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mickyjordan11
6-May-2009, 13:46
I am looking to purchase a new camera to take pictures of my kids cross country and track and field events. I started taking photos this past year and making slide shows for their banquets. Someone suggested the Nikon D60 Any ideas or advice? Thanks!!!

Toyon
6-May-2009, 13:48
You're in the wrong forum, unless you are looking for a Speed Graphic.

Bruce Watson
6-May-2009, 14:00
You're in the wrong forum, unless you are looking for a Speed Graphic.

And no zoom lenses for the press cameras either. But that's how sports photography was done in the 1940s. Just about all journalism photography for that matter. And it was by all accounts pretty successful. So why not?

dsphotog
6-May-2009, 14:16
Hi Micky, Welcome!
While this is a forum for large format photo.
Many of us use digi cams...Either for fun or profit.
I have a Nikon D200, Its about 4 years old, but is great for sports (5 FPS)!
Much faster than my newer Fuji S5.
You'll like a 300 or 400mm lens too!
Whatever camera you buy, Shoot lots!!
David Silva
Modesto Ca

Peter De Smidt
6-May-2009, 14:56
Depending on the lighting conditions, a D3 would be the very best, followed by a D300 and a D90. If you're shooting in fairly bright light, then the D300 and D90 should be pretty close to the D3. If you're shooting a lot of inside sports, then the D3 or D700 will have much less noise than DX chips of the D300 or D90.

The Canon 5d Mark II would be the Canon low light alternative, and a 50D would be more equivalent to the D300/D90.

Canon does make a very nice 80mm-200mm f4, which is a great telephoto if there's enough light. For indoor sports an F2.8 lens would be better.

If you go with a DX sized chip camera, Tokina makes a nice 50-135mm f2.8 lens. On my blog I have some Judo pictures taken indoors with one on a D200. The Sigma 50-150mm f2.8 II lens looks interesting, but you'd probably want one of the cameras that allow front/back focus adjustment if you go with a third party lens. (The D300 has this. I don't know about the D90. You shouldn't use these lenses a on D700 or D3.

All that said, it might be fun to shoot some of this with a Crown Graphic. Your pictures will certainly be different from everyone else's.

Archphoto
6-May-2009, 16:10
Or a Master Technika with a 6x7 back, side grip, view finder and big flash gun ad of course a 75mm SA to complement the set.

Peter

By the way: it is good that this is nit Apug: this thread would have been closed inmediately ! Digi........

Tim Meisburger
6-May-2009, 23:20
Speed Graphic, of course! I only have a Crown, but one of the reasons I bought it was so I could take pictures of my kid's sports. I think the look is classic, and enjoy making prints to give to the coaches and players. The kids (and adults) love the camera. Although I don't have too many action shots yet, as my lens was too wide, I bought a longer one and hope to get closer to the action in future.

Here is a team photo, Shanghai 100 asa, enlarged to 5x8 and scanned on a flatbed by my office assistant. The girls range from fifth grade to ninth grade, and mine is the small one in the center with the white visor.

Tim Meisburger
6-May-2009, 23:26
And yes, they were the Champions!

Lachlan 717
7-May-2009, 01:01
You're in the wrong forum, unless you are looking for a Speed Graphic.

Mickyj,

Don't listen to this person.

Search for a 7x17 that's here. Perfect for fast moving sport.

I think that I also saw the matched motor-drive on APUG. I can't remember how many frames per second it does, but it's quick!

Snap both up for an awesome combo.

BOSS565
8-May-2009, 06:44
You may want to rent a long lens to determine the best length for you. Example, I shoot my sons soccer with a 200mm with an 2x extender which gets me to 400mm. Never wanted less, often wished for a longer lens.

jameshudson45
8-May-2009, 13:10
What's your budget, what sports are you trying to capture? What's your "qulity" expectation? I think we need more info on your needs.

venchka
8-May-2009, 13:35
You may want to rent a long lens to determine the best length for you. Example, I shoot my sons soccer with a 200mm with an 2x extender which gets me to 400mm. Never wanted less, often wished for a longer lens.

There are several online rental sources. They rent bodies and lenses. Lens Pro To Go is one. GOOGLE knows where they are.

Robert Skeoch
8-May-2009, 15:01
I've been using the 70-400mm that Sony just came out with on both the A700 and A900 cameras. Although I teach large format and sell large format supplies from my studio (Bigcameraworkshops.com) I actually make my living as a sports photographer.

After 15 years shooting for MLB and the NFL I've just resigned with Getty Images as one of their sports guys.

So to answer the question. Any camera will work but AF speed is huge. I like the 70-400mm which I just got. I had been using the 300mm F2.8 which is also a great choice but costly. When I had Nikon I used the 400mm F2.8 which is even more costly.

You could get away with a lens like the 70-300mm. They are well priced. The 70-200 is very popular but too short for soccer.

Hope this helps.

My sports site is www.thepicturedesk.ca.

-rob

Robert Skeoch
8-May-2009, 20:01
This is a video I did this week about shooting youth soccer.... maybe it will be of use....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZiXg7TZR_Y&feature=channel_page

-rob

Peter De Smidt
9-May-2009, 00:37
Nice work, Rob!

mandoman7
9-May-2009, 08:23
I got a used canon s2-is for $100 on ebay and it zooms to 430mm, absurdly enough. I got it to shoot videos, though, which it does amazingly well for the $. The image stabilzation actually works, to my amazement.
I've gotta warn you, though, digital photos of sporting activities may be just about the most boring images you could possibly want to take. :-)

Vick Vickery
9-May-2009, 15:02
Though I hate to admit it on this forum, when shooting fast-moving subjects such as you describe, I leave the LF cameras, the Hasselblad, and the DSLR at home and grab my very old Minolta 35mm with its assortment of long tele and zoom lenses, doubler, and a handful of reasonably fast but still fine-grained film. It may just be me, but I think I get better results with this outfit on this type of subject than with any other camera I own.