So I plan on giving myself a weekend of shooting sports the weekend of July 5th-7th. I am planning on renting a lens for the this occasion and would like some input.
I am thinking of doing the canon 70-200 f2.8 II, but I know for the baseball game (probably be in the cheap seats) that will not be enough reach. Should I go with the Canon 100-400mm or possibly Canon 400mm f5.6? Maybe the extreme Sigma 50-500mm?
Camera I have is a Canon 40D, so with the 1.6x I will get farther than a full frame. Also, all events will be during the day.
Any advice would be helpful. Trying to make this a quality weekend.
The 70-200 is an excellent choice and will serve you well. It is my "go to" sports lens. Perhaps add an extender for the cheap seats... Have a great weekend!
The 70-200 is an incredibly versatile sports lens but maybe not from the cheap seats. I've shot sports from the seats, but it's not ideal for a number of reasons. I usually wished I had just sat back and enjoyed the game and some cold beverages.
Do you have General Admission (GA) tickets for all these events? If so, then I suggest getting the longest lens they will allow you to take in.
I've shot MLB from club level at AT&T Park with a 70-200 and a 1.7x on a full frame body and still needed more!
I've also used the 70-200 at the horse races and got some cool pre-race and finish line (standing track side) shots, but the 70-200 was too short for anything else (starts, corners, etc)
Out of the lenses you have listed I'm inclined to try the 100-400mm because of the reach. However, I don't have any first hand experience with "that" lens, so I don't know its AF and sharpness characteristic.
Here's a few examples with tech notes:
Shot from next to the track with a 70-200 @ 180mm - This was the perfect combo of location and lens
Out of the starting gate with a 70-200 @ 200mm and heavily cropped (a 300mm + would have been nice here)
Shot from Club Level at AT&T Park with a 70-200 + 1.7x @ 340mm and moderate crop.
Personally, If I planned to be off the field, I'd opt for something super wide like an 8-15 or a 17TS. In the alternative I'd rent a super tele like a 600, but it's doubtful you'd get something like that through the turnstiles.
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