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Lenses for basketball photography?

Shacklebolt

Shacklebolt

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 2, 2004
596
0
I'm sure at football games and baseball games you're going to see plenty of 300mm f/2.8s and 400mm f/2.8's on the sidelines, but what about basketball games? A 300mm prime would obviously give you a great view of Kobe Bryant's nostril, but you're probably going to want something sligggghtly wider than that.

So, to be egalitarian, say you have a Canon 1Ds Mark III and a Nikon D3, and have just been hired as a basketball photographer and have been given an unlimited operating budget. What lenses to you make sure to carry?
 
For Nikon I would opt for the 70-200 f/2.8 and a wide angle lens. Maybe the 17-55 f/2.8 would do it.

Are you planning to get into that kind of photography? Or just curiosity?:)
 
Roco said:
For Nikon I would opt for the 70-200 f/2.8 and a wide angle lens. Maybe the 17-55 f/2.8 would do it.

Are you planning to get into that kind of photography? Or just curiosity?:)
Click to expand...

Mostly curiosity. I don't watch a great deal of basketball, but basketball photography is so different from football or baseball because the field of play is just so much smaller. So, just curious as to what the equipment would be.
 
Shacklebolt said:
I'm sure at football games and baseball games you're going to see plenty of 300mm f/2.8s and 400mm f/2.8's on the sidelines, but what about basketball games? A 300mm prime would obviously give you a great view of Kobe Bryant's nostril, but you're probably going to want something sligggghtly wider than that.

So, to be egalitarian, say you have a Canon 1Ds Mark III and a Nikon D3, and have just been hired as a basketball photographer and have been given an unlimited operating budget. What lenses to you make sure to carry?
Click to expand...

So you are shooting with a full frame camera, not a crop body? Then you need a little bit longer lenses. I think the classic lens for this would be the 70-200mm f/2.8.
 
All depends on where you are seated. The 70-200mm f/2.8L IS is a good zoom choice, but it can be slow when indoors. The 85mm f/1.2, 135mm f/2, and 200mm f/2 primes would do the trick quite well.
 
From the top of my mind:
- 14-24 if you get the chance to get close to the basket.
- The 200 f/2 might be nice to get close-ups of the players.
- A standard zoom (24-70 or the like)
 
Grimace said:
All depends on where you are seated. The 70-200mm f/2.8L IS is a good zoom choice, but it can be slow when indoors. The 85mm f/1.2, 135mm f/2, and 200mm f/2 primes would do the trick quite well.
Click to expand...

Seated/standing where _this_ photograph is taken from.
33-10502-F.jpg
 
 
However fast you go with the glass, you're still going to want faster. Not to mention, the DoF at /1.8 is so thin that you'll get one letter on the ball but not another. At lower level ball (sub-MBA, sub-NCAA) the lighting is horrendous, and you'd need strobes to get the freeze-frame speed you (i.e. I would) want. (Personally, I've tried it with 3 strobes in different corners/walls, reflecting off the walls into the court with some success.) Pros from SI put lighting systems in the rafters to get light everywhere and prevent distracting the players––but not all of us are so well endowed.

Low aperture (/2.8) with high ISO is more realistic.
 
i shoot alot of pro sports.

i carry a 70-200 2.8 IS canon and a backup body with a 17-55 2.8 canon.

between those, i am usuallycovered. I still keep a super wide and a fisheye for rare occasions, and will lug the fatty 400 from time to time as well.
 
Shacklebolt said:
I'm sure at football games and baseball games you're going to see plenty of 300mm f/2.8s and 400mm f/2.8's on the sidelines, but what about basketball games? A 300mm prime would obviously give you a great view of Kobe Bryant's nostril, but you're probably going to want something sligggghtly wider than that.

So, to be egalitarian, say you have a Canon 1Ds Mark III and a Nikon D3, and have just been hired as a basketball photographer and have been given an unlimited operating budget. What lenses to you make sure to carry?
Click to expand...

Strobes, strobes, strobes. Pocket Wizards, second shooter for the other end of the court, 70-200/2.8, 300/2.8.
 
I used to shoot NCAA Div III basketball with TMZ 3200P and a 135 f/2.8 prime on my Nikon F2. The good old days! :) The 135 worked well from the sidelines; had to do some cropping in the darkroom afterward...
 
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