[ChrisPlatt]

Lately I've been thinking I might bring my camera to a minor league game.
Given the smaller ballpark maybe I can get closer to the action on the field.
At today's prices I really can't afford to go to a major league game anyway...

Chris

[ThorSanchez]

Congratulations


you remembered the first rule when planning a photography trip

have fun

with or without the camera

good job.

still debating on what to take and when to take it to the Cubs Cardinals games starting Friday. Will have only short walk to stadium but still don't want to have anything turned away at the gate or if anyone objects in the stands.

First two games, one at night, one at mid afternoon, will be with seating down the right and left field lines with a group, with tour and meet/greet with unknown Cub Sat morning -
(Cubs Destinations - Cubs Destinations Travel Packages | MLB.com)

and the final game Sunday early pm on our own down near the dugout. By far, the Sunday game has the best seats for photography potential

wish me luck

Thanks, best of luck. I've had more success shooting MLB games than my own kids' soccer. Baseball games have lots of opportunities, don't forget the crowd, the stadium, umpires, coaches and other things not necessarily involved in the action.

---------- Post added 05-07-17 at 10:51 AM ----------

Lately I've been thinking I might bring my camera to a minor league game.
Given the smaller ballpark maybe I can get closer to the action on the field.
At today's prices I really can't afford to go to a major league game anyway...

Chris

I've done that, too, with some success. One possible challenge is minor league lighting for night games might not be as good as a major league game.

[Lowell Goudge]

Related question (or is it really the question at this point) and maybe it should even get it's own thread...

Given the choice do you go with a FF 31mpx (K-1) + 70-200 and just crop for the "zoom"? Or an APS-C 24mpx (K-3) w/ >300?

Is there some sort of on-line calculator for this sort of thing?

Forget on line calculator

All you need to remember is

image size = subject size X focal length / distance

Image size is your sensor size, assume 2 meters for a standing person.

Shooting distance you can either figure from the ball parks dimensions, 325 feet typically at the foul pole and 400 in straight away centre field, or usually on line the stadium map gives you dimensions.

If you are going to a ball park and want to be relatively inconspicuous, take a Q, given the crop factor the Q plus M135 is like a 600/3.5. You don't get the same effective range with anything else.

IMO a k1 is useless, unless you take a lens they will never let you past the door with.

[ThorSanchez]

Here's a few from a different level of baseball. But this highlights one of the challenges of baseball at times, if you don't have great lighting and you're using a non-pro setup it can be a challenge. These were taken with the K-3II and the 55-300, in the fading light around 7 or 7:30pm. I think the level of noise in these ISO 5000+ shots is not bad at all, but if you're concerned you can fall back on baseball's history and nostalgia and turn everything black and white.

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[aslyfox]

Here's a few from a different level of baseball. But this highlights one of the challenges of baseball at times, if you don't have great lighting and you're using a non-pro setup it can be a challenge. These were taken with the K-3II and the 55-300, in the fading light around 7 or 7:30pm. I think the level of noise in these ISO 5000+ shots is not bad at all, but if you're concerned you can fall back on baseball's history and nostalgia and turn everything black and white.

IMHO

they are great

play ball

[aslyfox]

an attempt

[ working with a different computer and editing system than I am used to ]

Joe delivering line up May 12, Cubs vs. Cardinals

Time to go Carl thank for your efforts

Cubs won 3 -2, two more games to go.

http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/229866950/willson-contreras-homers-lead-cubs-past-cards/

[ Our seats were well down the right field line, and back under the overhanging upper deck. Decided what the heck, I would try the K 3 + Smc Pentax-DA L 50-200mm F4-5.6 ED WR + HD Pentax-DA 1.4x AW AF Rear Converter for the first two photos posted and just the 50 - 200 mm for the end of game celebration. during game I was keeping a score card so I have no "game action" I will post more later - ]

[aslyfox]

some photos from game two - all were cropped before posting to the forum

[ Cubs lost this one 5 - 3 ]

our seats were down the right field line, just short of the fair (foul) pool and we were in the second section of seats up from the field. I chose to use the K 3 + Smc PENTAX-D FA 100mm F2.8 Macro + HD Pentax-DA 1.4x AW AF Rear Converter. Game started around 3 PM i used the back focus to prefocus on where I thought there would be action and used multi burst shutter.

Comments are invited

out at 2nd

A swing and a miss

hey, did you realize by any chance that you are sliding over my glove and the ball is in it? BTW, you haven't reached 2nd base yet

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Last edited by aslyfox; 05-13-2017 at 06:35 PM.

[robr7]

Ok, so... I went a little nuts.

