Action Photography

However, extremely wide apertures (such as f/1.2 or f/1.4) are more rarely used, because at these apertures the depth of field is quite low, which makes focusing more difficult and slows down autofocus. The main distinction is between outdoor sports and indoor sports – in outdoor sports the distances are greater and the light brighter, while in indoor sports the distances are lesser and the light dimmer. Accordingly, outdoor sports tend to have longer lenses with slower apertures, while indoor sports tend to have shorter lenses with faster apertures.
Both zoom and prime lenses are used; zoom – generally in the 70–200, 75–300, or 100–400 range – allow a greater range of framing, while primes are faster, cheaper, lighter, and optically superior, while being more restricted in framing. Apertures of f/2.8 or faster are most often used, though f/4 is also found, particularly on brighter days. Particularly visible are the Canon super telephoto lenses, whose distinctive white casing (to dissipate the sun's heat) is recognizable at many sporting events. Of these, the Canon 400mm f/2.8 is particularly recommended for field sports such as football. This varies with sport and preference; for example golf photographers may prefer to use a 500mm f/4 as opposed to a 400mm f/2.8 as it is a lighter lens to be carried around all day.