Thoughts on the Canon EOS Digital Rebel T1i DSLR Camera

[B.T.F.]

Hi, I need a camera to take pictures at the sidelines of football games and mixed martial arts events along with inside a studio. Can anyone tell me if this will be a good enough camera, Canon EOS Digital Rebel T1i DSLR Camera. If not any reccomdatoins that do not involve spending 3k-4k dollars. Thank you in advance.

 

[Big Mike]

Decent camera in terms of Image quality, but the AF system is a far cry from the Pro level '1 series' cameras that the pro sports shooters use.

I'd recommend looking at the 'mid-level' cameras like the 50D or 7D. Either of these has pretty decent AF performance, which can be quite helpful when shooting a fast moving sport.

Something else to consider, is the burst rate. (how fast the camera can shoot consecutive shots). I believe the Rebel cameras are around 3 frames per second, while the 50D and 7D are more like 6 or 7 frames per second.

You really need to consider lenses. You may want a telephotos lens, especially when shooting something like football, where you can't be right close to all the action. You also want a 'fast' lens (large maximum aperture) which allows you to get faster shutter speeds which are required for getting sharp shots. The problem is that fast telephoto lenses (like pro sports shooter use), usually start at around $5000 and go up from there.

There are obviously cheaper options and compromises to be made, but it all comes down to how much you have to spend, the conditions you will be shooting in and your expectations for the photos.
You don't have to spend a lot to get some snaps of your kid playing football...but if you want photos that look anything like what you see in S.I....then you may need some heavy gear.

 

[cfusionpm]

I second the recommendation for the 50D. It's not going to be as good as the 7D, but it will be a good deal cheaper. 50D can shoot at 6.3 fps according to canon, which is pretty nice in its own right, and paired up with a 2.8 lens, it should work well for sports in low light. I took these shots in december of a high shcool football game with my 50D and a rented 70-200 f/2.8 IS lens:

(this one taken with EF-S 10-22mm)

All were taken at ISO 3200, most of them in Tv mode at f/2.8 and around 1/250 sec.

A 50D body would be only a little more expensive than the T1i, and would be a very worthwhile investment, IMO. I am very pleased with the cameras performance.

 

[inTempus]

Also keep in mind that if you're shooting RAW (which I prefer) you can only get a burst of 9 frames with the T1i before it buffer fills up and the camera starts to slow down. That's not very many and it will go fast.

But if you shoot JPG the T1i can do 170 shots when set to Large/Fine before the buffer overflows.

The 50D can shoot about 16 RAW files before its buffer overflows and it can shoot them faster (almost twice as fast - 3.4 frames per second vs. 6.3).

 

[gsgary]

Don't worry about FPS timing is more important you will get good shots if you know what you are doing i have great sports shots with my old 10D from a few years back

 

[B.T.F.]

Thanks for the responses, it helps a lot and answers my questions.