Cheap lens for footy photos?

[pippin88]

One of my housemates, who plays a bit of football, caught sight of my camera and asked if I could take some photos of a footy game of his some time.

I only have the Kit Lens and Sigma 105, so need to look at a cheap lens to do this.

I was thinking one of the 70-300s, either the Sigma 70-300 APO (~AU$305.00) or the Nikon 70-300 ($?) or even perhaps the 70-300ED ($?).
How much difference is there between the G and D versions of the Nikon?

What would be the best lens for the role. What focal lengths do people find themselves using on a normal football field (not a stadium or anything)?

Any other tips for this sort of photography?
Will I need to be looking at a monopod too?

Birddog - rough prices on the Nikons? And is that Sigma price still about right?

Anything else? Tips?

[birddog114]

Get the Nikkor 80-200 AF-D two rings with collar.
Price is still the same on the bargain thread.

[pippin88]

Get the Nikkor 80-200 AF-D two rings with collar.
Price is still the same on the bargain thread.

Unfortunately, that's a bit out of the price range Birdy.

Noticed these two on Ebay:
Nikon 80-200 f 2.8 ED AF:
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... eName=WDVW

Tokina ATX 80 - 200 F2.8 Nikon Mount Lens AS NEW in Box
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... eName=WDVW

Anyone know what the Tokina is like and what it is worth?

[birddog114]

Get the Nikkor 80-200 AF-D two rings with collar.
Price is still the same on the bargain thread.

Unfortunately, that's a bit out of the price range Birdy.

If that's the case then get the Sigma 70-300APO

[birddog114]

Pippin88,

The first link of Nikkor 80-200 will pass over AU$600 at the end of the auction.

And the Tokina, people will buy and use it for the air blower!

[yeocsa]

Hi

You may want to consider buying used lens. Either the Nikon AFD 180f2.8 or AFD 300F4 would do a very good job.

regards,

Arthur

[birddog114]

Hi

You may want to consider buying used lens. Either the Nikon AFD 180f2.8 or AFD 300F4 would do a very good job.

regards,

Arthur

Arthur,
Fixed or prime lens can't cover or not flexibility in shooting football.

[yeocsa]

That's correct. Zoom gives you alot more flexibility in that regard. Thanks for that correction.

regards,

Arthur

[kipper]

Shrug, lot of the prophotogs always seem to use primes. Then again they usually have two bodies, with two different types of lenses

[pippin88]

Ignoring price, would the Nikon 70-300 ED or the Sigma 70-300 APO be a better lens?

I assume the Nikon would be.

[Onyx]

Wait a while for the 55-200ED DX to hit the markets. That should significantly impact the prices of current 70-300 lenses, Nikkor or otherwise.

[birddog114]

Shrug, lot of the prophotogs always seem to use primes. Then again they usually have two bodies, with two different types of lenses

Yes, they use primes but not the 180/ 2.8 or 300/ F4.
They shoot sport about 50% with primes (300/ 400/600) and 50% on other zoom on two bodies.
For pippin88, he has a tight budget and he wants to be flexi as well cos he only has one D70, so shooting sport with primes in the range of 180 or 300/ f.4 is not suitable.

[leek]

Nick,

Just in case you missed it... I am selling a Sigma 70-300 on Ebay at the moment... As I stated in the for sale section, I'll give members 15% off their winning bid...

Currently standing at $150 - a bargain... I only bought it from Birddog in January...

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... RK:MESE:IT

[pippin88]

Would I have to buy it through Ebay leek? I don't have an account, nor a credit card.

[leek]

Hmmm... I don't think I can withdraw it now as a bid has already been placed...
Maybe you can find someone here to bid on your behalf??? Sorry - can't think of anything else...

EDIT: Sorry - just had another thought... Not sure if you need a credit card to create an eBay account - if not, then create an account and you can pay by bank transfer...

[Nnnnsic]

I think you can withdraw the item Leek if it's already been bought by someone else.

[Geoff]

I think you can withdraw the item Leek if it's already been bought by someone else.

