TASK - High School Soccer Games - WHAT EQUIPMENT?

[franco stacy]

Let me know if this is the incorrect forum.


I am a lite hobbyist, but I have been asked by my local high school to take pictures of the girls soccer team. These are not team pictures, but action shots. They will be used for yearbook, senior scrapbook and unsure where else. Half the games will be in the day time and others will be at night under the lights.

What do you suggest I add to my gear? Here is what I currently have:

• NIKON D90
  
• AF NIKOR ED, 70-300, 1.4-5.6 ED
  
• AF NIKOR , 28-80, 3.5-5.6D
  
• BOGEN 3030 tripod

Are there better lenses for the tasks and at what cost?- please provide low, middle and high cost scenarios
External flashes?
Mono pod?

Anything else?

Any tips with my camera for good quality shots? - settings on my camera that you would shoot at?
Any tips for catching good action?

I took some action photos of a club team in action and people liked them, even though I didn't think they were that great, but I liked doing it

 

[Kerbouchard]

Assuming you can get on the side lines, I would go with:
Nikon D3s, 200-400mm f/4, 1.4 teleconverter, for your primary camera.
Nikon D3s, 70-200 f/2.8 or maybe the 24-70 2.8 for your secondary camera.

If you have to shoot from the stands, you may want to pick up a D3s and a 600mm f/4 and a teleconverter...You might need a monopod for this one. It may be a bit heavy.

If you are on a budget, you might be able to get away with the D700 and the 200-400 f/4, but you'll need to be able to get pretty close to the action.

If you are even more on a budget, you can pick up the 70-300 VR and it might even save you some time, since you won't have any reason to show up to the night games.

 

[tirediron]

The high-cost is mentioned above: D3s & 600mm f4 ~$20K

medium cost: D700 & 200-400 f4, $7K

low-medium cost: Your current body, an 80-200 f2.8 (~$ 6-800 used) and a 1.4TC (anywhere from $100 for a used third-party to $400 for a brand-new Nikkor).

low-cost - your current set-up. I will assume that both the medium and high-cost options aren't reasonable given your stated purpose. Therefore, go with what you have and do the best job you can. If I were shooting with your gear, I would use the 70-300 in shutter priority, with the ISO at the lowest setting that will allow you to acheive at least 1/250th sec, and preferably 1/500 or higher. Leave the tripod at home, it will just be ballast for this sort of work.