In today’s article, we will see How to Photograph Sport and which are the best lenses for sports photography.
The sports photographer can be easily “recognized” by the contents of his photographic backpack.
Today’s Sports Photography Guide wants to give you small useful tips to apply if you are a beginner,
Peering inside you will surely find many telephoto lenses, some monopods, many batteries, and many very large memory cards.
Think you can only find super-telephoto lenses in a sports photographer’s backpack? You are very wrong.
Best Lenses For Sports Photography
Table of Contents
If you look closely, you’ll notice much more complex equipment, such as super wide-angle, fisheye, and portrait lenses. These are also part of a sports photographer’s kit and for good reason.
To date, sports photography has evolved a lot through technological adaptation, going digital. New technologies have changed the way people watch sports on TV and multimedia content experts have changed the way images are created.
Cameras in “remote” mode, digital transmission, and video frame acquisition have made the sports photographer a cutting-edge professional.
Best Lenses For Sports Photography | Comparison Table 2022
Image | Title | Buy | |
---|---|---|---|
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras, White - 3044C002 | Canon | Check Price | |
Sigma 70-200mmF/2.8 DG OS HSM for Nikon F | Sigma | Check Price | |
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3G ED Vibration Reduction Zoom Lens with Auto Focus for Nikon DSLR Cameras | Nikon | Check Price | |
Sony FE 135 mm f/1.8 GM | Full-Frame, Telephoto, Prime Lens (SEL135F18GM) | Sony | Check Price | |
Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary Lens for Canon EF | Sigma | Check Price | |
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Standard Zoom Lens | Canon | Check Price | |
Tamron SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di VC USD G2 Lens (A025) for Nikon Full-Frame (AFA025N-700) - (Renewed) | Tamron | Check Price | |
58MM 0.43x Altura Photo Professional HD Wide Angle Lens (w/Macro Portion) for Canon EOS 70D 77D 80D 90D Rebel T8i T7 T7i T6i T6s T6 SL2 SL3 DSLR Cameras | Altura Photo | Check Price | |
Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras, 6473A003 (Renewed) | Canon | Check Price |
Prices and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Best Lenses For Sports Photography | 2022 Products Overview
1. Canon EF 70-200mm Best Lenses For Sports Photography
- Constant f 2.8 Maximum Aperture throughout Entire Zoom Range.
- Canon’s Air Sphere Coating (ASC) Minimizes Ghosting and Flare.
- Optical Image Stabilization at up to 3.5 Stops of Shake Correction.
- Fluorine Coating on Front and Rear Elements to Help Reduce Smears and Fingerprints.
- Highly Resistant to Dust and Water, and Improved Durability Even in Harsh Conditions. Inner Focusing System with Ring Ultrasonic Motor. Full-time Manual Focus. One Fluorite Element and Five UD Elements for High Image Quality. Minimum Focusing Distance of 3.9 feet, 1.2 meter. Diagonal Angle of View: 34° - 12°
- Whats Included : EF70-200 millimeter f:2.8L IS III USM , Lens Cap E-77II, Lens Dust Cap E, Lens Hood ET-87, Lens Case LZ1326
2. Sigma 70-200mm Lenses For Sports Photography
- Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sports Lens is a flexible telephoto zoom characterized by its bright and sophisticated design.
- The fast constant f/2.8 maximum aperture excels in difficult lighting conditions and also offers increased control over depth of field for isolating subjects.
- n regard to the optical layout, an impressive 10 low dispersion elements are used to greatly reduce chromatic aberrations and color fringing for improved clarity and color accuracy.
- A Super Multi-Layer Coating is also featured and helps to suppress ghosting and flare when working in strong lighting conditions.
3. Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm
- Maximum magnification of 032x
- Angle of view from 76 degree to 5 degree 20. Focal length range: 18 300 millimeter, minimum focus distance: 16 feet (048 meter)
- Aperture range from f/35 to f/22
- Angle of view from 76 to 520
- 16.7x wide-angle to super-telephoto zoom
- The AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3G ED VR can do just about anything—stills, videos, landscapes, interiors, portraits, wildlife...you name it. Its massive zoom range goes from wide-angle (27mm equivalent in 35mm) all the way to super-telephoto (450mm equivalent in 35mm),
- A little camera shake can ruin an otherwise great photos or video, especially when shooting at super-telephoto distances. To combat camera shake, the AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-6.3G ED VR features Nikons Vibration Reduction technology, which provides 4.0 stops* of blur-free handheld shooting.
