Will this lense work? - DPChallenge Forums

12/06/2005 05:13:21 PM · #1

Would a 70-300mm Super Macro Sigma lense work for indoor sports? looking for a cheaper solution to shoot decent indoor amateur sports (like volleyball and stuff like that)

12/06/2005 05:16:02 PM · #2

What's the aperture range on the lens? Next to the 70-300 there's usually something like f4.5-5.6. If the number on the right is bigger than 2.8 it's too slow. 2.8 might even be too slow.

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM

12/06/2005 05:17:46 PM · #3

well i'll be using the 420EX along with the lense..

Falc

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

12/06/2005 05:17:55 PM · #4

review

This review says its a hunter in low light - so I guess its not going to be too useful where you are trying to follow action.

Brent_Ward

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L USM

12/06/2005 05:18:44 PM · #5

Originally posted by hollisterGq:

Would a 70-300mm Super Macro Sigma lense work for indoor sports? looking for a cheaper solution to shoot decent indoor amateur sports (like volleyball and stuff like that)

pick up a 100/2 or an 85 1.8. on a 20 D it's got a little reach and will let the light in.

Message edited by author 2005-12-06 17:19:35.

12/06/2005 05:20:44 PM · #6

100/2? do u mean 100/200mm i confused..

12/06/2005 05:22:58 PM · #7

That's the 100mm prime which has a large aperture (f2) so very good in low light.

12/06/2005 05:30:33 PM · #8

trying to find something a lil cheaper.. on tight budget.

Canon PowerShot Pro 90 IS

12/06/2005 05:48:23 PM · #9

ok so Tamron or Sigma?

lowonenergy

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

12/06/2005 05:59:09 PM · #10

They allow u too use a flash ?

coolhar

12/06/2005 06:33:21 PM · #11

On a budget? Start with a Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II, and use your feet to zoom in. Should cost about $75. For shooting indoor sports you really need a wide aperture.

Brent_Ward

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L USM

12/06/2005 06:42:32 PM · #12

Originally posted by coolhar:

On a budget? Start with a Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II, and use your feet to zoom in. Should cost about $75. For shooting indoor sports you really need a wide aperture.

He already has one.

12/07/2005 11:51:19 AM · #13

yeah and i'm just not sure my 50mm will work for what im wanting.. i'll be mainly using the lense to shoot our church v-ball and basketball games, and wanting something with a zoom.. so far they haven't stopped me from using my 420ex (bouncing off the roof) so any suggestions would be nice.. trying to shoot for under 300$

so far have found the Sigma 70-300mm Super Macro II

12/07/2005 11:54:50 AM · #14

Check out the high sync speed for the camera/flash. If you can use the flash at 1/250 or faster then you should be able to get some decent shots.

12/07/2005 11:57:23 AM · #15

high sync speed.. explain... i know i have that option on the 420EX im just not sure I understand it all.

12/07/2005 12:05:32 PM · #16

The ideal time for the flash to fire is when the shutter is fully open. If the flash fires at any other time then the scene will not be properly lit by the flash.

If the flash can sync at 1/250 (for example) then it will fire at the exact moment that the shutter is fully open for that shutter speed.

Message edited by author 2005-12-07 12:06:01.

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED

12/07/2005 12:06:53 PM · #17

ok well what im really asking is that my flash has two options auto and high sync.. so do i just set it to high sync.. and thats it or what?

and are you saying that with high sync that i could use the 70-300mm?

livitup

Nikon D70

12/07/2005 12:11:08 PM · #18

Here's my advice...

If you can get access to the venue when there's nothing going on, take a friend and have him stand in the farthest distance from the sideline that you would realistically expect to want to take a picture of.

Stand on the sideline (or wherever you'll be shooting from) and use your 50mm lens, but use aperature priority mode on the camera and lock it at 5.6. Let the camera figure everything else out.

Take a few pictures of your friend using your flash and everything else the same way you'll do it at a game. Check out those shots and see if you are happy with the exposure. (Ignore the composition for now.)

5.6 is the average for the biggest aperature on these "consumer" grade lenses. If you're happy with the exposure of your friend in these test shots, then you'll be happy with the performance of the cheaper zoom lens.

My guess is that the backgrounds are going to be very under exposed (nearly black) and the subjects will have that tell-tale "over flashed" look. The bigger aperature in the pro-grade lenses (what you pay all that $$$ for) will help eliminate both of these things.

In the end if you and your customer are happy, then that's all that matters.

12/07/2005 12:11:57 PM · #19

Whether you can use the 70-300 or not will depend on whether the scene can be adequately lit with the lens wide open which is probably at 5.6 at the 300 end. It may not be a fast enough lens.

I don't have that particular flash so don't know how it behaves in auto. It will probably adjust the sync speed based on the shutter speed chosen as long as it's within the range for the flash. The manual for the flash could help you there.

Prof_Fate

12/07/2005 12:19:40 PM · #20

I can't imagine a 420 flash, or even a 580 bouinced in a gym environment would add much if any light to a shot of a basketball game.

I mean, 43 meters at max output is 120 feet, roughly. How high is the ceiling? 20 feet? 30 feet? So that makes it 40 to 60 feet from you to the subject -(you to ceiling to floor) assuming 100% refelction. Most gym ceilings i have seen are full of trusses and things that will not bounce the light very efficiently at all. Then add in the added distance of the subject being partway across the gym floor...

As to HSS and such - if the flash is working (as in has enough output) the flash itself will freeze the action. If you are getting blurry shots, then the flash is not providing the main light.

Should we talk color cast issues now? Flash is daylight in color, gyms are a mix of sodium, fourescent and often a 3rd light or even 4th. Unless the flash overpowers the ambient light, you will have wierd colors. there was a thread on this issue yesterday.

if you use direct flash to get the most power, you stand a real chance of temporarily blinding players and refs - an interfereance of the game so it is often not allowed.

Your best bet is to get courtside with a 50mm 1.8, no flash, push iso to 1600 and have at it. ISO 800 might even work. Crop the image in PP if you need to 'zoom' in.

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

12/07/2005 12:28:18 PM · #21

that might work, but shooting with my 10-22mm worked monday shooting at iso 800 with flash bounced off ceiling.. the gymnasium i am talking about is pictured here

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

12/07/2005 12:46:19 PM · #22

Well your flash did add something, but most of the light in that shot is still the ambient lighting. Shooting with a telephoot or telephoto zoom is quite different than WA, the action will require MUCH higher shutter speed to stop, and focus will be critical (much less DoF).
A large aperture helps not only to give more light and allow higher shutter speeds, but also to aid focusing. A slow lens will often hunt for focus or simply misfocus in these situations.
When hyou combine flash and ambient lightiing, and the flash does not overpower the ambient lighting, action shots can look funky, with a sharp image of the subject (stopped by the flash) combined with a blurry one (from the ambient lighting).

Mr_Pants

SiPix Blink

12/07/2005 12:54:53 PM · #23

Originally posted by hollisterGq:

that might work, but shooting with my 10-22mm worked monday shooting at iso 800 with flash bounced off ceiling.. the gymnasium i am talking about is pictured here

What was the shutter speed for this shot. At wide angle, you can get away with quite slow shutter speeds for static objects, whereas if you are photographing action at some distance using a telephoto lens, then you'll need much higher shutter speed.

I've seen suggested in the past that someone rents a lens. This might be an option - something like the canon 70-200 f2.8 might be useful if your 50mm is too short. Sigma make a 70-200 f2.8 too and it's a bit cheaper.

12/07/2005 05:03:29 PM · #24

i dont know where I could rent a lens

nemesise1977