wilsontsoi

<p>70-200mm f2.8, based on OP's budget and often low light nature of HS sports. Throw in a 50mm f1.8 at $100 or so when it's really dim. Get them through KEH, BH and Adorama used dept. to keep cost down. Move your feet, get up and down sidelines or get closer to the action as needed since you won't have 300 or 400mm reach. Rent the 300 or 400 f2.8 as needed, ideally pick up on Friday and returning Monday since it's usually considered as a one-day rental. Sounds like a fun start!</p>

<p>and here's one behind the backboard. Notice reflection from not putting up black cards to block out strays.</p><div></div>

<p>Here are a few more samples..</p><div></div>

<p>Depending on level of play and athleticism of players (above or below the rim), it might just be more efficient to mount it just under the backboard a little further back so you don't have to deal with taping up and blocking out reflections when mounting from behind the see-through backboard. Tethering safety cable is definitely a must. If doing through behind backboard, make sure to clean front and back of backboard before guys start to warm up. Putting up black pieces of paper to eliminate reflections is also time consuming, so make sure to spare ample time for that, unless of course you don't mind the reflections on your shots.</p><div></div>

<p>Hit up Steve Winter at Nat Geo. A fun and super nice guy that set radio trigger to capture big cats photos <a href="http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/2015/07/30/photographer-steve-winters-5-wildest-big-cat-encounters/">http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/2015/07/30/photographer-steve-winters-5-wildest-big-cat-encounters/</a></p>

<p>Interesting idea and result, Ron. Especially the last one that seems to have a quality of tripod-based captures and layered together in post, though could it be taken as multiple-exposure in-camera? Well done.</p>

<p>Based on Ray's latest description, it sounds like a possibility of worn out lens mount (due to wear & tear), either on the lens, on the camera, or both.</p>

<p>Good start, keep it up!</p>

<p>No need for Gimbal-type or tripod heads since shooting sports with big lenses usually covers side-to-side movement majority of the time, so those heads are not necessary. And even if there are vertical movements in sports, usually you are so far back from that action with the big lens that the actual vertical movement on the lens & monopod combo is very little and well within easy range of simply tilting the rig fore and aft. And if the vertical action is nearby, you won't be using the 400mm f2.8 anyway, but hand-holding the 70-200 f2.8 instead.</p>

<p>You could use a small amount of blue Locktite (forgot the #) or the RRS version (threadlocker fluid) to keep the clamp firmly mounted to the monopod's screw stud. Having said that however, I've never had any "rotating" problem you described after decades of shooting sports with my monopod & clamp combo. Just simply keep the clamp and monopod torqued tight and you're good to go. No problem with carrying a large lens-ka-bab the way you described either without any anti-lock device. </p>

<p>I can't say I have the same problem with the body when using my long lenses. Aside from checking battery and/or card condition, try removing the battery for 10 seconds or more to reboot the camera. Or maybe you were shooting long burst of multiple frames at highest FPS in RAW and filled up the buffer, another possible theory?</p>

With the choices given, the 24-70 f2.8 makes sense thus keeping settings on both bodies the same and simplify things a bit so you can concentrate solely on capturing images. OTOH either of the fast primes will allow you to yield some very shallow DOF pics when shot wide open at close range, though focus accuracy will be more demanding that at f2.8.