K-5 for sports-photography

jppp · 12-18-2011, 09:51 AM - **1 Like**

Back to shooting football (the one with a round ball). U17 again (my son plays in the B&W team), around noon with poor lighting conditions and temperature around 0°C. I tried a different approach: RAW, TAv, AFC, Catch in, wide open (Tamron 2.8 70-200) and F between 500 and 800. Also, unlike before most of the pictures are taken without under exposure.
Probably all pictures are cropped, some quite heavily, and I also try to remember to straighten the horizon whenever appropriate.

Last year this time we had almost a meter of snow and -15°C. So far that hasn't been a problem. Compared to Bruce's pictures these seem quite dim. That's what 5 h 45 min from sunrise to sunset does, and the heavy overcast and slight rain. No, I do not much like this dark season up here...
And we lost the darn game!

Last edited by jppp; 12-18-2011 at 10:10 AM.

**dadipentak** · 12-21-2011, 08:13 AM - **1 Like**

More K-5 & Sigma 50-150/2.8

GeoffR · 12-23-2011, 12:55 AM

Something a bit different ....

RonHendriks1966 · 12-23-2011, 02:57 AM

Very different. Strong guy.

GeoffR · 12-23-2011, 04:10 AM

Originally posted by RonHendriks1966

Strong guy.

Sometimes I am

IIGQ4U · 12-24-2011, 10:07 AM

Why the pad underneath the hand and the 8mm or so spacers?

Good job capturing the moment.

dosdan · 12-30-2011, 02:54 AM

My first action shots with the new K-5. I went to Seaworld, Gold Coast. I only took a Sigma 17-70/F2.8-4.5 7 and a Pentax DA-55-300/F4-F5.8, instead of the DA* 60-250/F4, as I did not want to lug this big lens around all day and there was plenty of light. There was some CA from both lenses, at the short end of the Sigma and at the long end of the Pentax. I corrected this CA as best I can in SilkyPix Pro 4 but you'll notice some CA still on the ramp edge.

The shots are taken at 120m distance using the 300mm FL. To give you an idea of cropping, a standing subject is about 25% of frame height in this situation.

Most of the day I shot in a TAv 2-shot bracket mode, with an -0.3 EVcomp, and - 0.7EV comp for the 2nd shot, so the total EVcomp was:

1st shot: -0.3 EVcomp
2nd shot: -1.0 EVcomp

I used this exposure bracketing as insurance in case I had any blown sky on the first shot. This also enabled me to use it as a mini-burst and I sometimes used the 2nd shot instead. At this particular show, the "Jet Stunt Extreme Show", I switched off bracketing after the first 6 shots and used Hi-Continuous and AF.C. Compared to the K20D, it's great having the extra speed and burst depth with raw.

The amazing thing was that, while there were jump ramps, the most spectacular somersaults and twists were done without them, instead using just momentum, bouncing (sometimes off the wake of a speedboat) and great power to launch the jet skis high into the air. Sometimes the somersaults were done in a row and some of the somersaults were performed at low height with the upside-down skier's head appearing to be dragging in or under the water. There's far too many to show here and this action suits viewing sequences. You can find more shots at
https://plus.google.com/photos/110304554160411023759/albums/5691818375568951873

Dan.

Last edited by dosdan; 12-30-2011 at 01:17 PM.

Bruce · 12-30-2011, 02:59 AM

Hey nice Dan, great action shots, this sure beats the hell out of the 'Rock & Roll' water ski show that they had when I took my family there a few years ago.

SPA · 12-30-2011, 03:29 AM - **2 Likes**

All with K-5 + 200/2.8 DA*

Bruce · 12-30-2011, 03:31 AM

That last one is just spectacular!

RonHendriks1966 · 12-30-2011, 03:49 AM

Some nice actions! Dan I've never seen that sport before, great action. The last biker is also great!

benisona · 01-06-2012, 10:55 PM - **1 Like**

I haven't posted in quite a while so here are a couple of my recent shots. The K5 takes more talent than the mark IV and D3 to get soon on focus in these situations, and I would say those are much better for pure sports photos, but they are also crazy expensive. It really becomes an issue of pure AF speed when you are using large (300mm or so) fast (f4 and below) lenses with shallow DOF, which is where the top end Canikon's really shine. THey also have advanced algorithms to follow subjects as you pan or as they cross your field of view. That being said the K5 can definitely do the job

RonHendriks1966 · 01-07-2012, 06:04 AM

That are some bizar, but very nice shots! Thanks for sharing them.

**andre-mz5** · 01-07-2012, 09:01 AM

Wow, you got a couple of great action shots of those football matches. Just shows that the K5 is capable to stand up against those big Canikons with a 400 or 500mm F4.
Thanks for sharing.

rwfarnell · 01-15-2012, 10:38 AM

Hi Sports Fans,
Some friends of mine asked if I could take some pictures of their son during his senior night at the high school basket ball game. I had not taken pictures inside a gym with my K5 and Tamron 70-200 f2.8 so I was excited to give it a shot. All and all I was pleased with how they came out and I’m looking forward to doing it some more.

ISO 1250, 1600 and 3200
F2.8 and F3.2

Thanks for viewing
C&C are welcomed

Rob

12-21-2011, 08:13 AM - 1 Like	#362
dadipentak Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,590	More Bball More K-5 & Sigma 50-150/2.8

12-23-2011, 12:55 AM	#363
GeoffR Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Hobart, Tas Posts: 29	Something a bit different .... Last edited by GeoffR; 12-23-2011 at 04:21 AM.

