for sports? Canon EF 135mm f/2 L USM

[mark_sam]

How would this lens be for basketball? Larger aperture than the f/2.8, would

seem to be good? Am I missing something about this in that regards?

What do you shooters use this lens for? Likes -dislikes? Thanks.

[beauh44]

Hi Mark, I'm sure that lens would be a good choice. However, if setting up a tripod might be a problem you might want to consider the 70-200 f/2.8L IS. Image Stabilization does nothing for a moving subject, but it can help immensely if a tripod's not practical from your standpoint. If you're shooting digital you can really crank the ISO without noise being much of a problem. Perhaps the 135mm f/2L and a monopod might be the ticket. I'm sure you'll get other opinions! Good luck!

[trothwell]

In terms of image quality, this is the finest lens I own. It's great. Wonderful color, contrast, sharpness, bokeh...

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It would certainly give you excellent results for basketball, provided you can get close enough. If you are right on the sidelines, and especially if you are using a crop camera (like the 30D), you'll probably be fine.

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I bought mine to use for an indoor flyball competition (a dog race sort of thing), where I needed a moderate telephoto focal length and as fast of an aperture as possible, as the dogs run very quickly. I have since used it for portraits (both dog and human) and flowers, mostly. Beautiful results all around.

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My only "dislike" is that 135mm isn't the most useful focal length for me. I usually shoot wider. But this is certainly not the fault of the lens; as others here have said, if 135mm is what you need, the 135/2L is sure to be a delight.

 

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Related links::

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<li><a href="http://www.trevisrothwell.com/writing/canon-135-2">My informal review of the lens</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.photo.net/photo/4488403">Photo with 135/2</a> (click "Larger" to examine the detail)</li>

</ul>

[John Crowe]

The 135/2 L is perfect for handholding and keeping up with the action. You certainly do not need IS or a tripod or a monopod! Heck you don't even need to crank the ISO as much as with an f2.8 or f4 lens.

 

 

Just make sure it is the focal length that you need. Whether you are shooting NBA, NCAA (or whatever the new name is), or your local high school/public school check it out with a lens that you already have to see if the 135mm will do the trick.

 

 

I am currently considering a lens somewhere between 85 and 135mm on a 1.6x body for highschool basketball/volleyball and wakeboarding. The 200/2 that I have is a little long in most of the above situations. Good luck!

[carlo 1967]

On my 5D, shooting basket on the sidelines, I prefer 85mm and sometimes I really miss 135mm (I don't own one) and I also use a lot 50mm. But if you have a camera with cropping factor 135 mm (that became 215mm) is too much long (I tried 200mm with my zoom and was too much). Also usually you don't have really a lot of light indoor (you have to set shutter speed at least at 1/800 s to freeze the action, better 1/1000) so I will choose 85mm because Canon makes two lenses and both are faster than 135. Another plus is that 85mm has a bit more DOF wide open and also this helps.

Hi,

Carlo

[mick_connolly]

Zoom is more versatile. From where will you shoot? I sit behind basket 2

yards behind line with 20D and 28-70 and get adult bodies full frame under

basket . Also delivers all the action in paint (with minor cropping).

At the ring, 135 would catch ball in outstretched arm to about waist. You

would prob shoot from sideline and get action in near half.

Most useful is 70-200 2.8 behind endline and halfway between backboard

and sideline. Catches shots near ring and perimeter play too. Measure out yor

favourite gym