Quick Advice Needed

[evader]

I just received a media pass to attend an MMA event being held for the first time in our city and I need some suggestions on what lens to use. The weigh-ins are tonight, there is an expo tomorrow afternoon with Jon "Bone" Jones (UFC Light Heavyweight Champion) and the fights are tomorrow night.

My plan was to rent the Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 but because I hadn't heard back about the pass I assumed they weren't going to grant it to me and now it is too late to rent it.

It will be indoors (poorly lit I'm assuming), and I will be ringside. I am shooting with a D60 and have a 35mm f/1.8 and a 70-200mm f/2.8. My main issue I think is the fact that I only have one body so I can't really be switching lenses so I need to pick one and probably stick with it.

Of the 2 listed above which do you think I would be better off with? With the 35mm, I'm afraid I will miss the action when it is on the opposite side of the cage and with the 70-200mm I will be too close to get any of the action when it is on my side of the cage.

If you could purchase a lens for something like this what lens would you go with that would give you the best option for covering the entire ring?

Any help would be great...I'm pretty excited about this.

[evader]

nobody has any suggestions?

[TheManny]

Wow! That's awesome! Ring side event photography is something I'd totally love to try!

So there's absolutely no way of getting that 24-70 before the fight? How close is "ringside" exactly?

A fast lens is definitely a must but focal length is soooo important here too.

I'll play devils advocate here and say I'd probably go with the 70-200 and stay at the lower end of the zoom... since technically your main focus will be on the fighters. (But if you can get that 24-70, you'll be golden... I'm sure.)

Good luck!

[evader]

the only way to get the 24-70 now is to buy it...and I don't think my visa or my wife would appreciate that very much right now.

I'm not sure how close ring side is exactly but I'm expecting to be pretty close...hope so anyways.

I'm wondering if I can pick up a 50 f/1.8...they aren't too expensive...maybe my wife wouldn't even notice...lol

[IABoomer]

If I'm reading this right, your lens should focus at 4.9 feet.

AF-S VR Zoom-NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8G IF-ED from Nikon

I would expect "ringside" seats to still be about 6-8 feet from the cage walls, so you should be able to focus with the 70-200. Good luck and post some pics in Sports/Action SYS when you get back.

[evader]

I just found out I have the chance to rent either the 28-105mm f/3.5-5.6 the 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 or a 17-35mm f/2.8 today if I want to.

do you think the f/3.5 would be fast enough for what I need it for? The 17-35 probably isn't going to be enough reach?

[zona5101]

if it were me, i'd take both the 35 and the 70-200. As soon as I got to my spot, I'd take a look-see at how the 70-200 worked at different points in the ring. Then I'd check out the 35 knowing that I can crop. The pluses on the 35f1.8 is it's fast enough for action and low light, wide enough to capture any point in the ring. My biggest concern with the 35 would be shooting though fence at a short focal length.

[evader]

We're actually up in the press box for the fights so obviously I'm using the 70-200.

Gotta say, when you're shooting stuff like this, it does come down to who has the better equipment. The guy sitting beside me is shooting with what looks like about a 500mm or 600mm lens and his shots are incredible. I guess size really does matter after all