Anyone using a 50D for sports?

bigrob

bigrob

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I am going to be getting a 50D as I want a lighter camera (than the 1D3) for going on holiday with.

I'm thinking

1D3 with 300/2.8 (non IS) for longer stuff
and
50D with 70-200/2.8 for closer stuff

So if anyone uses a 50D for sports how do you find it?

Good/bad points?

Anythng in particular to look out for?

Any settings that do/don't work?

Sports = rugby & football, but interested to hear about any sports.
 
Firstly, wrong way around.

Short lens goes on the 1D & long lens on the crop. Otherwise you have two camera with roughly the same FL.

If you can afford a 7D instead, get one, otherwise the 50D should be fine. Carol uses one I think.
 
DemiLion said:
Firstly, wrong way around.

Short lens goes on the 1D & long lens on the crop. Otherwise you have two camera with roughly the same FL.

If you can afford a 7D instead, get one, otherwise the 50D should be fine. Carol uses one I think.
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Nah mate, you want the best gear to be the one used mostly so the MK3 with the 300mm = 390mm and the 70-200 on the cropper = 105-300mm

If you own a 300mm theres no way on earth you want to stick it on a 50d if you own a 1D MK3
 
Mark

I'd rather have the 50D as it's £300 cheaper. i.e. not as worried on holiday if something happens & I'd rather have that £300 towards a used 1D4.
 
As I read it I thought the same as Mark then as I thought more (it happens) I would actually go your way. Ultimate range isn't key, but getting good sharp well separated images is and with the bigger sensor on the 1D that helps. The combo gives coverage from 35mm equivalent field of view of 112mm to 390 which is perfectly fine IMHO and popping a 1.4 TC on the 300 will give a bit extra too.

As for settings (I used to shoot sports with a mix of 30D and 1DmkIII before getting the 7D as well so the 30 was dropped) then nothing really different to you mkIII just don't push the ISO so high. I would say it is probably about a stop and a half or so worse. so keep that in mind when this light is going.
 
I've been shooting with a 50D and under fairly poor floodlights. I can get usable shots at 1/250 2.8 3200 as long as the action isn't too fast! I think the noise at 3200 can add some atmosphere to the night shots and I've got the high ISP noise reduction set in camera.

I've followed a lot of advice on here about shooting manual etc. which apply whatever camera and these make a huge difference.

I use a 70-200 2.8 mk II and although I need to crop quite a bit for distance shots, I still end up with very usable images.

I've just bought a 7D but that's mainly because I wanted to have two bodies. It will be interesting to see how it compares to the 50D when I use it for the first time this weekend.

Dave
www.extremeaperture.com
 
Dave I imagine the 7D will be far superior to the 50D in many ways.

Thanks for your input. I should be picking one up this weekend, if the weather holds.

(Chap is bringing one for me to a game, but depends on whether the game is on, or not).

Let us know how you get on with the 7D (pros etc over the 50D).
 
The jump from a 50D to a 1D Mark 3 is a world of difference in many forms. You can still shoot sports with it fine, just bear in mind it is slower(fps, write to card), not quite as intuitive to use, not as robust, more noise at higher iso's.

It was my second body(and only) for ages with a 70-200mm attached, it's fine. It's just not a 1D Mark 3.

Never used a 7D for sports, so can't really comment.
 
Thanks Helen.

As per earlier post I am buying one as a cheaper lighter camera that I can take to parties on holiday etc, but thought it may be useful as a 2nd body.

Still hoping to pick up a 2nd hand 1D4 in the next few months.

If you think down at Well Hall on the 3G pitch. I'm thinking 1D3 & 300 and 50D with the 70-200.

Rugby League starts in a few months and son #1 will be playing again. So should have hopefully better light for the RL.

n.b. I will also try the lenses and bodies the other way around as well.
 
I'm contemplating a 1D mkIII as my second body. Would quite like a 300 but think the funds might not stretch that far

We were next to the 3G pitch the other week playing against Blackheath. If I'd have known you were round that way, I would have given you a shout
 
What team was that Kelly?

I am in 2 minds now about the 50D.

I want as I mentioned earlier a smaller/lighter body to take to parties etc.

But I also want a 1D4. So I was thinking of getting the 50D and then selling the 1D3 towards the 1D4.

Now I'm not sure. Maybe I should forgo the 50D, then get a 1D4 and keep the 1D3 (and just suffer the weight of the 1D's at parties etc).

And of course make sure insurance is spot on whether here or abroad.
 
The 50d is a good camera. However, if you are used to a 1d mkiii you may find it limiting?

I have been using a 50d for horse showjumping and it has served me well and I have got some great results. However, it has its limits, mainly in low light (indoor) situations. When I upgrade, I will keep the 50d as a back-up / carry-around as it is ideal for this.

As Demilion said, it may be more sensible to look at a 7d?
 
Yes it may be David. I'll mull it over.
 
bigrob said:
What team was that Kelly?

I am in 2 minds now about the 50D.

I want as I mentioned earlier a smaller/lighter body to take to parties etc.

But I also want a 1D4. So I was thinking of getting the 50D and then selling the 1D3 towards the 1D4.

Now I'm not sure. Maybe I should forgo the 50D, then get a 1D4 and keep the 1D3 (and just suffer the weight of the 1D's at parties etc).

