Need Help w/Upgrading Reach !!

kennutskennuts Registered Users Posts: 59 Big grins
edited November 11, 2010 in Cameras
I need some help here people ! I shoot a lot of sports, mainly HS, football on Friday night, VB, BB, Baseball.. you name it ! I currently have the Nikon D300 and D700 bodies. The lens I use between both is the Nikon 70-200 f/2.8 in which I get awesome results. The only reason I want to upgrade is because I need more reach. I'm on the fence as what to purchase next... the Nikon 200-400 f/4.0 Zoom or the 300mm f/2.8 Fixed. Since I do indoor sports and night games... I really want to choose the best lens wisely. I've read a bunch of reviews on both lenses ... I'm still swaying back and forth with the decision... just can't seem to pull the trigger and make the purchase. Looks like the 300mm is my best bet, due to the fact that I sometimes shoot indoors where the lighting is poor, outdoors with the lens being fiixed.... I'll be doing some moving to get good shots depending on the action. With the 200-400, my outdoor problem would be eliminated... but indoors I'll be on the edge with the slower speed and don't really know if there would be a problems at f4 in low light situations ?

I'm going to be spending a lot of $'s here... just want to get the best lens suitable for my shooting style.... want to spent the $'s wisely !! Any input will be greatly apprciated !! Thanks !!
K P Steib Photography
Nikon D50, D300, D700, D4, Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR, Nikor TC-20E II 2x, Nikkor TC-1.4, Nikkor 300mm f2.8 GII, Nikkor 18-55mm 3.5-5.6G, Nikon MB-D10 BP, Nikon SB-600 AF SL, Slick MP, Manfrotto 468MGRC2 Ballhead w/680B Mono

Comments

  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,130 moderator
    edited November 8, 2010
    For American football and baseball I would go with a 2 - camera approach:
    1. D700 with the 70-200mm, to catch the action when it's closer to your position.
    2. D300 with the Nikkor 300mm, f2.8G ED VR II AF-S, to extend your reach and maintain some intimacy when the action is further away.

    For basketball and volleyball I suggest a different strategy. Use a single body, and that would be the D700 in this case, with alternately the 70-200mm and a Nikkor 24-70mm, f2.8G ED AF-S. The reason is that you will want to alternate between some wider shots of group activity and more intimate activity right at the ball itself. Ideally a second D700 would eliminate lens changes. Depending upon your position you might change these focal lengths and/or also employ the D300.
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • kennutskennuts Registered Users Posts: 59 Big grins
    edited November 8, 2010
    ziggy53 wrote: »
    For American football and baseball I would go with a 2 - camera approach:
    1. D700 with the 70-200mm, to catch the action when it's closer to your position.
    2. D300 with the Nikkor 300mm, f2.8G ED VR II AF-S, to extend your reach and maintain some intimacy when the action is further away.
    For basketball and volleyball I suggest a different strategy. Use a single body, and that would be the D700 in this case, with alternately the 70-200mm and a Nikkor 24-70mm, f2.8G ED AF-S. The reason is that you will want to alternate between some wider shots of group activity and more intimate activity right at the ball itself. Ideally a second D700 would eliminate lens changes. Depending upon your position you might change these focal lengths and/or also employ the D300.

    Thanks for the advice Ziggy... good idea for the outdoor sports !! Indoors, I often found myself on the other end of the BB court and can't reach the ball for that really tight shot of facial expressions with the 70-200 mm, that's why I wanted the 300mm f/2.8. I currently use the 70-200 mm and use ~ 70-90 mm focal lenths to capture activity around the ball. I'm thinking about using the 2 camera approach indoors also... I'm trying to eliminate lens changing ! Leaning towards the Nikkor 300m f2.8 for sure !!

    Both of your suggestions are great... thanks !!
    K P Steib Photography
    Nikon D50, D300, D700, D4, Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR, Nikor TC-20E II 2x, Nikkor TC-1.4, Nikkor 300mm f2.8 GII, Nikkor 18-55mm 3.5-5.6G, Nikon MB-D10 BP, Nikon SB-600 AF SL, Slick MP, Manfrotto 468MGRC2 Ballhead w/680B Mono
  • ThatCanonGuyThatCanonGuy Registered Users Posts: 1,778 Major grins
    edited November 8, 2010
    The 300 2.8 for sure. To throw the backgrounds OOF, and if it's anything like Canon's equivalent, it'll be one of the sharpest lenses out there.
  • kennutskennuts Registered Users Posts: 59 Big grins
    edited November 8, 2010
    ThatCanonGuy wrote: »
    The 300 2.8 for sure. To throw the backgrounds OOF, and if it's anything like Canon's equivalent, it'll be one of the sharpest lenses out there.

