Jump to content

IS or No IS that is the question?


hatcher_jon

Recommended Posts

Hello

I am planning on purchasing a new Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 lens but do

not know if I should purchase the IS version or not. I photograph

high school sports for the schools yearbook and as most of yall know

that prep gymnasiums and fields are not well lit. So would the IS

help in this low lighting condition. Or should I get the non IS

version, save $600, and just use my monopod instead?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's true what Michael is saying about subject motion, but that said, I'd still be glad to have

both the monopod AND the IS. I don't know about the 70-200, but my 100-400 has a dual-

mode IS switch. Mode 2 disengages horizontal stabilization such that it will not fight your

panning, but will still assist vertical stabilization.

 

Still... only you can decide whether it's worth $600.

 

Peter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm with Mike. You'd surely never regret having it. You must shoot other subjects too, right?

I have a few really fine, sharp images shot hand-held with my IS lens, that more than likely

would have been unusable without it. And I still think it would be of some use still with the

indoor sports. You could always try renting a lens first to try it out. Some places that rent

will credit part of the cost of rental toward a purchase made within, say, the next 30 days.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I bought the non IS version of the 70-200 2.8L. I bought the 100-400L IS the same day ... I love both lenses!

 

The vast majority of my sports shooting is outdoors; as a result I just couldn't justify the extra $600. So far my wife isn't buying my logic of "I saved $600 by sacrificing on this lens - doesn't that justify my spending another $4k on a ID Mk II N?"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

IS/VR is terrific for travel actually, as well as general hand-held, not-so-fast shutter speed photography, but really doesn't come into the equation when talking about typical sports photography which requires fast shutter speed to freeze the motion which in effect, if achievable, already eliminate the need for IS/VR or monopod, IMO. Monopod however is very useful if one can not hand-hold large lenses like 300 f2.8 or larger.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmmmmmmm, You ignored the advice of the two most knowledgable posters in the thread!

 

You will have to look at everyones portfolio who posted here to find out who they are :-)

 

 

With the $600 you would have save by not buying the IS lens you could have brought a 85 1.8 that would be very useful in some of those low light gyms that you posted about!

 

You will find the monopod in most cases a hinderance, IS or not, with a 70-200 2.8 which was designed to used as a fast hand held meduim telephoto

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not everything you photograph in sports is action. There are a lot of still moments where IS can help. Sideline conferences. Coaches & players waiting for a referee ruling. Player at the foul line. Faces of players as they wait or between bits of action.

 

Get the IS as it will come in handy more than you think.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Daniel, just to point out, you assume that responders to this post shoot post samples of all their work at photo.net Since I shoot mostly youth sports I don't post that work here since many parents don't expect to see their children's likeness posted on the internet in a place they aren't expecting - no matter how honorable the forum.

 

I agree with the suggestion that the monopod will prove to be an annoyance - these lenses are easily handheld. (OK, I do admit that after a couple of days of 4-5 hrs of handholding the 100-400 I end up having to ice down my left elbow ... but it still beats being hampered by the monopod!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with those who say "if you can afford it, get it". It's definitely true that IS helps, even though for most sports, if you need the IS, you'd better start considering figuring out how to get more light.

 

I shoot Nikon (70-200 f/2.8 VR, same deal), available light, and I always end up shooting at 1/250-320 for basketball (although some well-lit gyms allow for 1/400), and at least 1/500 for football - I usually end up at 1/2000.

 

The IS helps in the little ways - even at 1/250, you can generally freeze most of the action, and even if you couldn't, the IS isn't going to help. HOWEVER, if you're nearing the 200mm mark, it becomes a completely different story. Let's just say that I'd rather shoot a game with the 70-200 VR/IS than a 80-200 f/2.8, and it's not for the extra 10mm.

