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Sports photography - part 6 of 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

by Mike McNamee Published 01/08/2011

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We have tabled a number of contenders for camera bodies along with the most relevant features. At the top end the Canon EOS 1D Mk IV is favoured along with the Nikon D3S.

At a lower level the Nikon D700 has better features than the EOS 5D even though the Canon has almost twice as many pixels - it is a little sluggish on framing rate and does not speed up with the addition of a battery base/grip.

In spite of all we have said, if your requirements are highly specific to newspaper pages only there is an argument that a smallchip solution is enough, as fewer pixels are needed for the average image.

The same thing applies to the argument over the use of RAW files or JPEGs, news print cannot tell the difference!


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Camera Support

Many sports photographers are able to hand-hold cameras and long lenses at speeds that ordinary mortals can only dream of. However, the norm is to support a camera in some way or other for those sports where the action extends over a period of time. Hand-holding might be fine for the single burst of activity as a race passes by, but holding a 400mm f2.8 lens for the duration of a soccer match is another matter.

For most sports photographers the best compromise is a monopod and a low stool (often the aluminium lens case!) which gives both comfort and stability. If more mobility is required then you can stand or kneel on arrival at your new position, but as grass is often involved, wet knees are an occupational hazard. The height you choose to shoot from also depends upon the sport.

If you take cycling hill climbs as an example, the riders will be crouched over the handlebars and you will not see their faces unless you are almost at road level (we got lucky at the national hill climb championship some years ago when a ditch at the side of the road allowed an ant's eye view with the bean bag on the road surface).


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1st Published 01/08/2011
last update 18/07/2022 16:35:44

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Updated 18/07/2022 16:35:44 Last Modified: Tuesday, 08 November 2022