I need help with setup for college football.

Right now I have a Canon 5D Mark III , a 70-200mm a 24-70mm and I plan on getting a 100-400mm. I guess my question is will this be enough to shoot college football ? I also have a t5I that I got some pretty good shots of high school football paired with the 70-200. I was thinking of maybe getting a 7D Mark II to put the 100-400 on or would my 5D be ok? Another thought was to bypass the 7D and get a sigma 150-600 sports lens for the 5D and just put the 24-70 on the t5i for endzone shots. I'm really not sure if I have a question maybe just some advice and or suggestions.

I forgot to add I will be shooting from the sideline.

Are you shooting for somebody? The school? A wire? Local paper? Big difference in requirements depending on who you are shooting for.

Are the games only during the day? If at night, what is the lighting like at the stadium?

The 5DIII with the 70-200 or 24-70 is a good start for right up close action and jube. But you will definitely need another body with more reach for out in the field action. The 100-400 II is a great lens. But would only work for day games. At night, you will definitely want something 2.8. And long 2.8 glass is not cheap.

So what are the requirements for who you are shooting for?

Agree the 100-400 and the 150-600 will only work for bright day games. Getting 1.4 and 2x TC's for your 70 - 200 f2.8 is a better alternative. For night games rent a 300 or 400 f2.8. You can shoot good action sports at 3200 ISO with your 5D3.
I don't see much use for your 24-70, save it for parties and weddings. I had good results years ago with my Sigma 120-300 f2.8 and loved it particularly using just 1 body.

Heya,

I'd look to the Sigma 120-300 F2.8 OS on a monopod with a TTL/HSS flash (or two) below on clamps with wireless receivers (if allowed to flash). With a 1.4x TC in the pocket.

You could shoot the 5D3 that way.
Or add a 7D2 or 1DIV and put the 24-70 on the 5D3 for closer range shots off the hip.

Very best,

rdalrt wrote in post #18444626
Are you shooting for somebody? The school? A wire? Local paper? Big difference in requirements depending on who you are shooting for.

Are the games only during the day? If at night, what is the lighting like at the stadium?

The 5DIII with the 70-200 or 24-70 is a good start for right up close action and jube. But you will definitely need another body with more reach for out in the field action. The 100-400 II is a great lens. But would only work for day games. At night, you will definitely want something 2.8. And long 2.8 glass is not cheap.

So what are the requirements for who you are shooting for?

I will be shooting for myself so there are no requirements. Most of the games are during the day. There will be one night game and it will be broadcast on national tv so the lighting should be pretty good. I'm leaning towards getting a 7dII to and mount the 100-400 on that and like you said mount the 5DIII with the 70-200 or 24-70.

MalVeauX wrote in post #18444741
I'd look to the Sigma 120-300 F2.8 OS on a monopod with a TTL/HSS flash (or two) below on clamps with wireless receivers (if allowed to flash). With a 1.4x TC in the pocket.

Flash is generally allowed at the high school level (I flash night football myself), but not so much at the college level. Fortunately, if the games are broadcast the lights are pretty decent.

pat.kane wrote in post #18445576
Flash is generally allowed at the high school level (I flash night football myself), but not so much at the college level. Fortunately, if the games are broadcast the lights are pretty decent.

Yes flash is totally out of the question , I'm pretty sure there is no flash allowed and I don't like shooting sports with it. There is only one night game and it will be broadcast so I'm not too worried about that. I shot high school football at night a couple of times last year and with the 70-200 2.8 I got decent up close results I just didn't have the reach.

I'd rather get the 100-400 MII than the Sigma 150-600mm. I know many people that shoot w/ the Sigma 120-300mm and they love it! That is a great zoom range for football, as well as many other sports. I shoot daylight games with the Canon 400mm F/5.6 and it is sometimes too close on a crop so the flexibility of a zoom is always awesome. I shoot night games w/ a 17-50mm on 1 body and the 70-200mm on the other body. Shooting with this combo requires I move a lot with the action.

Personally, if I was only shooting sports, I would get the Sigma 120-300mm. If you'd also like to use it for other things, birds for example, I would get the Canon 100-400mm MII and put that on the 5D because it can handle the higher ISO needed with this lens.

Have fun!

jweston wrote in post #18445260
I will be shooting for myself so there are no requirements. Most of the games are during the day. There will be one night game and it will be broadcast on national tv so the lighting should be pretty good. I'm leaning towards getting a 7dII to and mount the 100-400 on that and like you said mount the 5DIII with the 70-200 or 24-70.

Ok. And what is the budget for these upgrades?

rdalrt wrote in post #18446245
Ok. And what is the budget for these upgrades?

$2000-$3000 I would only have to buy the 7D II and the 100-400, I might skip the 7D II and just get the 100-400.

Pigpen101 wrote in post #18446137
I'd rather get the 100-400 MII than the Sigma 150-600mm. I know many people that shoot w/ the Sigma 120-300mm and they love it! That is a great zoom range for football, as well as many other sports. I shoot daylight games with the Canon 400mm F/5.6 and it is sometimes too close on a crop so the flexibility of a zoom is always awesome. I shoot night games w/ a 17-50mm on 1 body and the 70-200mm on the other body. Shooting with this combo requires I move a lot with the action.

Personally, if I was only shooting sports, I would get the Sigma 120-300mm. If you'd also like to use it for other things, birds for example, I would get the Canon 100-400mm MII and put that on the 5D because it can handle the higher ISO needed with this lens.

Have fun!

Thank you and I will definitely have fun that's what it's all about!!

jweston wrote in post #18446277
$2000-$3000 I would only have to buy the 7D II and the 100-400, I might skip the 7D II and just get the 100-400.

And just go with the 5d3 and t5i? Personally, I would not try to shoot any real action using a t5i. But that is me.

jweston wrote in post #18446277
$2000-$3000 I would only have to buy the 7D II and the 100-400, I might skip the 7D II and just get the 100-400.

With that budget I'd pick up a used 300mm f/2.8L IS and 1.4TC and not worry about anything else. It would work great on the 5D III and you'll quickly adjust to shooting with the fixed focal length even when the action gets close. It is an exceptional lens and I just saw one posted either here or on FM for $2,500.

I just looked at my football photos from last season and 60% were shot with a 400/2.8, 30% with a 70-200/2.8 and 10% with a 24-70. What is key to note is whenever it rains, the only lens I use is the 400/2.8 and I'll cover a whole game that way if I have to.

The Sigma 120-300/2.8 sport edition would also be worth considering for the added flexibility the zoom offers.

I really don't see a reason to get the 7D II since you have the 5D III.