Best lens for shooting professional soccer?

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CSStevens
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p.1 #1 · Best lens for shooting professional soccer?

Most likely going to be shooting Real Madrid vs Santos Laguna in Las Vegas, but the longest lens I have is only a 70-200 2.8, which works fine with the basketball I typically shoot, but not so sure about this. I'll be using a 1D Mark 3 (have a 50D as well, so 1.6x crop but shitty-ish AF), but am planning on doing a CPS loan for when the game comes around and was wondering whether or not to go with a 400mm 2.8 or 500mm f4? And asides from that, would a 1.4x extender suffice? Any other tips appreciated - the game will be at night, but hopefully the lights will be decent.

Jul 21, 2012 at 07:26 AM

bboowwyy
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p.1 #2 · Best lens for shooting professional soccer?

Go with the 400/2.8. Then you also have the option of a 560/f4 with a 1.4x TC if the light is good enough.
Then you can put your 70-200 on the 50d for action around the goal (assuming you'll be positioned somewhere behind the goal).

Jul 21, 2012 at 10:37 AM

Jim Cowsert
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p.1 #3 · Best lens for shooting professional soccer?

Soccer is one of those sports that's really hard to follow through the view finder. The 500 will make it that much harder even if you're shooting from the endzones to mid-field. Specially if you're not used to shooting with long glass. When I shoot soccer I go with the 400 and sometimes even with the 300. Put the 70-200 on your 50D and you will be good to go.

Jul 21, 2012 at 12:36 PM

schlotz
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p.1 #4 · Best lens for shooting professional soccer?

No question here: use the 400 2.8 on your III, and put the 70-200 on your 50D. You'll find that there is a point you will need to switch from the 400 rig to the 50D as the action comes closer to you. Staying with the 400 too long results in shots with the action getting cut off. Highly recommend taking a position off of the back line somewhere close to half way between the corner and the side of the goal. Good luck, and show us what you get.

Regards,
Matt

Jul 21, 2012 at 01:11 PM

Fish On
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p.1 #5 · Best lens for shooting professional soccer?

I would go with the 400 with or without a 1.4tc on either the 1D MK3 or the 50D. I would also use a 1.4 on the 70-200 on the other body.

Here's a shot that I took with the 400 + 1.4. I was on the sideline along the goal box and the player is around the 18 yard line of the opposite goal. This is about a 50% crop.

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Here's another one with just the 400. I was on the sideline at around the 18 shooting the opposite goal on this one. About 70 - 75% crop.

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Here is the original:

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Hope these help. Both of these shots were taken with the 1D Mark2N.

Jul 21, 2012 at 03:49 PM

CSStevens
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p.1 #6 · Best lens for shooting professional soccer?

Thanks for all the suggestions, the 400mm 2.8 it is then. Now, just to time it right with a request at CPS, and in the meantime, finishing up shooting the NBA Summer League. Its sure been a busy month.

Jul 22, 2012 at 12:59 AM

PennsyBill
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p.1 #7 · Best lens for shooting professional soccer?

Are you going to have access to the field and if so will you be restricted to a certain area?

Jul 22, 2012 at 01:28 AM

CSStevens
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p.1 #8 · Best lens for shooting professional soccer?

Assuming approval goes through, then yes I should have field credentials etc, and I'm guessing photographers will be restricted to certain areas.

Jul 22, 2012 at 01:58 AM

xicotencatl
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p.1 #9 · Best lens for shooting professional soccer?

You can't go wrong with the 400 /2.8

Here's a good example of pics taken with a Mark III + 400/2.8

Lio.

http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1035879/0?keyword=Sounders#9839614

Jul 23, 2012 at 07:24 AM

CSStevens
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p.1 #10 · Best lens for shooting professional soccer?

Great shots!

CPS loan for a 400mm 2.8 was approved for August 3-16, looking forward to making use of it for the soccer game and then hopefully will make it down to SoCal to shoot some of the US Open of Surfing as well. Planning a Yosemite trip during that time too, maybe I'll do some wildlife work.

Jul 23, 2012 at 06:23 PM

cocodrillo
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p.1 #11 · Best lens for shooting professional soccer?

The 500 is too long on a 1D3 or any of the 1.3x Canon Crops. You start lopping limbs just when things get interesting. Go with the 400. Or... a 500 with a 1Dx

Jul 25, 2012 at 03:53 AM

dmwierz
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p.1 #12 · Best lens for shooting professional soccer?

