Bilderknipser wrote in post #14260299
Looking for a telephoto that I need to use for one of my classes.
I have a 70-200, but it's likely a little short, and most the examples given were shot at longer focal lengths.
I'm thinking of getting a 100-400L for the duration of the class and selling it again after, might also look at 400L 5.6?
We need to shoot sports with it, framed tight and sharp.
Which one would you pick, or should I look at a Sigma 50-500? Any other options? Trying to keep it at a reasonable budget though since I don't really use more zoom than the 70-200..
Thanks Carmen
That statement I bolded makes me wonder... have you actually tried it yet?
My 70-200mm is easily my most used sports lens and I shoot a lot of it. I probably use the zoom for about 40-50% of my shots. My second most used is 300mm, sometimes with a 1.4X teleconverter, but most often without it. I probably use it for around 30 or 40% of my shots. After that, the rest are 24-70, 12-24 and some prime lenses in various focal lengths, that I sometimes use.
This is using those lenses on 7D, usually... so crop camera. I rarely use my full frame 5DII for sports.
But, it also depends upon the sport and what sort of access you have...
Indoors for basketball, volleyball and similar net sports an 85mm or 135mm might do, possibly even a 50mm on a crop camera.
Outdoors, for football, soccer and similar large field sports... or for baseball, a longer telephoto might be useful if trying to catch the action all the way from one end of the field to the other, or from the outfield to home base.
All these assume you have pretty close access... sidelines or similar, field level. That's always the best place to shoot from, anyway (shots from "the stands" generally just don't cut it).
Motorsports, cycling and similar, usually not more than 400mm or so is needed, but you usually cannot hope to cover more distant parts of the course and work in a limited area, waiting for the actioin to come to you. Depending upon access and safety, might be able to use a shorter lens.
Surfing, windsurfing and sailing might require really long lenses to get the shot. These are the sorts of sports where you might have to "shoot from the beach".
The Sigma 50-500 OS is versatile, but it's nicknamed the "Bigma" for a reason. The 150-500 OS is considerably more affodable and a bit smaller, but still pretty hefty. The 120-400 OS the most easily handheld for a long day of shooting. All three of these... and the Canon 100-400... are basically "good daylight" or "brighlty lit field" lenses... f4.5 and smaller apertures.
Sigma 120-300/2.8 is a lower/more challenging light lens, along with f2.8 Canon lenses (70-200, 300mm). Of course, they are much more expensive... as well as large and heavy. They work quite well with teleconverters, too.
. Maybe I should try it first, but figured since he wants those 'in the face' kind of shots more reach might be better.
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