Sports Photography Equipment

In professional Sports Photography it is not just having skill in taking a photograph it is also about having the right equipment that changes every 18 months. To photograph different sporting actions requires different cameras and lenses if you have any chance of catching that perfect sports picture.

The another factor is it does not matter how much equipment you have it takes time and skill to become a good sports photographer. Some people like in any job have a natural ability to take the perfect shot. On "Sports Pictures" we have included lots of information listing some of the best websites on the internet covering all you need to know about sports photography.

Everyone wants digital images and this equipment is quite expensive, as you need different camera’s and lenses depending on what type of sports you are photographing. To photograph fast moving sports images you will need a telephoto lenses. At night games or indoors you will need fast lenses with large apertures that let in a lot of light.

To shot football, baseball, and soccer you will need at least a 300mm f/2.8 lens. In using a 35-70 f/3.5 - 4.8 zoom lens that is found on a lot of cameras is not suitable.

Many professional sports photographers have the following set of equipment:-

• 3 top-of-the-line digital camera bodies, such as the Canon Eos 1D Mark III 10.1MP or Nikon D3 at around  ($US4,040 each)

• Extreme Wide Angle 14mm f/2.8

• Wide Angle Zoom Lens 16 - 35mm f/2.8

• Fast Short Telephoto 85mm f/1.4

• Telephoto Zoom 70-200 f/2.8

• Fast Telephoto 300mm f/2.8

• Fast Long Telephoto 400mm f/2.8

• Teleconverter 2x

• Teleconverter 1.4x

• 2 Monopods

• Tripod

• 2 Flashes

• Radio Remotes

• Light Stands, Umbrellas, Lighting Equipment

• Laptop with Extra Ram

• Photoshop

• Rolling Camera Case

• 6 Extra Batteries

Total: US$38,000+

It is not just the camera you use though making sure you use the right lens. Many professional sports photographers shoot 90 percent of their work with a 400mm f/2.8 and a 70-200mm zoom and two bodies:

• Baseball: 400mm, 70-200mm

• Basketball: 70-200mm, 16-35mm

• Football: 400mm, 300mm, 50mm

Sports Photography Equipment

Cameras photography is dominated by digital. There are two basic types: Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) cameras with interchangeable lenses, and point-and-shoot snapshot digital cameras that do not have removable lenses.

Snapshot Digital Cameras – Sports Photography

The problem with snapshot type cameras are difficult to use for sports photography, because of the time lag between the camera focusing and the shutter opens. It is very difficult to shoot sports pictures and sports action with these cameras. The other main drawback is these cameras are not very good in low light conditions because they have very small pixels which often cannot collect the required light levels and consequently suffer from high noise.

In sports like baseball and football Snapshot cameras built-in zoom lenses cannot cope with pictures that require long focal lengths. Hence the need for cameras with different lenses in sports action pictures. ISO noise performance and light is the main killer in these cameras for sports images. In most cases the sports photos taken by professional sports photographers found on this website have to use DSLR Cameras.

DSLR Cameras - Sports Photography

A digital single-lens reflex camera (digital SLR or DSLR) is a digital camera that works on the principle of an automatic mirror system and pentaprism or pentamirror to focus light from the lens through the viewfinder eyepiece.

The advantage of a DSLR Camera in sports photography is the mirror reflects the light coming through the attached lens upwards at an approximately 90 degree angle. Light is then reflected by the pentaprism to the photographer's eye. When sports action pictures are taken the mirror swings upward, and a shutter opens, allowing the lens to project light onto the image sensor.

This is important as when shooting indoor sports photography and in low light levels light is the vital ingredient to reduce noise and light levels in a shot. In most other respects, a DSLR is similar in principle and operation to a standard (non-SLR) digital camera.

Basic Camera DSLR design principles

Cross-section view of SLR system.

