Whether you’re making the switch or just starting out with the Sony Alpha mirrorless system, sports photographers will want to watch this video that examines which lenses are worth your while to kit up with.
Sony Artisan and long-time professional sports photographer Patrick Murphy-Racey recently sat down with a small fortune of lenses to talk shop on the gear he’s come to rely on in the Alpha mirrorless system. While it’s a longer video than what’s typically featured here on Fstoppers, it’s thorough with its insight and answers many questions that sports photographers may be asking in regards to which lens pairs well with what sports and how to decide between all the different options available. I’ll say that Murphy-Racey’s enthusiasm for reporting what he knows and what he’s experienced while working the sidelines makes the 47 minutes move by quickly.
In addition to overviewing several of his favorite lenses, Murphy-Racey also compares a few different sets of seemingly similar lenses in the Sony lineup. All in all, if you’ve been curious on trying Sony cameras for sports or are just trying to decide which lens to get next, this is going to be the right video for you.
Good run through, and no doubt that the Sony lenses are top notch.
Pretty useful if you're a well paid sports photographer (ha!) or your agency is supplying gear for you - however for the bigger portion of sports shooters the lack of a 2nd hand market or 3rd party alternatives mean that it will be years before i move back to Sony for my field sport work where a 400mm prime is the minimum focal length required
Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM Lens = $12.000
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 400mm f/2.8E FL ED VR = $11.200
Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens = $12.000
Someone wrote: "Pretty useful if you're a well paid sports photographer (ha!) or your agency is supplying gear for you..."
I don't understand what you mean by this? What are you trying to say?
@Blake Perry - I get what you're saying, but I do know people who have won multiple awards for sports photography with nothing but a Nikon 80-200 f/2.8. Not that that's cheap if you're buying your own gear, but there are lots of shots to be had at less than 400mm. You just have to move more and know where the play will be.
I used to work with a guy at a newspaper who could go to a game and take like 10 shots and one of them would always be the one needed as the main shot in the story. Sometimes he was only at the game for 10 minutes. This was mostly high school, college or semi-pro (plus some NASCAR and sports car racing), but the principles apply. Be willing to run, or be there before it happens.