Don't think you can, just get Nick to bid with a really high amount (to outbid everyone else). then only charge him what you want!? Everyone wins

[leek]

Let's not forget that the current bidder might be a member here as well... Not sure...

Let's also not forget that I pay seller's fees which are a % of the final sales price, so let's not make the really high amount toooooo big

[birddog114]

When you're on eBay, you have to think wise! both seller and buyer.

[kipper]

Yes I know most of them use the 400 and 600 primes. Seen them at the F1GP with the buggers

[spada]

Hi
I've just joined ebay about 2months ago, process is very quick, and you do not need credit card number if you use your real email address, not a free one ( ie hotmail, or yahoo....), take around 10 -15 mins to sign up.
Hope this help.

Hien

[jethro]

i shoot footy every week and even though my 70-200vr is good it definately needs a converter for the other side of the field shots. a 1.7 is now in my sights and for footy this will do more than enough. it is by far the quickest focusing low light enhancing ASF on the market. save your bucks you wont be dissapointed. i bought 2 from B&H in the States for $2400each inc gst landed.
good luck
jethro

[pippin88]

Thanks spada, have just signed up.

jethro, just aiming for a cheapy at the moment.
A flash and a few other bits come before an expensive long lens.

I can potentially get either the Nikon 70-300 AF ED or the Sigma 70-300 APO for good prices. Which would be better? Would you pay say $100 more for the Nikon? $150?

[phillipb]

Nick, personally I think you go for one extreme or the other. if the budget is tight you may as well get the Nikon 70-300g probably still less then $200 from Birddog, I doubt you would see too much difference from the D model.

[marcus]

You must be a rich man Jethro?

[sirhc55]

You must be a rich man Jethro?

Jethro shoots in ”stereo”

[pippin88]

Just did a bit of googling, and lots of people say the D and G are optically pretty much the same. The does have greater durability though.

phillip mentioned that the G is sub $200 from Birddog. I've been offered the D second hand for $250 (+ shipping). And then there is Leek's Sigma. I'm not sure which to choose?

I'm likely not going to buy for a few weeks, which leans towards a new G from Birdy, as the second hand ones probably won't be around.

[Onyx]

G and ED - plastic lens mount versus stainless steel. It's a Nikkor anomaly that the G even comes with a plastic mount. Very few other Nikkor lenses do. The G is also perceivably more plasticky and fragile feeling. The ED feels more solid - if not metal finish then at least a better grade of plastic. For the price diff, I would lean towards the G. However the Sigma APO II and Tamron LD offers pseudo macro modes (not that it's an issue since you have a dedicated macro lens), and costs about the price of a G at the performance level of the ED.

If I were in your shoes, I'd wait for the release of the 55-200 - it promises to shake things up in the entry level consumer tele zoom lens market. AF-S is sexy.

[pippin88]

Any ETA Onyx?
Expected $$$?

[birddog114]

Any ETA Onyx?
Expected $$$?

In Australia: End of June to Mid of July.
Price: No set price yet.
Quality: No one can tell atm.
Available of quantity: It depends on.

And it's 100% "recycling" plastic from Bangkok:shock:

[pippin88]

The 70-210 was mentioned:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... eName=WDVW

Has a few spots of fungus though.

How much would it be worth? Or worthless?

Will I really need the 200-300mm range for a normal local footy field?

[birddog114]

fungus? forget it! who's going to buy a fungus lens?

[pippin88]

I've bid on Leek's lens for now.

That's what I thought on the fungus thingo.

[leek]

I've bid on Leek's lens for now.

Yay!!!  BTW... There's a F50 camera with a Sigma 70-300mm (not the Super II) on it in a pawn shop in Liverpool for $249 - does anyone want me to buy it for them??? I could probably bargain them down $20...

[pippin88]

Leek, I'm still bidding on your lens, and was in the lead for a while, but was just displaced. I'll place a bid on it near the end time.

