite a bit. Could someone explain to me why this happened? What could I have done differently?

3. Did I do right by setting up my camera such as I did?

 

[DorkSterr]

How much are you cropping? It must be a lot to get pixelated, I'd suggest getting the 1.7 TC II it will help getting those closer shots to prevent heavy cropping. Everyone has their own way of doing photography, me personally I do full manual only, yes even in sports and action photography. The only thing I leave on auto is the AF.

Nikon TC-17E II 1.7x Teleconverter, USA 2151

 

[KmH]

A TC costs you effective aperture.

A 1.4x TC costs you a stop, a 2x costs you 2 stops, f/2.8 becomes effectively f/4 and f/5.6.

You normally need to stop down 2 stops or so to get sharp focus, which is why your photos were soft when cropped, but with TC's your f/5.6 becomes effectively f/8 and f/11.

I used at least 2 bodies/lenses to shoot field sports - a Nikon 200-400mm f/4G AF-S SWM SIC ED IF VR II Nikkor Super Telephoto Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
(on a monopod) and a Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF Zoom Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras. Most of the time I had a 3rd body with a Nikon 24-85mm f/2.8-4.0D IF AF Zoom Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras mounted.

Before I got the Nikon AF-S 200-400 f/4, I was using a Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 AF APO DG OS HSM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

I used aperture priority set to the widest aperture any variable zoom lens had, auto ISO, and I kept a really close eye in the viewfinder on the shutter speed the camera was selecting. I wanted 1/500 and above most of the time. If I could antisipate and catch the peak of the action 1/250 usually worked OK. Continuous back button focus spot metering were other choices I made.

 

[Laxdad80]

So the TC would be the most cost effective way (rather than buy and additional lens-200-400)? When you did the 3 camera thing, how did you carry them?

 

[DorkSterr]

I'm guessing KmH has the BlackRapid straps with each lens attached to their respective bodies. No need for switching lens?

 

[KmH]

Yep. I would rotate the long lens and monopod, so the long lens was over and resting on my left shoulder, the 80-200 was on my right hip, the 24-85 was on my left hip.

Here's the Sigma 150-500 (zoomed out to 500 mm) on one of my gripped D90's.

 

[DorkSterr]

Gosh that must be heavy as &*$%! I hate carrying my 14-24mm + 50-500mm Bigma, I dont know how you could do all that...

 

[Laxdad80]

Yes the ones that got pixelly were cropped a lot.
Yikes the TC costs almost as much as the lens

 

[DorkSterr]

Yes the ones that got pixelly were cropped a lot.
Yikes the TC costs almost as much as the lens

Lol that's the cheapest alternative. Welcome to photography!

 

[Laxdad80]

What would an additional rebuilt camera and used 200-400 cost me approx?

 

[Laxdad80]

One last question. If I did this all manually, what would I do differenty? Choose a lower ISO to cut down on the Pixelliness?

 

[bhop]

I have a Sigma 70-200. I wouldn't shoot at f/2.8 unless you really have to for light reasons, or if you really just want some crazy bokeh.. it's not bad wide open, but it's still a little soft and is super sharp stopped down a little, and when you're zoomed out to 200mm you still get some nice backgrounds. I just replaced it with the Nikon 70-200 VR and the softness in the Sigma is much more noticeable than I thought before..

How far away were you? any examples you can post?

 

[Laxdad80]

Please comment

 

[KmH]

Gosh that must be heavy as &*$%! I hate carrying my 14-24mm + 50-500mm Bigma, I dont know how you could do all that...

See the tripod collar on the lens? That's where it was attached to the monopod. If I needed to move, the long lens was again rested over my left shoulder. By the way. Whever possible I shot from the end lines, not the side lines.

On a typical day at the soccer fields, I started setting up about 7 am. The first soccer matches started at 8 am. I would shoot 4 matches back-to-back. After tear down it would be about 6 pm.

I shot action sports from a low perspective, either down on a knee or siting on a Walkstool Comfort 22" inch XL Compact Stool Portable Folding Chair with Case for sports & travel Photography
to help get some weight off my knee.

 

[DiskoJoe]

I shot action sports from a low perspective, either down on a knee or siting on a Walkstool Comfort 22" inch XL Compact Stool Portable Folding Chair with Case for sports & travel Photography
to help get some weight off my knee.

Interesting. I found myself doing this at my sons soccer game. Of course he is 4 though so you have to get down kind of low to get them in frame and get any decent background.