    Thanks ThatCanonGuy.... I read tons of reviews and most claim, just like you that the 300mm f/2.8 is very sharp. Don't now if it's equivalent to the Canon.... but I think that's the lens for me. Being fixed lens, I'll just have to learn to position better I guess.... I'll use the 70-200 (2 cameras) when the action gets closer or I get closer !!

    Thanks for you input !!thumb.gif
    K P Steib Photography
    Nikon D50, D300, D700, D4, Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR, Nikor TC-20E II 2x, Nikkor TC-1.4, Nikkor 300mm f2.8 GII, Nikkor 18-55mm 3.5-5.6G, Nikon MB-D10 BP, Nikon SB-600 AF SL, Slick MP, Manfrotto 468MGRC2 Ballhead w/680B Mono
  • kennutskennuts Registered Users Posts: 59 Big grins
    edited November 9, 2010
    richy wrote: »
    I would second ziggys suggestion although I would go for a two camera setup as well. Basketball is by far the faster sport, American football is slower than continental drift (compared to soccer or rugby), and whilst the 24-70 will do well on the smaller court, depending on where you are situated you may want a 70-200 on the d300 to get a close shot from the far end of the court. It wouldn't hurt to have it by you :)

    Richy, thanks for your input.....I think I'm gonna go the two camera route here !! Indoors I will use the D700 with the Nikkor 300m f2.8 for tights shots and the D300 with the 70-200 f/2.8 for the wider activity shots around the balls... etc !! I think the Nikkor 300mm f2.8 will give me more options, especially in low light situations than the Nikkor 200-400 f/4.0 Zoom. Thanks again !!
    K P Steib Photography
    Nikon D50, D300, D700, D4, Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR, Nikor TC-20E II 2x, Nikkor TC-1.4, Nikkor 300mm f2.8 GII, Nikkor 18-55mm 3.5-5.6G, Nikon MB-D10 BP, Nikon SB-600 AF SL, Slick MP, Manfrotto 468MGRC2 Ballhead w/680B Mono
  • cab.in.bostoncab.in.boston Registered Users Posts: 634 Major grins
    edited November 9, 2010
    kennuts wrote: »
    ...I will use the D700 with the Nikkor 300m f2.8 for tights shots and the D300 with the 70-200 f/2.8 for the wider activity shots around the balls...

    Why not reverse that? The D300 with 70-200 f/2.8 gives you a 300mm equivalent, plus you lose the "width" of the 70mm end. Wouldn't it make more sense to have the 300mm on the D300 and the zoom on the D700? Then you have a true 70-200mm and a 450mm equivalent.

    Edit: Hehe... guess I should have read richy's response before posting mine. Oh well. ;-)
    Father, husband, dog lover, engineer, Nikon shooter
    My site 365 Project
  • kennutskennuts Registered Users Posts: 59 Big grins
    edited November 9, 2010
    richy wrote: »
    As a canon shooter I havent used the 200-400, I do use a 300 2.8 and its awesome, but the siggy 120-300 2.8 is getting my interest, especially the new weather sealed OS version coming. The flexibility to zoom is very useful, but the 300 will most likely focus faster and you can always add a tc.
    With the crop factor taken into account you probably have 105mm-300mm covered well between two cameras. Not sure if thats wide enough for netball given how close you can be but it should give you all the reach, and if you find it doesnt work out swap the lenses, then you have 70 - 450mm with a gap between 200 and 450 but thats not the end of the world!

    Good points Richy..... thanks !! Siggy 120-300 2.8 ... hummmmnnn, I'm gonna give the Nikkor 300mm 2.8 the nod !!
    K P Steib Photography
    Nikon D50, D300, D700, D4, Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR, Nikor TC-20E II 2x, Nikkor TC-1.4, Nikkor 300mm f2.8 GII, Nikkor 18-55mm 3.5-5.6G, Nikon MB-D10 BP, Nikon SB-600 AF SL, Slick MP, Manfrotto 468MGRC2 Ballhead w/680B Mono
  • kennutskennuts Registered Users Posts: 59 Big grins
    edited November 9, 2010
    cab.in.boston wrote: »
    Why not reverse that? The D300 with 70-200 f/2.8 gives you a 300mm equivalent, plus you lose the "width" of the 70mm end. Wouldn't it make more sense to have the 300mm on the D300 and the zoom on the D700? Then you have a true 70-200mm and a 450mm equivalent.

