What lens for basketball. Give me your opinion.

What would be your lens of choice for shooting basketball with and without a flash.

The criteria is:

1. You can stand anywhere you want
2. You can use a flash if you like
3. All of the gym's I shoot in are poorly lit
4. And I have $300.00 to spend

I've been using my 70-200 f/2.8 but I feel I need to back off the focal lenght to what I need.

Help me out here and tell me what lens you'd use and why.

Thanks

Bradley

They allow flash? That amazes me. That's very distracting for the players. Anyway, what I'd have would be the 70-200 f2.8 and a 50mm f1.8/1.4 or borrow Tom's 1.0!

The nice thing about shooting with a longer lens like the 70-200 is that it allows you to back off from the playing field and be less in the way of the action.

Jim,

Somehow I don't think Tom will lend it to me.

I've been using the 70-200mm f/2.8 with some success. But I feel even at 70mm (112mm) I have to much lens. I can get under the goal if I want but I can only get head shots. To get what I need I have to back off to the side.

I mainly shoot little people basketball up to High School. What sells for me is the head to toe profile shot that I enlarge to 13x19 or 19x13. This is my money maker. I put the rest on-line the occasional buyer.

Someone reccommended buy a 50mm f/1.4 or 1.8. It made sense but I just wanted to hear what others were using.

Or maybe I'm looking for an excuse to buy something!!!

thanks

Bradley

I'm always in that mode! I think you'll find that the super-inexpensive 50mm f1.8 will do you fine. It's one of Canon's best buys that's for sure.

I think you are using the best there is (70-200 2.8).. I use an 85mm 1.8 Nikon..I know..this is a Canon forum, but the newspaper I work for issues Nikon gear to us & it is faster than my Canon gear. the 50 1.8 or faster would also be a good choice, in my opinion, except for two things.. You must be pretty close because of the focal length & the depth of field would be greater than with a longer lens. I like the limited depth of field because it helps limit distractions that are in the background. We never use flash from the baseline or anywhere else on the court. Overhead flash is a possibility, but too much effort for biddys or prep. Good discussion..Happy Shooting..Bob

Hmmm...

admit it, you're just looking for an excuse to also add the 24-70/2.8 to your lens collection

Hope it works...

Regards,
Andy

You are soooooo right & if Dell would just ship my long awaited and eagerly ordered lens..It will be my constant companion....Bob

I think it is a little over your budget, but on a 10d, you can't beat te 85mm 1.8 for basketball. The extra focal length will drop out the background nicely in the near court. If you can sit at mid court, you can shoot those defensive shots at the top of both keys.

This focal length equates to a 135mm in the film days, one of my favorites from mid court

RFMSports wrote: Anyway, what I'd have would be the 70-200 f2.8 and a 50mm f1.8/1.4 or borrow Tom's 1.0!

Sure thing. We're all family. (sort of)

Tom

For $300 (I presume US$) all you'll get is a 50 f1.8 or 1.4. That'll give you speed in a "80 mm" lens. For more reach, perhaps the 100 f2 lens would be a choice but it'll cost more money.

You refer to yourself as JABACO sports so I now have make some mean observations. If you were an amateur just looking to take pictures of your kids shooting hoops, then you use what you can afford and gain experience as time and effort goes on.

But if you are working professionally and selling this stuff I think that you need to step back. Snapshots from the baseline with a hotshoe flash indicate to me that you really don't a) know what you are doing and b) don't know what anyone ELSE is doing either.

Back in the 1970's there seemed to be a glut of photographers who bought Canon AE-1's on Tuesday and decided that in order to pay for their toy they would shoot a wedding on Saturday. I still hear horror stories about the results. These guys moved on in the 90's to video taping weddings and ruined that part of the wedding business for pro's. I'm not talking about them poaching business from the pro, I'm talking about how hard it becomes when you sit down with a bride who's friend has been badly burned by a "professional" vidographer.

For the last number of years I do a couple of volunteer teaching gigs. One is helping regular univerity students take better pictures for the school's paper. They usually have dad's camera and are trying to muddle through. I work with the equipment that they have and understand that since this is a hobby, money can't be poured down the upgrade path.

But I also do a lecture each year for the photography students at a local community college. These are wannabe pro's and I tell them straight out what camera gear they will need - as a minimum - to shoot weddings. (Two bodies, a 35 mm lens, a 50 mm lens, a 85/100 mm lens, two flashes and so forth). I also say that you need a certain level of expertise: "Do you know how to fill flash? Do you know how to drag the shutter. Have you got complete confidence in your flash. Your camera? Have you experience in posing groups? Portraits? ..."

Once in awhile a kid will say, "Well I'm just starting out and I don't have this equipment." And I'll say, "Do your sister's wedding. Help a pro do theirs. But don't pass yourself off as a pro. If you can't do all of this walk away until you can."

Get the gear, get the experience and THEN sell your product.

Good reply Dave G & good advice too.. I also try, if asked, to help some of the youngsters just getting started., either through classes that I have taught or sometimes when they are shooting the same assignment as I am, but really are lost about how to shoot it. Some of the smaller papers send a kid out, and sometimes older folks too, with a $200 wal-Mart digital camera to shoot, with no idea of what to shoot or how to use the camera. Most of the shooters are also writers and the results are less than perfect. I also encounter many would-be pros trying to sell a few shots to parents & friends and try to stay out of their way, although it doesn't always work the other way around. To perfect our craft we must be constantly learning and probably the cheapest way to learn is by taking pictures..many..many pictures(I average around 30, 000 a year), then critically reviewing our work. Those of us lucky enough to have a good photo-editor, or peer-review can really profit by their critique. Others can study the work of pros, AP, Major Newspapers, SI ect and look at what they are shooting. Try to figure out their angle, look at the background, lighting, facial expressions. Ask themselves how they might shoot the same scene. Does it capture the moment, tell a story, will the content stand alone, without bright colors to carry it..You are exactly right about equipment too...Bob

Yes, US currency. I've looked at the 100mm f/2.0 but have decided against that. I could use my 70-200mm on manual focus to obtain 100mm. It wouldn't be as fast but it also wouldn't be overkill.

I wouldn't classify me as a professional nor an amatuer. In the past two years, with hundreds of happy Mom, Pops and Grand Parents, I've been shooting outside sporting events and this month began to shoot basketball. Hence, the advice I'm asking.

I never nor do I ever want to photograph weddings and such. Not my style. Maybe I don't want to deal with brides, brides mother or future mom-in-laws. Or I just hate wearing a suit and looking suitable, if you will.

I have the gear and the experience for what I do. I'm now in a new area which is why I've asked for others to offer their opinion, and only their opinion of what I have asked.

While I respect your thoughts, I've used this forum for my extended education in a field that is highly technical.

I am a tennis instructor and I run into plenty of wanna be pro's. I enjoy them and even try to help them when I can. They, at least for a short time, will bring more players into the game. Well if they flame out, I have more potential students than before. If they maintain, then more power to them.

Some think they know it all, All think they know some - I think I know all of it some of the time and sometimes all the time.

I followed your advice and received my 85mm f/1.8 today. I will be on the court all day tomorrow.