-=Top 10=- Recommended Indoor Sports/Event Lenses

[CyberDyneSystems]

-=Top Ten=- Recommended Indoor Sports/Event Lenses

The fifth in a series of -=Top Ten=- recommended lens lists.

We move on to the best lenses for indoor Sports and indoor Event photography.

Like the " Wildlife lenses" we broke "Sports" into two seperate catagories.
However as opposed to "prime Vs. Zoom" the big diference we saw in application was the "indoor low-light" applications Vs. the "outdoor daylight" applications.

Once we saw the large variation these two very differnt applications demanded,. we also realized that the indoor event crowd, (think concerts, dance etc..) would be using most of the same indoor sports lenses.

Here in the EOS forum some of the most often asked questions are what lenses work best for a specific task.

After research into dozens of past threads and some further discussion,
...these are the lenses that were selected by our forum members as -=Top 10=- Recommended Indoor Sports/Event Lenses


Please vote,.. feel free to add to the thread why you like the lenses you do in the list,. and or add in an additional lens if it is not on the list and say why!

-=More Lens Polls=- (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=86975)

F.Y.I. This is a Public POLL. This means that if you click on one of the numbers in the poll,. you will be able to see who voted for what lenses. This may or may not seem helpfull to you. But it may be a benefit for various reasons.

This "Thread" is a forum informational thread and subject to extreme editing and deleting. Any OT discussion, issues etc should be taken via PM or another thread.

[Pekka]

I would have voted also for EF 85mm f/1.2L, 35/1.4L and 24/1.4L :)

[EricKonieczny]

I know this is not good for Sports, but I shoot Dance Clubs and events with DJ's/ musicians, and use the Canon 28-105 for close range shots. Decent for capturing the ambient light also of the intelligent lighting.

Pretty versatile and easier to manuver through a crowd with.

[CyberDyneSystems]

I would have voted also for EF 85mm f/1.2L, 35/1.4L and 24/1.4L :)

Added..
Can't believe i missed the 1.2.. it was on my list of "event lenses" too..
I guess I missed it when I merged the indoor sports and event lists.

Oddly,. no one had mentioned the 35 and 24 in the threads where we researched this.. we were all thinking to "long" I think. Again,. for event work especially,. they should be in there.

[Andy_T]

Being picky ... The 50/1.8 and 1.4 might also be useful for low light indoor situations :wink:.

Best regards,
Andy

[CyberDyneSystems]

Thanks Andy,..
Since the first polls,. Pekka has changed the sftware ,. so now we can add stuff!

[Longwatcher]

I voted for the 70-200/2.8L IS, 85/1.2 and 50/1.4.

The reason:
70-200/2.8L IS is the lens I use the most at indoor events (with or without flash). Just wonderful quality and flexability it gives me the range I need to catch what I need to. Don't go to an event without it.

85/1.2 I also picked this lens as it is the one I would use when I need a bit more aperture then the 70-200/2.8L can give me.

And I picked the 50/1.4, because this is the lens I use instead of the 85/1.2 I don't have yet. It has served me well in low light.

Just my opinion,

[Vita Rara]

I use the 85mm f/1.8 USM for swing, tango and contra dance. It's an awesome lens for this purpose. I will be adding a 135mm f/2L at some point, along with a 100mm f/2 USM. Which one to use all depends on distance to the subject.

Mark

[Persian-Rice]

Why would you guys vote for the IS version of the 70-200? That is just an extra $600 thats going to be wasted. IS is almost always useless for indoor sports, it wont have any effect.

[Pekka]

Why would you guys vote for the IS version of the 70-200? That is just an extra $600 thats going to be wasted. IS is almost always useless for indoor sports, it wont have any effect.

I voted for both. IS is useful in indoor events (like theatre, opera, classical, meeting...).

[Persian-Rice]

Oh, I was thinking it meant sports only.

[Anders Östberg]

I also thought "indoor sports" when voting, so I checked 85/1.8, 135/2 and 300/2.8.

For concerts and similar I'd leave out the 300mm and include one or more of 24/1.4, 35/1.4 and 50/1.4.

Generally I do like zooms, but for indoors and low light there is a "need for speed".

[Penny Oswalt]

Hello,
Would I be correct in purchasing an 85/1.8 for high school basketball photography?
Thanks for you experienced advice.
Penny

[kidpower]

I use an 85 1.8 for all sorts of indoor basketball. On the whole it does a nice job. Being able to stop action in most dimly lit arenas is a challenge for any lens/camera. I'd recommend the 85 1.8 for most cases. Where you are shooting from (distance/angle) as well as being able to generate that "fast" shutter speed needed are factors. Sometimes I wish I had a zoom, but shoot with primes only, so I move a lot.

