need help in choosing an slr camera lens for meets

[gymgal]

I know I am looking for a an aperture around 2.8 or lower due to the horrible lighting, which means this is going to be pretty expensive. I don't think I can afford a zoom lens at over $700 so I am looking for help in what focal length prime lens I should get. Most of our meets are in convention centers, not traditional gyms. I am thinking 200mm would be best but I don't want to invest so much money without getting some help from people who shoot at gymnastic meets.

Just to be clear, I would love a zoom lens but it is not in my budget right now - not a 2.8 at least. I have a 5.6 and it has been less than impressive for the meets.

 

[JBS]

What camera body are you shooting with?

 

[gymgal]

What camera body are you shooting with?

pentax k20. I realize it might not had been the best choice but I got a great price for it from a photographer looking to upgrade and I already had lenses from a previous pentax camera. I don't mind going off brand.

 

[JBS]

I started with a Pentax film camera...it was a great camera. The k20 looks like a great camera also.

Here is a post from another site:

The crop factor on the Pentax DSLR is 1.53 X focal length. Multiple any lenses stated focal length by 1.53 regardless if it's a DA or FA lens to covert to equivalent 35mm full frame focal length So the DA* 16 to 50mm covers a field of view equal to about 24.5mm to 76.5mm in 35mm film terms.

I don't know too much about photography or what lenses are good anymore...but I would be looking at some like this:

Pentax SMC DA* Series 50-135mm f/2.8 ED IF SDM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Pentax and Digital SLR Cameras


Used...

Amazon.com: Used and New: Pentax SMC DA* Series 50-135mm f/2.8 ED IF SDM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Pentax and Digital SLR Cameras

 

[JBS]

I have a Canon 20D...here is one of the lenses I would like to get for gym:

http://www.amazon.com/Canon-135mm-USM-Lens-Cameras/dp/B000053HC5http://www.google.com/products/cata...a=X&ei=RI6HTqrcKeP3sQLzvszRDw&ved=0CGcQ8wIwAg

 

[JBS]

Here is a good thread from another forum for you:

how is the Pentax 50-135mm f2.8 SDM for sports? - PentaxForums.com

 

[gymgal]

thanks! I am trying to avoid paying more than about $500 at the moment, hence the prime lens instead of a zoom but this just may not be possible.

 

[JBS]

thanks! I am trying to avoid paying more than about $500 at the moment, hence the prime lens instead of a zoom but this just may not be possible.

Not sure if you will find a good prime for under $500 at that focal length. Here is my dream lens...

FM Reviews - Canon EF 200mm f/1.8L USM

Here is the new version of my dream lens...

Canon U.S.A. : Consumer & Home Office : EF 200mm f/2L IS USM

Here is a Pentax...

Pentax DA* 200mm f/2.8 Lens Review

They are all over your budget.

 

[flippin out]

Sorry - idk much about Pentax. I have a Canon 7D and use aa 70-200mm 2.8 lens. I love it! It keeps the 2.8 throughout (whether I'm zoomed in at 200 or out at 70). I LOVE being able to zoom in to the 200. This would also be out of your price range unfortunately .

What about your ISO settings? How high can you bump up the ISO? I shoot in Manual mode always. That way you can control, ISO, AP and shutter. If you bump up your ISO, lower your ap as far as you can, then play around until you find a shutter speed that works.....maybe that will get you by with a cheaper lens. Not all venues stink for lighting....

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

i bave a Nikon D40. the 70 -200 2.8 is also out of my price range. hubby just bought me a 50mm 2.8 said to zoom as far as i can then we can zoom & crop on computer. poorman version

 

[gymgal]

What about your ISO settings? How high can you bump up the ISO? I shoot in Manual mode always. That way you can control, ISO, AP and shutter. If you bump up your ISO, lower your ap as far as you can, then play around until you find a shutter speed that works.....maybe that will get you by with a cheaper lens. Not all venues stink for lighting....

I can bump it to ISO 3200. I hadn't thought of this for getting a new lens, I might be able to get away with a 4. I tried it with my current zoom but it is has a much higher ap at 200mm so it didn't work well at all for action.

BTW - I really want the lens you have. Everything I have read in the past few days points to this spec. I just can't afford it yet.

