Im super new and super amateur on this anyone can help me out?
Hi so as i said in the title i am super new in this world of cameras and pictures and lens so wondering what camera or what materials or stuff do i need or what do you recommend me to buy? I want a camera so i can shoot sports photos mostly basketball so wondering wich one would be the best that will suit for me since i want to do this like a hobbie but im not planing spending 1,000+ if i can something cheaper but if i have to spend 1,000 the i will but if i can get something good and cheaper that can take basketball pictures will be great thanks guys!! have a wonderfull day!
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In order to take decent photos of sporting events, I recommend getting a digital SLR, and a fairly long lens. For example, any of the Canon Tx line, and perhaps the 70-300mm IS USM lens. Getting any of this used is a great option. The DSLR can shoot faster, focus faster and give you more response to get action shots over any point and shoot or bridge camera. The 70-300 IS USM is a decent telephoto with image stabilization. However, technique will be most important here, so ensure you have the proper shutter speed, ISO and aperture. If you don't know what those are, Google is your friend.
As for basketball, I find that to be one of the most challenging sports to photograph, after late night high school football. That is because basketball, in the US, is often played in poorly lit gyms. You will find that even with your new camera that you can't get action stopping shots, or they are so grainy that they look worse than your smartphone. And you can not use flash, as that will distract the players, and get you removed from the facility. The only way I have found to solve this successfully is to purchase a very expensive camera that excels in low light capability, such as the Nikon D610, D750, D800, or Canon 6D or 5DMkx. With a decent lens, you can take good action stopping photos at nearly any basketball game without any issues. But this will set you back easily $3000-$4000, so there is that.
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If you're trying to do this for profit your budget is too small. If you're trying to capture your own children, probably much cheaper to buy pictures taken by someone else.
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A former sports shooter
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Curious why you say it is useless. Is that because you hope to be shooting at a faster shutter speed?
Thanks
Phil
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Phil
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So there is some expense needed beyond just equipment.
Good sports photography is not easy to do with good equipment, and very hard to do, or almost impossible, with lesser equipment. It does depend, of course, on what the desired image quality level is too.
I agree that IS is not really needed for basketball, but it is nice to have none the less.
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I still think the used 40D route is a good idea. I shot with a 40D for a LONG time, motorsports mostly. I think, with the right lens (i.e. 2.8 or faster plus a fast focus motor) and it would be up to the task.
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Also a used 1D Mark II (or better) will be inexpensive and also have the low-light fast focusing capabilities for basketball. The ISO is not good above 800, but otherwise the camera is FANTASTIC to shoot with and, at this point, is very reasonably priced on the used market.
I really don't think you can hit your budget with anything NEW.
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Absolutely agree. I still have 2 - Canon 1D Mark II bodies, and ISO 1250 is usable with a modern RAW converter*. (Even ISO 3200 if you nail the exposure and do a lot of post-production processing and if you have a simple subject matter and print small. [That's a lot of "ands", I know.])
*(I recommend 64 bit RAW Therapee on a 64 bit Windows machine for a freeware/open-source, very competent RAW image processor. Otherwise, if you can budget it, the latest Capture One has an exemplary noise reduction processing for older Canon bodies, which covers both pattern/banding noise and random sensor noise.)
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Now for the body, Canon suggestions seemed to be covered above so I'll throw in some Nikon ones. A D300 would have a great AF system more like the 1D mkII's than the 40D's and they're around 500 dollars.
After that the trade offs start. You could go for a D5200 which has fewer AF points but better high ISO performance as well as greater resolution and other sensor improvements for about 400 used. It's a much small camera missing a lot of the controls of the other Canon/Nikon models mentioned but you get that sensor 2 generations newer.
yes or a 60D but I would want a full frame or 1D or 1Ds series if I was shooting basketball or any indoor sports
But I suppose you got to start somewhere