[grego]

Why would you guys vote for the IS version of the 70-200? That is just an extra $600 thats going to be wasted. IS is almost always useless for indoor sports, it wont have any effect.

Well, there are some instances when I shot some sports at 1/250, and you can have possible camera shake, so it comes to be useful. And then of course for events like theater and dance. Obviously it depends on the particular event, but it shows its usefulness.

[Jon]

Definitely at the long end and in low light you can be at a subject-stopping speed, but still be in the camera shake zone. This can be especially true if you're photographing a continuous-action sport like (rest of world) football (US) soccer rather than (US) football, or if you're starting to get cold standing there on the sidelines.

[JTPhotos]

Hi
I use the 70-200L 2.8 IS with a monopod for dance competitions and it works like a charm, great lense. I also use the 50mm 1.4 handheld when I get close to the stage.

[a0128958]

I shoot a lot of hockey, for which I use the Canon 200 f/1.8L almost exclusively for. Color, contrast, and clarity are unparalleled, in my opinion. This lens also allows for shooting hockey without having to use strobes.

I think the 200 f/1.8L, Canon's 85 f/1.2L, and Canon's 400 f/2.8L lenses are the finest 3 that Canon has ever produced.

I shoot hockey with a 1DM2 body.

Best regards,

Bill Neukranz

[rklepper]

I shoot a lot of hockey, for which I use the Canon 200 f/1.8L almost exclusively for. Color, contrast, and clarity are unparalleled, in my opinion. This lens also allows for shooting hockey without having to use strobes.

I think the 200 f/1.8L, Canon's 85 f/1.2L, and Canon's 400 f/2.8L lenses are the finest 3 that Canon has ever produced.

I shoot hockey with a 1DM2 body.

Best regards,

Bill Neukranz

Wish I could afford those lenses. I did try the 85 f1.2 L prior to buying the f1.8 version. That is actually the only one of those I could afford. I found it way too slow for action photography.

[rxg8tor]

I was looking for the 100 f/2 USM on the list. It seems like a little longer than the 85 f/1.8 might get a few votes!!

[Jester's Tear]

Hi!

I'm as newbie as they come, seeing as I haven't even bought my first SLR (hopefully the bank will aprove my credit request sometime next week, and then I'm going for the EOS 350D with the standard 18/55mm kit lens).

Up until recently I was convinced that a SLR camera would be wasted on me until I took a photography course, but a few people convinced me that I would learn more by having the camera and experimenting with it than by going to classes without actually being able to put the theory to practice. (I only have a compact camera - Casio Exilim Z60 - and a bridge - Konica Minolta Z6).

So, after this long winded introduction, my question is what lens would you recommend for a SLR-virgin wanting to shoot rock concerts? (without flash, of course, so that I can properly capture stage lights).

Thanks in advance!

[edpoin]

Hello some what new here, mostly a reader. But just woundering why the 24/70 2.8L is not on the list, Great boxing photo lens for low light. Also a very fast lens in low light sports when the reach of 24/70 is what you need.

Take care
Eddy

[Jon]

The poll isn't a listing of all possible lenses for indoor sports; it's the result of a longer discussion back in January-March 2005 where lens choices were mooted; the poll contains the survivors.

[Benandbobbi]

How can you not offer up as a voting option, the best sports lens ever developed: Canon 400 2.8 L?

[nightcat]

Of lenses I have, I'll vote for the conspicuously missing 100mm 2.0. (forgotten as usual). Great for basketball and hockey from realtively close seats (mezzanine). For further away, the 200mm 2.8 is great. Light, easy to hold and great IQ.

For lenses I don't not have but wish I did, I think the 300mm 2.8 has always been the best classic sports lens. GREAT for closeups.

[engrmariano]

2.8 IS is undisputed!

[CountryBoy]

I voted for the 85mm 1.8. But I use my 50-150mm 2.8 more.

[silverant]

What about 100mm f/2.8 L IS Macro ?

IMHO f 2.8 , 4 stop IS and fast AF is good enough for indoor sport

[DLag]

85mm 1.8 seem to be the best choice for me. It's fast enough for the low light indoor gym and focal length is perfect when Im on the bleachers..