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Light Writers · 10-20-2007, 07:05 PM

I need a good fast lens for shooting sports, I want a zoom lens, at least a 70-300 does anyone know of a good lens?

daacon · 10-20-2007, 07:42 PM

What sport ? Indoor or outdoor ? How close can you get ? What is your price range ? Is weather sealing important ?

You may or may not need that fast if say you are shoting outdoor soccer from the sidelines.

Lots of lens to choose from. I think you need to be more specific as prices can range from $100 - $10,000.00

Light Writers · 10-20-2007, 08:06 PM

I shoot a lot of high school football and Lighting on the feild is real bad I want atleast a 2.8, a 1.4 would be nice but I can make it with 2.8 weather sealing is good but right now budget will not allow it. I don't want to spend over $1000, don't wanna spend that but I know for a good fast lens I will have to pay it.

vievetrick · 10-20-2007, 08:16 PM

You are right. You could spend well over a thousand. Highschool football is tough stuff. Bad lighting is the norm in most places. Have you shot it before? I ask becuase I have not but read enough here and there that it is not something you can jump into. Well I take that back the night games is what I am talking about. Maybe you are lucky and they play more day then night. Back to your question. Really if you want a fast lens with big reach you will pay. but someone will offer options for older manual lens that be help and not cost as much. Good luck.

daacon · 10-20-2007, 08:18 PM

I'll let others chime in as my lens knowledge is limited. You would be hard pressed to get that kind of range (300mm) at f2.8 for < $1000.00 - at least in autofocus (which may or may not be an issue for you) - I think f4 would be more realistic given your budget - but there are lots of knowledgeable people here to offer suggestion (all mine would be > $1000.00)

xandy · 10-20-2007, 08:28 PM

Originally posted by Light Writers

I need a good fast lens for shooting sports, I want a zoom lens, at least a 70-300 does anyone know of a good lens?

Greetings
looks like you are in my shoes ;-), if they are not to tight you can do a lots of running along the side of the field to catch the action, a good flash may help too. My route is to find some older and cheaper lenses for practice and keep saving $$$ to buy something better later. Having the same interest I wish you good luck and hope you'll post when you find a good solution to our problem.
Take care

andy

FotoPete · 10-20-2007, 09:03 PM

Try a 200mm f3.5 prime? Easily obtainable for $100 and under.

Light Writers · 10-20-2007, 11:02 PM

Well I already got a 70-300 F4 for $200 brand new, and it's a good lens but I need something faster cause alot of there games are at night, I also have a flash that I use

egordon99 · 10-22-2007, 06:21 AM

No, you got a 70-300mm f/4-5.6. At 300mm, the maximum aperture is f/5.6

Like others have said, a 300mm f/2.8 autofocus lens would run you in the order of $3K. A 300mm f/1.4 just doesn't exist (nor does a f/2.0 300mm). Time to reel in your expectations a little bit.
Maybe the Sigma 100-300mm f/4? Or a 70-200mm f/2.8? Good luck! Shooting sports at night is tough to do (especially on a budget)

mcleoud151 · 10-22-2007, 11:04 AM

Originally posted by egordon99

No, you got a 70-300mm f/4-5.6. At 300mm, the maximum aperture is f/5.6

Like others have said, a 300mm f/2.8 autofocus lens would run you in the order of $3K. A 300mm f/1.4 just doesn't exist (nor does a f/2.0 300mm). Time to reel in your expectations a little bit.
Maybe the Sigma 100-300mm f/4? Or a 70-200mm f/2.8? Good luck! Shooting sports at night is tough to do (especially on a budget)

Agreed. Those are probably the two most common decent lenses for around a grand. Good luck finding the 70-200 though; if i recall there's a shortage of those? I couldn't replace mine when it was stolen

Still, the 100-300 4.0 is a pretty dang good lens for the dinero you fork out. I would imagine Takina or someone has something a bit cheaper in that range though? Anyone?

egordon99 · 10-22-2007, 11:09 AM

Sorry your 70-200mm got stolen

Pretty much all that is "available" in Pentax mount are second hand Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8s and (less frequently) Tokina 80-200mm f/2.8s and (even less frequently) Pentax FA 80-200mm f/2.8. Sigma is SUPPOSED to be releasing the latest version (DG EX Macro) soon, and Tamron has a 70-200mm f/2.8 in the works (I heard first quarter 2008)...

