I got tix on the home stretch for Beijing.
I noticed at Athens 2004, thousands of people standing next to me, with huge lenses snapping pictures.
So I am going to buy a Canon EOS ID Mark III, which lens should I buy to get the 5k, 100H, etc. I've been taking classes too.
Take the x-ray one that can peer through the smog.
Buy a Nikon, and an 80-400 VR lens
Careful with the Mark III
http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/content_page.asp?cid=7-9258-9300
http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/content_page.asp?cid=7-8746-9194
The lens you need
http://gizmodo.com/353073/canon-120056l-usm-the-bfg-of-telephoto-lenses
Seriously though, here's a good lens that you don't have to mortgage the house for
Disregard that anti-Japanese website run by the son of a Canadian WWII POW. It's full of sour grapes against Canon, the greatest sports camera in the world.
The Nikon 80-400 VR's autofocus is way too slow to shoot sports.
No it isn't. The VR is very fast.
Shutter Bug wrote:
Take the x-ray one that can peer through the smog.
Air quality will be a lot better than at the 1908 and 1948 London Games, the 1984 LA Games, 1968 Mexico City Games.
Peking Duck wrote:
I got tix on the home stretch for Beijing.
I noticed at Athens 2004, thousands of people standing next to me, with huge lenses snapping pictures.
So I am going to buy a Canon EOS ID Mark III, which lens should I buy to get the 5k, 100H, etc. I've been taking classes too.
you're taking classes and you're willing to spend that kind of money and you're asking this question here?
check out the forums at
www.dpreview.com. i think you'll find a larger group of knowledgeable folks there, even though i bet there is a little overlap with this board.
how did you already get tickets, and how did you get those tickets?
People buy and flip expensive gear all the time on eBay.
full of ads and unsubstantiated rumors. another b.s. anti-canon site.
dpreview wrote:
full of ads and unsubstantiated rumors. another b.s. anti-canon site.
hmmm, not really sure about those rumors, the plethora of ads, or any anti-canon vibes. DPReview has always been factual, to-the-point, and unbiased in all their work. They did get bought by Amazon, so that might have added a couple of ads, but it's still nothing bad; they gotta make money some how. Chill...
As for the lenses: you can't go wrong with the 70-200 f/2.8 IS and a tele-converter (1.4x or 2x) for added flexability. Or you could look at the Sigma 120-300 f/2.8 lens.
Also, unless you're super into photography, save yourself some money and pick up a 40D (6.5fps) or a used EOS 1-D and save yourself some cash.
Please give us the pics by posting them. You know fully 90% of the pictures and videos you see in magazines, posters, newspapers, world wide web, etc. from the 2004 Athens Olympics were taken by paying fans from the stands. The IOC and IAAF won't ban pro still and pro video cameras used by fans. So you folks get us alot of good pictures and videos. O.K. ?
Here's what you should do.
Buy the best gear you can find new at e-shops on the web.
Go to Beijing.
Shoot the snaphots with ten thousands of other fans with pro cameras shooting next to you.
Post the pictures on the internet every day from your hotel room so we can see it, and post a link here on letsrun.com.
Every day, email the huge JPEG files to the NCAA schools of the athletes, meet directors, running clubs, the home town newspapers of the athletes, NCAA, USATF, parents, etc.
Come back to the USA.
Sell the gear on eBay.
I'd agree with nikon shooter. Unless you are a pro, there is no need for a pro camera like the Canon EOS ID Mark III or Nikon D3. Since you are asking the question on letsrun, it's a safe bet that you are not.
The Canon 40D or Nikon D300 (optional battery pack gives your 8fps) will do everything you need and leave you more money to spend on the lens. Second hand Canon EOS ID Mark II or Canon EOS ID Mark IIn would be another option.
It's difficult to know the best lens with knowing how close to the action you will be. I'd say get the 70-200 f/2.8 IS (or Nikon 70-200 f/2.8 VR for the Nikon D300). In some cases you might need more reach than that - maybe a 300mm f4 or use a tele-converter as suggested by nikon shooter.
When you get your camera, attend a local track meet to test your camera and try to simulate the conditions in Beijing. Otherwise you are going to be wasting/missing a lot of shots before you get any good ones.
photo.net is another good photo site to check out. the 100-400 is might be a little slow for track and field...
Those pro cameras are all point-and-shoot now at 10 frames per second. I would just buy one with a hughe lens and shoot 10,000 pictures per day. Then pick 1,000 of the best shots, then every night back at your hotel, email them out to everyone back here in the USA. Our sport needs more publicity and that means more free pictures for everyone. There's no technological gap anymore preventing this for the fans. We know that you the fans have to be well off, else you couldn't afford the flight, hotel, and tickets. So do us all a big favor and take a million snaps and video all the races for us 'poe foke' ;-) We will remember you for it and personally thank you at track meets here.
Buy a clue.
Buy Sell wrote:
Those pro cameras are all point-and-shoot now at 10 frames per second. I would just buy one with a hughe lens and shoot 10,000 pictures per day. Then pick 1,000 of the best shots, then every night back at your hotel, email them out to everyone back here in the USA. Our sport needs more publicity and that means more free pictures for everyone. There's no technological gap anymore preventing this for the fans. We know that you the fans have to be well off, else you couldn't afford the flight, hotel, and tickets. So do us all a big favor and take a million snaps and video all the races for us 'poe foke' ;-) We will remember you for it and personally thank you at track meets here.
Everyone will be your friend. You will be the best promoter of our sport the U.S. has. We want to see your pictures. Thanks so much.