MF camera and lens for baseball games

[olliesteiner]

When watching baseball I've sometimes caught distant glimpses of what appeared to be medium format cameras with very large telephoto lenses. I'm curious as to what medium format film cameras and lenses are typically used by press photographers for baseball coverage.

[miles_feigenbaum___dallas_]

I've gone to the Texas Ranger Stadium with an Mamiya RZ and 250mm lens just to be different, although, the Canon F1N with motor drive and FD 400 f2.8 has been my favorite combination sitting on a heavy monopod.

[lex_jenkins]

A few years ago a photographer wrote a Shutterbug article discussing his use of Hasselblad and 4x5 gear for a car race. As I recall remote controllers were used.

 

Another Shutterbug article demonstrated another photographer's use of MF gear for shooting pro basketball, including backboard mounted shots.

 

Anything's possible. If you have enough money. ;>

[douglas_green1]

Some classic shots of Secretariat winning the Belmont stakes were shot with remote controlled Pentax 6x7s. Personally, I'd say that the Pentax would make a pretty decent action camera, although I'd still prefer a motorized 35mm.

[keith_merrill]

I would think that the P645n or nII autofocus cameras could be used at sporting events. My nII has pretty much replaced my 35mm for most of my shooting, it really does operate much like one, but I would think that 35mm (digital too) offers so many advantages in speed and portability than any medium format. If I wanted to shoot a baseball game with my pentax, I would get myself the 600mm f5.6 and a 150mm f2.8 and a 45mm f2.8, about 5 220 film inserts, already loaded, and go wild.

[john_photo]

Last time I went to a Rangers game I didnt see many other fans let alone photographers taking pictures.

[jim_chow]

I shot some pro baseball games w/ my Rollei 6008i and XC skiing at the '98 Nagano Olympics while living in Japan. Use fast film, and long lenses. The key is to get a good seating position. To no surprise, I got my best shots from the seats behind the dugout. :-) If you arrive early during practice, you can get close. I mostly used the schneider 300/4 apo tele-xenar wide open, sometimes w/ a 1.4x tc...and this was marginal. Ideally, you need like a 800mm f4 lens!:-) If you're up in the stands, forget it...players are as tiny as ants. This is one of those jobs for a 35mm slr w/ 400/2.8 or 600/4 lens. I also shot during the welcoming for Ichiro at SAFECO field (Seattle) back in '01 from the media pool area (above the dugout) w/ the Rollei and 300/4+1.4x tc (so 420/5.6)...it was marginal. Even first base was too far.