I LOVE my K10D and having a stabilized 50mm f/1.4, 35mm f/2.0 AND my f/2.8 28-75mm (Tamron) are awesome! But my longest fast focal length is 105mm from my Sigma 105mm EX DG Macro (not counting my cheapo manual Sears 135mm f/2.8) and I REALLY want a fast 70/80-200mm... Only thing missing from Pentax that makes me even consider switching brands....Come on Sigma and Tamron!!!!!

carpents · 10-22-2007, 12:20 PM

Check out my last two posts - both with the Tamron SP IF 300mm f/2.8 lens. I doubt that your lighting is going to be any worse than the 6th-graders. The pictures in the links are not really cropped at all, and they are taken from the stands, not from a better vantage point around the field.

West Chester U. with the Tam 300

The Important Game

volosong · 10-22-2007, 03:46 PM

Pretty much what the others have said is true. If you want 300mm at f/2.8, for less than a grand, you are looking used. No way you will find anything that long and fast, new and within your budget. Don't be afraid of ISO 1600 or ISO 3200. You'll need some noise reduction filtering, but the images are perfectly acceptable for newspaper publication.

When I shot HS football last year, I had access to a 70-200/2.8 and a 100-300/4. The 70-200 was more useful and after several games, I didn't even bring the 100-300. Then again, I was on the sidelines (shooting for the local paper with a press pass). The other lens that came in very handy was a 28-80/2.8 lens. This was perfect for when the action was on my side of the field, or for shots of the sideline players. (Thank goodness for my backup body, as I was able to have the short zoom on it while having the long zoom on the monopod.)

Keep in mind that photographers need to stay outside the 35-yard line hash marks. Within those are reserved for players (and coaches). Wasn't too much of a problem, unless the action was on the opposite side of the field. At those times, you just take a breather.

For sure, have a steady monopod available. You will always have your camera 'at the ready' and won't need to hold it up all the time. Good luck. As mentioned...it's a tough assignent.

10-20-2007, 07:05 PM	#1
Light Writers New Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Baton Rouge Posts: 4	Sport photography lens I need a good fast lens for shooting sports, I want a zoom lens, at least a 70-300 does anyone know of a good lens?

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10-20-2007, 07:42 PM	#2
daacon Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Alberta,Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 20,914	What sport ? Indoor or outdoor ? How close can you get ? What is your price range ? Is weather sealing important ? You may or may not need that fast if say you are shoting outdoor soccer from the sidelines. Lots of lens to choose from. I think you need to be more specific as prices can range from $100 - $10,000.00

10-20-2007, 08:06 PM	#3
Light Writers New Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Baton Rouge Posts: 4 Original Poster	I shoot a lot of high school football and Lighting on the feild is real bad I want atleast a 2.8, a 1.4 would be nice but I can make it with 2.8 weather sealing is good but right now budget will not allow it. I don't want to spend over $1000, don't wanna spend that but I know for a good fast lens I will have to pay it.

10-20-2007, 08:16 PM	#4
vievetrick Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Easthampton - Massachusetts - USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,183	You are right. You could spend well over a thousand. Highschool football is tough stuff. Bad lighting is the norm in most places. Have you shot it before? I ask becuase I have not but read enough here and there that it is not something you can jump into. Well I take that back the night games is what I am talking about. Maybe you are lucky and they play more day then night. Back to your question. Really if you want a fast lens with big reach you will pay. but someone will offer options for older manual lens that be help and not cost as much. Good luck.

10-20-2007, 08:18 PM	#5
daacon Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Alberta,Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 20,914	I'll let others chime in as my lens knowledge is limited. You would be hard pressed to get that kind of range (300mm) at f2.8 for < $1000.00 - at least in autofocus (which may or may not be an issue for you) - I think f4 would be more realistic given your budget - but there are lots of knowledgeable people here to offer suggestion (all mine would be > $1000.00)

10-20-2007, 08:28 PM	#6
xandy Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Regina,Sask.,Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 103	Originally posted by Light Writers I need a good fast lens for shooting sports, I want a zoom lens, at least a 70-300 does anyone know of a good lens? Greetings looks like you are in my shoes ;-), if they are not to tight you can do a lots of running along the side of the field to catch the action, a good flash may help too. My route is to find some older and cheaper lenses for practice and keep saving $$$ to buy something better later. Having the same interest I wish you good luck and hope you'll post when you find a good solution to our problem. Take care andy

10-20-2007, 09:03 PM	#7
FotoPete Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,774	Try a 200mm f3.5 prime? Easily obtainable for $100 and under.

