Indoor action lens follow up

[jnanpentaxfan]

Thanks again to all of you who have given me great input on the best lens options & settings for indoor baskeball shots. I've narrowed down my selection to either the Pentax DA* 77mm f/1.8 ltd or the SIGMA 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM. From the reviews that I've read, I may get faster focusing response on the Sigma. Any last suggestions or opinions are again welcome. I'm sorry to keep beating what must seem like a dead horse to most of you, but this has been a most difficult decision for me and I keep second guessing myself every time I think I'm ready to buy. You see, I'm a real tightwad, married to a an even TIGHTER tightwad and I don't want to end up buying glass that doesn't really fit the bill.

Thanks for your patience,
Jerry

[JohnG]

A 50mm lens will be of very limited use - about 15'. The only place I would use such a short lens is if positioned directly under the backboard. Otherwise the 15' range would be way too limiting - especially for the price of the lens. Granted the 77 only gets you another 5 feet or so, but every little bit helps.

[snootchies]

Hi Jerry.

I appreciate that I'm stumblinng into this conversation late on, but I'm very suprised that you have shortlisted a 77mm and 50mm prime lens.

You seem to have prioritised very very fast lenses at the expense of focal range - ideally you need something in between.

Surely a better candidate for this type of event would be the DA*50-135.

Bob.

[robar]

why would you spend an extra $200 to get the sigma?? the pentax FA50/1.4 is as good as any lens out there.. jerry's right tho..
i think you would do better off looking for a fast 70-300mm or even a 70-200mm.
just my 2¢ ..
cent = number lock- 0162+ the alt key

[jnanpentaxfan]

Bob,

We talked about this in length on another thread, so it's no surprise that you would think that I'm really narrowing my options. The reality is that in most of the high school basketball gyms where I've attempted to shoot, the light levels combined with the pentax ISO & AF limitations of my K10D make it necessary to have something with more that f/2.8. Now there is hope that the K7 will offer significantly more lens options in low light, action situations, in which case the DA* 50-135 would be ideal. Of course, I'm always willing to listent to more opinions, but you might look at the other threads. Here are the other threads where we talked about this in length on the lens forum:

http://forums.steves-digicams.com/pentax-lenses/156622-bball-pics-lens-decision.html

http://forums.steves-digicams.com/pentax-lenses/155691-lense-recommendation-indoor-action-shots.html

[snootchies]

Hi Jerry, i've read both threads and appreciate your position.

Just wondered if you'd seen this:

Indoors with the DA*50-135

[Mark1616]

Originally Posted by snootchies

Hi Jerry, i've read both threads and appreciate your position.

Just wondered if you'd seen this:

Indoors with the DA*50-135

The key part of how well the lens did in these shots is where Paul says "a beautifully-lit civic arena", unfortunately most of the time we are not able to work in such conditions. I've often been in conditions where ISO 3200 and f2.8 will only give 1/200s which is not fast enough, this is where we need to pull out faster glass (or if you are fortunate enough increase the ISO further).

Sports shooting indoors is right up there with night shooting under the lights for needing specialist kit which nearly always is a compromise.

[snootchies]

Fair enough; point well made Mark. I'll shut up now

[Mark1616]

Originally Posted by snootchies

Fair enough; point well made Mark. I'll shut up now

LOL, that wasn't the plan, I just always like to cover all bases in case we get someone new reading this in the future so they don't get a wrong idea possibly costing them money.

[jnanpentaxfan]

Bob,

Since the K7 is on my short list of next camera purchases (just waiting on a real hands on review of the actual production version), the Da* 50-135 is certainly on my short list as well. the tournament where my son played last weekend had one court that was extremely well lit and I'm sure that f2.8 would have been sufficient. Most of the courts, however, were old, yellowish, and dim and I would have just been waisting my time. I did try my knock around lens, a sigma 28-90 f3.5-5.6 in shutter priority, 1/500 (if i remember correctly) ISO 1600, f13, 78mm, manual WB, in the bright gym and this was the best I could get (see attached). Very soft, but I'm sure the the DA* would have performed admirably in that lighting condition. Unfortunately, I ususally don't have the luxury of shooting with lighting that nice.

Also, PLEASE don't every "shut up". I welcome all input I can get, because I'm a complete NEWBIE at this stuff.