WHICH LENSE SHOULD I CHOOSE?

<p>I am looking at a sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro and a sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 EX DG. Can someone please tell me which one would be better for indoor basketball and/or if it matters? Also, what is the significance of the first choice being 82mm in diameter and the second choice being 67mm? I have researched this and cannot find a satisfying answer. The second choice is $155 cheaper, so if it will work just as well only being 4 mm difference, I will buy it and save my money. Please offer any suggestions you may have. I need help. Thanks.</p>

<p>What body are you using?</p>

<p>Michelle, what kind of camera/what other lenses do you have? What kind of basketball/how close are you to the court?<br>

Honestly, I don't know the difference between the two lenses, so I can't speak for image quality, but I can say that moving up to the HSM might be worth it. HSM is basically like AFS in the Nikkor lenses, and is hugely valuable in sports. That said, you can still shoot fine without it, but I would recommend it.</p>

<p>The reason I ask what kind of basketball is because that determines just how fast of glass you may need. Same with which camera you have. A D700 should allow you to shoot with 1 stop slower lenses, so if you need an f1.4 lens on the D300, you should still be able to shoot with the f2.8.</p>

<p>And the really big differnce between 82mm and 67mm threads is more expensive filters. Often the ones with 82mm and 77mm threads have the better glass, but not always.</p>

<p>I only have a Canon Rebel XT (8mp). I am looking to upgrade that too, just not at the moment. I just want to make sure I get the lense that will help me achieve the best shots. I shoot high school basketball and sometimes the yearbook uses my shots, but mostly they are for personal use. I do sports posters for my athletes. So you are saying the 82mm threads will produce better quality pictures? I already use a 70-200mm f2.8 sigma, which is 82mm, and I love the quality; it's just too long. I stand behind the backboard.</p>

<p>For indoor basketball, I use a faster prime lens. This helps with the low light and high shutter speeds needed in the gym. I use both a 55 f1.4 and an 85mm f1.8 and both work great.</p>

 

<p>The 50mm 1.8 and 85 1.8 are terrific primes, with the 50 being preferred for behind or juss to sides of backbrd. The 85, best from the out towards the corners.<br>

Which of the 2 you are asking about is newer? Newer models of essentially same lens would be better - better coatings, maybe sharper. Go to POPphoto.com or FredMiranda.com and read their evaluations of thesee two. The best in that focal length would be , quite obviously, the Canon 'L' versions. But mucho $$'s more!</p>

<p>I would love to have a prime, but I am apprehensive about comitting to one focal length. The 28-70mm one is discontinued on the Sigma website, but as of yet I haven't figured out why.<br>

Would the prime help with the blur as well? And also, where is a good website to rent sigma lenses?</p>

<p>Not really familiar with Sigma products, but from a quick look at B&H's web site it appears that the 28-70mm f/2.8 EX DG is the better glass. It has the HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor), ELD & SLD Elements (better glass elements), and a 9-Blade Aperture. But that also comes with a price. Both have a constant f2.8 which is what you want.If you want to be faster than f2.8 you don't have very many options in the zoom lens as they would be to big and heavy. so they just aren't made. So you would have to go to a prim lens.</p>

<p>Another option to consider if money is a factor is the <strong>Sigma 50-150mm f/2.8 II EX DC HSM. </strong> If you are building posters depending on the size you want to be able to get nice tight shots to use as an option. The more you can fill the frame with your subject the more pixels you will capture. So that way when you inlarge some of these pics to fill say a 16x20 the more clear the shot will stay. When I shoot Basketball I use a Nikon 70-200mm, as my primary lens. Then If I want to get stuff a little wider I use my Nikon 17-55mm.</p>

<p>If you want to rent first to see what you like I have found a few places.<br>

http://www.borrowlenses.com/<br>

http://www.samys.com/<br>

http://www.lensrentals.com/</p>

<p>I have not rented from any of these places before so I can not speak from experience. But I am looking to rent from Borrowlenses. com in the next day or so.</p>

<p>Hope this helps.</p>

<p>Why cant there be a spot on here that would have the same picture or same subject taken by several different lens that will show,not tell the difference between the lens. Shoot an indoor basket ball game. several with one lens and several more with another. and so on.. Maybe list settings per picture. This way I and anyone who is curious could more wisely spend our money on lens's that we know we want instead of learning the hard way and eventually killing the drive to learn and create. Just a thought.. Maybe when people post an inddor or even out door picture list the lens used. If settings are secret so be it...</p><div></div>

<p>Michelle, I think you'll find that neither of those lenses will be sufficient for indoor basketball (particularly in the normally not-too-bright high school gyms). The f/2.8 aperture is just too slow unless you're also willing to upgrade your Rebel to a better ISO performing Canon like the 7D. As was suggested, an 85mm f/1.8 lens will be sufficient for most basketball duty. This is the lens I use for basketball almost exclusively (Nikon lens mounted on a D300).<br>

Both photos below were shot with an 85mm f/1.8 lens while situated along the baseline. You can also get by with a less expensive 50mm f/1.8. It's great for under-the-basket photos, but doesn't produce great photos with good background blur for action further out on the court.<br>

<img src="http://ranmac.smugmug.com/Sports/Basketball/Adams-Freshman-Boys-Basketball/Vs-Stoney-Creek-Game-2-57/487792357_GW8eg-L.jpg" alt="" width="399" height="600" /><br>

<img src="http://ranmac.smugmug.com/Sports/Basketball/Adams-Freshman-Boys-Basketball/Vs-Stoney-Creek-Game-2-2/487784722_hY8Hd-L.jpg" alt="" width="399" height="600" /></p>