So when we’re talking real sports photography, we’re talking DSLRs.
If you’re just dabbling in sports photography, most starter DSLRs and low-cost zoom lenses will work. But if you’re ready to get serious, there are lenses specifically made to get publishable stop-action shots. Let’s look at both types. (NOTE: Lens availability is current as of mid-June, 2010)
Getting started
Pretty darn good: I shot this using an enthusiast rig: Canon DSLR, Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 lens. Photo by Mason Resnick
A low-cost sports photography rig should give you a combined range of around 18-200mm (35mm equivalent: approx. 28-300mm). This can include one, two or three zoom lenses. A kit lens and a lower-end tele zoom will do you fine and should cost in the $300 range. An all-in-one superzoom will cost a bit more.
 The advantage of kit lenses is that most now have built-in image stabilization, and are lightweight. The disadvantage is that they are slow—the widest apertrures are around f/3.5-4.5, and they get smaller as you zoom to longer focal lengths. To compensate, you need to choose higher ISO settings so you can still use action-stopping shutter speeds. It will not produce ultimate image quality.
“Kit” lenses:
Canon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM
Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G with Vibration Reduction
Pentax 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6
Olympus 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6
Sigma 18-50mm f/3.5-5.6 DC
 Consumer tele zooms generally cost less than $250: Off-brand lenses are about the same quality as the manufacturer’s lenses, so you can save by buying a Sigma or Tamron. (Besides, Canon doesn’t make a zoom lens in this price range.)
Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6
Olympus Zuiko 40-150mm f/4-5.6
Pentax 50-200mm f/4-5.6 ED Weather Resistant
Tamron 55-200mm f/4-5.6 DI-II LD
Sigma 55-200mm f/4-5.6 DC
(What about MILCs? Mirrorless Interchangeable-Lens Compact cameras are a growing category but the number of lenses suitable for sports photography is currently limited. Only a handful of these cameras have no shutter lag and focus fast enough to capture the action, and any focusing problems are magnified by longer lenses. However, the combination of any third-generation Olympus Digital Pen (E-P3, E-PL3 or E-PM1) and a lens like the Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm (35mm equivalent: 80-300mm) f4.0-5.6 Zoom works well.)
Want to increase your lens’s range even further? Consider adding a 1.4x or 2x tele extender. But remember that in addition to magnifying your subject, it will magnify your lens’s optical faults. So you may want to use an extender with a higher-quality lens…
Getting serious
Even better: This was shot using pro gear, including a longer, faster telephoto lens. It’s sharper, and has better contrast. Photo © iStockphoto.com/Brandon Laufenberg
When the grain produced by choosing a high ISO starts to bother you, and you want sharp, high-contrast images like the pros get, and you are ready to earn a few bucks in this competitive field, it’s time to upgrade.
First, you need a DSLR with a fast burst rate and the processing power to let you keep shooting while images just captured are transferred to the memory card. (When you’re shooting 100 RAW frames at 10 fps, this becomes a real issue.) Cameras like the Nikon D300s and Canon EOS-1D Mark III are sports shooter favorites. (There are other factors in considering a pro-level DSLR, including autofocus speed and accuracy, which are beyond the scope of this article.)
 Now you need to haul glass: Fast fixed-focal length or (if you can afford 'em) high-end zoom lenses are necessary for the sharp, contrast pictures you desire. Look for zooms with a maximum aperture of f/2.8; this maximum aperture should remain constant throughout the zoom range. The engineering and extra glass elements that go into making this possible are what boost the prices of such lenses. Be prepared to spend over a grand in some cases.
You can save a bundle by buying the slightly older, non-stabilized versions of these lenses. You won’t really need stabilization in most cases anyway; here’s why:
Because these lenses are too heavy to handhold, you will also need to invest in a monopod. A tripod is too bulky to have with you in the field, and a monopod with a good ballhead will give you the right combination of stability and portability that you need.
I recommend the Benro MA-91EX, Bogen-Manfrotto Professional, or the Sunpak VersiPod II monopods. (Depending on the model, you may also need to buy a ballhead so you move your camera more easily. If the features do not list a ballhead, you’ll need to buy one.)
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS USM
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM
Canon EF 400mm f/2.8 L IS USM
Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G AF-S VR
Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8 ED AF
Nikon 300mm f/2.8 G ED-IF VR
Olympus 35-100mm f/2 EZ
Olympus Zuiko 300mm f/2.8 E-ED
Sigma 100-300mm f/4 EX DG IF HSM
Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8
Also see: Adorama TV: Shooting Pro Football with Gene Lowler
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