So... Do you find you can get good action shots (fairly close up) in the meets with the zoom? Do you need the full 200mm? This is my problem... I don't know what focal length I am looking for. I am horrible with estimating distance (especially if I am just thinking about distance, not physically viewing it. Wondering if I can get away with lower than a 200mm. Like I said, the meets are in big venues: college auditoriums, civic centers, convention centers. Only one is in an actual gym.

 

[gymgal]

i bave a Nikon D40. the 70 -200 2.8 is also out of my price range. hubby just bought me a 50mm 2.8 said to zoom as far as i can then we can zoom & crop on computer. poorman version

How is this working for you? I have had success with cropping in the past. This might not be a bad way to go, as I need a new standard lens anyway.

 

[flippin out]

I can bump it to ISO 3200. I hadn't thought of this for getting a new lens, I might be able to get away with a 4. I tried it with my current zoom but it is has a much higher ap at 200mm so it didn't work well at all for action.

BTW - I really want the lens you have. Everything I have read in the past few days points to this spec. I just can't afford it yet.

So... Do you find you can get good action shots (fairly close up) in the meets with the zoom? Do you need the full 200mm? This is my problem... I don't know what focal length I am looking for. I am horrible with estimating distance (especially if I am just thinking about distance, not physically viewing it. Wondering if I can get away with lower than a 200mm. Like I said, the meets are in big venues: college auditoriums, civic centers, convention centers. Only one is in an actual gym.

It really depends on the venue. Some meets I am very close (seating area) and only use it at the 70mm, but most meets I'm zooming between 150-200mm, and some meets I'm still cropping on the computer b/c seating is so horrid. I really use the full range of the zoom though. Some events are closer to the seating area and some are quite far away from the seating area....zoom is extremely nice to have.

Since most of your meets are in Convention Center type venues, the lighting will be much better (most gyms have crap for lighting, lol). I think if you bump up the ISO, and lower the AP as far as you can you may be able to use a lens that you fits more into your price range. In general at dd's meets (all held in convention center types) I raise the ISO to between 1600-4000 (depends on facility lighting) and lower the ISO to 2.8, then raise the shutter speed to 1000-1250. BUT before this lens/camera - I was shooting at 1600 ISO, 4.5 AP, and shutter could only be at about 250-300 speed. I still had some nice shots though, so play around with what you have and see if you can make it work. The more you play around with the settings, the better

Even with the 70-200, there are always the issues of gymnasts or coaches standing in the way, or structural things like poles in the way. But, can't help that, lol. I would say in general, there will be 1 or 2 events that will be great and the rest....well, you can always crop .

Does Pentax have other 2.8 zoom lenses? What about something like a 28-70mm 2.8? If they have those, maybe they will be in the right price range? That way you can still zoom in/out some?

Have you tried ebay for an affordable lens? You might find a photographer who wants to upgrade their lens, and be able to snag a great lens cheap .

 

[flippin out]

If I can get an image saved in a low resolution, I'll try to post it here to give you an example of a pic shot at the settings.

 

[flippin out]

That is taken at the CG. I was sitting at the end of the bars, about 10 rows up. This is zoomed in to about 170-200mm (no way of knowing for sure, I may have cropped it a little to center it as well, so guessing totally on the focal length). ISO 6400, 1000 shutter speed, AP 2.8. The pics that I took across the the venue turned at great as well. Only thing to wary about is, the higher the ISO...the more 'noise' in your picture. I'm very lucky in that this camera really doesn't have much Noise, no matter what ISO I set it at (some, but not bad). My old camera had horrid Noise even at the 1600 ISO setting. So, play with your camera and see what kind of noise and speckling you get at the higher ISOs

 

[flippin out]

This one is taken at the same ISO, AP, Shutter settings, but at a focal length of 100mm. If you look across the other side of the meet and count the rows, you can see how far up/away I was when shooting the pic.

Hope they help in determining what focal length lens you're looking for .

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

ok flippin out, that picture is AMAZING ! oh how i want a 70 - 200. maybe I'll go buy a lottery ticket

i haven't tried much cropping yet with my lense. here are a couple i took with my 50mm

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

not letting me do more than one. ugh

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

another

 

[flippin out]

gymmomntc2e6 -- that turned really great. Red walls can be tricky, lighting wise. The pic looks great LOVE the beam pic!!