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Long Lens Shooters Unite!

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I've been shooting surf for a while now, with the available tools, D70 + 70-200 VR and a Kenko 2X TC.....even though the D70 is too slow focusing with AF-C (specially with the lense combo) i've got some nice results (but always at F7 and ISO 400)

Basicly i never zoom below 400mm, so a 600F4 would be the choice (maybe in the future) since the surf break distance doesn't change to a point you would need to be constantly change your placing.

I've recently met a Pro surf photog that uses a 600F4 and nearby was another using a 300-800....he's also the photo editor on a magazine and later saw some shots of the 300-800 which as he said "didn't impressed him". He adviced me to get a Nikon prime instead of this zoom if i wanted absolute sharpness...he also said that one should never buy any lenses based on internet photo samples, they're easy to manipulate and even if it looks good on a regular print, it might not do so well on magazine printing...

Since i'm getting my 1st shots published next month, i should got for quality instead of versatility.

Just my 2 cents....
Rich_ [U] K said:
speaking from experience shooting events, having a zoom range is
really nice for certain sporting events. Even for surfing, the
300-800 is really nice to have depending on how far out the waves
are breaking. I think the same holds true for motorcycle racing.
But you can't go wrong with a 600/f4 thats for sure!
--
'I'm Just A Messenger'

-ricK

Click to expand...
[/U]
 
Well, I've got a quite a bit more experience on surf shooting than yourself, but glad to see you are getting your first shot published. :-)

I think some of your comments are not entirely accurate. For example, I've shot at many locations where having the zoom versatility AND quality of the 300-800mm is unmatched!. Many beaches here in California have waves that break at different points and I've had to zoom in and out while the surfer is approaching. Not possible with a fixed length lens! I think your comment is a little off. A fixed length lens just won't match that performance. You have been shooting with a 70-200mm and a TC 2x. I can GUARANTEE that your shots WILL NOT be better than shots from a 300-800, 600mm, 500mm, etc. Your editor's comment about not being impressed with the shots he saw with the 300-800 scare me to be honest. I'd bet the photographer was the issue, not the lens! Would I shoot with a 600 prime, absolutely, if I had that kind of money. But most of the surf photographers that shoot with these lenses are are lacking the skills to shoot effectively with this or any other lens for that matter.

One last comment - I AM A PRO SURF PHOTOGRAPHER and get published all the time. Moreover, I get called on by pro-surfers/sponsors/magazines to shoot for them based on the quality of my work. There are many Editors that do not impress me either - but I don't hold it against them. :-)

Just my .02.
--
'I'm Just A Messenger'

-ricK

 
I'm open to critics, specially since i want to improve my shots...no problem there.. :-)

Shooting surf professionaly, you know that everyone uses 600 F4 or 400 F2.8 with TC's and is rare to see someone not using a prime and using the 300-800 instead. Of course the zoom is versatile, but is its image quality up to Nikon and Canon primes? If so, why don't all the pro-shooters use the Sigma zoom that is cheaper and adds an extra 200mm without TC's?

You can call Tim McKenna one of the best surf shooters out there (and uses Nikon gear...) and he doesn't use a zoom. Nor does Tim Jones, etc, etc...i guess they have their reasons.

Btw, i'd like to know what kind of gear you use ( camera body, lense, etc) and if possible your name, since i'm bound to have seen some of your shots if you publish often (no irony here).

I'm considering a D2X and a big lense when possible....if it will be a prime or the Sigma zoom, i'll still have a lot of research to do...specially since i'm not rich and it will take some time to pay for it... ;-)
Rich_ [U] K said:
Well, I've got a quite a bit more experience on surf shooting than
yourself, but glad to see you are getting your first shot
published. :-)

I think some of your comments are not entirely accurate. For
example, I've shot at many locations where having the zoom
versatility AND quality of the 300-800mm is unmatched!. Many
beaches here in California have waves that break at different
points and I've had to zoom in and out while the surfer is
approaching. Not possible with a fixed length lens! I think your
comment is a little off. A fixed length lens just won't match that
performance. You have been shooting with a 70-200mm and a TC 2x. I
can GUARANTEE that your shots WILL NOT be better than shots from a
300-800, 600mm, 500mm, etc. Your editor's comment about not being
impressed with the shots he saw with the 300-800 scare me to be
honest. I'd bet the photographer was the issue, not the lens! Would
I shoot with a 600 prime, absolutely, if I had that kind of money.
But most of the surf photographers that shoot with these lenses are
are lacking the skills to shoot effectively with this or any other
lens for that matter.

One last comment - I AM A PRO SURF PHOTOGRAPHER and get published
all the time. Moreover, I get called on by
pro-surfers/sponsors/magazines to shoot for them based on the
quality of my work. There are many Editors that do not impress me
either - but I don't hold it against them. :-)

Just my .02.
--
'I'm Just A Messenger'

-ricK

Click to expand...
[/U]
 
Can someone post a full-size shot (preferably surf-shot) taken with the 300-800? Straight out of the camera, no pp....
 
you are funny guy...So one person gives you bad advise, and now you are bashing this lens...ROFL...Ok, let's see your poor 70-200mm surf shots already and get this over with!

BTW: Name a pro surfer, and I'll show you what I've shot of them, just to quiet you.

--
'I'm Just A Messenger'

-ricK

 
pick up your surf magazine...Hurry now...Yes, you may have heard of Andy Irons?

p.s. it's with that 300-800 zoom that your surf shooter buddy says isn't any good....LOL!!!!!



--
'I'm Just A Messenger'

-ricK

 
First of all, i wasn't critising you...so there was no need for you to answer like a total a$$....

Second....i never heard of you, of course i know who Any Irons is (you just need to be at a WCT event to shoot him, no big deal there...)...

I was looking for advice, not for arrogant remarks from a self proclaimed pro-shooter that doesn't know how to distinguish a simple question from a provocation...

The person who gave me advice is a REAL professional, with 10 years of experience and a TRUE professional attitude since he was able to give a honest answer based on his experience instead of gloathing and talking out of is a$$...if he's right or not, i don't know, but from the attitude i know he's a professional to the core....

To finish....if you can read english (which i suppose is your native language) you should have understood that i WASN't bashing your pretty lense but wanted advice in order to make a decision between the Sigma and a Nikon prime...

If you want to see some surf shots from me, buy next month's Surf Portugal....you should distinguish them for their lawsy image quality (this is irony in case you're in doubt....)....
Rich_ [U] K said:
you are funny guy...So one person gives you bad advise, and now you
are bashing this lens...ROFL...Ok, let's see your poor 70-200mm
surf shots already and get this over with!

BTW: Name a pro surfer, and I'll show you what I've shot of them,
just to quiet you.

--
'I'm Just A Messenger'

-ricK

Click to expand...
[/U]
 
Here you go mate....some shots taken with my D70 + 70-200 / TC.

Just a word of advice from an "amateur"....i've noticed that you either do heavy crops to your shots or zoom too much on the surfer (like the Andy Irons shot), and there is almost no wave to be seen. The surfer and the wave shouldn't be apart... Just check any surf magazine.... ( i'm teasing, but a true statement nevertheless....)













 
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