Hockey and Basketball Photos with a 5D - WHAT LENS

I need a better lens for my 5D - Im shooting my sons Hockey and daughters Basketball (No flash Allowed). If you

could please give me some suggestions - that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. D

70-200mm L f/2.8 IS

Dee, the 70-200 2.8 is THE lens for hockey. I love that Canon makes a 70-200 4.0, but that's not fast enough for shooting

in hockey rinks.

 

As for baseball, you'll be able to cover the infield with the 70-200 fairly well, but the outfield will be a problem. It's tough to

adequately cover both sports with the same lens.<div></div>

Dan,

 

I believe Dee said his daughter's basektball not baseball, in which case you could do with the 70-200, especially with the 2.8. It might be a little long if you plan on sitting beneath the basket, but if you get the right angle it should be fine.

 

Gabe.

You can't beat the 70-200mm/f2.8. I photograph a ton of hockey in poorly lit rinks and it works great. Also, I see quite a few pros shooting college basketball under the basket with it, as well. You couldn't find a more in-between canon lens for the two sports. Oveerall, you sacrifice being a little short (200mm) with hockey and a tad long for basketball (70mm).

I agree with the thought of the 70-200 f2.8. I have the f4 lens, and while it is a great lens for many settings, many times I wish I had the f2.8--that extra stop is really needed for the hockey rink.

Oops! Focus Dan...focus.

I know there have been a number of suggestions to use a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens for basketball. However, I find that for basketball, most school gyms contain insufficient light for fast enough shutter speeds to stop the action - even with an f/2.8 lens. I shoot Nikon (D300 and D200) and use Nikon's 85mm f/1.8 lens for basketball. With that lens I can get decent shutter speeds without cranking the ISO up to levels that produce significant noise. Canon makes an f/1.8, 85mm lens as well for your 5D.

 

Here's a blog post highlighting some hoops photo techniques:

 

http://www.spotmetersports.com/2008/01/professional-tip-for-better-basketball.html

I agree with Randall. Best place to shoot basketball is from the baseline. The 70-200 is really too long for this, particularly

when using a camera with a 1.5 crop factor. A nice, cheap 50mm 1.8 will work beautifully there.<div></div>

I agree with Randall and Jim. Use primes for shooting indoor basketball. An extra stop or two of light really helps, and the 70-200 is too long if you shoot from the baseline.

Dan your excellent photo doesn't reflect your comments,

 

A 50mm on 1.5 crop is the same as a 75mm on the 5D, it is full frame camera remember, and at f2.5 you are giving away 1/3rd f stop to the zoom, your shot could easily be exposed 1/3rd stop less, the 70-200 2.8 could take that exact photo on a 5D.

 

Take care, Scott.

Scott - Why chose a lens that covers a large focal range that's useless? You don't need 200mm unless you plan to shoot the far end of the court. And, in the gyms where I shoot, I need ISO 3200 and f/2. That's why I use flash whenever possible. But I still normally wouldn't use a 70-200 with flash.

Robert that's not what I said,

 

There is no doubt that the 70-200 is a very good sport lens, there is also no doubt that sometimes it is not appropriate, but, my point was that Dan's photo could have been taken with the zoom, it is not the only way for sure but when i have covered fast moving subjects a zoom is indispensable, another thing is what framing is Dee after, the normal shot like Dan's or a tighter more personal image of her daughter. Dan obviously didn't need 3200 iso or f2 for his shot (iso 2000 and f2.5), without light readings and subject distances/access info it is impossible to tell exactly what Dee could use. Besides a normal lens is useless for hockey.

 

Take care, Scott.

I'm envious of the lighting in Dan's gym. I usually find myself on a lift, 25 feet above the floor, hanging mono lights in the ceiling.

 

I usually do not feel hampered by primes because I'm usually staking out an area of the key to get specific shots. YMMV.

Scott - good point. I'm a Nikon guy, so forgot the 5D is full frame. Given the poor lighting conditions in these gyms, I'd probably go with an 85 f1.8 on the 5D.

 

Robert - believe me, that gym is not well-lit. The photo was shot with available light and then had levels adjusted in Photoshop.

Hey Dan,

 

I think that means we aren't allowed to talk to each other or compare notes, you being from the dark side and all (Nikon)

 

:-)

 

Take care, Scott.

The most important issues for deciding upon lens(es) for Dee`s use(s) are summarized here:

 

``without light readings and subject distances/access info it is impossible to tell exactly what Dee could use.``

(Scott Ferris)

 

***

 

Not wishing to cause angst guys, but . . .

 

I have a 5D and a 70 to 200F.8L, and in some School Gyms the F2.8 just is not fast enough. Moreover the 70 to 200

is often way too short for the ``Hockey`` I shot. :)

 

So, IMO, there are too many assumptions being made and that leads to too many generalizations which might not

be that helpful (without many caveats).

 

My suggestion to Dee is to firstly give us more information about: what venues; typical lighting values; typical

shooting distances; access; and information about the ability to roam or not.

 

***

 

Having said that, and ASSUMING the BBall is played inside, and the Hockey is Ice Hockey here are my

generalizations . . .

 

You will be best served with fast lenses: that means if you choose zoom lenses they must be in the F2.8L family.

Most likely the 24 to 70 will be wide enough for BBall shooting from under the BBoard and also long enough IF you

can roam: It might be too short however, if you are restricted to the stand, located on the side of the Gym

 

When it comes to the longer zoom, (70 to 200) the IS will be of very little benefit in respect of uses described in this

thread, but be very careful about choosing the EF 70 to 200F2.8L USM, because I assume if you do sink money into

this lens you will want to use it for other purposes, and those other purposes will most likely benefit for getting the IS

version.

 

I reiterate that in, many school Gyms, F2.8 is just too slow to get adequate SSpeed for BBall: and on a 5D I find the

85F1.8 indispensible in this regard. I do have the ability to roam and the 85F1.8 would be my lens of choice, if I only

could have one lens and were only using a 5D: and I would choose to crop, when I could not move quickly enough.

 

I do not shoot Ice Hockey, however it seems to me a zoom would be very useful as it is unlikely you can move

much . . . that means, (from my understanding of the dimensions involved), on a 5D the 70 to 200F2.8. Again, I

question the need for the IS version for this application, but I suggests the IS will be applicable in other

circumstances.

 

But I also question the lighting, as I assume there are ``well lit venues`` and ``not so well lit venues``, especially for

the junior ranks: and although the 5D has good ISO capacity, it does not really sing, when pushed to the equivalent

of ISO6400.

 

If it is Field Hockey you are asking about, on a 5D: a 100 to 400L; a 70 to 200F2.8L + x1.4MkII or a 300F4L all

would work well, in daylight. But at night, under lights the 100 to 400 is too slow on a 5D, and, depending upon the

venue, so too are is F4 lens or any F4 combination.

 

WW

<p>As others who are wiser and more experienced have already said, a lot will depend on local conditions.<br>

Given that the gym where I'm shooting basketball games gets excellent natural light, I've done very well with the Canon 70-200 F4. I can't speak to hockey. I will tell you that there is an advantage to using lighter lenses when the situation allows -- human factors are not to be minimized.<br>

-- Charlie Kaufman</p>