Sports lens recommendations

[photog1107]

A question for sports shooters out there: Which lens is the best all-around lens for outdoor sports? I shoot a lot of soccer, and am constantly disappointed in my Canon 75-300 mm for sharpness at longer focal lengths, and am considering just switching to a mid-range zoom and forgetting the long range shots. I also have a L series 70-200, but it is so doggone heavy it's tough to hand hold -- tho i prob ought to get used to a monopod.

What other lenses/focal lengths would anyone suggest I try? I dont' have anything between my 17-50 Tamron, and my 70-200 or my 75-300. I want something fast, with superior sharpness.

Thanks for input!

[gturner]

100-400 L would be my choice, no doubt about it.

With a 7D it is a killer combo

[photog1107]

I hear you... and that is definetely a great choice for longer range. I am usually shooting from the sidelines tho, so when the action is up close, even my 75mm short range is too long a zoom and I am cut off from a full view. Which is frustrating, because my ability to focus and get really tack sharp images is much better at closer range! So I was considering a medium-range zoom to capture close to medium action and not worry about the longer zoom range as much.

Any other thoughts or recommendations?

[Gaurav Prabhu]

Maybe 70-200 f/2.8. If need for longer range, get a 1.4x teleconverter.

[gturner]

If you want the best of both worlds, get a 100-400 and second body with a 24-70

The Sigma 50-500 option tracks motion poorly... I would not consider it. Others may think differently

[ishootRAW]

Which 70-200? This is a perfectly good sports lens. I think with a mono-pod you will be much happier.

The 75-300 is a 20 year old lens - with AF that has trouble tracking moving turtles. Its like 1.7 sec, forget it.

My suggested monopod. Amazon


You can also get a used 300mm F4L IS for $600

[photog1107]

Thanks for input, maybe I'll try using the monopod again with my 70-200 (it's an L series with IS) and see if I can't get used to it. It's definetely the best lens I own and short of "operator error" should give me the best technical results.

As far as a second body... my 7D is my primary body; I do have a Rebel Xti, and I might try both sometime, but soccer moves so quickly, that I am not sure if I have the agility to swap back and forth, but maybe I can give it a try sometime for better coverage.

[gturner]

Turn off the IS when shooting movement.
Dont expect to shoot stuff half way across th field, accept you will miss shots

[photog1107]

Turn the IS OFF? Why? Isn't that precisely what it is there for?

I know to turn it off for long exposures or macros, but why for movement?

[WolfHeart704]

Originally Posted by photog1107

Turn the IS OFF? Why? Isn't that precisely what it is there for?

I know to turn it off for long exposures or macros, but why for movement?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think its because it interferes with the tracking of your subject, since your panning. The IS kind of fights against you while you pan and it doesn't work out very well. That's if your shooting a moving subject. But, I think Canon has changed their IS so that you can switch it over to a different mode where it only corrects vertical movement so you can still pan, but that would be on newer lenses.