    Edit: Hehe... guess I should have read richy's response before posting mine. Oh well. ;-)

    Richy beat ya to the punch but that's ok... yes, it does makes more sense to me guy !! I got some reach now buddy !! Thanks for your input !!thumb.gif
    K P Steib Photography
    Nikon D50, D300, D700, D4, Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR, Nikor TC-20E II 2x, Nikkor TC-1.4, Nikkor 300mm f2.8 GII, Nikkor 18-55mm 3.5-5.6G, Nikon MB-D10 BP, Nikon SB-600 AF SL, Slick MP, Manfrotto 468MGRC2 Ballhead w/680B Mono
  • kennutskennuts Registered Users Posts: 59 Big grins
    edited November 10, 2010
    richy wrote: »
    I love my 300 2.8, I have actually slept with it in the bed in some dodgy hotels ;) but more seriously, it quality and speed is awesome and I have no reason to doubt nikons is every bit as good. The new siggy with OS, weather sealing and the zoom aspect will definitely get rented and considered. If you are dropping 3-5k it makes some sense to spend a couple of hundred renting and trying different options :) enjoy!

    Thanks Richy.... I know now I will like the 300mm 2.8, and spending that amount of $'s for it will be a little eaiser to swallow !! I'm convinced I'm spending the $'s wisely !! Can't wait to get the lens in and start shooting with it !! I may even lay next to it too !!!:D

    Thanks again for your expertise !!
    K P Steib Photography
    Nikon D50, D300, D700, D4, Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR, Nikor TC-20E II 2x, Nikkor TC-1.4, Nikkor 300mm f2.8 GII, Nikkor 18-55mm 3.5-5.6G, Nikon MB-D10 BP, Nikon SB-600 AF SL, Slick MP, Manfrotto 468MGRC2 Ballhead w/680B Mono
  • Jeremy WinterbergJeremy Winterberg Registered Users Posts: 1,233 Major grins
    edited November 10, 2010
    kennuts wrote: »
    I may even lay next to it too !!!:D

    Guilty of sleeping next to my 5DMKII rolleyes1.gif But not in a dodgy hotel.. at home. rolleyes1.gif But I keep a lot of stuff in my bed. For instance: MacBook Pro, iPad, Droid smartphone, alarm clock, sometimes a wireless mouse, sometimes my camera gear. I just get lazy, leave it, and go to bed.
    Jer
  • 20DNoob20DNoob Registered Users Posts: 318 Major grins
    edited November 11, 2010
    richy wrote: »
    American football is slower than continental drift (compared to soccer or rugby)

    248cc.gif So true!

    Congrats on choosing the 300, if it's anything like the Canon version your gonna be wondering why you've put it off for so long.
    Christian.

    5D2/1D MkII N/40D and a couple bits of glass.
  • kennutskennuts Registered Users Posts: 59 Big grins
    edited November 11, 2010
    Jeremy Winterberg wrote: »
    Guilty of sleeping next to my 5DMKII rolleyes1.gif But not in a dodgy hotel.. at home. rolleyes1.gif But I keep a lot of stuff in my bed. For instance: MacBook Pro, iPad, Droid smartphone, alarm clock, sometimes a wireless mouse, sometimes my camera gear. I just get lazy, leave it, and go to bed.

    Gotta love ya gear !! :D B&H here I come :ivar!!
    K P Steib Photography
    Nikon D50, D300, D700, D4, Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR, Nikor TC-20E II 2x, Nikkor TC-1.4, Nikkor 300mm f2.8 GII, Nikkor 18-55mm 3.5-5.6G, Nikon MB-D10 BP, Nikon SB-600 AF SL, Slick MP, Manfrotto 468MGRC2 Ballhead w/680B Mono
  • kennutskennuts Registered Users Posts: 59 Big grins
    edited November 11, 2010
    20DNoob wrote: »
    248cc.gif So true!

    Congrats on choosing the 300, if it's anything like the Canon version your gonna be wondering why you've put it off for so long.

    Thanks 20DNoob.... I'm glad I put my dilemma on here, hoping it would gather expertise, and experienced opinions before I spent that kind of $'s... and it did !! Really excited and can't wait to get the lens in and start shooting !!

    Thanks again !!!thumb.gif
    K P Steib Photography
    Nikon D50, D300, D700, D4, Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR, Nikor TC-20E II 2x, Nikkor TC-1.4, Nikkor 300mm f2.8 GII, Nikkor 18-55mm 3.5-5.6G, Nikon MB-D10 BP, Nikon SB-600 AF SL, Slick MP, Manfrotto 468MGRC2 Ballhead w/680B Mono
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