[dadipentak]

For my daughter's middle school basketball (terrible lighting but close to the action) I got my best results with my F 50 f1.7 (probably would hjave done as well or better with the FA f/1.4 if I had one.) Farther from the action, I used the 77mm ltd. I kept the aperture at 2.2 or 2.5 and often went MF, pre-focusing in the 'key.' As long as you're capturing good action you can get away with less-than-perfect focus.

[scatron]

I suggested some lighting issues above but didn't get into the ISO because of his camera body. Otherwise, he could do that with his Hanimex and see how it goes.

The following is with the Hanimex 200mm, f/3.5, 1/320 sec, and ISO 3200:
(click to see large version)


It's OK at this size - noise is more visible in the large version.

[scatron]

Spend the $400 on a second body

Heh. Then I can be Jr. Pro Sports Shooter. I tried jumping on this deal (steal) but my 7 minute response time was too slow.

Under $400
- Manual focus 80-200 f2.8 Tokina at-x (around $200)
- Manual Focus 60-125 F2.8 Tokina at-x (i watched one on ebay go for about$100)

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/photographers-marketplace/42159-tokina-x-...-f-2-8-pk.html

Combine one of these with a split-focusing screen and your good to go. I believe these are both manual aperture which may not be the most desirable.

Thanks for these suggestions. I'll keep an eye out for them. And the second mention of a focusing screen (great tutorial, PentaxPoke!). I think that would help a bunch.

I often turn off the AF and use MF for games.

This is what I'm used to doing also - focus on the rim and wait for the action to come to it.


Thanks for all the input, everyone. There's enough 135 mm F2.8 lenses out there that I can grab one cheap to try out that focal length. If I like it, I'll probably get a F or FA 135mm F2.8.

[Marc Sabatella]

I didn't see anyone mention the DA70/2.4, so I figured I'd toss that one out there. Just over $400. If the focal length works for you, great - although I'm imagining it's on the short side for most purposes. Or you could get a Tamron 28-75/2.8 for even less. If you want soemthing a little longer, any of the various 100mm-ish macros (Sigma, Tamron, and Pentax all make them) are also right around that price point. Those would seem to be the most obvious AF options.

But I think you need to consider the possibility that AF wouldn't be fast enough for the action (except maybe with the DA70?), and you could actually do as well with MF. In which case the M100/2.8 mentioned earlier seems a pretty obvious cheap choice (only a little over $100), as does the M135/3.5 (for well *under* $100) if that length works out. There is also an M120/2.8 and an M150/3.5, but these are much more rare. Still under the budget, though. As is the M85/2, for that matter. Lots of manual focus primes that could fit the bill if you can decide on a focal length - and actually, these are cheap enugh you could get two or three for that $400...

As for longer zoom options, that's not my area.

[Blue]

I think you could benefit from a upgraded camera body in regards to iso. My experience in that area however is limited to the K200d, K20d and N***n D70s.

Edit: There's always things in the marketplace such as This:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/photographers-marketplace/51395-k10d-body...mm-lenses.html

or go for a k200d body new.