What lens should I purchase next

I recieved a Nikon D80 for my birhtday last year. My main goal is to photography my children in volleyball and

basketball. Both indoor sports with low lighting. I have an older AF Nikkor 70-210mm F/4-5.6 and purchased a 50mm

F1.8D. I am getting pretty good using the 50mm with volleyball (slower and closer) but still only hit and miss in

basketball.

 

I can purchase an additional lens at this time, and the following are in my price range.

- which one would any of you suggest and why?

 

Telephoto - 85mm F1.8 AF, or 180mm F/2.8 ED IF AF, or Zoom 24-85mm F/2.8-4D IF

Hi Kelly,

I know this is not one of the choices you offered so my appologies, but if i were you, i'd dump the old 70-210 f4/5.6 and get a 80-200/70-200 f2.8.

 

While this lens is heavier and larger than the one you currently own, the speed of it with you shooting indoor sports will really help. If you defintly want to keep the one you have, i'd go with the fast 85mm f1.8

 

Good Luck

It depends on where you're located relative to the players. For basketball, I normally camp out near the baseline. The 50mm will give you tight shots under the boards, and full body a bit out from there. The 85mm (with an AP-S sensor) is good for outside shots and ball handling. You probably don't need anything loger than that from the baseboard.

> which one would any of you suggest and why?

 

Telephoto - 85mm F1.8 AF: Yes.

 

Because it is fast enough to use for inside sports and is a good mate for a 50mm prime used on an APS-C body,

especially for sports where you are tight to the action in small areas, such as BBall, and Volleyball.

 

I use a 50/F1.4 and an 85/F1.8 on APS-C for `local` swimming events, where I can be at on the pool deck and walk

along it. `Local` events are at smaller Municipal Pools where the lighting is horrible , compared to Olympic Pools.

 

 

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180mm F/2.8 ED IF AF: No,

 

 

Firstly because F2.8 will be too slow in many situations; and if you decide to go as slow as F2.8 then you should

spend more and invest in an F2.8 zoom, as just having a FL180mm will be too limiting.

 

 

Children`s volleyball etc, is not often conducted in an Olympic Venue with a three tier Grandstand: you are speaking

of sports in a small area . . . with an APS-C body it is better to have a shorter FL prime, you can always crop in a bit

tighter in post production, but if your back is to the wall you cannot get further away.

 

 

Also, 180mm could become a little at the edge regarding camera shake if you need to go to 1/320s or 1/250s: I am

not suggesting you do not have good shutter execution, but I am stating that it is easier to pull 1/250s with on

85/F1.8 on board than with an 180/F2.8 lens, AND with the 85/F1.8 lens that 1/250s easily becomes 1/500s at F2.

 

 

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24-85mm F/2.8-4D IF: No.

 

 

It is a nice zoom range for what you want, if you are close to the action, but as above where I commented on the

180mm . . . if you are going for the zoom, better to wait, save more and get an F2.8 zoom, F4 is WAY too slow.

And, IMO varying maximum aperture zoom lenses are just so dangerous for shooting under the pressure of time:

unless one is extremely experienced in their use.

 

 

I have seen many disappointments with varying maximum aperture zooms used at Weddings and at School Sports

days, especially when used in Av mode, which it seems, is a very popular Shooting mode by many, both

Professionals and Mum and Dad Photographers. No offense intended: I am merely only wanting to address the

potential dangers of not understanding what happens to the Shutter Speed when the Av is set to F2.8 and the zoom

is taken out to 85mm.

 

 

***

 

 

Not mentioned, and perhaps in the price range: a fast 35mm or 30mm.

 

 

The choice of, (and effective use of), a prime lens is very dependant upon where you are positioned (as previously

mentioned) and also, your ability to roam.

 

 

WW

I would recommend the 180/2.8 latest version of the AF lens. It is much sharper then the 80-200 or 70-200 zooms

even when wide open. Certainly you need to learn how to shoot with it, seems that some people have problem with

this.

 

Sport is a chance game and will ever be. You just need to take a lot of pictures and remove all out of focus or blured

by motion. You could get faster and better framing with zooms, buit you can predict sport action and get

prepared. You will always get few pictures that are so great, that none of made with 80-200 or 70-200 will match

the quality.

 

If you want to get the 85, better get the latest 1.4 version that has filter size 77 mm, is much better than the older

1.4 version with 72 mm filter, and any version of 1.8.

I recommend buying a 70-200 2.8. Its a great general purpose lens, has a zoom, and works OK with a 1.4 teleconverter. I've used this lens for many years shooting all kinds of sports, pro to high school. For pretty much all indoor sports arenas F/2.8 is critical.

I agree with other to sell your current zoom and use it for the 85 1.8 and the 70-200 2.8. Sigma makes a very good 70-200 for $ 800-900 range. That's what I've used for a couple of years, on a D70S and D300.. You will be amazed at the quality difference between this and your current long zoom! The Nikon 70-200 2.8 is $1600+. I might be willing to sell my Sigma if interested.

the 85 1.8 is my next buy, I think.

I've found the 70-200 (I use a sigma) is a good range for volleyball provided f2.8 is fast enough, but it will be a bit long if you are sitting right on the side lines, I like to get up a bit which take you a way from the court a little too. If you are looking at sigma they also have a 50-150 f2.8 which is basically the same deal but smaller and lighter and only for crop sensors (i.e. don't get it if you want to get a full frame camera in the future).

> Both indoor sports with low lighting. < Just a further comment apropos lens speed:

 

No one of use KNOWS what ``low lighting`` means in YOUR circumstance.

 

I have shoot indoor sports with my EF70 to 200F2.8L, but in some school gyms I have nearly crippled with an F2

prime and reverted to shooting with a wider lens, my 50mmwide and it wide open at F1.4 just to maintain a shutter

speed of 1/500 at ISO1600, and I cropped the images later.

 

Whist there are many indoor venues where a F2.8 lens will be adequate: there are also many where F2.8 will NOT be

adequate.

 

You should investigate what exposure a parameters you have been using with your 50mm lens, under the lighting

conditions you describe as: ``low``.

 

That will more accurately indicate if an F2.8 lens will cut the mustard for you, or not.

 

WW

Thank you so much for all your answers.

 

I was so lucky - someone let me try out thier 70-200.2.8 this past weekend. I have already started saving my $$$$. It was love at first sight :-) maybe by christmas.

 

But William W. was right. Most of the gyms I am in are old old old in very rural high schools. After reviewing my pictures from last season I will start out with the 85mm.

 

Thank you again all for your insight! I am so excited I founf this forum!

With the 50mmF1.8; the 85mmF1.8 and (eventually) the 70 to 200F2.8 and your D80 you will have a very powerful sports kit and be the envy of the other Mums and Dads, I expect: and you will shortly find yourself the team`s Official Photographer. :)

 

Thinking forward: still consider a faster wider lens; it will give great shots near the basket.

 

Also you might borrow a good monopod and have a go with it on the 70 to 200.

 

It can give that little extra edge and provide necessary support when working the 70 to 200 at 200mm and around 1/320s, in low light.

 

The 70 to 200 lenses (both Nikon and Canon are not ``THAT`` heavy and traditionally Professional Sports shooters rarely use a monopod with the 70 to 200: but Professional shooters usually have TV quality lighting and have shutter speed to burn at F2.8, especially with cameras that will chew up ISO3200 easily.

 

But, in the poorly lit School Gym a monopod might be all that is required to maintain your sanity if you find yourself the back row of the stand shooting a game at 1/320 with the sensitivity already minus 1EV at ISO1600.

 

WW