µ43 & Sports.. Oh No! Never.

[Alanroseman]

We had a "rain date" makeup game today. Dighton Rehoboth vs. Case HS.

Nice sunny day, shot for awhile with the Panny 45-200. Hand held, not too bad.

The rest are here: https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/xJAJv5c7XUH1s3ZWcBtirTp1Q21tL5TOzjHAhFWBnUU?feat=directlink

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/pkP5Cqk4-hSvJGl_b1snlDp1Q21tL5TOzjHAhFWBnUU?feat=embedwebsite">

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<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/xkMKK-9vRJXXx1BV4ZD0jTp1Q21tL5TOzjHAhFWBnUU?feat=embedwebsite">

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<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/UWvI9FU6zFI9LzW7UoB-Nzp1Q21tL5TOzjHAhFWBnUU?feat=embedwebsite">

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<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Xy4CzcscdTmLI2fw9pgCojp1Q21tL5TOzjHAhFWBnUU?feat=embedwebsite">

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"450" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/111139426333121809311/DRVsCase10102011?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCMv6-tKhuY6qLQ&feat=embedwebsite">DR vs. Case 10.10.2011</a></td></tr></table>


<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/xJAJv5c7XUH1s3ZWcBtirTp1Q21tL5TOzjHAhFWBnUU?feat=embedwebsite">

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[RT_Panther]

Nice series!

 

[Amin Sabet]

Very nice, Alan!

 

[phigmov]

Great series !

Those eye protector thingys are interesting. Certainly didn't have them in my day . . . then again I last played field hockey 18 years ago. Definitely an under-rated sport - great fun.

 

[hkpzee]

Really nice sport photos!

Alan, which focus model did you use? The targets are incredibly sharp!

 

[Alanroseman]

Great series !

Those eye protector thingys are interesting. Certainly didn't have them in my day . . . then again I last played field hockey 18 years ago. Definitely an under-rated sport - great fun.

It's been some years since my last involvement with Field Hockey. The goggles are a relatively new addition to the sport, been incorporated over the past 10 years. Makes perfect sense when you think about it.

Really nice sport photos!

Alan, which focus model did you use? The targets are incredibly sharp!

Hi hkpzee,

I use "center focus" and AFS. These were shot with a G1... "ancient" by the gear aficionado standards.

As a general rule, I have to fight against over sharpening in my photography. Shooting action or sports though, lends itself well to my proclivity for crisping things up.

These are all shot RAW and processed with one simple Aperture 3 preset which I saved specifically for the 45-200.
Glad you enjoyed them.

Cheers, Alan

 

[Djarum]

Nice shots.

Field Hockey? Highschool? Wow. We don't see things like that down here in the south. One might see a bunch of kids playing street hockey on foot or on skates. The college I graduated from here in Huntsville actually has a 1A Ice hockey team, the southern most team for any college to have an ice hockey team.

 

[Alanroseman]

Nice shots.

Field Hockey? Highschool? Wow. We don't see things like that down here in the south. One might see a bunch of kids playing street hockey on foot or on skates. The college I graduated from here in Huntsville actually has a 1A Ice hockey team, the southern most team for any college to have an ice hockey team.

Hi

My oldest graduated from "the University of the South" in Sewanee, TN. They were the southern most University playing Field Hockey.

I didn't know you were an old hockey fan...

 

[sLorenzi]

Excellent set!
I ordered a 45-200 (haven't received it yet), and was a little worried, because it's treated almost as a dog in the forums out there, but looking at your pictures I thought -wow, sharp, nice contrast and beautiful colors. Thanks.

 

[Ned]

This is a great set, Alan!

 

[Djarum]

Hi

My oldest graduated from "the University of the South" in Sewanee, TN. They were the southern most University playing Field Hockey.

I didn't know you were an old hockey fan...

Hey, I'm not old :tongue:

I don't mind watching college hockey live. Other than that, I'm not much of a Hockey fan.

University of Alabama in Huntsville has a Ice Hockey team, most southern Division 1 Hockey school. Actually, they won the Division II hockey championship in 99, but NCAA got rid of division II hockey a year later, and since then they've been pretty mediocre.

Sewanee is only about 45 minutes from here.