And of course make sure insurance is spot on whether here or abroad.
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It was Vigo 2s against Blackheath Bandits (their 5th XV I believe). All the teams bar one (Dartford Valley) are in South East London :D.
 
Hi. Just seen this thread, been away for a couple of days. Rob, my 50D is fine, I'd upgrade for something with a faster autofocus and frame rate, but it does just fine for me. I use a 20D as the 'other' camera which also seems fine, if a bit lacking in mp.

I'm not sure a 50D is much lighter, its chunky enough for me with a 24-70 on it for hols! Not exactly pocket sized LOL
 
Ok thanks Carol.
 
DemiLion said:
Firstly, wrong way around.

Short lens goes on the 1D & long lens on the crop. Otherwise you have two camera with roughly the same FL.

If you can afford a 7D instead, get one, otherwise the 50D should be fine. Carol uses one I think.
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I agree with Mark (and thus disagree with gary) long lens on the cropper short lens on the larger sensor.

as to whether you'd put a 300mm on a cropper, my view is the 50D is either good enough or it isnt - if it is then you should use it for the long shots to benefit from the crop - if it isnt then you shouldnt be using it at all and should upgrade to a 7D

my opinion is that the 50D is fine ( I shoot sports from time to time with a 20D )

that said Gary's point about the one thats going to get more use being on the better camera is valid - but IMO the 700 will get more use than the prime as its more versatile ( I might also be inclined to put a 1.4tc on the 300 for even more reach - dependng on where you are positioned and what you are shooting)
 
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Dont forget if you have the 300mm on the 1.6 crop camera you will lose most of that lovely Bokeh (OOF Background) you would get if you put it on the 1.3 crop, id opt for the 300 on the 1.3x crop and add a 1.4x in good light for added reach, a bare 300mm on a 1.3 crop camera is plenty long enough to cover anything up to the halfway line anyway

With a 1.6 crop you have a larger DOF and much less OOF so try to minimise this by using the shorter lens closer to the subject and further from the background
 
I've seen a few 50d's when I've been doing ringside boxing coverage. Not used one myself, but seem decent enough. I shoot full frame, so as others have mentioned, you'll need to factor in the cropped sensors if you go down that route.

Cheers.
 
Thanks Steve.

Gary
I'm definitely more swayed to the 300 on the 1D3 and the 70-200 on the 50D.
 
I'm looking at this thread again and wondering whether to get a MKIII over a 7d.

What do people recommend, bearing in mind my main sports are football and rugby and I'll be using a 70-200 L on it
 
IDMKIII everytime Kelly, everytime, and this coming from someone who had the MKIII AF issues and dumped it for Nikon.
 
Ok, thanks Gary

That's what I wanted to hear really. Just wanted confirmation before I went ahead on a big purchase lol
 
Same for me Kelly.

If behind the try/goal line then you'll need to wait for the action to come to you but the MK III is a beast.
 
Cheers Rob

The 40d is on it's last legs, let me down badly on Tuesday night and I can't risk it's temperamentality. I've had it just over 4 years now and it's worked it's little socks off for me but I think it's struggling, it's very soft and struggles with focussing sometimes and now it's err99 issue, I think it might be time to upgrade.
 
kelack said:
Ok, thanks Gary

That's what I wanted to hear really. Just wanted confirmation before I went ahead on a big purchase lol
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Though that does assume that all your lenses are EF , as no EFS or DC lenses will work properly on the larger sensored 1D series.
 
I don't think they are EFS.

Only got 4.

Sigma 18-50
Sigma 18-200
Canon 50
Canon 70-200 L
 
The two canons will be okay - but both sigmas are DC and won't be too clever on a 1.3 crop sensor

That said you could sell them easily enough and use the money to get one short lens (like a 24-70 EF) as you dont need the superzoom if you also have a 70-200
 
Oh poo lol

I love the versatility of my 18-200 though, bought it off here and it's my perfect holiday lens

The 18-50 is good but I'm not overly attached to it and have been contemplating a 24-70 for a while now
 
get the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8

98% the quality of the Canon or Nikon 24-70mm lenses but 20% of the price
 
Ok, thanks Gary. Think the funds aren't going to reach for a new lens at :-) the moment though. Will the 18-50 definitely not work on the 1d?
 
well it might work but you'll get a pronouced vignette - the DC stands for digital compatible , ie its field of view is optimised for a 1.6 sensor - with a bigger 1.3 sensor you'll loose the edge of the shot

putting a lens like that on a 1D3 is like buying a ferrari then fitting it with a set of cheap retread tyres.

Personally i'd say sell both sigmas and get a tamron 24-70 (you wouldnt need to add that much cash)

You also sometimes get cheap(ish) 28-70s come up on ebay - i just mised one last week which went for about 250 notes

the alternative would be to keep your 40D as a second body and use the sigmas on there and only the canons on the 1d3

(or return to the original plan and get a 7D instead)
 
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Ah I see. Yes, I probably will keep the 40D and keep the Siggys for that then. Will have to get it repaired though.

I do remember now putting one of my sigmas on a 5D once when my one was in getting the shutter replaced and got a porthole effect :lol:

I'm set on a 1D MKIII now though so the 7D is out :D
 
Oooo does it mean i can play with the big kids now ;) :lol:

Not got it yet, seeing if funds allow first :D
 
:lol:
 
It's on it's way :lol:
 
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