OT: DSLR for fastpitch

[guero_gordo]

I'm looking to get back into photography. What's a good DSLR for sports photography, and what is a good length of lens for shooting from beyond the chain-link fence?

I would never say price isn't a concern, but I'm interested in all recommendations.

 

[CPSBDad]

Right up my alley. Here is what I use. Nikon D700 and 200mm f/2.0 AFS with 1.4 TC. I just picked up a Nikon D2H which is one of Nikon's great sports cameras. 8FPS, and quick to acquire focus. I'll use the D2h during daytime games with good sunshine. Overcast and I have to deal with white balance. I use the D700 for when there is lower light.

My recommendations will be Nikon.

One thing to consider is what time of the day will you be shooting. If daytime I'd suggest look for a used gently D300 and 70-300 AFS. I used this setup for a while when my son was running XC and track, while other kids played softball/LL. But the problem you'll run into is shooting at night under the lights. That's where the 200mm f/2 AFS comes in ( I also use to shoot basketball, volleyball, and wrestling ).

There is a lot to learn to get the best shots possible.

Check fredmiranda.com. One of the biggest buy and sell forums on the net. You might have to register to see the buy and sell forum. I've been a member there for a very long time and buy and sell there often.

A few I took with my setup above. Kid getting HBP is mine. If you click on the pics on the frame they'll get bigger and look better.

 

[Bill S]

I use a Canon EOS 1D, usually with a 70/200 f2.8 zoom and occasionally with a 1.4 teleconverter. It shoots 10fps, which gets you two things; plenty of speed to capture your shot and a really full memory card.

 

[Perfect Circle]

Did you see the video shot yesterday with the Canon 60D...Hit the control and watch in 1080p HD.....might want to think in terms of Pics/Video.

 

[guero_gordo]

I did see that shot, not specifically interested in video, but all the cameras I've seen do have pretty good HD spec's if I slip to the dark side.

Any opinons on Full-frame vs. APS-C ?

 

[Perfect Circle]

I did see that shot, not specifically interested in video, but all the cameras I've seen do have pretty good HD spec's if I slip to the dark side.

Any opinons on Full-frame vs. APS-C ?

I got a T1i and a Vixia HF S10. But I would love the 60D... :{))

 

[Chewy_06]

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 VR & a 1.4x teleconverter. It's APS-C, i'd really love to be able to get a fast full framer, but, the budget will not allow it at the moment.

I use an 18-200 zoom for "general" stuff. Nowhere near as good optically as the big lens, but, its FAR more versatile & I can carry it around all day long (the 70-200 really is more of a mortar attached to a camera than a lens...) The lens I used heavily before making the jump to the 70-200 was a Nikkor 70-300mm, it was alright, provided it was bright enough & i remembers to not rack it out to 300mm - it gets really soft really fast past 200 or so.

My advice, if you think you might get serious, invest in a great lens first.

The other thing, be realistic about your expectations. I've been shooting for nearly 30 years & it took me a while to get a handle on my fastpitch style. If you haven't been shooting much for a while, there's a steep learning curve.

Have fun & experiment LOTS!

 

[ms244]

You can spend $$$$ on a great DSLR body, but if you are using a cheap lens you will end up with cheap photos. I'm a Canon guy and a great lens for softball is the 70-200 F2.8. You can use it for most shots that you will take during a game. If you are shooting during the day and from the outfield you might want to invest in a TC, I prefer the 1.4x. My body of choice is the 1D Mark III, but I mostly shoot with my 7D most of the time. Mostly because it allows me to shoot in HD video when I want.

 

[ms244]

Another thing is that if you take off the lens hood you can shoot through the chain link fence also with the 70-200. Another good lens for closer shots is the 24-70 F2.8.

 

[CPSBDad]

I've been using Nikon DSLR since the D70 came out. One of the best APS-C bodies imo is the D300 because of how well it handles higher ISO. You can shoot at 3200 ISO and still have relatively clean images that aren't too noisy. Another lens I used at one time was the Nikon 80-200 AFS. That with a 1.4 TC is a great combo. And you have to remember what are you going to do with your images? The above photos I shared I think are 1000 pixels on the long side. That's a lot of room for cropping if you use a 12MP camera like the D300 or D700. On Fredmiranda.com I've seen the D300 sell for ~$500. That's 1/4 of what it sold for new. The 80-200 AFS is still selling for about $1000, but you can find them occasionally for less. The 1.4 TC sells for about $300.

As for video, I use a Panasonic ZS20. Shoots great HD video.

One last thing, think about getting a monopod. Really helps to steady your camera and lens combo. Attach the monopod to the lens not the camera!

I did see that shot, not specifically interested in video, but all the cameras I've seen do have pretty good HD spec's if I slip to the dark side.

Any opinons on Full-frame vs. APS-C ?