24-70L Have Fast AF?! Sports Lens Usable??

[RbrtPtikLeoSeny]

Hello, just wondering if the 24-70L has pretty fast AF, because I've been looking at some local skate parks and would love to get some close up shots of these guys flying over my head. Of course that'd require a some what wide angle and fast auto focusing lens. Figured the 24-70L might be a good candidate.

Wont be buying anything anytime soon, but I'm just wondering. Thanks!:lol:

[blue_max]

I would suggest that you give the 50 a crack with the iso cranked up a little. The 24-70 is rather slower, so would need even more. Worth a try and you might not have to spend a penny.

Graham

[RbrtPtikLeoSeny]

I've tried my 50mm f/1.8 out on sports shots and it was terrible. My grandma could cover 4 flights of stairs before my 50 can focus. It's terrible. I only bought it so I could have a little wide angle until I save up the cash for a 24-70, 10-22, 17-40, 17-35, or some wide angle lens like those. (Still debating which to get).

So the AF is slow on the 24-70? :-(! Awwwww, that's too bad.

[Tom W]

No, the AF is pretty fast on the 24-70. I don't know how it compares with the longer L zooms, but its certainly as good as or better than anything else in its range.

I think one of the answers you got was thinking of aperture speed (as in maximum f/stop) rather than focus speed.

[blue_max]

Sorry to mislead you re the focus speed. I meant that the 24-70 is an f2.8 rather than an f1.8. I have no experience of the focus speed as I don't have the lens.

You may need to pre-focus and hope to catch the action, rather like you would do if you were to shoot a child on a swing. If you know where the action will be, you can focus on that point beforehand.

I hope a sports photographer will give us both their tips as I would be interested to hear the solution.

Graham

[RbrtPtikLeoSeny]

Oh, thanks, didn't know you were referring to the apeture instead of the AF speed. Thanks for setting things straight Tom, and I'm glad to hear it's a fast lens. Any pro, or really good sports photographer please post! haha!

Aw, this thing is so expensive though! Could get me the 100-400L for a lil more. Oh well. I think the short focal lengths the 24-70L can provide would create some awesome up close sports affects! Get right up next too, or under the athletes for some crazy sweet angles. Plus it'd go well with my 70-200 f/4L. :-)

Anyone else have some insight on this matter?

[Tom W]

Most of the sports-type stuff that I shoot is with the longer lenses.

You might want to test something with 24 mm before you invest in this lens - it is wide angle for certain, but its not a real wide lens for shooting boarders. You may even want to consider the 10-22 or the 15 mm fisheye. It depends on how close you can get and what effect you want.

Try going to www.pbase.com/cameras/canon and scroll down to the lens section. There, you can look at images taken with the various lenses on the 10D, 20D, and D-Reb series to get a good idea of how wide certain focal lengths are.

[RbrtPtikLeoSeny]

Thanks for that link! Pretty useful. I'm not really all that worried about how wide it is. I'm shooting wide angle with a 50mm right now and I'm happy with that. So, I'd be estatic about 24mm. Another reason I'm considering this lens is because when and if I deam it not wide enough, I can save up and purchase the 10-22 to accompany it. Not interested in buying the 10-22 first though. 24-70 is a definate first, possibly followed by 10-22. :-)

I know most sports are shot at longer focal lengths, but I have the 70-200 f/4L to cover that. Figured this 24-70 would compliment it nicely and appease my want to shoot up close sports. Plus, I just really want a sweet walk around lens for when I'm out and about and want my camera by my side incase I see something worth shooting. Ya know?

I'm also looking into doing event photography for some of the locals. Ya know, birthday's, parties, family get togethers, stuff like that. Figured this would be a good lens for that too. (I'll prolly need a good flash though wont I....?)

When I buy it, I'll most likely throw in a 100-400L to fill in pretty much all my focal length needs. I have $1600.00 of credit to pay off, and then those two lenses will probably be my next big buy.

[Persian-Rice]

The 24-70 is pretty darn fast. Obviously the focal length will be lacking, but in terms of focusing ability, it is up to par to keep up with sports. It's maybe a touch slower then the 70-200.........

Seriously most USM feel the same to me, the 70-200s are very fast and the rest are fast. Nothing like the 50 prime. I honestly don't know how the 20D will perform with sports, I assume it's pretty good. All my L's are pretty much instant focus, both speed and accuracy with the MKII under all circumstance, but USMs are pretty good with the 10D as well, not particularly accurate but fast, the 20D from my experience is somewhere in the middle so you should be able to achieve focus on the fly, how many keepers is really up to technique and experience shooting.