Which Canon lens to purchase for Canon 10D high school baseball?

[frederick_chan]

Currently I have a Canon EOS 10D but considering purchasing a Canon

20D soon. I am a amature in photography, so I need advice from

anyone who is willing to give it. I am mostly using the 10D for

shooting my son's high school baseball games. Most of the time I

take action shots of the pitchers, baserunners and run-plays. I am

using a Canon EF75-300 f/4-5.6 IS USM and Sigma 28-300mm F3.5-6.3

Macro. I find that the Canon EF performs much better and faster than

the Sigma. The Sigma lens ... I have to admit that I got taken by

purchasing it over the net. Anyhow, I would like to upgrade the

camera to Canon 20D and also the lens too. I need a reasonable price

faster lens with auto focus zoom and image stablelizer from 75-400

or higher. What about the Canon 2.0 Tele Converter? Can I use that

for the Canon EF75-300 lens? The purpose of the photos is to post

them onto the web sites for the school, players and parents at

www.bellairebaseball.org. Oh! one more thing ... my work for hs

baseball league is purely volunteering, and I have four more years

to go.

 

Please advise.

[Greg M]

Your lenses are too slow to use the 2x extender. You lose two stops with it mounted, making your 75-300 EF lens f11 at the 300mm end. The camera cannot autofocus at that point and your screen will be awfully dark.

 

If you feel you need an image stabilizer, your costs go up very high. The obvious choice would be the 70-200 f2.8IS and Canon extender, either the 1.4x or 2x, depending on how long you want to go. That's if you insist on a zoom. There's also the 300mm f4 IS and maybe the 1.4X extender. Either are very expensive setups.

 

My guess is if you're planning on buying the 20D you are probably hoping to sell the 10D to help pay for it. You are most likely looking at having to make up at least a $500-$600 different between what you get for the 10D and what you have to pay for a 20D. What kind of money are you then looking to spend on this lens upgrade? The 20D will give better noise performance at higher ISO settings, so you may be able to get by with a 70-200 f4L and 1.4X Canon extender.

[jeff_lu]

do not try the 2x teleconverter with the 75-300.

 

whats reasonable? the 70-200 2.8L IS is amazing and will work well with

teleconverters and it's not too expensive

[moore_photography]

Why not the Canon 200mm f/2.8. Cheap and light and on the 10D will be a 320mm f/2.8 lens. Don't assume that you need a zoom; back before digital I shot baseball with a 300mm f/2.8 lens on monopod with film and got fantastic results that were published.

[frederick_chan]

Greg, thanks for responding. I am planning to purchase the Canon 20D body at $1500 and the shop would allow an trade in for Canon 10D for $500. Hate to say, I paid premium for the Canon 10D. So I most likely would keep the 10D. I have a budget for the lens at $2000 the most. Using the Canon EF75-300 IS USM, I can take good pics for the catcher, pitcher, batter and 1st baseman. Fair pics for the 2nd baseman, short stop and 3rd baseman. Fot the outfielders, they are way too far. So I do not have any action pics for them at all. In short I need a lens be able for me to take fair action pics for the outfielders too. I do think in order for me to accomplish what I need for the outfielders (300yards from home plate), I need a best kit to do the job. I do not think I have the budget for that.

[jim_larson1]

First, the Canon teleconverters only work on the "big white" Canon telephotos.

 

When you say "faster" I presume you mean larger aperture?

 

Honestly, if you are having lens issues on a 10D -> buying a 20D won't solve them. Better to put your money into better glass.

 

Are you sitting down?

 

Start with the 70-200/4L. Blown up images from this lens are superior to non-blown up images from all the xx-300 zoom. Cost: $575. Adding a 1.4 TC will slow the lens to a F5.6, but is optically EXCELLENT.

 

You want IS? You have three choices:

 

1) 70-200/2.8L-IS ($1500)

 

2) 300/4L-IS ($1100)

 

3) 100-400/5.6L-IS ($1200)

 

Besides the huge cost, these are all HUGE lenses. Big and heavy. The canon teleconverters will work on all of these lenses (including the 70-200/4L)

[stephen sullivan]

Frederick,

 

How about this option: Sell or trade what you currently have, 10D and your lenses. Purchase a new 20D along with the, EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM and the new EF-S 17 - 85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM.

 

{The EF-S 17-85mm is equivalent to a 28-135mm}

 

If you're going to purchase a Tele Converter, I'd highly recommend that you rent one first. Photograph your son's game to see if that will work for you in combination with your 75-300mm.

[marcin harla]

<i>First, the Canon teleconverters only work on the "big white" Canon telephotos.</i>

<p>Actually they also work on some smaller black lenses, such as: 135mm 2L, 180mm 3.5L Macro, 200mm 2.8L.

<p>BTW 200 f/2.8 coupled with extender may be a viable option, also if you need something longer consider 300 f/4 IS with 2x converter. Some people may suggest that you won't get great results with 2x tc, but since you are going to post pictures on the web mostly, need a long lens and your budget is limited I say go for it.

[jim_larson1]

I stand corrected. . and these "L" primes you suggest have a very good reputation.

[yakim_peled1]

Is the zoom capability a must? Is IS a must? Which focal lengths do you want? What is your lens budget? What weight are you willing to carry? Are you always using a tripod?

 

Happy shooting,

Yakim.

[beeman458]

Federick

 

I've got bad news for you, the Canon 75-300mm IS, is a perfect lense for HS baseball, assuming that you have some halfway decent light. Placed on the 20D with it's 1.6x sensor crop and you'll get excellent results. You'll also have room for cropping and the nature of the 1.6x sensor crop makes this a really, really cool, for HS baseball, 380mm lense. And with the extra pixels of the 20D, you'll have some cropping room over a 10D to even tighten things up a bit more.

 

Yes the 75-300mm IS is a bit crunchie sounding of a lense, I have one but short of picking up a 100-400mm IS, which I'll be doing shortly, the 75-300mm IS is a happening lense. Much better in the image and contrast quality then many are want to give it credit for. And with the 1.6x sensor crop the edge softness of this lense, is conveniently lost:) This is a good thing.

 

Get the 20D first and take your 75-300mm IS lense out for a weekend walk around the local little league field and see what you get from the homerun fence line. I think you'll be a bit surprised as to what you'll get with a bit of cropping. Oh! And don't forget your monopod setup. Really helps getting those pixel sharp images to impress the Mom's and Pop's with.

 

If you have the extra dough, get the 100-400mm IS as you can't go wrong with that lense.

 

Hope the above is found encouraging, helpful and insightful:)

[beeman458]

I think it's 300' to the left or right field homerun fence and 330'/340' to center field fence, not 300yards:)