Need a lens for sports for my Nikon D7100

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Deer Film

Well-known member
I would like a nice long lens something over 300mm "Pluss" or more for soccer games and such. And would love to pay way less then I should. Is there any off brands, or old models I can look at? I know the D7100 can handle older lens, so that is why I am asking.

Thanks
 
Deer Film said:
I would like a nice long lens something over 300mm "Pluss" or more for soccer games and such. And would love to pay way less then I should. Is there any off brands, or old models I can look at? I know the D7100 can handle older lens, so that is why I am asking.

Thanks
Click to expand...

I had the same question and ended up with a refurbished Nikon 55-300 VRII for $189 fully warranted. I considered some longer off brand lenses, but decided that fast automation was the way to go. Image stabilization and auto focus are definite assets for sports shooting. It's a heck of a lot lighter than my AF-S glass too.

I have an 80-200 but like you decided that the longer reach was necessary. About the only trick is to focus in the general area of distance ahead of time (mid-field) and then when you press the shutter the camera focuses quickly.

Is it perfect, no. It sometimes gets confused, but not often. In daylight it works better as the brighter light levels allows a greater DOF. It's also not as fast as my AF-S glass, but with the great senstivity of modern sensors that's not much of an issue.

It you think you really need a longer lens than that, remember that our D7100s are 24Mpx so we can crop in quite a bit and still have just as sharp of a picture as the best pro cameras of just a couple of years back.
 
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If you're taking stills, all Duke said sounds reasonable.

If you're shooting video and are pondering vintage glass, I have to throw a word of caution: make sure you can focus the thing. I have a Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 300mm f/4 from 1974. A beautiful piece of History, and a sure eye-catcher, if you're into that kind of thing. I couldn't focus the thing quickly if my life depended on it. It's so huge and so heavy and the focus ring requires so much muscle that it just doesn't make sense. I only use it for shots of the moon and things like that, when I have time to spare framing and focusing.
Not all vintage lenses will be like that, but keep it in mind.
 
Duke, I like your idea. I will look into it. Do you think the 300mm gives you enough reach.
I am using my dad's old f series 105 lens. Great lens, but you really have to be fast with manual focus. Half my photos are good. With the D7100, I just started shooting all manual with the old f series lenses. It feels really cool to have all the control. I find the old f series lenses need more light then the newer lens. They don't work well inside for me. I might be doing something wrong though.
thanks to all for your comments
 
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