Newb here

NateDaGreat

I need the cheapest possible camera/lenses that i will be able to shoot

soccer, basketball, paintball and any other action sport lol

Thanks

ThatCanonGuy

Not much time to answer on Christmas Eve ;~). All I can say is a sports setup isn't gonna be cheap. Think at least $1K.
Canon or Nikon, if you want top-notch AF.
Right now I'm thinking of a 40D and a 100-300 USM (make sure it's the USM version), that lens has some fast AF--not quite L-type tracking, but pretty close. Actually, that is a good setup and less than 1K.

ziggy53

Sports/action is one of the toughest categories of photography and generally requires very high-end cameras and lenses. To save cost I highly recommend buying used and to go cheap you can get "very" old and used equipment.

I am mostly familiar with Canon so let's start there, but Nikon makes some killer older cameras and lenses too.

The Canon 1D is a very old professional grade camera body and it certainly was used for sports/action photography. The 1D MKII is a considerably better camera in a number of ways but it also costs more.

Couple either of these camera bodies to a Canon 70-200mm, f4L USM (non-IS) and you can get very nice and very consistent daytime sports/action sequences.

A 1D body will run around $430USD for the body plus battery and charger (condition EX). A 70-200mm, f4L will run just under $600 (EX+).

Indoor sports is even more demanding and you really should have lenses of f2.8 or faster aperture. You might look at third-party lenses like the Sigma APO70-200 F2.8 II MACRO DG EX HSM. You can often find them for around $700 or so. It's not quite as quick to focus and it's not quite as sharp IMO but it is cheaper than the Canon equivalent.

Check at KEH.com for some reasonable pricing and grading along with excellent customer service.

Of course almost any camera and lens may be used for attempting to capture action/sports, but if you want consistently reliable, but not perfect, results then I suggest that you take my advice.

ThatCanonGuy

OK, I've got a moment. Basicaly, what Ziggy said ;~). If you don't mind the 4mp, get a 1D. If you do, either a 1DII if you can, or a x0D, I think the 40D and 50D have the best AF.

Lenses, well, you need fast AF. Like Ziggy said, a 70-200 f/4 if you can afford it, or if not, then I recommend a 100-300 USM. It tracks almost everything very well for its price ($150). Fast ring USM focusing with FTM (full time manual) AF. For the price, I think it's an unbelievable deal. It doesn't track as well as a 70-200, but then again it's a quarter of the price. For basketball, I recommend primes. 85 1.8 is a great little lens for cheap ($400). Then you probably want something wider, like 35 f/2 or 24 2.8 maybe? And maybe a 50 1.4? All of these primes are under $400, some of them closer to $300. Why primes? Their fast apertures are cheaper than zooms.

Oh yeah, soccer. You definitely want a 400 2.8. Get the new Mark II version, it's cheap.
($11,000)

No really, I think 300mm will do for soccer as long as you can get close.

Give us some info: is this for youth sports? What is your budget?

rolette

How clean are the 1D images vs a 40D at ISO 1600 (highest both bodies go without going into 'H' modes)?

AF and frame rate are obviously much better with the 1D, but given how old the sensor is, it seems like the 40D might be a better option for indoor sports. Prices for them are in the same ballpark - maybe slightly more for the 40D depending on the condition.

I shot a lot of indoor youth sports for a couple of years with a 40D with f/2.8 lenses. Bounce flash even off of high gym ceilings can help significantly. The OP didn't say what level of sports he was going to be shooting, but as bad as HS gyms can be, MS/rec/church gyms are typically much worse.

Jay

ThatCanonGuy

rolette wrote: »

How clean are the 1D images vs a 40D at ISO 1600 (highest both bodies go without going into 'H' modes)?

AF and frame rate are obviously much better with the 1D, but given how old the sensor is, it seems like the 40D might be a better option for indoor sports. Prices for them are in the same ballpark - maybe slightly more for the 40D depending on the condition.

I shot a lot of indoor youth sports for a couple of years with a 40D with f/2.8 lenses. Bounce flash even off of high gym ceilings can help significantly. The OP didn't say what level of sports he was going to be shooting, but as bad as HS gyms can be, MS/rec/church gyms are typically much worse.

Jay

Are you talking 1DII, or the original 1D? The 1D2 goes for about $600-$700, the same as the 40D.

rolette

ThatCanonGuy wrote: »

Are you talking 1DII, or the original 1D? The 1D2 goes for about $600-$700, the same as the 40D.

I was talking about the original 1D that Ziggy mentioned.

dbveto

OK I will throw a wrench into the works:D:D
I do mostly sports photography and I my main rig is a pentax k20 with a Tamron 70-200 f/2.8
My second rig pentax k200d tamron 18-70 f/2.8
My biggest problem has been finding faster glass for the Pentax cameras


Here is one of my albums for this year
http://www.realphotoman.com/Racine-Raiders/2010-Season/Raiders-Mustangs-7-31-10/13209197_87pEZ