I've been following the predictions on windguru and it looks like it will be ok for the majority of the time, touch wood . . .
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Question of the Day: Main reasons you wouldn't get an EV?
MadMailMan
Expert Member
Hope the weather is good. Flying in from Zurich to Jhb. Weather in the Midlands is looking OKish. 
APoc184
Honorary Master
What site(s) do you guys use for reading up on lenses? Especially reviews of Nikon Telephoto Zoom lenses.
I am seriously looking at the 70-300mm now but would like to read a few extra reviews about it and also a few other lenses.
I currently have the 55-200mm but will look to sell that after I get a bigger lens. Main use will be for sports photography. Especially school rugby.
Thanks
I am seriously looking at the 70-300mm now but would like to read a few extra reviews about it and also a few other lenses.
I currently have the 55-200mm but will look to sell that after I get a bigger lens. Main use will be for sports photography. Especially school rugby.
Thanks
koffiejunkie
Executive Member
I tend to lean towards the www.photozone.de and www.the-digital-picture.com reviews, although I read the reviews from dpreview.com too.
Try and look for customer reviews.
You usually get a lot of (short) reviews on B&H's website.
Not sure about Nikon but there's no fast lens in the Canon 70-300 range.
What's the aperture at 300mm? I'm going to stick with my suggestion in the other thread for the sigma 70-200 f/2.8.
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APoc184
Honorary Master
Yeah it is F5.6 at 300mm. Nothing special at all.
I am seriously leaning towards saving up for another six months to a year and just get a decent lens.
Problem is it is so tempting to get that extra 100mm zoom.
Need some serious self control here.
koffiejunkie
Executive Member
I am seriously leaning towards saving up for another six months to a year and just get a decent lens.
Problem is it is so tempting to get that extra 100mm zoom.
If you see the kind of image quality and sharpness the 70-200mm models deliver at 200mm, even wide open, you'll be more than willing to part with the extra 100mm. Some forum members even own two of them
Oh, and don't look into the 100mm too much. How much FL is relative. 200mm to 300mm isn't as big a difference as 100mm to 200mm, for example. I'm far happier cropping a bit with my 200mm f/2.8 L than I ever was at 300mm.
APoc184
Honorary Master
If you see the kind of image quality and sharpness the 70-200mm models deliver at 200mm, even wide open, you'll be more than willing to part with the extra 100mm. Some forum members even own two of them
Oh, and don't look into the 100mm too much. How much FL is relative. 200mm to 300mm isn't as big a difference as 100mm to 200mm, for example. I'm far happier cropping a bit with my 200mm f/2.8 L than I ever was at 300mm.
Yeah the more I start thinking about it the more I just want/need a fast lens instead of the extra length. That way my images will be so much sharper and like you said I can crop a little more and still have a better image.
Thanks for all the advice guys.
Unfortunatly sports photography is one of those disciplines that is hard to do well on a budget. Careful though, once you start using the fast glass a fast body isn't going to be far off.
Two, that's just crazy talk.If you see the kind of image quality and sharpness the 70-200mm models deliver at 200mm, even wide open, you'll be more than willing to part with the extra 100mm. Some forum members even own two of them
APoc184
Honorary Master
a fast body isn't going to be far off.
I felt like a real poephol yesterday. But also like a kid in a candy store.
Went to watch the Waterkloof vs Garsfontein rugby match and obviously took the camera along. I was one of three guys taking photographs during the match.
Next to me is a very nice guy and we start to strike up some conversation about rugby and general chit chat. He tells me he is just going to fetch his camera quickly and a few minutes later returns with a bloody Canon 1D with a 400mm / F2.8. Already drooling he pulls out of his bag another 1D with a 70-200mm / F2.8.
It's nothing really because I have seen the stuff before but I 've never taken a photo with such equipment. So halfway through the game I gather the courage to ask him if I can take a few shots with the 400mm. He says yes sure, and I put my ass down on his little portable chair.
Now remember that I was taking photos ths whole time with my little D3100 and shooting in continous mode and feeling proud every time I catch a nice action sequence. Now I'm sitting here with this monster lens and camera in front of me. I waited a little bit for some action to happen and focussed on the subject. I then continued to take what I wanted to be 3 or 4 shots and I was AMAZED to hear that thing go off like a machine gun. Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta. Before I knew it I took almost 20 photographs in 2 seconds.
Almost had me to tears.
It's terrible to be poor
EDIT: Below is a photo I snapped of the Sonny Bill Williams offload perfected at school level already.
I like to move around so for rugby I prefer the 300mm f/2.8 but that 400mm is definitely on my shopping list for next cricket season. . . as is getting rid of my 7D and upgrading to a second 1D. The problem is once you play with a 1D (or the Nikon equivalent) everything else seems a bit toy'ish. 
Nice pic
Nice pic
APoc184
Honorary Master
I like to move around so for rugby I prefer the 300mm f/2.8 but that 400mm is definitely on my shopping list for next cricket season. . . as is getting rid of my 7D and upgrading to a second 1D. The problem is once you play with a 1D (or the Nikon equivalent) everything else seems a bit toy'ish.
This photographer was stuck to his chair the whole game. I'm guessing it is because of the weight and size of the lens. And most probably because he is not the smallest of guys.
I also noticed very quickly what you meant the other day by chopping of body parts left right and centre with a bigger lens. We were sitting right behind the goal line and anything closer than the 22m line was very tight to fit in. Can see why he has the 2nd 1D with a 70-200mm by his side the whole time.
Nice pic
Thanks.
The 400mm is a big brute of a lens
As much as I love the 300mm it gets weighty after a while too which is why for day matches I'm favouring the 70-200mm f/2.8 with a 1.4x TC. I'm also really tempted by the sigma 120-300 f/2.8 . . . trust me it never ends.
APoc184
Honorary Master
I Stumbled Upon this. Quite handy for beginners like myself.
MickeyD
RIP
Interesting article regarding the use of photographs "borrowed" from the 'net: http://mype.co.za/new/2011/07/weekend-post-taking-mype-for-a-ride/