Planning is more important than equipment at an event such as this. How official is your status? If you are "The" photographer then insist upon an aisle seat in the first few rows, and permission to roam. When you're out front keep a low profile: crouch, kneel, crawl, do whatever you have to do to get close without getting thrown out. Dress in dull tones so you don't stand out.
The 50/1.4 will be a boon, no doubt. A 1.4X converter would be nice, and still keeps you at a largish aperture. As for the long lens, keep in mind that the 100~300 will be faster at 200mm than the 70~200. Take a white card and do a custom white balance, don't rely on auto white balance, it will bounce around in these conditions. Shoot at the still moments or at the "peak of action", which is when movement changes directions and is momentarily stopped. Have fun. Regards, Anthony > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Ed > Keeney > Sent: Wednesday, 11 February 2009 1:24 PM > To: Pentax-Discuss Mail List > Subject: Assignment Help - HS Wrestling > > A lurker coming out... > > Let me preface with I'm an advanced amateur, but an amateur non-the-less. > > I've been asked to take photo's this Friday for a high school > wrestling match. The coach is my brother-in-law. He's having Senior > Night as well as Alumni Night (asking for pictures of both) as well as > some shots of the match's themselves. I'll be on the mat during the > matches. > > I've been kicking around what I need for this. > > My current equipment... > > Pentax K100D > Pentax SMC-DA 18-55 3.5-4.6 > Pentax SMC-FA 28-80 3.5-4.6 > Pentax SMC-FA 70-200 4-5.6 > Pentax SMC-FA 100-300 4.5-5.6 > Vivitar 285HV Zoom Thyristor with vari-power > > I'm expecting that the lighting in the gym will be poor, especially > during the matches. I've asked about using the flash and he's > checking to see if it will be allowed or not (sometimes it is, > sometimes it isn't). > > Since the most I'll be is about 30-40 feet from the action, the long > zoom is out. > > I think the FA28-80 lens is pretty much the same as the DA18-55 (the > 28-80 was a kit lens for my old PZ-20). I could use this with the > flash to get close and well lit shots (if I can remember how to use it > - flash pictures have been the bane of my photo experience). I'm a > little afraid of too much flash and harsh shadows. > > The 70-200 could fit the long range shots, but I'm afraid of losing > too many close in shots. > > In my quest to get more light, I've purchased today a Pentax Normal > SMCP-FA 50mm f/1.4 Autofocus Lens from B&H and should have it by > Friday. This really was one of the few, if only, prime in my price > range. > > My questions... > > Did I do right by getting the new lens? (at least in the terms I > need it for, not in overall "yes, it's a great lens"). > > Has anyone shot this type of event? > > Any suggestions or comments? > > -- > Thanks! > Ed > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