I'm new to this Ebay business, I can now see that it's really best to bid as close to the end time as possible. As my bidding caused other people to bump up their bids.

Hope I'm not bidding against another member from here.

Also, wonder if they'd sell just the lens on that F50 and 70-300?

EDIT: That's not to say I don't want to pay a price for your lens that's good for both of us. Just don't want to bump it up out of my range.

[redline]

I've bid on Leek's lens for now.

Yay!!!  BTW... There's a F50 camera with a Sigma 70-300mm (not the Super II) on it in a pawn shop in Liverpool for $249 - does anyone want me to buy it for them??? I could probably bargain them down $20...

what the super II do anywho? i might be interested....

i love the questions on the ebay items
[quote]
if this lens will fit a Canon EOS mount with or without an adapter and if the Auto Focus will still work[quote]

reminds me of the good old tamron adaptall 2 mounts

[leek]

Leek, I'm still bidding on your lens, and was in the lead for a while, but was just displaced. I'll place a bid on it near the end time.

I'm new to this Ebay business, I can now see that it's really best to bid as close to the end time as possible. As my bidding caused other people to bump up their bids.

Hope I'm not bidding against another member from here.

Also, wonder if they'd sell just the lens on that F50 and 70-300?

EDIT: That's not to say I don't want to pay a price for your lens that's good for both of us. Just don't want to bump it up out of my range.

No worries Nick... No matter what strategy I use on eBay it's usually the wrong one...

As you're a newbie I'll warn you now to expect a flurry of last minute / second bids... Some people don't like to disclose their hand until the last moment... Don't be afraid to set your maximum bid and stick that in now... eBay will then automatically bid on your behalf up to that amount...

There are 29 people watching that item, so be careful not to overbid... Pay only what it is worth to you...

[birddog114]

Normally, I don't keep the item watched, just set my clock and "attack" it in the last 30 sec, before that, make sure your eBay log in is OK and may doing some test on "BID NOW" button.

[pippin88]

Well someone has a higher maximum than I'm willing to pay, so good luck to them.

Hope you get what you want Leek.

[johndec]

Haha.. Someone asked leek if it would fit on his Canon Sharp critters ain't they...

[leek]

Haha.. Someone asked leek if it would fit on his Canon Sharp critters ain't they...

Yep... I had a hard time not being sarcastic about that question...

[leek]

Well someone has a higher maximum than I'm willing to pay, so good luck to them.

Hope you get what you want Leek.

No worries Nick... I might have another solution for you anyway... I'll tell you when the auction ends...

[pippin88]

Well someone has a higher maximum than I'm willing to pay, so good luck to them.

Hope you get what you want Leek.

No worries Nick... I might have another solution for you anyway... I'll tell you when the auction ends...

Another solution, you make it sound so secretive

[leek]

Well someone has a higher maximum than I'm willing to pay, so good luck to them.

Hope you get what you want Leek.

No worries Nick... I might have another solution for you anyway... I'll tell you when the auction ends...

Another solution, you make it sound so secretive

Yeah... I did happen to notice two Nikon 70-300mm G lenses in Cash Converters in Liverpool - one black, one silver... The black one was priced at $199 and I'm sure I could bargain him down a bit...

Let me know if you want to pursue it for you... You usually get 30 days warranty at those places, so if it does prove to be faulty we could take it back...

[pippin88]

I think I can get them from Birdy for around $200 new? But thanks for the heads up, I'll keep it in mind.

I'm currently looking around a bit more, but there are a few ED's around that have my interest.

[daniel_r]

Pippin88,

The 70-300 G lens isn't that bad for what you probably want to do with it - weekend footy should be fine as long as the conditions are bright.

(that's not saying the 70-300 is brilliant, you do get what you pay for ).

This image was taken last weekend at a Central West country rugby meet.



When I was considering purchasing a lens in the 70-300 range - Sigma (APO/non APO), Tamron and Nikon G or ED - I decided to go with the Nikon 'G' as an interim purchase and put the extra money toward a 80-200 F2.8 or maybe a 70-200 VR.