Some good advice, but I particularly like what Jim said: soccer is a great sport to shoot, but when covering it with a long lens (>300mm), it's way too easy to get caught inside the viewfinder, and miss the real action that's developing outside your field of view. For this reason I always try to shoot with both eyes open so I can see the action outside of the camera, and sometimes I even will pull both eyes away from the viewfinder then swing the camera/lens into use to grab the play, moving my eye to the viewfinder to focus and shoot. The same advice can be given for shooting "American" Football, BTW.

Jul 25, 2012 at 03:40 PM

stedge
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p.1 #13 · Best lens for shooting professional soccer?

another option is D800 and a 300 lens - you'll be able to crop a lot... but it does not have the frame rate of the D4/D3

Jul 25, 2012 at 09:24 PM

Matt OHarver
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p.1 #14 · Best lens for shooting professional soccer?

stedge wrote:
another option is D800 and a 300 lens - you'll be able to crop a lot... but it does not have the frame rate of the D4/D3

I disagree, shooting with a shorter lens and more MP to crop just leaves lousy backgrounds. You have to shoot wide open with a long lens in soccer to kill the ever present crappy backgrounds.

Matt

I shoot with a D3s, 400MM F2.8 and frequently use the 1.4 on it and wish I had more!

Ideally I'd have a 300MM on one body and a 500F4 on the other.

Jul 26, 2012 at 05:33 PM

ifxbonz
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p.1 #15 · Best lens for shooting professional soccer?

Matt OHarver wrote:
stedge wrote:
another option is D800 and a 300 lens - you'll be able to crop a lot... but it does not have the frame rate of the D4/D3

I disagree, shooting with a shorter lens and more MP to crop just leaves lousy backgrounds. You have to shoot wide open with a long lens in soccer to kill the ever present crappy backgrounds.

Matt

I shoot with a D3s, 400MM F2.8 and frequently use the 1.4 on it and wish I had more!

Ideally I'd have a 300MM on one body and a 500F4 on the other.

+1

Jul 26, 2012 at 10:59 PM

CSStevens
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p.1 #16 · Best lens for shooting professional soccer?

Planning on getting a 300mm f2.8 (albeit non canon) and also a 1.4x pretty soon, chance I might have it before the game actually so perhaps I'll be able to shoot a 1.4 on the 400mm and then the 300 on another body. If I do have both at the time, I'll have a lot to experiment and try out with.

Jul 27, 2012 at 10:45 PM

Russ Isabella
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p.1 #17 · Best lens for shooting professional soccer?

If you're used to shooting with a 70-200, I most definitely do not recommend thinking about a two-camera system with a 400 (+ 1.4x) on one and 300 on the other. Use the longest lens you have along with your 70-200. For one thing, trying to juggle both those rigs would be insane (especially if you've never dealt with a big tele on a monopod), and second, you should be able to capture some close-up action with the 70-200 that's worth having that lens for. I understand the point that was being made, but I don't think you should consider it advice.

Jul 27, 2012 at 11:21 PM

CSStevens
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p.1 #18 · Best lens for shooting professional soccer?

"The media request for Real Madrid v Santos Laguna at Sam Boyd Stadium , Las Vegas, NV - Aug 5, 2012 has been approved." Awesome!

Now to just wait for the 400mm 2.8 to come in the mail and make some use of it. This is gonna be pretty exciting.

Jul 31, 2012 at 06:07 PM

skibum5
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p.1 #19 · Best lens for shooting professional soccer?

schlotz wrote:
No question here: use the 400 2.8 on your III, and put the 70-200 on your 50D. You'll find that there is a point you will need to switch from the 400 rig to the 50D as the action comes closer to you. Staying with the 400 too long results in shots with the action getting cut off. Highly recommend taking a position off of the back line somewhere close to half way between the corner and the side of the goal. Good luck, and show us what you get.

Regards,
Matt

+1

(although I do like to move around a bit during the game at times and am not a just plant yourself in one spot for 90 minutes guy)

Aug 01, 2012 at 08:27 AM

HoldenMan
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p.1 #20 · Best lens for shooting professional soccer?

Jim Cowsert wrote:
Soccer is one of those sports that's really hard to follow through the view finder. The 500 will make it that much harder even if you're shooting from the endzones to mid-field. Specially if you're not used to shooting with long glass. When I shoot soccer I go with the 400 and sometimes even with the 300. Put the 70-200 on your 50D and you will be good to go.

Slightly off topic - how do you follow it, if not through the view finder?

Aug 01, 2012 at 12:51 PM

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