1 - 4-element lens
2 - Reflex mirror
3 - Focal-plane shutter
4 - Sensor
5 - Matte focusing screen
6 - Condenser lens
7 - Pentaprism
8 – Eyepiece

The latest Canon 40D Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera costs $1,329.88 on Amazon.com in March 2008. A Nikon D300 produce very good sports photos. An ideal intermediate camera to take sports pictures is a Canon 350D could be purchased at Amazon.com for $469.99 for the body only. What you will find is the latest DSLR cameras will produce better images though the key is deciding if an older model will give you the results you require in digital format to be loaded straight into your computer. It’s not just the Camera its also have the right lenses to go with each type of sports shot you wish to photography.

The advantage is that there is no time lag in the image; it is always correct as it is being "updated" at the speed of light. This is important for sports photography, or any other situation where the subject or the camera is moving too quickly. This improves the "resolution" of the sports image that is much better than that provided by an LCD display or an electronic viewfinder.

DSLR Lenses – Sports Photography

The ability to exchange lenses, to select the best lens for the current photographic need, and to allow the attachment of specialized lenses, is a key to the popularity of DSLR cameras. In sports photography shooting different sports requires different lenses depending the position and distance from the subject.

DSLR Lenses that have an 18mm to 55mm zoom have a low focal ratio causing problems in shooting many sports. It costs around $119.95 dollars for a Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II Lens on Amazon.com, though it not ideal for top quality sports photography. You get what you pay for if you have that chance of that brilliant hard to achieve sports picture. To shot top quality sports images a Canon's top of the line lenses, such as the L series 16mm to 35mm f/2.8 zoom is, an ideal choice the problem is it costs $1,378.98 from Amazon.com in 2008.

The key to obtaining the best images in sports is to have a range of Interchangeable lenses for SLRs and DSLRs. A photographer will often use lenses made by the same manufacturer as the camera body (for example, Canon lenses on a Canon body). The key is making sure you use the right lens for the sport image being shot.

Sports Photography Lens

When shooting football, ideally you will need a lens that is at least 200mm to 300mm in focal length. Taking football images at night, it is impossible to get around the fact that you will need a fast telephoto lens with a minimum aperture of f/2.8. The reason for this is you need a camera that has the ability to deal with low light levels. In lots of cases a fast focal ratio of f/2.8 might not be fast enough as the shutter speed to stop the action and reduce the noise at a high ISO.

Where expensive DSLR Cameras and Lenses come into their own they can deal with all the above problems in shooting sports. The latest cameras such as the Canon 1D Mark III or Nikon D3 are ideal for sports photography. These cameras have exceptionally high ISO noise and you can use them at ISO 3200 or even 6400 when the light is really low in a sports hall or shooting sports at night to achieve 1/500th of a second at f/2.8.

The key thing to remember is you often get what you pay for in buying camera equipment for sports. These cameras have the latest technology, and usually the best noise performance. For sports photography at the highest level this can make all the difference between achieving that perfect high quality sports image.

If you have a large budget a 50mm f/1.8 for indoor basketball and also study fast high-end zooms with a minimum fixed aperture of f/2.8.

Camera wise if you have really wish to have the right equipment buy a high-end DSLR like a Canon ID Mark III or Nikon D3. This will need a fast wide-angle 16-35mm f/2.8 zoom, a 70-200mm f/2.8 zoom, and a fast super-telephoto lens like a 300mm f/2.8 or 400mm f/2.8 for football, lacrosse or soccer.

Equipment used by professionals is expensive for taking sports images. Everyone needs images in digital format requiring not just cameras that must be bought but computers and digital manipulation software. The key thing in taking professional-level digital photography is you must have a telephoto lens to shoot sports. In low light levels where you are shooting sports you need fast lenses with large apertures that let in a lot of light.

The minimum you will be able to get away with is a 35-70 f/3.5 - 4.8 zoom lens. You ideally need something like an 85mm f/1.8 lens for basketball, and definitely a 300mm f/2.8 lens for football, baseball, and soccer. Where additional light is required you need to know how to use a flash correctly. In sports photos sports photographers do not use a straight flash. Instead they use a fill-light on camera that is adjusted on the camera to be just above the available light and you have to match the colour temperatures.