Horse jumping shootout "Advice Required"

[azizjhn]

Hi Gents

I am assigned to shoot horse jumping event in Jan 2016. I own a 6D & i don’t have a zoom lens (sold long time ago for cash) and I’m confused what to get regarding the camera & the lens

For the Camera should i sell me 6D & get the 5D MK iii (cons: Waiting for replacement) or get a 7D MK ii as a second camera or keep 6D (cons: i don’t trust the autofocus for something like this)

For the lens i am looking for one of these 2 options:

1- EF 70-300 L (Pros: Compact spending for it, Cons: 5.6 maximum aperture not sure if it is good for this event or do i need larger “advice required”)
2- EF 70-200 2.8 ii L (sure it is the best, cons: Large, Expensive)
3- Tamron 70-200 2.8 VC (Pros: cheaper than the Canon, advice required regarding it is autofocus)

Your advice please :-[

 

[bakalo]

7D mkii, Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS, and the AF will be just fine

 

[risc32]

When you say you were assigned, what do you mean? Is this a paying job? Do you hope to be paid? Is it your 9-5 or side job? Since you say you sold your zoom for cash I'm going to say you aren't here asking for a way to justify dropping some coin on new gear. I've never shot what you are proposing but I doubt it's more than a 7dmk2/ 70-200f4 could handle( like the guy above me typed). I would probably stick with the 6d cause frankly I feel that we could still get it done. Less fps, but I wouldn't sweat it. ( I don't have a 6d, but my 5d can't be better. Unless it's dark and you want to actually see your af points, then it's better than the 5dmk3)

 

[azizjhn]

When you say you were assigned, what do you mean? Is this a paying job? Do you hope to be paid? Is it your 9-5 or side job? Since you say you sold your zoom for cash I'm going to say you aren't here asking for a way to justify dropping some coin on new gear. I've never shot what you are proposing but I doubt it's more than a 7dmk2/ 70-200f4 could handle( like the guy above me typed). I would probably stick with the 6d cause frankly I feel that we could still get it done. Less fps, but I wouldn't sweat it. ( I don't have a 6d, but my 5d can't be better. Unless it's dark and you want to actually see your af points, then it's better than the 5dmk3)

It is a side job not my main job. I sold my lens more than 1 and half year ago cause i needed some cash at that time & i was planning to get the 70-300 by the end of the year on christmas sale.

i hope that clear everything

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

If its indoor or outdoor under lights, you will want a f/2.8 lens. In bright daylight, pretty much any decent zoom lens will work.

You do not need a different camera, you will learn to time your shots just fine with the 6D using single shot.

Decide or make a list of lenses you would buy, and set your price. Between now and the end of the year, there will be many flash sales, be ready to pull the trigger on a lens that pops up at your price.

Canon has sent out additional 15% off coupons to all who signed up with the Canon store. That's why they are out of most products today. Expect them to restock the store soon. Signup with Canon Price Watch to get a notice of a store restock for the lenses you would consider. 15% off the refurb price of the 70-200mm f/2.8 II was a excellent price.

 

[Hillsilly]

I recently shot some horse jumping with a Fuji X-T1 and their cheap 50-230. It was outdoors and well lit, but even the Fuji had no problems tracking focus. If a Fuji can do it, any of your cameras can do it. Horse jumping is fairly predictable movement and shouldn't be too taxing on any camera.

BTW, if they are paying you, they will want pictures of the horses ascending upwards over the jumps. (ie not on a downward trajectory).

 

[FEBS]

I regular do take photos of horse jumping. If inside 70-200 2.8 without discussion. And FF. You really need to look inside for a place where you can take pictures of a few jumps for the same rider. forget about doing them all as you will have a lot of distracting backgrounds, to far away,...
Outside you could use 70-200 on a APS-C, or a 100-400 on a FF if you can position yourself no to close to the track. The 70-300L could also being used over here.