4. Sony FE 135 mm
- INCREDIBLY SHARP: XA (extreme aspherical), Super ED (extra-low dispersion) and ED glass elements strategically deployed in an advanced optical design for superb resolution, clarity and contrast
- BEAUTIFULLY SMOOTH BACKGROUNDS: Circular 11-blade aperture for beautiful bokeh defocus effects
- CAPTURE ALL THE DETAIL: Sony Nano AR Coating to eliminate flare and ghosting
- FAST AND PRECISE:Two XD (extreme dynamic) linear motors provide the speed and precision required for both stills and video shooting
- PROFESSIONAL ERGONOMICS: A sealed dust and moisture resistant design provides extra protection to ensure reliable operation in challenging environments
5. Sigma 100-400mm
- Full Frame Lens with APS-C compatibility
- Compact size meets strong image quality
- Ideal Use: Travel photography, wildlife photography, nature photography and bird photography
- 4 Year USA Warranty
- Filter Size: 67mm
- The Sigma 100-400mm 5-6.3 DG HSM OS Contemporary is a state-of-the-art telephoto zoom that brings a new level of portability and quality to the super telephoto market. Touting Sigma’s Optical Stabilizer (OS), the Sigma 100-400mm 5-6.3 Contemporary is highly compact and lightweight compared to similar products on the market.
6. Canon EF 24-70mm
- 24 70 millimetre focal length, 38.4 112 millimetre equivalent focal length on Canon APS C cameras
- F2.8 constant maximum aperture; F22 minimum, ring type ultrasonic type AF motor with full time manual focusing
- 82 millimetre filters, closest focusing distance: 0.38 meter/1.25 feet
- Image Stabilization : No. Focus adjustment: Inner focusing with USM. Diagonal angle of view: 84° - 34°. Weight 1.7 pound
- Purchase this product between May 1, 2016 and July 30, 2016 and get 13 months of free damage protection from Canon. The product must be registered within 30 days of the purchase date to be eligible
7. Tamron SP 70-200mm
- This Certified Refurbished product is refurbished to factory specifications, it shows limited or no wear
- Includes all original accessories plus a 90 day warranty
- Tamron SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di VC USD G2 Lens (A025) for Nikon Full-Frame
- New generation G2 lens boasts faster AF speed and enhanced VC. The pinnacle of fast telephoto zoom with advanced features for improved optical performance, functionality and usability. 77mm Filter Size.
- INCLUDED IN THE BOX: Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 Lens for Nikon Full-Frame SLRs / Front and Rear Lens Caps / Lens Hood / Lens Case / Tripod Mount / 90 Day Manufacturer Refurbished Warranty
8. Altura Photo 58MM
- LENS ATTACHMENT: Easily screws on to the front of your lens, and instantly expands the field of view for breathtaking wide-angle photography. Features a detachable macro lens for extremely high-resolution close-ups of small objects.
- LENS COMPATIBILITIES: Popular 58MM Lens models including Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM, Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM, Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM, Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM, Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM, Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM, Nikon AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED VR, Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G, Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G, Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/4-5.6 R, Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm f/2.8 II, Fujifilm XC 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS II
- CAMERA MODELS: Canon EOS Rebel T7 T7i T6i T6 T6s T5i T5 T4i T3i T100 SL3 SL2 SL1 90D 80D 77D 70D 1100D 700D 650D 600D 550D 7D Mark II 6D Mark II 5DS 5D Mark II 1D Mark II M3 M5 M6 M10 M50 M100 M200 R RP
- NOTE: PLEASE VERIFY YOUR CAMERAS LENS THREAD SIZE BEFORE ORDERING. This Wide-Angle is compatible with 58MM lenses only. Lens sizes vary regardless of camera brand or model. Your cameras lens thread size will be marked somewhere on the lens barrel or printed underneath your lens cap. This number is always preceded by a Ø (diameter) symbol. For example: Ø58 = 58mm lens thread size.
- PREMIUM CUSTOMER SERVICE: Backed with DIGITAL GOJA 90-Day 100% Satisfaction Guarantee
9. Canon EF 75-300mm
- EF Mount; Aperture Range: f/4-45; DC Autofocus Motor; 4.9 Minimum Focus Distance; 58mm Filter Thread Diameter
- 4.9-foot closest focusing distance; 32- to 8-degree diagonal angle of view
- Measures 2.8 inches in diameter and 4.8 inches long; weighs 16.8 ounces
- Improved mechanism makes zooming smoother; front part of zoom ring sports silver ring.
- EF Mount; Aperture Range: f/4-45; DC Autofocus Motor; 4.9 Minimum Focus Distance; 58mm Filter Thread Diameter
- 4.9-foot closest focusing distance; 32- to 8-degree diagonal angle of view
- Measures 2.8 inches in diameter and 4.8 inches long; weighs 16.8 ounces
- Improved mechanism makes zooming smoother; front part of zoom ring sports silver ring.
Best Lenses For Sports Photography | Unrivaled Guide 2022
What is a photographic lens and what is it for
The photographic lens is nothing more than an optical device with which images are collected and reproduced, which are imprinted on sensitive support that can be represented either by films, in the case of analog cameras, or by sensors in the case of digital cameras.
