Starting Sports Photography

Which is more suitable for sports photography?

  • DSLR camera

    Votes: 5 100.0%
  • Mirrorless camera

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    5

DaniEven

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So I've been wanting to get into sports photography for a while and really I have no idea where to start. I have a budget of about $1000 and I really like the portability of mirrorless cameras since I will be going places with it a lot. I've been thinking about the Canon EOS M5 but I'm not sure if that would necessarily be right for sports photography. Does anyone have any suggestions for mirrorless cameras that are weather resistant around my price range suited for sports photography? Or would a DSLR be a better idea?
 
Pretty much all digital cameras are weather resistant.
Some cameras and lenses have additional weather sealing that is mostly to keep dust out.

To shoot field action sports I used 3 DSLR camera bodies - each with a different lens:
A 24-85 mm f/2.8 lens for close action, an 80-200 mm f/2.8 lens for intermediate distance action, and a 150-500 mm lens for action at far distance.
Indoors iI usually only used 2 DSLR bodies and didn't use the 150-500 mm lens.

I primarily shot soccer and shot from the end line so I could shoot players as they approached me.
I wanted their faces and expressions in the photos.
 
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The main issue you'll get with mirrorless and action is lagtime on the video display and handholding issues.

Mirrorless use a video feedback so either a viewfinder attachment clipped on the top or the screen on the back of the camera.
Either one is going to have some degree of lag and blurring when moving fast or when the subject moves fast. This can be a problem for fast moving subjects and situations and might throw your shot timing a bit. The camera systems today are very good but not totally perfect.

Without a viewfinder attachment you're left with the back of the camera which makes handholding very tricky. Fine for a quick snap; but for a long sports game the last thing you want is your arms held at arms length in front of you to take the shots.


I would say sports/action is one area where a DSLR with traditional mirrorbox might well be the better choice.
 
So I've been wanting to get into sports photography for a while and really I have no idea where to start. I have a budget of about $1000 and I really like the portability of mirrorless cameras since I will be going places with it a lot. I've been thinking about the Canon EOS M5 but I'm not sure if that would necessarily be right for sports photography. Does anyone have any suggestions for mirrorless cameras that are weather resistant around my price range suited for sports photography? Or would a DSLR be a better idea?

I use the Canon M5 for occasional sports photography but if I had shoot sports every week or daily I'd prefer a DSLR because of the slightly better AF and with a long telephoto lens for sports the weight and size savings or mirrorless is negligible. For sports (and other things) the choice of lens is probably going to be more important than the camera for "image quality"

Untitled by c w, on Flickr

www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless
 
I meant to mention my 80-200 and 150-500 & camera bodies were each mounted on a monopod.
The more you zoom out, the more camera shake is an issue.
 
Thank you guys a lot for what ya'll have to say. I really appreciate the help. :)
 
For mirrorless you can go with an Olympus EM1 MKII. Hardly any lag whatsoever in the EVF, very fast C-AF, Pro Capture, weather sealed body and lenses. With the amazing IBIS and IS sync, depending on the lens, you can use handheld very easily even at very long FL.
 
For mirrorless you can go with an Olympus EM1 MKII. Hardly any lag whatsoever in the EVF, very fast C-AF, Pro Capture, weather sealed body and lenses. With the amazing IBIS and IS sync, depending on the lens, you can use handheld very easily even at very long FL.
Unfortunately I think that might be out of my $1000 price range. But thank you. ^_^
 
For mirrorless you can go with an Olympus EM1 MKII. Hardly any lag whatsoever in the EVF, very fast C-AF, Pro Capture, weather sealed body and lenses. With the amazing IBIS and IS sync, depending on the lens, you can use handheld very easily even at very long FL.
Unfortunately I think that might be out of my $1000 price range. But thank you. ^_^

Yeah sorry I must have missed that.
 
Would it be better to spend more money on the lenses than the camer?
 
Would it be better to spend more money on the lenses than the camer?


for sports and birds - - - you will definitely, count on it !
 

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