12-24-2011, 10:07 AM	#366
IIGQ4U Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: La Jolla, CA. Posts: 262	Why the pad underneath the hand and the 8mm or so spacers? Good job capturing the moment. Last edited by IIGQ4U; 12-30-2011 at 11:49 AM.

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12-18-2011, 09:51 AM - 1 Like	#361
jppp Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: SW Finland Photos: Gallery Posts: 143	Back to shooting football (the one with a round ball). U17 again (my son plays in the B&W team), around noon with poor lighting conditions and temperature around 0°C. I tried a different approach: RAW, TAv, AFC, Catch in, wide open (Tamron 2.8 70-200) and F between 500 and 800. Also, unlike before most of the pictures are taken without under exposure. Probably all pictures are cropped, some quite heavily, and I also try to remember to straighten the horizon whenever appropriate. Last year this time we had almost a meter of snow and -15°C. So far that hasn't been a problem. Compared to Bruce's pictures these seem quite dim. That's what 5 h 45 min from sunrise to sunset does, and the heavy overcast and slight rain. No, I do not much like this dark season up here... And we lost the darn game! Last edited by jppp; 12-18-2011 at 10:10 AM.

12-23-2011, 02:57 AM	#364
RonHendriks1966 Banned Join Date: Jan 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,675 Original Poster	Very different. Strong guy.

12-23-2011, 04:10 AM	#365
GeoffR Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Hobart, Tas Posts: 29	Originally posted by RonHendriks1966 Strong guy. Sometimes I am

12-30-2011, 02:54 AM	#367
dosdan Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Brisbane, Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,741	My first action shots with the new K-5. I went to Seaworld, Gold Coast. I only took a Sigma 17-70/F2.8-4.5 7 and a Pentax DA-55-300/F4-F5.8, instead of the DA* 60-250/F4, as I did not want to lug this big lens around all day and there was plenty of light. There was some CA from both lenses, at the short end of the Sigma and at the long end of the Pentax. I corrected this CA as best I can in SilkyPix Pro 4 but you'll notice some CA still on the ramp edge. The shots are taken at 120m distance using the 300mm FL. To give you an idea of cropping, a standing subject is about 25% of frame height in this situation. Most of the day I shot in a TAv 2-shot bracket mode, with an -0.3 EVcomp, and - 0.7EV comp for the 2nd shot, so the total EVcomp was: 1st shot: -0.3 EVcomp 2nd shot: -1.0 EVcomp I used this exposure bracketing as insurance in case I had any blown sky on the first shot. This also enabled me to use it as a mini-burst and I sometimes used the 2nd shot instead. At this particular show, the "Jet Stunt Extreme Show", I switched off bracketing after the first 6 shots and used Hi-Continuous and AF.C. Compared to the K20D, it's great having the extra speed and burst depth with raw. The amazing thing was that, while there were jump ramps, the most spectacular somersaults and twists were done without them, instead using just momentum, bouncing (sometimes off the wake of a speedboat) and great power to launch the jet skis high into the air. Sometimes the somersaults were done in a row and some of the somersaults were performed at low height with the upside-down skier's head appearing to be dragging in or under the water. There's far too many to show here and this action suits viewing sequences. You can find more shots at https://plus.google.com/photos/110304554160411023759/albums/5691818375568951873 Dan. Last edited by dosdan; 12-30-2011 at 01:17 PM.

12-30-2011, 02:59 AM	#368
Bruce Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Sydney Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 448	Hey nice Dan, great action shots, this sure beats the hell out of the 'Rock & Roll' water ski show that they had when I took my family there a few years ago.

12-30-2011, 03:29 AM - 2 Likes	#369
SPA New Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Bulgaria Photos: Gallery Posts: 18	All with K-5 + 200/2.8 DA*

12-30-2011, 03:31 AM	#370
Bruce Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Sydney Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 448	That last one is just spectacular!

12-30-2011, 03:49 AM	#371
RonHendriks1966 Banned Join Date: Jan 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,675 Original Poster	Some nice actions! Dan I've never seen that sport before, great action. The last biker is also great!

01-06-2012, 10:55 PM - 1 Like	#372
benisona Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 91	I haven't posted in quite a while so here are a couple of my recent shots. The K5 takes more talent than the mark IV and D3 to get soon on focus in these situations, and I would say those are much better for pure sports photos, but they are also crazy expensive. It really becomes an issue of pure AF speed when you are using large (300mm or so) fast (f4 and below) lenses with shallow DOF, which is where the top end Canikon's really shine. THey also have advanced algorithms to follow subjects as you pan or as they cross your field of view. That being said the K5 can definitely do the job

01-07-2012, 06:04 AM	#373
RonHendriks1966 Banned Join Date: Jan 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,675 Original Poster	That are some bizar, but very nice shots! Thanks for sharing them.

01-07-2012, 09:01 AM	#374
andre-mz5 Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Eindhoven Photos: Gallery Posts: 268	Wow, you got a couple of great action shots of those football matches. Just shows that the K5 is capable to stand up against those big Canikons with a 400 or 500mm F4. Thanks for sharing.

01-15-2012, 10:38 AM	#375
rwfarnell Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Elko, Nevada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 150	Hi Sports Fans, Some friends of mine asked if I could take some pictures of their son during his senior night at the high school basket ball game. I had not taken pictures inside a gym with my K5 and Tamron 70-200 f2.8 so I was excited to give it a shot. All and all I was pleased with how they came out and I’m looking forward to doing it some more. ISO 1250, 1600 and 3200 F2.8 and F3.2 Thanks for viewing C&C are welcomed Rob