Another LENS HOOD question????

BLUEThunderBLUEThunder Registered Users Posts: 43 Big grins
edited August 27, 2008 in Accessories
We are getting ready for the '08 High School football season and I have a few questions.

The best lens I have to shoot the game is the Canon 100-400 IS f/4.5-5.6 lens. I am severly limited with this lens as the evening hours wear on and as the season gets later. I am going to be dead in the water around late September I'm afraid. The games all start at 7:00pm.

I was wondering, as the light diminishes and the artificial lighting comes into play, should I remove the lens hood on this long lens or leave it in place due to the artificial light. Will the removal of the hood allow more light in under the poorly lit situation or not? Or will it make the photos more prone to effects of the artificial lights?

I would love to have a 70-200 f/2.8 but it is not in the budget yet.

I have a 85mm f/1.8 but that's a bit short. I have a 70-300 f/4.? and 28-70 kit lens.

Any ideas? Specifically on the lens hood at night under artificial?

Thanks in advance for your ideas.

I have been loving the 100-400 during the bright daylight scrimages and practice but I know it won't serve me well in October at 7:00pm.

Comments

  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,130 moderator
    edited August 25, 2008
    Most definitely yoiu need the lens hood during night games. It will help prevent stray light from causing lens flare which reduces contrast.

    Most night games I was shooting ISO 1600 and f2.8 to get shutter speeds of 1/125th (or a little better) at the larger fields and ISO 3200 and f2.8 at the smaller fields.

    I highly recommend a constant aperture zoom lens of f2.8 or a prime of f2 or f2.8 for nightime sports.

    I used the Canon EF 70-200mm, f2.8L USM (non-IS) and a full tripod along with the Canon 1D MKII in order to get fast and accurate focus.

    I can highly recommend that combination.
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • BLUEThunderBLUEThunder Registered Users Posts: 43 Big grins
    edited August 25, 2008
    ziggy53 wrote:
    Most definitely yoiu need the lens hood during night games. It will help prevent stray light from causing lens flare which reduces contrast.

    Most night games I was shooting ISO 1600 and f2.8 to get shutter speeds of 1/125th (or a little better) at the larger fields and ISO 3200 and f2.8 at the smaller fields.

    I highly recommend a constant aperture zoom lens of f2.8 or a prime of f2 or f2.8 for nightime sports.

    I used the Canon EF 70-200mm, f2.8L USM (non-IS) and a full tripod along with the Canon 1D MKII in order to get fast and accurate focus.

    I can highly recommend that combination.

    Thanks SO much Ziggy. I appreciate your input. I will leave the lens hood on. However, as I mentioned earlier, the $$$$ is not in the budget right now for a f/2.8 lens. What is my best option for the time being?

    The 100-400 IS f/4.0- or the 70-200 f/4.5- or the 85mm f/1.8? I will try to do my shooting early in the game and just put it up later.....
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,130 moderator
    edited August 25, 2008
    ... What is my best option for the time being?

    The 100-400 IS f/4.0- or the 70-200 f/4.5- or the 85mm f/1.8? I will try to do my shooting early in the game and just put it up later.....

    The EF 85mm, f1.8 USM might be useful from the sidelines. I would try it when the light gets dim.

    For early in the season and early in the night, the EF 100-400mm, f4.5-f5.6L IS USM is still useful. Focus is not as fast as the EF 70-200mm, f2.8L USM so do plan on pre-focussing where you expect the action and shoot when the action "hits the mark". Pump up the ISO and you may even have to push the exposure in post. RAW might be useful for pushing and correction.

    If the team progresses to the end of the season definitely look at the renting the 70-200mm, f2.8.

    Stopping the action requires fairly fast shutter speeds and you need every break you can get.
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • BLUEThunderBLUEThunder Registered Users Posts: 43 Big grins
    edited August 27, 2008
    ziggy53 wrote:
    The EF 85mm, f1.8 USM might be useful from the sidelines.

    I need some help here....how can one usually get permission to "shoot" from the sidelines? I don't have "credentials" and I am generally shooting my kids and a few of their friends only...not the entire team or for a paper or anything. Do schools generally grant passes to ametures like me?? I'm sure that varies around the country but what do you recommend?

    Along those lines, how do I get into possibly "selling" some of my shots? I have been getting some pretty good stuff. Not just sports, but wildlife and racing shots too. I have gotten some pretty good shots of the AMA national pros racing at some big events and would like to see if I can do something with some of the pics.

    Thanks for any advice.
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,130 moderator
    edited August 27, 2008
    I need some help here....how can one usually get permission to "shoot" from the sidelines? I don't have "credentials" and I am generally shooting my kids and a few of their friends only...not the entire team or for a paper or anything. Do schools generally grant passes to ametures like me?? I'm sure that varies around the country but what do you recommend?

    Along those lines, how do I get into possibly "selling" some of my shots? I have been getting some pretty good stuff. Not just sports, but wildlife and racing shots too. I have gotten some pretty good shots of the AMA national pros racing at some big events and would like to see if I can do something with some of the pics.

    Thanks for any advice.

    In my situation I had been photographing my son in football since middle school. That just made me pretty well known to the coaches and staff.

    By the time my son entered high school, I was allready a "fixture" and the coaches just rather accepted me. I travelled to most of the games and the only time I didn't shoot was in rain.

    There are no professionals in our area (small town) and I was shooting as a sevice to the team and as such I donated my time much as the team physician donated his time. I posted the images on my site and allowed free downloads but did not allow printing, just so there was no misunderstanding about my intent.

    If you want to use these games as a money maker you will have to approach the team coaches and ask for permission. There may be restrictions about where you can shoot from so that you don't interfere with the game.

    Depending on the region you may also have a governing body to deal with about granting permission.

    You might be able to work for a local newspaper and gain credentials that way.
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
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