baseball and 300mm L f/2.8

I got my 300mm for soccer usually. I like to try it on baseball field as well. It seems a bit long for LL field. I don't have problem shooting batter, but I couldn't find a right spot for pitcher and base runner. I understand the rule of pitcher is staying at the same side of the pitching hand (right of him/righty ; left of him/lefty). However, 300mm just too long for them. Do you have any suggestions for share if you use the same lens?

I use the 300/4 for little league on a 5D. I tend to find 300mm too short so I do most of my shooting with a 1.4X TC for a 420mm/5.6 lens.

That gives a similar AOV to using a 260mm lens on a 1.6X camera body. I guess to my mind a 300mm on 1.6 might be just a little long but it should be workable.

You have to find the position that frames the shots you want to take best. If the play developes there then great. If it developes elsewhere then you sit that play out. That's the reality of shooting sports with a prime.

I shoot little league with a 300 and 1D MKII and I think it's
just about right. Batters can be tight but you need to frame
well. For infielders particularly the middle ones, I don't think you'd
want to go any shorter... I also like the ability to blur backgrounds
fairly easily with the 300 at these distances...

Don't worry too much about getting the whole body in the shot.. Here's one taken from about 60 feet away.... no cropping done, this is "as shot".

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I agree with all the above comments. You have to pick what you want to shoot and move to where you need to be to get the shot. Nothing wrong with shooting tight tight tight on the near side of the field. The 300 does a great job of shooting thru the fence if needed, just put the hood against the fence and shoot. Once you get the hang of shooting with the 300, I will bet it will start to seem loose and you will be looking for a 400..... I see another thread starting already...... Here I was sitting inside the backstop with the 300 at a Tball game to shoot the fielders and also caught this.

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Thanks. May I ask where exactly you guys stay with 300mm (1.3 crop), shooting batter, base runner (SB at 2B & sliding at home base)?

I used to shoot baseball exclusivly with the 70-200mm. I know shot with just the 300mm 2.8. I find that with a 1.3 crop its perfect. The parks around my home have an opening to the field right at the end of each dug out. Its just perfect.

Here is a cropped shot from the end of the dug out.

I will shoot from down the first base line for batting, getting the batter comming out of the box, short stop and 3rd base.... If I want sliding at 2nd, right handed pitcher, left handed batters..., then on the 3 base line. Just position yourself as far down the line as needed to frame the shot the way you want. No matter what lens you use, you need to move around to get different shots. Shoot tight and crop tighter.

Thanks, But I found myself get blocked by 1st & 3rd base coaches often...

Try shooting from the center field fence. I get more "wow that's cool" from people because they don't see the game from that perspective.

Galaxy99 wrote in post #5690513
Thanks, But I found myself get blocked by 1st & 3rd base coaches often...

Welcome to the World of shooting baseball. Try adding umpires to the mix, and it gets even more fun.

I shoot all levels of baseball, and 95% of my images are with the 400 f/2.8L on a 1.3X body. On my other camera, I'll either have a 70-200 or a 24-70.

Dennis, your shots are awesome! Yep, I like to kick those coaches and ref away when they block me shooting base running and sliding... Never get decent ones because of them...