 

Food for thought - you will never find a pro-shooter at something like a basketball game working with the non-IS 70-200. Period.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I read Daves post on using IS lenses for shooting Sports.I no longer shoot a lot of sports ,since I do not work weekends or nights. I thought I would ask some of the Photographers who do shoot a lot of sports about their using IS. I asked 11 photographers,who shoot, The Phoenix Suns, NHL hockey,College Hoops,Arizona Rattlers,Diamondbacks Baseball,Nascar,Indoor Soccer,NFL (if you think of the Cardinals as a NFL team) and any other sport you can imagine.Two of these photographers have covered the past 3 summer olympics and the past 2 winter olyimpics.These photographers have covered the NCAA Final 4 , 3 Superbowls and the Fiesta Bowl every year. One shoots for AP,One shoots for Gannett and USA today, The rest for the Arizona Republic.None of these photographers uses IS when shooting sports. All gave the same reason ,that I did in a earlier post,it does not do any good to use IS, when you are shooting faster than 1/125 of a sec. and most, if not all photographers, will not shoot slower than 1/250 as it will not stop motion.The downside of using IS is that it drains life from the battery, it diverts power from the auto focus and Buffering as well.Jon if you wish to buy a Lens with IS that is your decision, I would take in all the facts before you spend the extra money.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Again, IS/VR is a non-factor especially when you need to stop motion in typical team sports. For an example, here's something <a href="http://www.photo.net/photo/4078636">shot without IS/VR.</a> Although I shoot sports without using IS/VR, I would however value the technology for travel photography where in several occasions I came across situation where the needed shutter speed is a bit below reciprocal focal length, but not having time, nor the circumstance does not allow for a use of a camera support.

 

Going back to original poster's question, if sports are all that you shoot, then I'd vote for non-IS lens and put the $600 toward a 300 f2.8 or an ultra-wide zoom (10-22mm f3.5-4.5, 12-24mm f4, etc.) Just my 2 cents.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd consider VR a major plus, but I have shaky hands. For me, VR helps up to 1/250 second. Beyond that, sure, it's not entirely necessary. But I've compared my photos taken with and without VR turned on at 1/250 and below and there's a difference. I need all the help I can get. I think it's great that some folks can handhold an 80-200/2.8 zoom steadily at 1/125 second. I could, years ago. Not now.

 

VR also helps when shooting from a moving vehicle. Tried it. It works. That might be useful in special circumstances.

 

Yup, it sucks extra battery juice. I have three batteries for my D2H so it's no biggie. Yup, it takes a fraction of a second for VR to kick in if I let off pressure on the shutter release button. You get used to it. Yup, the image shifts ever so slightly when VR kicks in and out, and there's a barely audible "click" when it engages and disengages. Again, no big deal.

 

If my hands were steady or I planned to always use a monopod I might pass on the VR. But there's little difference in price between the 70-200/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor and the now-discontinued 80-200/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. Might as well get the VR version. The less expensive 80-200/2.8 AF Nikkor lacks the Silent Wave Motor and is slower to autofocus, at least on some cameras.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Michael, all the photographers you talked to have one thing in common - they are shooting in well lit venues. Where I live, high school football stadiums are rarely that well lit; to the contrary, they often have very definite light and shadow areas on the field - usually directly related to the number of burned out bulbs in the stadium lights. I've had the ISO cranked up to 3200 to get 1/125 shutter speeds - massive noise but it sure beats the motion blur. In this case IS would come in handy. Hence, if you shoot in that kind of venue and you can afford it, get the IS.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Patrick, The places I mentioned are well lit as you say. We at the paper also cover High School basketball,and Football , Community college Football,High School vollyball, all are very dark. I have found that if you are shooting in a very dark place,to set the camera on Manual,1/250 of a sec. wide open,at the highest ASA that will give you quality, and pop a dialed down flash for fill. You can shoot using this method in almost any gym in the country, even with those horrible sodium vapor lights.Jon has already said he is getting the IS, I hope he finds it worth while.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...