[robr7]

...I may have picked up some hardware.

[aslyfox]

great photos, so they did allow the big guy - HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6 ED DC AW into the stadium, Did you have a monopod or shoot hand held?

_____________________________________

here are a few more of mine, it is clear you had the better lens with you. all of mine are cropped and I didn't freeze the ball as well but I like them any way

K 3 + Smc PENTAX-D FA 100mm F2.8 Macro + HD Pentax-DA 1.4x AW AF Rear Converter

[ThorSanchez]

Good pictures. One little suggestion, I think I would have traded a bit of aperture for shutter speed. There's a lot of motion blur, you can see it in the last photo of the catcher blocking the ball. You probably could have gone f/7.1 or something like that and increased shutter speed to freeze the action a little more. It looks like there was pretty good light.


Although I've never shot with a teleconverter so maybe that changes the thought process a little.

[aslyfox]

Good pictures. One little suggestion, I think I would have traded a bit of aperture for shutter speed. There's a lot of motion blur, you can see it in the last photo of the catcher blocking the ball. You probably could have gone f/7.1 or something like that and increased shutter speed to freeze the action a little more. It looks like there was pretty good light.


Although I've never shot with a teleconverter so maybe that changes the thought process a little.

I think I have read that the 1.4 rear converter costs one f stop

never tested to be sure

_________________________________________


you are probably correct about trading a bit of aperture for shutter speed

but I want some "blur" whether it is the ball, or player or swing - I translate that as "speed" a picture perfect photo doesn't show "speed" or "movement" to me but my effort does add to the failure rate

____________________________________________________

also on the photo you referenced I used the back af to prefocus, the batter, not the catcher, was where the af was targeted

the play where Lester (34) failed to lift the bunt into the air toward home the prefocus was on the base runner while he was standing at third and I shutter bursted as he ran home. so he is in better focus than the others.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

the longest lens I brought into the stadium was the 50 - 200 mm zoom I didn't want to be turned away with the big guy - the 150 - 450 mm zoom

so I did give up some with the 1.4 converter when I used it as well

the other set of photos in # 37 I used the 100 mm with the converter - day game

#36 was a night game - Smc Pentax-DA L 50-200mm F4-5.6 ED WR + HD Pentax-DA 1.4x AW AF Rear Converter for the first two photos posted and just the 50 - 200 mm for the end of game celebration the others were day games

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sunday's game I had better seats but the screen is visible in every shot

in each photo, I used back af on the batter prior to the pitch and fast burst shutter as he ran, so he is in better focus (?) in the photos at first

HD Pentax-DA 16-85mm F3.5-5.6 ED DC WR

all in all, I am pretty pleased for the first effort with these set ups

[robr7]

I used the 20-40 (included the shot of the whole field and seats to show my actual seat location) and the new 55-300 PLM. The only large lenses I saw at the event were from the press and the guys who sat right behind us (included that shot as well), they had yankee stadium creds so I guess we had some decent seats. I have to say I am happy with the results, though not sharp, cropping at full range got me more than 400+ feet of distance. Will mess with shutter next time. I'll have some other opportunities.

[aslyfox]

for those interested I went to the Cardinals vs. Cubs game at Wrigley on Sept 17 ( Cubs won 4 - 3 ) and used my K 3 + HD Pentax-D FA* 70-200mm F2.8 ED DC AW and decided to see what would happen if I only used F2.8

the posted photos can be found in these threads:

Picture of the Week (POTW) # 472 - 11 September to 29 September 2017 - PentaxForums.com

DFA Zoom Club - PentaxForums.com

Pentax HD PENTAX-D FA* 70-200mm f/2.8 ED DC AW . . . CLUB! - PentaxForums.com

K3 sample shots ... post here ! - Page 2 - PentaxForums.com

sometimes you just have to admire good baseball - PentaxForums.com

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/132-pentaxian-lounge/296039-forum-shots-...ml#post4094259

[robr7]

Somewhat / somewhat not related updates...

So nostalgia struck and I paired up my old K-3 w/ the newer 55-300 PLM, went to our first game of the year and I have to admit I was reminded of and now miss the burst speed / # of shots the K-3 fires off over the KP. Kinda makes me wish the K-3 III was closer to being released. Oddly, unexpectedly, I got used to / prefer? the KP "big" grip over the K-3's.

Its definitely a good thing the new netting is standard(?) across MLB and it goes relatively unnoticed while watching the game but it does mess with the end product of your pics. No way around it unless you shoot from higher tiered seats or from the outfield seats / bleachers... maybe next year I'll save on the seats and buy a super-zoom instead. (kidding, maybe).