topic Re: Baseball photos too far away with 24-50mm lens on EOS R8 in EF & RF Lenses

Baseball photos too far away with 24-50mm lens on EOS R8

suzigreenburg — Sat, 18 Oct 2025 17:35:10 GMT

Help

I’m a newbie. No idea what I’m doing. Tried watching YouTube videos but I’m still lost. I have a Canon R8 EOS. I have a 24-50 lens?
I bought it to take photos of my son’s baseball tournaments. What I have right now is not close enough or clear enough. I cannot spend over $1k. What should I get? I know nothing about cameras or lenses I just picked this group because it said lenses. Help

Re: Baseball photos too far away with 24-50mm lens on EOS R8

suzigreenburg — Sat, 18 Oct 2025 17:37:42 GMT

this is what it looks like

Re: Baseball photos too far away with 24-50mm lens on EOS R8

March411 — Sat, 18 Oct 2025 17:48:50 GMT

The image is under exposed so if you can give us a little detail it would be helpful. Were you using the camera in one of it's auto-modes or did you set the aperture, shutter speed and ISO manually? The group here can assist once there is more information.

To stay within your budget the RF100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM is a good lens and will give you significantly more reach, it is $749.99 new. If you are in the states BH Photo ships fast and can have the lens in your hands in a couple days. You can also pick one up used at BH Photo and take a look at KEH and MPB for one used in excellent condition. KEH has one like new for $637.

Re: Baseball photos too far away with 24-50mm lens on EOS R8

wq9nsc — Sat, 18 Oct 2025 18:30:45 GMT

Baseball is a sport that requires a long focal length lens and a 24-50 even on an APS-C size sensor is going to be primarily a "cover the whole field at once" lens even if you are fairly close. If you have very close access (i.e. shooting through the chain link fence) then a lens in the 200-300mm range becomes workable. Buying a used lens from a trusted retailer is a good way to reduce costs to get what you need when new isn't in your price range.

As an example of focal length, the first two of these photos were captured with an EF 400 f2.8 lens and the third with a 70-200 f2.8 near its maximum telephoto length and this was shooting from the dugout and coaches area (locations not readily available to photographers and done ONLY with approval of the umpires who I knew well). The further out you are, the more focal length you will need because excessive cropping will quickly reduce image quality to the unusable level.

Rodger

Re: Baseball photos too far away with 24-50mm lens on EOS R8

ebiggs1 — Sat, 18 Oct 2025 20:08:07 GMT

Your example photo may be underexposed but the bigger problem is focal length (FL). You don't have enough by a huge amount.

"To stay within your budget the RF100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM is a good lens ..."

While the addition of the 100-400m will improve your situation buying the wrong lens just b ecause it fits a budget will almost always come back and bite you in the butt. And, you end up buying what you should have in the first place which yo already chose the wrong FL lens as you have noticed.

It does not look like you were very close to the action in your sample is that true. As my friend Rodger indicated he was in the dugout or coaches box. Here are the three most important things shooting sporting events. 1< location, 2> location and 3> you guessed it, location where you shoot from. Seriously, the second most important thing is know your sport. Knowing what is going on so you can anticipate what will happen next is hugely helpful. Guessing in photography lowers your success rate by a lot. On to number three, go d/l DPP4 form Canon and use it to convert and transfer your images to your computer and always, always shoot raw file and never ever use jpg. The things i just recommended are free they won't cost you a dime. Nice to save a dime or two these days!

Now onto the money and what gear to buy. Yeah free has flown out the window.

My favorite and often repeated saying is,"The lens you have is always better than the lens you wis you had." And in that regard the RF100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM zoom will do that for sure. It fits your budget. It is not heavy. However, you will spend most of the time shooting BB using the 400mm side of that lens. The 100mm side almost never, 200mm perhaps a bit more and the 300mm will be somewhat more useful. The downside is at 400mm the lens will be at f8. F8 is fairly slow but not impossible. My suggestions would be to use Av mode. Set the R8 to a constant f8 aperture. Set a high to very high ISO number 1600, 3200 and even 6400. Use One shot no Af assist or servo mode. Always set the file to raw and use DPP4 to u/l to your computer. no other camera setting beyond good focus is necessary but DPP4 will use those settings for conversion to your computer, it automatic and seamless to you so don't worry about that. However you can set the white balance to daylight or night or cloudy or set it to Auto and forget it. You can also set a Picture Style or whatever setting you want but keep in mind raw does not save or use those settings you will set them yourself on your computer in DPP4. By far the best place to do it, not on the baseball diamond!