10-20-2007, 11:02 PM	#8
Light Writers New Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Baton Rouge Posts: 4 Original Poster	Well I already got a 70-300 F4 for $200 brand new, and it's a good lens but I need something faster cause alot of there games are at night, I also have a flash that I use

10-22-2007, 06:21 AM	#9
egordon99 Inactive Account Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Outside of Philly Posts: 1,561	No, you got a 70-300mm f/4-5.6. At 300mm, the maximum aperture is f/5.6 Like others have said, a 300mm f/2.8 autofocus lens would run you in the order of $3K. A 300mm f/1.4 just doesn't exist (nor does a f/2.0 300mm). Time to reel in your expectations a little bit. Maybe the Sigma 100-300mm f/4? Or a 70-200mm f/2.8? Good luck! Shooting sports at night is tough to do (especially on a budget)

10-22-2007, 11:04 AM	#10
mcleoud151 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Oregon Coast Photos: Gallery Posts: 272	Originally posted by egordon99 No, you got a 70-300mm f/4-5.6. At 300mm, the maximum aperture is f/5.6 Like others have said, a 300mm f/2.8 autofocus lens would run you in the order of $3K. A 300mm f/1.4 just doesn't exist (nor does a f/2.0 300mm). Time to reel in your expectations a little bit. Maybe the Sigma 100-300mm f/4? Or a 70-200mm f/2.8? Good luck! Shooting sports at night is tough to do (especially on a budget) Agreed. Those are probably the two most common decent lenses for around a grand. Good luck finding the 70-200 though; if i recall there's a shortage of those? I couldn't replace mine when it was stolen Still, the 100-300 4.0 is a pretty dang good lens for the dinero you fork out. I would imagine Takina or someone has something a bit cheaper in that range though? Anyone?

10-22-2007, 11:09 AM	#11
egordon99 Inactive Account Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Outside of Philly Posts: 1,561	Sorry your 70-200mm got stolen Pretty much all that is "available" in Pentax mount are second hand Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8s and (less frequently) Tokina 80-200mm f/2.8s and (even less frequently) Pentax FA 80-200mm f/2.8. Sigma is SUPPOSED to be releasing the latest version (DG EX Macro) soon, and Tamron has a 70-200mm f/2.8 in the works (I heard first quarter 2008)... I LOVE my K10D and having a stabilized 50mm f/1.4, 35mm f/2.0 AND my f/2.8 28-75mm (Tamron) are awesome! But my longest fast focal length is 105mm from my Sigma 105mm EX DG Macro (not counting my cheapo manual Sears 135mm f/2.8) and I REALLY want a fast 70/80-200mm... Only thing missing from Pentax that makes me even consider switching brands....Come on Sigma and Tamron!!!!!

10-22-2007, 12:20 PM	#12
carpents Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: West Chester, PA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,420	Check out my last two posts - both with the Tamron SP IF 300mm f/2.8 lens. I doubt that your lighting is going to be any worse than the 6th-graders. The pictures in the links are not really cropped at all, and they are taken from the stands, not from a better vantage point around the field. West Chester U. with the Tam 300 The Important Game

10-22-2007, 03:46 PM	#13
volosong Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: North Idaho Photos: Gallery Posts: 696	Pretty much what the others have said is true. If you want 300mm at f/2.8, for less than a grand, you are looking used. No way you will find anything that long and fast, new and within your budget. Don't be afraid of ISO 1600 or ISO 3200. You'll need some noise reduction filtering, but the images are perfectly acceptable for newspaper publication. When I shot HS football last year, I had access to a 70-200/2.8 and a 100-300/4. The 70-200 was more useful and after several games, I didn't even bring the 100-300. Then again, I was on the sidelines (shooting for the local paper with a press pass). The other lens that came in very handy was a 28-80/2.8 lens. This was perfect for when the action was on my side of the field, or for shots of the sideline players. (Thank goodness for my backup body, as I was able to have the short zoom on it while having the long zoom on the monopod.) Keep in mind that photographers need to stay outside the 35-yard line hash marks. Within those are reserved for players (and coaches). Wasn't too much of a problem, unless the action was on the opposite side of the field. At those times, you just take a breather. For sure, have a steady monopod available. You will always have your camera 'at the ready' and won't need to hold it up all the time. Good luck. As mentioned...it's a tough assignent.

Sport photography lens

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