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What kind of lens do you use for ski photography?

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Pippin
Posts: 4846 - Karma: 661
Hey guys, ive done quite a bit of photography, but i want to get into some more ski photography, can you guys suggest what the best and essential lens/ lenses i should have. Which ones do you use most and get the best shot from or does it depend on the certain scenario. Thanks for the help guys.
Nov 11 2007 2:53PM
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Nihiriju
Posts: 2061 - Karma: 27
i think i am going to get a tamron 18-200mm for this years activities.....i have the shitty 18-55 canon, and a 70-300mm sigma, which is also shit,
but i don't have money for good lenes. This one is about $400 I rarely use all the way to 300mm and 70 is too close for a lot of shit, so 18-200 should work well and it is a bit higher quality.
Nov 14 2007 2:14PM
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thewavebb
Posts: 1082 - Karma: 20
I have a 3 lens, 2 camera setup for skiing and snowkiting.

-Tokina 12-24 f/4
-Canon 24-70L f/2.8
-Canon 70-200L f/2.8 IS

the 24-70 is by for the bread and butter lens for most of my shooting. Its weather sealed as well which is nice.  I use the 12-24 for mainly park skiing when i'm really close to the rails/jumps. I use the 70-200 for when i'm sniping from the trees or off to the side. It has really smooth bokeh, so I like it if I want to give the rider a little bit more pop.

If I have to use one lens, it would be the 24-105L f/4 IS.  Its wide enough for most things and has a decent amount of reach on it too. The prosumer level one (28-105 f/3.5-4.5) is okay, but I find it lacking on the wide side of the range.

~Ben


Nov 14 2007 3:20PM
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Pippin
Posts: 4846 - Karma: 661
those lenses sound pricey, weather seeled is smart, do a lot of lenses come weather seeled.
Nov 14 2007 4:23PM
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thewavebb
Posts: 1082 - Karma: 20
A fair amount of Pro level "L" lenses from Canon do.  However you have to have a body that also has weather sealing for it to really work well.   Currently your only going to find that on the pro level bodies (1ds and 1d model lines) from canon.  Nikon has it on the d200 and soon to be released d300. as well as their pro level d2x lines. 

Snow is freshwater so you shouldn't really have much of an issue with corrosion.  Biggest concern is making sure you warm your gear up slowly when coming from outside.  If you don't you will get condensation marks on your sensor and lens elements.
Nov 14 2007 4:46PM
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connoroh
Posts: 2333 - Karma: 246
what part of the city do you live in? i go to rosedale heights. and thats right beside where some of your picures are taken.
Nov 14 2007 10:12PM
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Pippin
Posts: 4846 - Karma: 661
Yah i live round danforth and logan near withrow park, yah those shots r rivdale park, i go to Riverdale lol in china town, what grade are you in?
Nov 14 2007 10:20PM
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Pippin
Posts: 4846 - Karma: 661
Thats a good tip to know, so what kind of temperatures can my camera be esxposerd to, its the xt, nothing really professional but it does the job. Like temp and weather wise.
Nov 14 2007 10:21PM
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connoroh
Posts: 2333 - Karma: 246
12. yea, i live inbetween leaside and rosedale. its called governers bridge. what grade you in?
Nov 14 2007 10:23PM
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Pippin
Posts: 4846 - Karma: 661
same , last year for me to
Nov 14 2007 10:28PM
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Microcosm
Posts: 4765 - Karma: 153
there was just a thread about this on tgr..
http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=100389

basically as long as the battery is warm it should be fine unless you're in -20 + temps. even then it could be okay except it might work slower/ parts freezing and moving slowly.
there's also a link to a kodak site that someone posted a little further down with more info.
when you get inside remember to put it into a ziploc bag with rice or silica gel until it's heated up so condensation doesn't form on the sensor. I haven't tried the method yet but it's supposed to work well.
Nov 14 2007 10:57PM
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Pippin
Posts: 4846 - Karma: 661
lol rice....okay if you say so
Nov 14 2007 11:00PM
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Microcosm
Posts: 4765 - Karma: 153
it does sound stupid but the rice will soak up condensation in the bag before it gets to the camera. if you've ever seen rice in salt shakers it uses the same concept to keep the salt dry. I guess you could use any pasta but don't quote me on that because it's just an assumption.
Nov 14 2007 11:29PM
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Pippin
Posts: 4846 - Karma: 661
okay ill try out that technique this year, hopefully it will work, it makes sense
Nov 15 2007 9:08AM
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thewavebb
Posts: 1082 - Karma: 20
Your spot on.

