70-200 f2.8 plus a longer prime lens for sports and wildlife

I need a fast lens for a variety of indoor and outdoor sports. I've

basically decided on a 70-200 f2.8--IS or not depends on available

cash. I'd also like to get a longer lens for wildlife. The question

is, "Which telephoto?"

 

I've thought about getting the 300 f4, but I'd have a 300 f4 just by

putting a 1.4x TC on a 70-200. I'd rather have faster lenses than

5.6, but maybe the 400 5.6 would be better than the 300 f4. I'm not

asking about the relative quality of the lenses. I'm just looking

for ideas about a combination for sports and nature/wildlife.

 

If you think there's a better way than combining 70-200 and a longer

telephoto, I'd be interested in your ideas. BTW, the longs are

longer on with the 1.6 crop factor on my digital. Bert

bert, i use the sigma 70-200 hsm apo with a sigma 2x teleconverter and it works very well, and is cheaper than two lenses. check out the birds in my animals portfolio; they are shot with that equipment. btw, i'm very impressed with the optical quality of the sigma lenses; the auto focus is very good as well, though not quite at a usm level. sometimes the AF doesn't quite get the image in low light, but outdoors its been very good.

btw, f4 won't cut it for indoor sports (i've done a ton of basketball). that's why i have the 85/1.8. even 2.8 is sometimes problematic.

For wildlife the 300 is a bit short. The 400 range is where you should start really. With that in mind it's a matter of budget as Canon offers quite a few lenses in the fast and medium aperture ranges, with and without IS. The 400 f/5.6 would be a very good choice and with the 1.4x TC you can cover the rest with excellent quality and IS to boot.

I have both lenses you are thinking. 70-200IS and 400/5.6. And I like both of them. However, if you have budget to buy two lenses, how about Sigma 120-300/2.8? No personal experience, but it seems to be very good for sports, and maybe for wildlife, too, if you use TCs.

I use a 80-200/2.8 L with a Kenko 2x teleconverter on a 300D and I found the combination a cheap satisfying kit for wildlife and sports. The teleconverter degrades the autofocus a bit and this lens+TC combination is not capable of AV mode, but for the price it is great - I am not yet ready to spend at least three times what I spent for it (EUR 600 for the lens and EUR 160 for the TC) just to get the 70-200/2.8 L and the Canon TC. Not that I would not like it, but since I do not make money from my shots it would be unwise.

 

I have pondered ways to reach beyond 400 mm with acceptable speed and quality but I have not found anything apart from toy mirror lenses.

 

Don't forget to budget for a good tripod or at the very least a monopod : above 300 mm I find handholding completely hopeless. I personnaly use a monopod, but it is only because I was willing to compromise stability for mobility and weight.

Bert replies . . .

 

Thanks for all the answers! I've been looking for an 80-200 f2.8, but they don't come up very often--except on e-bay. KEH had two available about a month ago, but they were gone before I could get out my credit card. I've also had my doubts about f2.8 lenses for indoor sports, but that's what you can get in a zoom. Hockey's my sport of choice, and I think I'd find it awkward to use primes.

 

Ben S.: What TC do you use with your Sigma? How do I view your online portfolio? I probably should know this, even being new to photo.net. Sorry.

 

For anyone: What monopod do you use?

hi bert,

just click on my blue name and you get to my portfolio. the birds are in the animals folder. i use a sigma 2x teleconverter that i bought used from keh.com, and a sigma 70-200 that i bought new from digitalfotoclub.com about 3 years ago from about $650.

oops, just checked, birds are in my nature folder, sorry! when you click on my name it takes you to a page that, if you scroll down, has "gallery photos" and lists the folders.