Indoor sport lens

Ok
So i've been doing outdoor sports and have been buying gear to move to that type.

But here the issue,
I just bought a 1D MarkIII and a 300mm f/2.8L IS

I have roughly 1000$ left, i'm wondering, what to for next? Since everything i have is good for outdoors sports,
What to do with the 1000$??

135mm f/2L
OR
85mm 1.8 n (50mm f/1.4 or 1.4x TC)
OR
Backup body either 60D (when it comes out) or a used 1D MArkII
Or?
Invest into strobes for a gym? But would i have enough n i'd still need soem wireless triggers (good ones)?
Or what else??

FWIW, I personally found myself using the 85/1.8 more than my 135/2

After football season, I put my 85 f/1.8 on and it stays on the camera until April. It's a great lens for all indoor sports. The first time you shoot in a gym where you cannot use any lighting, you'll be glad you have it.

another +1 for the 85 1.8

what ^ they said +2 the 1.8

AdamLewis wrote in post #9499922
FWIW, I personally found myself using the 85/1.8 more than my 135/2

I have both lenses, and I also use the 85 f/1.8 much more than the 135 f/2 for indoor sports.

Playonpics, Good to see someone from NB, my wife is from Heartland NB, mother says its cold tonight....

Back to your question. 85 f/1.8 is a standard for most sports in a gym. I also use a 35mm f/1.4L, and I see you have a 70-200mm f/2.8L, as well as a 24-70mm f/2.8L both I have used for basketball, volleyball.

So if I was in your shoes I would say the 85mm f/1.8 with backup body,.

Bryn

Is it ever cold here..

And great for the input guys for the 85mm f/1.8
I just wasn't sure if to get that or get another L lol their just so addictive.

I'm not sure if I like the 85 1.8 or the 70-200 2.8 IS better. But I'm going to bring my 85 next time I shoot basketball since I sit right by the basket. Haven't used it this year yet, forgot the 85 in the other bag lately. Bad mistake. I love that lens.

i would imagine the 85mm would be sharper tho, Its a prime...

But idk.. i do like the ability to zoom.

On a crop body the 85 might be a bit tight unless you shoot more from the corner or can back off in some other way. I just bought a refurbished 24-70 f2.8L for my adventures under the basket. But if I wasn't allowed to strobe then a 85mm f1.8 and backed off from the basket would be the way to go. I tried the 50mm f1.4 under the basket and that range was great on my 40D, the lens was another story. I have heard some folks use it for basketball with success, I wasn't one of them. Maybe it was the copy I rented, maybe it was me. I just wanted a true USM and at the end of the day, the 24-70 f2.8L seemed like the answer I kept coming to.

for ambient indoor sports?

+1 85/1.8

even on a crop body, I dunno any better bang-for-the-buck lens.

I tried 50/1.8 and 50/1.4 and found them to focus too slow....

i think even if you *could* shoot f/2.8, I'd rather stop down this lens and use it....

Wait, what about the 100 f/2?
It seems like a canadian 85mm used is hard to come by, but found a 100mm f/2
What your thought? or is the 15mm really going to matter?

Oh this will be paired with the 1D MarkIII (just bought)

Playonpics.com wrote in post #9521766
Wait, what about the 100 f/2?
It seems like a canadian 85mm used is hard to come by, but found a 100mm f/2
What your thought? or is the 15mm really going to matter?

Oh this will be paired with the 1D MarkIII (just bought)

On a crop body the crop is equivalent to 136mm on a FF. So you should be in good shape BUT I don't know anything about the performance of the 100 f/2

I have used a 100mm f/2.8 Macro on a 40D for volleyball, and it worked very well. Have not tried the 100mm f/2.0.

The 50mm f/1.4 is an USM, but a micro motor not a ring motor, so focus is slow, and prone to problems so I have read. I have used the 50mm f/1.4 for basketball, but found the AF to stumble, and the frame rate to slow, as if the camera was having problems AFing.

Going back to the 100mm /f2.0, on the 1DMarkIII you have a 1.3 crop sensor, so the 100 is actually a 130mm on the 1D compared to a 136mm for the 85 on the 40D.

Bryn