I actually started shooting with the old Original Digital Reble (300d) and it worked just fine down to about -20 to -30F.  The trick really is to bring at least 3 batteries.  1 for use in your camera and 2 to keep in a pocket thats close to your body.  In the cold the batteries really loose power fast, but if you warm them back up they regain much of their strength. So you just need to cycle through them as they get cold. 

As far as warming your gear back up.  I have a bunch of the silica bead packets in my camera bags and I just keep the gear in my bag until it stabilizes.  I'm normally driving at least an hour or two when i'm going out on winter shoots. So by the time I get home, my gear is good to go.
Nov 15 2007 9:46AM
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Microcosm
Posts: 4765 - Karma: 153
nice, good to get confirmation on this because I haven't personally tested the methods yet. It's just what I've been hearing. I'll have to buy some silica packets and maybe some more batteries come winter.
Nov 15 2007 3:45PM
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thewavebb
Posts: 1082 - Karma: 20
speaking of batteries.  I have found the ones off of ebay to be just as good as the Canon brand ones. They are a lot cheaper too. 
Nov 15 2007 5:19PM
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Pippin
Posts: 4846 - Karma: 661
nice thats good to know, how much do you end up usually paying on ebay for threm?
Nov 15 2007 5:46PM
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bbtkd1
Posts: 113 - Karma: 15
what kind of lense you want depends on what kind of skiing your shooting
Nov 16 2007 9:30AM
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Pippin
Posts: 4846 - Karma: 661
id say probably just jumps, not booter but just fairly large jumps, though of course being in the park is going to lead to shooting so rails as well
Nov 16 2007 4:09PM
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Pippin
Posts: 4846 - Karma: 661
upp to the top
Nov 26 2007 7:05PM
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xnick11
Posts: 1866 - Karma: 171
-70-200 for long lens
-Whatever the Nikkor 10.5 would be for cannon for upclose shots
-50mm for more variety.
Nov 27 2007 4:47PM
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Pippin
Posts: 4846 - Karma: 661
bump
Dec 1 2007 2:13PM
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lindsay_neuf
Posts: 19 - Karma: 10
i love wide angle personally
Dec 2 2007 1:18PM
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Microcosm
Posts: 4765 - Karma: 153
I was thinking of getting a Sigma AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS for skiing/ general all around lens. I want something sharper than the 18-55 kit and with more reach and Optical  Stabilizer.
http://www.amazon.com/Sigma-18-200mm-3-5-6-3-Optical-Stabilizer/dp/B000NOSCGM/ref=pd_sim_p_title_29
Could be the kind of lens you want too, opinions?
Dec 2 2007 2:05PM
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tele_tom
Posts: 135 - Karma: 10
if you only get one lens go wide for sure, maybe a 20-70 zoom or so (that's 35mm size, D-SLRs screw specs up). get some filters while your at it. shooting in bright snow can do some weird sh!*
Dec 3 2007 4:55AM
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Pippin
Posts: 4846 - Karma: 661
Okay guys so I've settled on getting a wide angle, but im not sure exactly what....i like the fact that it will work great with landscape but also do well for sequence and urbans.....for the range like 15-75mm around there...i don't have to much money, any suggestions??
Dec 8 2007 6:40PM
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S-Titterington
Posts: 578 - Karma: 1,323
tokina 10-17mm
canon 70-200mm 4.0
canon 17-85 mm
canon 50mm 1.8mm

its good stuff
Dec 9 2007 4:29AM
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t-man152
Posts: 2896 - Karma: 14
that is actually only for Nikon DX cameras. a new camera from Nikon the D3 offers a full frame censor that Nikon calls FX format. so they are the exact same size as 35 mm film. Canon also has the 1DS and the 5D which are also full frame censors so they act the exact same way as film cameras do.
also canon cameras do not have the 1.5 focal length multiplier the rebel series and X0D series are all 1.6x focal length while the 1D (not the Ds) are 1.3x focal length.

----------------------
now for lenses. for any type of sports photography you are going to want a fast lens. ususally an aperture of 2.8 is a good performer. my favorite lens is canon 70-200 f.2.8L USM IS

in the photo anual of freeskier Chris Oconell points out that every single photographer at ski comps has one of these. very much like everybody in a professional motorsport competition  will have fast car.

I definitly recommend this lens. its the L series so it has amazing glass, its 70-200 mm so it has great range, its fast and being a beige L series lens makes it ohh so sexy

if you are going to take night photos get the fastest lens you can. if possible an f1

Jan 7 2008 6:09PM
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