Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED IF AF-S VR Nikkor Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras How well does this do with low light or indoor sports photography - like basketball indoors or evening baseball games outside
164689
A lens with a lot of light gathering ability is called a fast lens. A lenses light gathering ability is related to the size of the opening, i.e., the f-stop. The smaller the f-stop the larger the opening. This lens is F4 at 70mm and and f5.6 (smaller) at 300mm. This is not a fast lens. It's not going to be great for low light. In all honesty I haven't tried it under those conditions. I would expect to have to push the iso really really high to keep the shutter speed high enough to avoid motion blur. However, the low-mid priced telephoto lenses are going to be in this range of f-stop. because it costs a lot more to make a fast lens. Ideally you would like a faster lens, like Nikon's 70-200, F2.8. However the price for that lens is about 2 grand (US $).
795054
This lens is great for bright daylight sport photography. Although it is a constant aperture F4 lens, it may not be fast enough (i.e. collect enough light to keep your shutter speed high) to be able to stop sports motion. Also the image stabilizer will not help you to stop motion, it is only designed to prevent camera shake which it does well. Keep in mind the other comparable lens is the significantly more expensive EF 70-200 2.8L but it is 1 stop faster (i.e. doubles your shutter speed or you can lower your ISO). So it is possible to take good sports photography with this lens but you'll need to crank up your ISO but 1 stop more than you normally would with a F2.8 lens. This is especially true with the newer camera sensors where you can crank up the ISO without much of a noise penalty.
1515218
I think much depends on where you will be shooting from.... If you'll be standing near the hoop for a basketball, yes it would be fine but if you'll have more distance between you and the action I would look for an 80-200 2.8 - you can find used ones for around $600. They don't have a built in focus motor but your D80 has it's own so it will work just fine. You can buy one new for about $1,000 or get the VR version for something over $2,000 - same lens but newer bells and whistles.
98308
This lens is not great for sports, although it would be OK if you push your iso up. It just doesn't focus terribly fast and is a "slow" lens. That is to say that at the long end, the aperture only opens to f5.6 and your shutter speed will tend to be slower as a result. Out doors, in good light it would be OK. I am not sure about the second part of your question. You can use it at any distance, but obviously the farther you stand from your subject, the smaller they will be.
1993784
The lens does not have a large aperture so is not terribly fast and you will have to turn up your ISO to shoot indoor sports unless the lighting is good. But it will work. That being said, it is very smooth and quiet for shooting video when used with the 70D. You may be better off with a prime lens that has a larger aperture for indoor sports. This lens would work best for outdoor sports.
736776
I do not own this lens anymore do to the fact that I started shooting indoor events. I loved the lens but with a 4 aperture it doesn't take in enough light. I would recommend the 2.8 version of this lens or a prime lens for your needs. You will be able to keep your shutter speeds up and ISP down.
2148233
I've taken some nice shots of football players with this lense, but they were day games. It's a bit dark when fully extended (300mm), but if your camera handles ISO's of 400 - 800 well, it can be used. IMHO, it's as good as any in this price range. Idealy you would want a faster lense for sports, and that speed will cost you.
1515219
The Sigma 17-50mm is an all-purpose fast lens, great for portrait to get good DOF, and fast enough for HS indoor sports. I would recommend setting you ISO to 1600 or higher on your Nikon. The quality of glass is excellent for the resolution of 16x24 prints. I am very impressed with the quality of workmanship and lens quality.
1111392
I own a D7100 and use 4 lens on it, The 18-300mm is a little heavy but it's a "Can Do" lens for most things. Add the 10-24mm and you can really open a lot of WIDE doors. The 50mm f/1.4G is Awesome at night, you won't believe how great your shoots are. I also have the 35mm, great for a light weight great shooting day. These 4 you won't miss anything.
1542166
I love the camera it was a good step up from the older Rebel. I shoot allot of action sports photography and it works great when I shoot in a gym that is poorly lit and you can't use a flash during the game. I use a 70-200 f2.8 lens and I get good Basketball photos. I want to upgrade to the 1D mark4 as soon as I can afford it!!
873522
I am shooting on a Nikon 3200. I went with the 55-300 for its flexibility. It gives great depth of fields and allows me take great pics no matter what. Being in an austere environment this lens works great for long range and close range photograph. The longer 400mm lens has some problems and the 300mm gives better f-stop in my opinion. I found for cost and range of meters to be perfect. Clear shots, great DOF and quickness is great. I shot 90% free hand and have no vibration problems/blurry in my photos thanks to the VR.
1270623
Hi, before buying this 55-200 I would rent the lens and try. After checking if this is enough for softball games, I would decide what to buy.You might be able to find similar prices for the 100-300mm as well.
1069238
I can't speak to that, but I'm fairly finicky about the glass I use (I mostly shoot olympus m4/3 primes), and I really like this 75-300 lens. With good light, you can get some stunning images of wildlife, landscapes, and the moon! I've even used it indoors (with the olympus 600r) and gotten some fantastic shots as well. Olympus used nice glass in this lens. While it's not going to be on my camera every day, it's great for specific applications.
1877497
No, I would not recommend this lens for sporting events. It doesn't zoom, which will limit your ability to compose when you have limited ability to move yourself closer to subject. Plus the apertures aren't super great for low light of a gym. (Although tripod will help with that). In same price range I think you would be better served by the 18-200 f/3.5-5.6 with a tripod. (Or if you can spend a bit more go with the 80-200mm f/2.8)
2077809
The 24-120 f/4 is a great "walking around" lens. It has all the goodies; Nano Glass, VR2 and fantastic resolution and speed. Works very well with mt D800's 36 megapixel resolution. Great for handheld shots. It's not a lightweight, but, IMHO, relatively easy to carry. You'll not be disappointed with the pictures. If you can, try it with your camera for weight and balance.
1877495
I would not use my 85mm for sporting events, I would use my AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED. And use the sports mode on the dial.I am not a pro though.
2058093
I am using this lens primarily for sports - synchronized swimming. So far only outdoors (wish you would ask it a few months out -the indoor meet is coming up then). It is a beautiful lens for landscaping or nature shots, but so far i cannot say i am 100% satisfied with it for sports. Based on what i see, i can imagine it might be problematic with low-light conditions and sports as even outdoors it still hunts that focus point. But off course reflections can be the cause, at least for me. It probably as good as we can go at this price point, but definitely do not expect flawless photos. As to comparing it against Tamron - sorry, no experience there.