# 1DX & 500mm f/4L IS II Varsity Football



## Richard Lane (Sep 2, 2012)

Here's a few shots from yesterdays Varsity Scrimmage shot with the 1DX and 500mm f/4L IS II:


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## Richard Lane (Sep 2, 2012)

Here's a Burst!


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## Richard Lane (Sep 2, 2012)

I Reposted the Images for proper configuration!


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## bdunbar79 (Sep 2, 2012)

Excellent work!


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## Richard Lane (Sep 2, 2012)

Thanks, it's greatly appretiated!  

It was my first game with the 1DX and first time shooting the 500mm too!

The 1DX IS TOTALLY AWESOME!!

Here's a couple more!


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## keithfullermusic (Sep 2, 2012)

those shots look awesome!

out of curiosity, do you sell these images to anyone? if so, who, how much, how often, etc.

I'm just trying to get an idea of whether or not buying gear like this will ever pay off financially (i know it will pay off in terms of being awesome).


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## Richard Lane (Sep 2, 2012)

Thanks Keith, your comments are greatly appreciated! 

Sure, I sell my photos constantly 24 hrs a day, it's just that no one ever buys them! ???

You see.., a while ago I learned the difference between selling and buying! 

Unless you do this for a living full time, you won't make your money back. I'm a serious hobbyist and I do sell some photos, but truth be told I don't promote myself and I don't advertise. The money is minimal in sports, the big money is in weddings and advertising. I do it for the love of the game!

If you like playing with high-tech gear then it's certainly worth it!

I will add, that if you would like to take shots like this, then the 7D with a 300mm f/2.8L IS version I is completely capable. I used that setup in addition to the MKIV before I upgraded to the 1DX.

Rich


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## TexPhoto (Sep 2, 2012)

Yup, making a living as a photographer is 80-90% selling, and much less time taking the photos. The big money? is made by the franchise, not the photographer. The Getty sports photographer at the Super Bowl may have a photo sell for $$$$, but it's not his photo, it's Getty's. His salary, and residuals are probably good, but he did not get to go to the Superbowl his first year, maybe his 20th. And his plumber still makes more money than him.

There are exceptions, but photography is a bad way to make a good living. Just like with acting, 99% never quite the day job.

Awesome Photos btw. I'll bet the photographer may have had something to do with that, not just the gear .

I am in the same boat. I am told all the time: Dude why don't you go pro? Dude, because i enjoy eating and living under a roof and seeing my kids in shirts and stuff....


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## neuroanatomist (Sep 3, 2012)

Great shots, Rich! I especially like the very first one and the B/W conversion...


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## keithfullermusic (Sep 3, 2012)

Thanks for the replies everyone. I do weddings on the side, and it is beginning to pay for all the gear I've purchased so far, and hopefully I'll get out of the red and into the black pretty soon.

I figured sports were a low return sector, but they sure do look like fun to photograph.


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## Richard Lane (Sep 3, 2012)

Thanks for the nice comments Tex and John (Neuro)! 

I rented the 500mm II for 10 days (this way I get 2 weekends with it), as I figured I could get in at least 2 Football games, and maybe some Soccer too, plus I have a Surfing tournament this week, but the waves are flat right now, they better pick up soon before this bad-boy has to go back.  I'll be deciding between this lens and the 400mm f/2.8II. 

I was very impressed with the 500mm II. It feels relatively light for a super-telephoto and it's really well balanced too. I shot with it on a Gizto 5 series monopod, which essentially rendered it weightless. The AF is fast and the lens appears sharp. I shot this game from 11am to 2pm and there was no sun flare and the contrast was very nice too for a mid afternoon game. There is quite a bit more vignetting in the corners on the FF body, than I had anticipated, but I think it looks pretty good for sports shots and in some instances I just corrected for it in post. I think I'll try the peripheral illumination setting. I never had a need for it before. I hadn't noticed any CA either.

I also tried out the new IS Mode 3 and it works as advertised. It didn't fight my movements like Mode 2 does, and I was basically unaware that it was in use. Mode 3 is only activated with the shutter-press and is inactive and in standby while shooting.

Tomorrow I'm going to try and shoot some BIF handheld with this combo. I already purchased the 1.4X III figuring I would need that no matter which super-telephoto II lens I get, since I only had the version II extender.


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## KeithMeteer (Sep 3, 2012)

Richard,
Really great shots. Look to Camera Canada for the best price for either the 400,500 0r 600 Mk 11 best prices. USA and Canada warranty and thousands cheaper than B&H, Adorama and Amazon. If you are out of country no tax from Canada. Just ordered the 400 mk 11 @ $10,299.00. The 500 mk 11 is $8899.0 and the 600 mk 11 is $11,389.00 
Keith


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## dave (Sep 3, 2012)

These are great. Really like the two final ones. They capture the kind of things that catch your eye during a break in play.


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## instaimage (Sep 3, 2012)

Just thought I'd add a few...

1DX, 400mm 2.8 2... the one of the QB is 8000 iso... just whatever in camera NR... nothing post, jpegs out of the camera.

