Baseball Shots with Nikkor 70-300mm F4-5.6 G

[bobcool]

I enjoy taking pictures of youth sports, and it helps me practice for when my two little ones get old enough to do the same. I know this isn't "fast glass" or expensive glass, but it has a far-reaching zoom and produces decent images, IMO. I think that I'll get my $179 worth over the next few years, but I'd like some opinions from the fine folks here.

http://www.cooleyfamily.smugmug.com/photos/144600882-L.jpg http://www.cooleyfamily.smugmug.com/photos/144601182-L-1.jpg

http://www.cooleyfamily.smugmug.com/photos/144600966-L.jpg

http://www.cooleyfamily.smugmug.com/photos/144601014-L.jpg

http://www.cooleyfamily.smugmug.com/photos/144601283-L.jpg

[NewTekBuzz]

Hey bob

looks like you got some nice shots.
I just shot a class A minor game last friday... first ever dusk sport shoot. even with a 70-200 f/2.8 I found myself shooting at ISO800 and f/2.8

nice work

TIm

[JoeL]

Bob,

Those are some really nice shots!

You will be ok as long as you are shooting in bright light, the only real disadvantage to shooting with a slower lens is not being able to lose/blur the background and get rid of all the distracting elements that clutter the image and distract from the main action.

As long as you use the lens you shot these images with the only thing I can suggest is to watch the background and try to move around as much as possible to keep it clean and uncluttered.

Either way, the images look good and you will be that much farther ahead when/if you decide to go with faster glass in the future.

[bobcool]

Thanks Joel and Tim!

Joel - Yeah, I got permission from the athletic director and the coach to step inside the fence on the third and first base dugouts, but I wasn't allowed to move anywhere else on the field.

The lens is too big to "fit" inside the backstop fence pattern, so I didn't even try to shoot any pics there. Should I have? Can you blur out the fence if you get close and manually focus on the pitcher or infield?

[JoeL]

Yep, most of the time you can blur the fence out if its right against the lens, you may have a slight hint of the fence but its usually so minimal that it can be cropped out.

[RandySmugMug]

these are very well done for any lens !

[bobcool]

Cool - thanks for the tip, Joe! I'll try that next time I get to a game.

Randy - thank you for the compliment - the more I read on this website and how others share their information, the better I seem to get. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences that help all of us take better quality pictures!

[CalexPhoto]

Bob, really nice series, I really like the last shot of the play at the base. Nicely done. Also to answer your question about the Backstop/fence, if you open your aperture up wide, and press up close to the fence, you can get pretty decent pictures. I'm about to post a series on Kid's baseball, so not as much action between the bases, but more at home plate and of the pitcher.
LT

[wxwax]

These are very nice.

Why do they look so cold? :lol3

[Mitchell]

Thanks Joel and Tim!

Joel - Yeah, I got permission from the athletic director and the coach to step inside the fence on the third and first base dugouts, but I wasn't allowed to move anywhere else on the field.

The lens is too big to "fit" inside the backstop fence pattern, so I didn't even try to shoot any pics there. Should I have? Can you blur out the fence if you get close and manually focus on the pitcher or infield?

Nice pics with that lens.

You really don't have to worry about the fence. I shot this one through the fence yesterday with a 300mm, f2.8 lens on a D2X. I was standing about 3 feet behind the fence and just shot through. Just make sure your lens is perpendicular to the fence to minimize the fence's effect.

http://www.clearwaterphotography.smugmug.com/photos/144764119-L.jpg