More HS Basketball? Anyone? Bueller?

From Friday night at a newer and really well-lit HS gym:

1. 85mm and right position to get all of this kid's 6' 6" body in a single frame in this image and in the next:

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Very nice shots, great action and very sharp!

Nice.

Great shots. Like all of them.

I see that you have the Canon 85 and the Sigma 85. How some both? Is the Sigma better than the Canon? I'm looking for one for indoor....just don't know which to get (the Canon is a little less $$).

Newby2Cam wrote in post #11738935
Great shots. Like all of them.

I see that you have the Canon 85 and the Sigma 85. How some both? Is the Sigma better than the Canon? I'm looking for one for indoor....just don't know which to get (the Canon is a little less $$).

Get the Canon and don't look back. Many here swear by it. It's fast to the focus and accurate too. And if it's cheaper than the Sigma, well, then that's better too! Done, get the Canon.

snyderman, great shots! Especially the first two, nicely done!

Newby2Cam wrote in post #11738935
Great shots. Like all of them.

I see that you have the Canon 85 and the Sigma 85. How some both? Is the Sigma better than the Canon? I'm looking for one for indoor....just don't know which to get (the Canon is a little less $$).

Thanks for the compliment and I need to update that signature! I bought the Sigma 85mm after seeing the shots on the lens sample thread. Love it. Great lens and very sharp. Soon after sold the Canon 85mm f/1.8. The pics in this thread were taken with Sigma 85 and my 7D. Great results. No longer need the Canon version.

But ... and there's always a but. After shooting three games with the Sigma, the Canon focused faster and probably a bit more consistent in the focus accuracy department. I do prefer the smoothness of BG with the Sigma, but by only the slightest margin.

Both work. I have the Sigma now, so it goes to games and is put to work.

dave

ChasWG wrote in post #11742630
Get the Canon and don't look back. Many here swear by it. It's fast to the focus and accurate too. And if it's cheaper than the Sigma, well, then that's better too! Done, get the Canon.

snyderman, great shots! Especially the first two, nicely done!

Listen to ChasWG - the Canon 85mm f/1.8 does a GREAT job for a LOT less money! Having shot basketball with both, Chas is again right--it focuses slightly faster and focuses accurately more regularly than does the Sigma. Still like the Sigma, but after basketball season ends it will be used as portrait lens for shooting senior pics, which was my primary reason for purchase.

dave

mark2009 wrote in post #11738266
Very nice shots, great action and very sharp!

Nice.

Thanks Mark. Sometimes they don't look all that sharp on my monitor so good to hear they are pretty sharp!

dave

Very sharp, great job. I can only dream of shooting 1/640 F/2/2 at ISO 2000. I have to go all the way to 3200 and even then, I'm normally in the 1/500 to 1/400 area because of lighting.

Joe Cyr wrote in post #11744376
Very sharp, great job. I can only dream of shooting 1/640 F/2/2 at ISO 2000. I have to go all the way to 3200 and even then, I'm normally in the 1/500 to 1/400 area because of lighting.

I hear you, Joe. This is my 3rd year shooting this team as my son is/was a Sr. football player. Shot that, too.

Being this is my 3rd year, I know the schools where shooting a basketball game would be kind of worthless. Same with football games. The pics in this post were taken at the best-lit gym in the conference. School is only about 3 years old.

The lights hang about about 10' from the ceiling with each situated inside what looks like a 6' diameter tub with 2' sidewall. The tubs are bright white and reflect the light back up to the stark white ceiling.

When I looked up at the ceiling, there isn't any directional light pattern--it's all very evenly bright white. When you look at the gym floor, there isn't a light pattern either. The light falls very evenly throughout the gym. All light fixtures were working properly and there wasn't a dark spot anywhere in the gym that I could see.

On the other hand, a couple of the gyms are so poorly lit that I don't even bother to show up. The home gym is 1/640, ISO 2500 at f/2. Pretty decent for a REALLY old facility!

dave

Thanks for the advice all. The Canon 85 will be a new addition in the near future.