I bought the camera specifically because I shoot in the dark most of the time....

Sorry for the watermarks... have to do it on my site as most of these images end up as Facebook profile photos... and then in their printers....


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## Richard Lane (Sep 3, 2012)

dave said:


> These are great. Really like the two final ones. They capture the kind of things that catch your eye during a break in play.



Thanks Dave! I don't know if you can appreciate it in this small version but on my monitor, in the last image you can see the green football field and white lines in the coaches sunglasses. I thought that was kind of cool and totally by accident!


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## Richard Lane (Sep 3, 2012)

KeithMeteer said:


> Richard,
> Really great shots. Look to Camera Canada for the best price for either the 400,500 0r 600 Mk 11 best prices. USA and Canada warranty and thousands cheaper than B&H, Adorama and Amazon. If you are out of country no tax from Canada. Just ordered the 400 mk 11 @ $10,299.00. The 500 mk 11 is $8899.0 and the 600 mk 11 is $11,389.00
> Keith


Thanks for the nice feedback Keith, and I'll keep that in mind about the lenses.


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## Richard Lane (Sep 3, 2012)

Instaimage,

Nice Action shots! Your game looked like a very physical one! 

I think you'll do really well this year at night with the 1DX.


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## bdunbar79 (Sep 3, 2012)

Richard,

I have a football game Saturday the 8th, at night of course (damn it!) but I will take my 400 f/2.8 and see if that works much better, with less cropping. The thing I noticed about the 1DX is that I didn't need to give much AF time. I could just point the lens and shoot the shot, without a half-press sometimes and bang, it nailed the focus anyways. I suppose that would have more to do with the lens though too. My 1D4 was not doing that however, even with the same lens, and I cannot recall any DSLR that I've used that could do that. Cool camera!


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## dave (Sep 4, 2012)

Richard Lane said:


> dave said:
> 
> 
> > These are great. Really like the two final ones. They capture the kind of things that catch your eye during a break in play.
> ...




I totally agree. There some seems to be so many points of interest in what is actually a fairly uncluttered shot - you can see the field, the players are there, the assistant is in the background and the coach has got it all covered. The fact that he looks like he is saying something or just about to say something adds to it. It does what a good photo does and helps you to feel like you were there.


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## pwp (Sep 4, 2012)

Richard Lane said:


> Here's a few shots from yesterdays Varsity Scrimmage shot with the 1DX and 500mm f/4L IS II:



How is the AF compared to an f/2.8 lens such as the 400 f/2.8?

-PW


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## Richard Lane (Sep 4, 2012)

bdunbar79 said:


> Richard,
> 
> I have a football game Saturday the 8th, at night of course (damn it!) but I will take my 400 f/2.8 and see if that works much better, with less cropping. The thing I noticed about the 1DX is that I didn't need to give much AF time. I could just point the lens and shoot the shot, without a half-press sometimes and bang, it nailed the focus anyways. I suppose that would have more to do with the lens though too. My 1D4 was not doing that however, even with the same lens, and I cannot recall any DSLR that I've used that could do that. Cool camera!



Yes, it's very impressive, not only is the AF very fast but it's very accurate too! The 400mm is a good call for that game. You'll just need to be prepared to back up more and stay ahead of of the drives. You could still shoot a little loose, but now when you crop it will just be for perfect composition instead of mainly removing dead space.


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## Richard Lane (Sep 4, 2012)

pwp said:


> Richard Lane said:
> 
> 
> > Here's a few shots from yesterdays Varsity Scrimmage shot with the 1DX and 500mm f/4L IS II:
> ...



I don't own the 400mm f/2.8 but I have demoed it, however I do have a 300mm f/2.8L IS version one. The AF on the 500mm f/4II feels equally as fast as the 300mm f/2.8 during the day. I haven't tried the 500mm f/4II at night yet. The AF of the 500mm f/4II is extremely fast and feels instantaneous, whether in AI Servo or One shot. When I press the shutter button in One Shot the AF confirmation beep occurs simultaneously with the shutter press. There is no lag whatsoever, as a matter of fact it does feel "a little" faster than the 300mm f/2.8 and I can't believe I just wrote that (all bets are off for night games). When I press the shutter button in One Shot with the 300mm f/2.8I, the sensation is shutter-press then an instant beep, with the 500mmII it feels as though the shutter-press is actually causing the beep without any lag.

Now, with the 500mm II in AI Servo when tracking the player, if you loose the player for a second and then have to reacquire him, there is a longer delay with the 500mm f/4L as the glass moves forward and backward to reacquire focus (I have focus search off which is recommended for super-telephotos in order to prevent extreme de-focusing, for extreme de-focusing I reacquire with the Manual Focus ring). I don't view this as a concern with it's AF ability, as I feel it has more to do with the longer focal range, just taking a little longer to re-lock onto the target. In other words the de-focused 300mm f/2.8I will move back and forth faster so it re-acquires faster and of course it's also easier to track your subject with a wider FOV angle.

Rich


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