 

[Vivid Color]

I used my 6D plus 70-300 mm L lens to shoot outdoor horse jumping the summer and the combination worked really well.

 

[NancyP]

Rent the f/2.8 zoom lens (indoors) or f/4 zoom lens (outdoors, sunny) for a day and practice shooting at a local training stables with a friendly owner.

You want 1/1000 second or faster for freeze-motion, adjust ISO accordingly. In the film days (amateur), I picked a fence in good front light at the time of the event, with neutral background (no telephone poles in line with the fence area) . Tri-X, up to 2 stops push. Pre-set focus on the mid-point of the fence, adjust diaphragm so that the middle 50% or so of the fence is "acceptable". It has been some 40 years since I have shot horse jumping, so I don't remember specific focal length / diaphragm combinations. Riders generally aim for the middle of the fence at right angles (equitation and hunter events emphasizing proper form), but sometimes take the fence at a slight angle or are slightly off center (for timed events where riders are trying to shave milliseconds). The ideal for most types of fences is to time the shot so that the horse's hind hooves have just left the ground (few inches off ground) so the pasterns have flexed back. For particularly wide fences (oxers or wide hedges), the horse looks best at the high point of its jump, with hind legs stretched out and high off ground, front and hind hooves at approximately the same height. Drop fences - horse should be caught coming down, front hooves should be distinctly lower than hind hooves. Water obstacle with water on far side of jump - dramatic if you catch the front hooves entering the water or making contact with the bottom - to get the splash. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse_jumping_obstacles for examples of different types of jumps.

 

[This is the Edge]

My wife photographs horse events for a hobby. She had used a 7D until our daughter dropped it (not worth spending $300+ for $500 camera). That worked great but she really wanted a 1DX so that is what she is using now. She is still trying to determine which AF mode works best (preset 5 is what she is using now). She shot AV at 2.8 on the 7D but now she is moving to TV mode shooting 1/1000+ on the 1DX when possible. She uses a 70-200 F2.8 IS II for almost everything. I'm probably going to get her a 1.4 extender at some point.

The difference between the 7D and the 1DX are not great but there are some difference. 1.) Very little needs to be done in Lightroom with 1DX. 7D required a little work. 1DX looks good right out of the camera 2.) No comparison at high ISO levels - 1DX smokes the 7D 3.) Depth of Field at 2.8 is more impressive on the 1DX. I assume the same would be true for any of the FF cameras. She wanted the 1DX (we got it used) for build quality, weather sealing (our daughter rides in rain), and speed. I told her it will need to last her 20 years

If we didn't find a great deal on a used 1DX (with low shutter count), the 7D II would have been the next best choice. She hasn't tested it, but the reviews state it is fast, has much better ISO quality than the 7D and with a little work, the pictures can look really good in post. I would recommend a 7D Mark II and either the 100-400, 70-300 or 70-200 depending on budget. Once you master the AF, I think you will be very happy. Rent them first if you can.
HTH

 

[Hjalmarg1]

Hi Gents

I am assigned to shoot horse jumping event in Jan 2016. I own a 6D & i don’t have a zoom lens (sold long time ago for cash) and I’m confused what to get regarding the camera & the lens

For the Camera should i sell me 6D & get the 5D MK iii (cons: Waiting for replacement) or get a 7D MK ii as a second camera or keep 6D (cons: i don’t trust the autofocus for something like this)

For the lens i am looking for one of these 2 options:

1- EF 70-300 L (Pros: Compact spending for it, Cons: 5.6 maximum aperture not sure if it is good for this event or do i need larger “advice required”)
2- EF 70-200 2.8 ii L (sure it is the best, cons: Large, Expensive)
3- Tamron 70-200 2.8 VC (Pros: cheaper than the Canon, advice required regarding it is autofocus)

Your advice please :-[

I'd sell the 6D and get the 5D3 or the 7D2, it depends on how close you'll to the action and the 70-200/2.8L II.