What is the best lens for Nikon D90 and college sports?
Posted by admin | Under Nikon D90 Thursday Jul 24, 2008Would you buy the 70-300mm or 18-200mm? I am a amateur that takes pictures of her son.
Oh yeah, do I need a speedlight?
My son plays college baseball and football. I do not want to pay for a lens that cost more than my camera. I would just like to get his action shots.
So what do you need a lens for? Your son or college sports?
You also did not state your budget…
For your son 18-200 is more than sufficient.
For college sports you may consider 70-200 f/2.8 VR lens, which is fast enough to let you shoot in less than perfect light indoors. The cost is $1600 or so.
If you can't afford that, than 70-300 is a bigger zoom range, but at f/4.5-5.6 it will be a lot harder to shoot indoors. You should be Ok for football games outside in broad daylight though.
But for your son neither 70-200 nor 70-300 will work. You need either a kit 18-55, or that 18-200 all around lens for him. Because at 70mm you won't be able to shoot at close range.
As far as flash is concerned – for sports it's useless unless you're in a field among players, or right on a sideline and limiting yourself to the action that takes place within about 50 feet of where you are (that's why you need a fast lens instead), but for your son you may consider one. Just don't abuse it by shooting straight in a face, bounce it off ceiling or the walls for better light.
LEM.
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—Re: additional info—
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You are measuring it up the wrong way. Lens is much more important than camera body. If you don't already have D90, consider buying cheaper D60 or even D40 and investing in a good lens. When you do change bodies, your lenses remain. They are much more of a long term investment. I can assure you, that you'll be 200% better off with cheap D40 body and expensive f/2.8 lens than the other way around with expensive D90 body and a cheap f/5.6 lens.
Here's what I always tell to people who ask me how to spend their money on a camera system: you buy the best lens you can afford and a camera body to go along with it, not the other way around!
So what do you need a lens for? Your son or college sports?
You also did not state your budget…
For your son 18-200 is more than sufficient.
For college sports you may consider 70-200 f/2.8 VR lens, which is fast enough to let you shoot in less than perfect light indoors. The cost is $1600 or so.
If you can't afford that, than 70-300 is a bigger zoom range, but at f/4.5-5.6 it will be a lot harder to shoot indoors. You should be Ok for football games outside in broad daylight though.
But for your son neither 70-200 nor 70-300 will work. You need either a kit 18-55, or that 18-200 all around lens for him. Because at 70mm you won't be able to shoot at close range.
As far as flash is concerned – for sports it's useless unless you're in a field among players, or right on a sideline and limiting yourself to the action that takes place within about 50 feet of where you are (that's why you need a fast lens instead), but for your son you may consider one. Just don't abuse it by shooting straight in a face, bounce it off ceiling or the walls for better light.
LEM.
—
—Re: additional info—
—
You are measuring it up the wrong way. Lens is much more important than camera body. If you don't already have D90, consider buying cheaper D60 or even D40 and investing in a good lens. When you do change bodies, your lenses remain. They are much more of a long term investment. I can assure you, that you'll be 200% better off with cheap D40 body and expensive f/2.8 lens than the other way around with expensive D90 body and a cheap f/5.6 lens.
Here's what I always tell to people who ask me how to spend their money on a camera system: you buy the best lens you can afford and a camera body to go along with it, not the other way around!
References :
get the Nikon 18-135 lens, it’s super sharp, light weight, and designed for the D90 you won’t be disappointed.
References :
70-300 nikon f 4-5.6 VR for outdoor sports and nikon 80-200 f2.8 for indoor sports (but it's heavy, that's probably why there are a lot of used ones around, 3 lbs) and nikon 70-200 f2.8 VR if you can afford one.
No flash for sports you are too far away.
References :