Is 300mm f2.8L long enough for framing Red Sox players at the game?

I'll be couple rows behind the dug out sitting in the corporate seat.

I plan on renting the 300mm just for fun for my Rebel XTi. That's an effective length of 480mm (1.6x crop).

1. Is this close enough to portrait-frame (torso and up) pitchers and batters? If not, how close?

2. I have no experience with telephotography beyond my 85mm f1.8. Anything I should be watching out for/tips/advices?

Thanks.

Double check the red sox web site. There is a size limit for camera gear / bag size. I was able to get a 40d with attached 70-200 2.8 in to a game but it was just short of the size limit. I could not have the 1.4x attached because it would have gone over the size limit. The 300mm 2.8 is larger by a few inc. Watching the pros shot the game I was at most of them where using the 300mm on Mark III type bodies. I think you will need to do some cropping.
Here are some shots from a seat at about 3rd row 3rd base about 6ft from the pro shooters. Hope it give you an idea of what is doable. Most of them are cropped to some degree or another.

http://www.flickr.com …y/sets/72157602​609565509/

Hope this helps.

300mm (480mm) is a little on the short side unless you're field level on the sidelines... Toss a TC on there and you might be onto something.

Yea, I believe you'll have to do some cropping. I shoot with the 300 2.8 IS from atop the dugout for college baseball games (Fresno State) and it usually takes a bit of cropping...the pitcher and hitters will of course be the tightest in the frame depending on your exact seating. Anything else, will be quite far for a 300. Is it a night game? If so, you'll obviously be shooting at 2.8 and probably around 1/500th to stop action...a monopod will really help, but will add to the size of your equipment bag. Like mentioned above, check the Red Sox site, b/c the 300 is a bomb sized lens and may fall under the category of obstructing the view of other attendees. Good luck! --Joe

That should be long enough from where you're seated and a lens that size. This shot is from the third baseline using a medium format camera with a 150mm lens -- which would be much shorter than a 300mm lens on your camera.

They're right about the size requirements going into the park, though -- you should definitely call (or stop by) to make sure it's ok first.

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Hey Paul,
Nice shot. My impression was she wanted to isolate the individual players which will be difficult w/out some cropping from what I've shot. But I think wide shots like you have, even with a P&S, would be cool from that distance.