They usually have a cylindrical shape and inside there is a system of lenses, concave or convex which capture the light and help reproduce the desired image. This part for me is pure magic, the light enters the lens, goes to the sensor and an image is reproduced.
The lenses can rotate thanks to the adjustment rings, present on the outside of the lens, and depending on the position taken, I focus on the desired subject or not.
Main features to consider in a photographic lens
Now that we have clarified the difference between the various lenses, it is time to go into more detail and see what are the main characteristics to consider when evaluating the purchase and use of a particular lens.
There are many factors to take into consideration, and you are not always able to understand them right away.
Those who approach photography for the first time do not always have a clear idea of what terms such as focal length, brightness, angle of view, etc. mean. That is why it is good to clarify a bit about it.
Focal length
this term indicates the distance, generally expressed in millimeters, that separates the lens from the focal plane (i.e. the sensor or the film), whose position is indicated with a symbol (a circle with a rod in the center), and that it is usually found on the camera body at the viewfinder.
This distance is generally measured starting from the ” rear nodal point ” of a lens, which coincides with the diaphragm. This point is also known as the optical center of the lens.
The focal length also determines the angle of view, which is closely related to the size of the sensor on which the image is imprinted. As the size of the sensor varies, the shooting angle also varies, which can be wider or narrower.
In fact, the same lens on cameras with different sensors produces clearly different results.
Aperture or brightness
the aperture of a lens diaphragm determines its brightness accordingly.
Usually, this value is expressed as a fraction, which indicates the maximum opening.
The smaller the value of this fraction, the larger the aperture of the diaphragm diameter, therefore also brighter.
To be clearer, a lens with an f / 1.4 value (hence a small aperture number), is brighter than an f / 8 value lens, which will have the smallest diameter and therefore allow less entry. light.
The diaphragm is therefore that device inside the lenses that regulates the amount of light that must pass.
Focus
To be able to have clear photos you must operate on the focus.
This means positioning the lens at a suitable distance between the focal plane and the subject to be portrayed.
In older generation lenses, the focus was done manually, using a special ring that allowed the optical group inside the lens to be moved.
In the most modern lenses, focusing can take place automatically, thanks to an internal motor and the camera sensor that calculates the distance between the sensor and the subject to be portrayed.
Although autofocus is quite useful, modern lenses offer the possibility of using manual focus, this can be done via the special ring on the front of the lens.
All these factors must be taken into consideration when buying a photographic lens, both to understand how the lens works, and to understand how it behaves with different types of sensors.
For example, a lens with fast autofocus is more suitable for sports or bird photography, because the subjects move quickly, but it is not essential if you will focus mainly on product photography, or photography where the subjects are still or very slow, such as for example if you decide to photograph landscapes.
Stabilized objectives
The last point to consider is the stabilization of the lens.
When we talk about image stabilization, we are normally talking about optical image stabilization, which is found in many lenses.
Canon calls the Image Stabilization ( IS ) function and Nikon calls it Vibration Reduction ( VR ).
With optical image stabilization, part of the lens physically moves to counteract any camera movement when taking the picture; if the hands are shaking, an element inside the lens also shakes, in the opposite direction to counteract the movement.
Long lenses and… pedaling!
Sports photographers have traditionally been known for their mammoth telephoto lenses, such as the Canon 400 f2.8, for example.
Surely you have seen them at the stadium as they flock to take the best position at any major sporting event.
Surely the long lens is the sign that distinguishes a sports photographer.
As you can guess, there must be a certain distance between the players and the media during events for the safety of both professionals.
Surely when choosing to photograph football, it will be necessary to use a very long lens, because you have to position yourself in such a way as to also take the door that is on the opposite side from yours.
Wide angles
They have a focal length of less than 40mm and a wider angle of view. In fact, this can vary from a range of 60 ° -80 ° to about 180 °.
In the latter case, we are faced with an ultra-wide-angle or a fish-eye.
The characteristic of these lenses is that of enormously “deforming” the image, creating effects that are sometimes rather exaggerated, and in the case of fish-eyes also a sphere effect as if the image were seen by the eye of a fish.
The type of objectives
The lenses are divided into three macro-categories: Normal, Wide-angle, and Telephoto lenses.
Each of these categories has different focal lengths and angles of view, as well as other features useful for various situations.
Normal Goals
this type of lens is the one that comes closest in terms of angle of view to that of the human eye. In fact, it returns the correct three-dimensional proportions of the planes: in other words, what the human eye sees is reproduced with the same “fidelity” in the photograph.
The family of Normal lenses includes lenses that have a focal length from 40mm to 50mm, the latter being one of the most used lenses for ambient portrait photography or even for street photography.
APS or Full-Frame?
Surely sports photography is an area where the smaller size of APS sensors can really come in handy.
