Sports Lens Question

[tjl1388]

I have been renting forever and it's time to take the plunge.

I mainly shoot competitive cheerleading (80%), youth football(10%) and some portrait work(10%). I know all of the lenses listed below will shoot football and portrature work with no problem. Cheerleading is my main concern. Realy fast, really dark and only 3 minutes per team.

I am debating 3 lenses.

Nikon 70-200 2.8 VR (Used). I have rented this lens a TON and know what it will do. The downside is that used it's still $1600

Nikon 80-200 2.8 (Used). I have never used it and worry about the focus speed for cheerleading. On the plus side the lens is a BEAST and you can practically beat off a mugger with it. How does it compare to the 70-200VR? Do I really need the VR for fast moving subjects in extremely low light?

Sigma 70-200 2.8 non IS. I can get this lens new for around $800 so it is the cheapest option but I am really worried that I am going to get what I pay for and everything about the lens will be just a hair "off". I am worried about focus speed on this one as well.

Any and all suggestions and opinions are welcome.

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

I'm not a Nikon shooter (Pentax) but I can speak to the Sigma. They have two versions of the lens, the non-OS (IS) $800 and the newer OS version, $1,700. Both have the hyper sonic motor (HSM). I have the non-OS version because of my in-body stablization. I have found it to be extremely fast focusing and optically very good. I did have a problem with it shortly after I purchased it. Customer service was more than helpful and I couldn't have been more satisfied. If you want the whole story let me know and I can PM it. I shoot motorsports with it and have been more than satisified. Here is an example:


Z-line Pit Stop by Gianna'sPapa, on Flickr

 

[GrillMouster]

VR will do nothing to freeze the movement of fast-moving subjects; it only helps reduce blur caused by camera shake. If you don't need the VR, then go for the 80-200. If you think VR might come in handy for other situations, then get either of the 70-200s.

 

[photo_chick]

I think if you need VR or not depends on how steady you are with the weight of the lens. If you are rock steady then VR isn't going to help you as much as it would someone who bobbles all over the place. I never thought I'd need it until I got my newest body and put a heavy lens on there.

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

I've never shot competitive cheerleading so I don't know how steady you can be while shooting. In motorsports, especially on pit road during a race, you're around a lot of other people, both crew and photographers. There is a lot of inadvertent jostling and shooting from all different positions and angles. Everyone trying to get a view or shot of the pitstops at the same time. The stabilization does help.

 

[tjl1388]

This is what I shoot. Focus speed is EVERYTHING. Everything that I have read states the 70-200VR focuses faster than anything ever made.....as expected for $2300 new. Not sure, I think I am gonna rent the 80-200 to see how it performs.

 

[GrillMouster]

Renting the 80-200 is a good idea.
I'm telling ya, people have shot in those conditions before there was VR, ultrasonic autofocus, and super high-ISO cameras. Then again, people back then actually had the patience to use a tripod.

 

[pjacobi]

Focus speed is EVERYTHING.

It's the skill of the photographer that really counts!

How many Sports Illustrated cover shots were made with manual exposure, manual focus lenses?


-Paul

 

[boBQuincy]

I occasionally photograph motorsports and can tell there is a *big* difference in the focus speed of some high end lenses compared to the less expensive ones. Some Canon lenses (70-200 f/4 for one) even have a switch to limit how close the lens focuses in order to get faster focus speed. Stepping up from a cheap 55-200 to the "L" series resulted in a lot more keepers because of focus speed!

Pre-focusing is a time-honored method of setting up for motorsports photos but when a car comes around the corner about to spin out it is rarely in the same spot in which we pre-focused, I'll take the fast focusing lens!

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

That's why I love my Sigma 70-200 f2.8 HSM. The HSM is super quiet and fast. For Pentax, my options were limited in the fast 70-200 lens category and the Sigma fills the need.