Action Shots

[BarrelHorses]

Does anyone by any chance have a suggestion of a camera that'd best suit sports/quick activities?(Ex. of what I'd like to shoot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzJPpCOy_zI)

Thanks

[Polar01]

Good low light ability, good low light focusing, and good low light noise reduction, try the Nikon D5 or D500. Hope you have saved your pennies.

Cheers: Allan

[Mike Buckley]

You'll get more effective suggestions if you provide your budget.

[Stagecoach]

As Mike has said, your budget is important and then such things as the image quality (for viewing/printing size) you want to achieve, the rough distance from your subjects you will be that determines the lens focal length and perhaps you photography (camera) experience to date.

With more information from you the suggestions will flow in

Grahame

[Black Pearl]

I want to be a chef - what pan should I buy?
I want to be a painter - what brush should I buy?
I want to be a photographer - what camera should I buy?

Tools are necessary for most jobs but they won't necessarily give you the end result you want without first knowing how to use them.

[inkista]

If you're planning on shooting inside/stadium stuff without a flash, and you're going to buy new, I think you probably need a budget of around US$1500-$3500 for those types of shots (assuming you're in the US--it's why we like folks to fill in location information with at least your country, as gear prices vary widely worldwide). I've shot those with a $1000 Canon L lens (EF 135 f/2L USM) and an $600 (dRebel) body, and I'd have much preferred to do it with a $2000 lens (EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS USM II) an $1200-$1600 (80D or 7DMkII) body instead.

Shooting outdoors in the daytime, it's a lot easier, as you might be able to get away with a consumer $300-$600 zoom. It's the lower light of an indoors stadium that's gonna get you.

Unfortunately, indoors sports tends to be one of those subjects that's generally demanding and expensive, gear-wise. You kinda gotta want it bad or have a lot of disposable income. And that's just gearing up. Developing the skillz to anticipate where to point the camera and when to press the shutter and how to get stuff in focus fast enough is something else. Just understand, this is a more ambitious photography subject than the average.

[Shadowman]

I would start by determining the type of equipment you can bring into a venue first, don't let that deter you from getting your dream equipment; just realize you just might not get to use it at every turn.

[William W]

Shooting INDOOR Horse Barrel Racing and similar activities, ideally you will need:

> a camera that can get to at least ISO 6400 with good quality
> a lens of suitable Focal Length to frame the shot and that can get to at least F/2.8
> a camera position which requires no more than a 25% crop

You need these specs so you can at least pull a shutter speed of 1/200s (faster is better) and because many Indoor Horse Arenas are, generally, lit far worse than most High School Gymnasiums.

What also would be nice to have:

> a Zoom Lens
> a Frame Rate (continuous shooting) of 5fps or more
> a camera with really good AI Auto Focus (tracking)

The already mentioned Canon 7D MkII is an example of a good value for money choice for a camera, as would any "fast" (F/2.8 or faster) Canon Prime or Zoom Lens be a good lens(es).

However, even with the correct gear, take note of the advice about getting your skills up - because it is not as easy as it appears to get good shots, but with practice - you will.

On the other hand it is never to soon to start practicing and for example, you can get 'reasonable' shots with experience, even if you do NOT have the ideally appropriate gear . . . as an example below made with an EOS 5D and a 24 to 105 F/4 Lens, because that's all I had with me at the time:


EOS 5D; 24 to 105F/4L; F/4 @ 1/200s @ ISO3200 (pulled about two stops under-exposed and 'very roughly corrected' in Post Production)

WW

Image © AJ Group Pty Ltd Aust 1996~2016 WMW 1965~1996

[rpcrowe]

Action shooting, especially in lower light levels is an expensive proposition equipment wise...

I would consider a Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 (series) lens paired with a Canon 7D Mark II camera.

You could get this combination in the USA for about $2,000 USD, IF you opted for a used 70-200mm f/2.8L (non-IS) lens and IF you purchased the camera from Canon as a refurbished item.

The 7D Mark II has fairly decent high ISO performance teamed up with a excellent auto-focus system.

Here is a shot at ISO 3,200 with noise reduction by NIK Dfine...



If cost is no object, and if I was shooting this professionally, I would opt for a Canon 1DX or 1DXII teamed with a Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens. but that would set you back about six and a half grand...

However, if I were trying to assemble a relatively low priced (as these kits go) kit for daylight sports of this type, I would consider a used Canon 7D and a used 70-200mm f/4L IS lens and/or a 300mm f/4L IS lens. This would cost around $1,200 USD...

These are results from the 7D plus 300mm f/4L IS lens using ISO 200...