Of course, the quality of a Full Frame camera is unbeatable, it is no coincidence that I usually shoot with two full frames during events.
The APS sensor is smaller than a full-frame sensor, the full-frame lenses attached to an APS camera have a crop factor that gives the lens a different field of view, and it’s like shooting with a longer lens. So if we want, the positive note of APS cameras is precisely this.
With very favorable weather conditions, the APS can get to make shots almost on par with a FF. Indeed if you compare an APS photo and an FF photo both shot in sunny weather, low ISOs, and whatnot, I’d challenge anyone to recognize the difference. Of course, I can not deny that by raising the ISO, even slightly, the difference is noticeable and not a little.
However, an APS camera with a crop factor of 1.6, using a 300mm full-frame lens (Canon EF Lenses) will give you the field of view of a 350mm lens.
A lens made for an APS camera (Canon EF-S lenses) can offer the same field of view as a full-frame lens in a smaller size and lighter weight. There are many sports photographers who always carry an APS body with them, even if they always prefer a full-frame.
Others, such as some of my Canon colleagues, are lucky enough to have the Canon 1D Mark IV, which is an APS-H (practically already incorporates a 1.3x multiplier inside) and is a great camera, with a completely different format, but perfect for sports photography. To date, it is out of production but is used, albeit with many shots.
Sports photo technical settings {Additional Tips}
Use a fast shutter speed
If you want to freeze the action, the shutter speed of the camera has to be very fast. Depending on the type of sport you could start with a setting of 1/500, up to a speed of 1/2000 of a second. The faster the subject moves, the faster the shutter speed we will set. In some shots, we could also use slower speeds to capture some of the movement. The problem with using a fast shutter speed is that less light will enter the camera and we should, especially in difficult light situations, compensate for the photographic exposure by increasing the ISO.
Use continuous autofocus
Continuous Auto Focus keeps the subject in focus as the distance from the camera changes. The continuous focus option is usually shown as AF-C in the camera settings.
Shoot in burst mode
Burst mode, also known as continuous shooting mode, allows you to take bursts of shots at the same setting. By holding down the shutter button in continuous shooting mode, you can take multiple shots in very quick succession. Most digital cameras released in recent years have some continuous shooting capability.
This function is very advantageous in sports photography because you will be able to capture various phases of fast game action, subsequently having the possibility to choose the best one. If we shoot a lot in continuous shooting mode, we will consume a lot of memory card space. It is therefore necessary to have one large memory card and a spare at your fingertips.
Do not use the flash
Your camera’s built-in flash or a flash unit attached to your camera can distract or even blind players, putting the regularity of the sporting event at risk.
Get to know the sport
First, you need to be familiar with the sport before you start shooting. To successfully resume a sporting event you need to know the rules of the game. Knowing how the sport plays out will help you capture the best moments. Before the time you will know how the action moves and what can happen next.
Get the best view possible
Your job is to get shots that the crowd can’t get, and that means you have a better position than most people. At many events, you will need special accreditation to be able to stay in a privileged position. If you don’t have access to an event pass and want to develop your portfolio, I recommend that you go and photograph smaller events, such as youth competitions.
Remember that when photographing you must respect the athletes and the staff on the field at all times. In general, try to be in a position that places your subject in front of you or that allows you to have an easier view.
Tell a story
As in other types of photography, the goal of our photos must be to freeze emotions and tell stories. Look for the emotionally charged moments, tell the victory and defeat, the important moments, the head to head, and highlight the moments that would risk passing for anonymous.
Check the shots only at the end
When you’re shooting sports photos, you don’t have time to look elsewhere, you need to be fully focused on the in-game action. If you check every single shot on the camera’s LCD screen, you can miss out on other potential good shots.
FAQs
For mirrorless which lenses should consider?
- 4.0.3 Sony SEL-55210B 55-210mm F4.5-6.3
- 4.0.1 Panasonic LUMIX G VARIO 45-150mm OIS F4-5.6.
- 4.0.2 Tamron 18-200mm Di II VC F3.5-6.3.
How to get knowledge of photographic lenses?
Final conclusions
In conclusion, we can say that there are really a lot of optics that you can use to start with sports photography and this will not be the last article I will do about it.
Surely I will also talk to you about my personal optics, how I use them, but above all about those optics that are second best for a professional sports photographer.
When you start photographing sports it is easy to compromise and make lower investments, it is also right, I did it too.
Professional optics require high investments that not everyone can afford, there are lenses that cost more than $ 10,000, more than a car if you think about it.
You get to make certain purchases after learning a lot and working just as much, saving a lot of money.
Over time you will understand that when you buy a lens, you will pay first and foremost the focal aperture of the lens, there are huge price differences between a ƒ 2.8 lens and an excellent ƒ 4 or ƒ 5.6, but I assure you that the quality is equally abysmal.
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