 

[Ray Sachs]

Nice set Alan! I don't think many would argue that you can't do SOME sports photography with m43 - its just not as good at the real intense level of sports shooting that requires real time viewing in burst mode and super fast, super long lenses. Like the closeup of the batter JUST as the ball contacts the bat. You can get those with m43, but its much more of a crapshoot because once you start a burst (say just as the pitcher is releasing the ball - if you can keep track of that with your other eye), you're really kind of flying blind until the burst finishes. But for the kind of non-professional sports shooting most of us do, m43 is more than fine.

I have to admit though, that I used to have some trouble nailing AF with the 45-200 and the 100-300 on the older m43 cameras. With the EPL1, EP2, and GF1, I'd get a LOT more misses than hits trying to shoot any kind of action with those lenses. Once the GH2 came along, and now with the EPL3, the faster AF seems to result in a much higher hit rate for me at these types of events. So that you got those with a G1 is doubly impressive to me!

-Ray

 

[shnitz]

Sharpness OK, not enough isolation. The bokeh in a few of those make my eyes hurt, specifically numbers 2 and 4. Thanks for sharing though.

 

[Alanroseman]

Hi Ray,

I'm sure you know it's partly tongue in cheek.

I don't think µ43 as system is ready to tackle pro sports, or take its place in field side press boxes around the world.

On the other hand, I find it comical when soccer Moms are advised against µ43 because they'll obviously need a Canikon to take a picture of junior trotting up the sidelines of the soccer field.

If I were making a living taking sports pictures I'd want a big honking DSLR too. As far as taking pics of my kids and grandkids playing sports.. I don't feele the need.

Just having fun Ray..

Alan

Nice set Alan! I don't think many would argue that you can't do SOME sports photography with m43 - its just not as good at the real intense level of sports shooting that requires real time viewing in burst mode and super fast, super long lenses. Like the closeup of the batter JUST as the ball contacts the bat. You can get those with m43, but its much more of a crapshoot because once you start a burst (say just as the pitcher is releasing the ball - if you can keep track of that with your other eye), you're really kind of flying blind until the burst finishes. But for the kind of non-professional sports shooting most of us do, m43 is more than fine.

I have to admit though, that I used to have some trouble nailing AF with the 45-200 and the 100-300 on the older m43 cameras. With the EPL1, EP2, and GF1, I'd get a LOT more misses than hits trying to shoot any kind of action with those lenses. Once the GH2 came along, and now with the EPL3, the faster AF seems to result in a much higher hit rate for me at these types of events. So that you got those with a G1 is doubly impressive to me!

-Ray

 

[Alanroseman]

Sharpness OK, not enough isolation. The bokeh in a few of those make my eyes hurt, specifically numbers 2 and 4. Thanks for sharing though.

Hi Shinitz,

Who would have thought that such a highly regarded lens would produce "busy and distracted bokeh" :smile:

We're all aware of the limitations faced shooting the 45-200. Still though, for the price it's a fun lens to have in the bag for days such as the one captured here.

Cheers, Alan

 

[Ray Sachs]

Hi Ray,

I'm sure you know it's partly tongue in cheek.

I don't think µ43 as system is ready to tackle pro sports, or take its place in field side press boxes around the world.

On the other hand, I find it comical when soccer Moms are advised against µ43 because they'll obviously need a Canikon to take a picture of junior trotting up the sidelines of the soccer field.

If I were making a living taking sports pictures I'd want a big honking DSLR too. As far as taking pics of my kids and grandkids playing sports.. I don't feele the need.

Just having fun Ray..

Alan

Gotcha Alan. That's how I use it too. And, yeah, it should be more than enough for any soccer mom, football dad, whatever!

-Ray

 

[digitalandfilm]

You don't need a big honkin' DSLR with huge white lenses.. just have to be patient, plan your shots and work around the shortcomings of the :43: setups.

I actually like using the EVF-2 and the G3's viewfinder because it seems to be more consistant and reliable for me.

 

[RevBob]

You don't need a big honkin' DSLR with huge white lenses.. just have to be patient, plan your shots and work around the shortcomings of the :43: setups.

Exactly! Once again - it's the photographer, not the gear. A skilled photographer can use :43: to accomplish most of what a dslr will do.

 

[shnitz]

Alan, were you by chance using image stabilization for these shots? Specifically numbers 2 and 5 that I mentioned? Thanks!