Good luck and come back and tell us how you did.

Re: Baseball photos too far away with 24-50mm lens on EOS R8

ebiggs1 — Sat, 18 Oct 2025 20:23:46 GMT

Even on your not really very good sample here is what it took me 2 minutes to do in a post editor like DPP4. I use Photoshop but you can do nearly the same editing using DPP4 and remember DPP4 is free from Canon.

Re: Baseball photos too far away with 24-50mm lens on EOS R8

ebiggs1 — Sat, 18 Oct 2025 20:28:01 GMT

"Tried watching YouTube videos but I’m still lost. "

Yeah, I understand. I almost feel like telling folks to not watch YouTube but there are some good things on it so watch but be careful because most or at least some of them are just YouTubers and not real deal photographers or worse photography teachers. And, IMHO, reviews should be avoided period. To much agenda involved.

Re: Baseball photos too far away with 24-50mm lens on EOS R8

March411 — Sat, 18 Oct 2025 23:36:29 GMT

What would be the right focal length and expense given what our guest suzigreenburg requested in the original post?

What is your recommendation to help answer the question asked?

Re: Baseball photos too far away with 24-50mm lens on EOS R8

Tintype_18 — Sun, 19 Oct 2025 13:25:25 GMT

I have a 75-300mm lens that I use for baseball photos. Does a good job and as mentioned, be aware of the action and anticipate what happens next. I love to experiment with settings, download and critique them, saving the settings in memory for future use. Nice thing about DSLR...no film to develop.

Re: Baseball photos too far away with 24-50mm lens on EOS R8

ebiggs1 — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 14:59:45 GMT

"What is your recommendation to help answer the question asked?"

I think I laid out a pretty concise outline, above, of what I recommend. It is common to answer a question like this with, "Oh, you need a new lens." Well, duh, yes she does but that is only the beginning and most likely by itself will not help her get good shots as just a lens is not the answer. She needs a far more in-depth program to get good shots.

The RF100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM might well be the perfect fit but not unless she does the rest of the work. Not until she understands the "how to".

Few people have the inborn talent you and Rodger seem to have. If I gave her Rodger's top of the mark gear would she get the same results as he does? I doubt it unless she got some education about how it all works. That is why I answered the way I did and exactly the way I instruct everybody in her position. If she chooses to follow it she can successful, if she doesn't I doubt the RF100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM will make a great deal of improvement.

The heart of a teacher.

Re: Baseball photos too far away with 24-50mm lens on EOS R8

March411 — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 18:33:43 GMT

Ernie, I believe suzigreenburg understands there is work to do as it relates to exposure and both you and Rodger gave some excellent advice. I would have to agree with the majority of the advice with the exception of trying to also learn editing software at this point as mastering the basic requirements of the gear to get a good exposure and sharp image would be the first step.

When I recommend someone use/purchase the RF100-400mm it appears through your responses (multiple threads) that you don't believe this is a good option.

I guess my question should have been more direct, if someone was looking to purchase a lens for a FF sensor (or ASP-C) and had a limited budget of $1000, needed to extend their reach what other lens options would you offer? I ask because as we attempt to assist people, keeping in mind their proposed budget and photography goals I'm interested in your thoughts. Suggesting they buy beyond their budget from my perspective isn't assisting them achieve their goal.

In this case it may be prudent for the OP, since their target subject is baseball to use the gear that would assist them learning in the practical application. That being said, what other lens option would you offer since the additional reach is an important component is suzigreenburg success.

Just curious.

Re: Baseball photos too far away with 24-50mm lens on EOS R8

ebiggs1 — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 14:25:02 GMT

Again, I made my suggestions and recommend course of action. IMHO, post editing is a far greater impactor than any lens in a editor vs lens match up. You are correct I am nit a personal fan of the R 100-400mm zoom but if it fits the needs of someone else more power tothem. However, I would never buy one for myself.

BTW, I would venture a guess that 100% of your images go through a post editor. What's good for one is good for the other.

Re: Baseball photos too far away with 24-50mm lens on EOS R8

March411 — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 15:03:44 GMT

Appreciate the response Ernie.

I would say about 40% go through an editor and a good majority of the time it's just to achieve the composition I missed in camera. Having the wrong lens mounted or because I just missed the shot, my hands aren't as steady as they used to be.....

It's always a benefit to keep post in your back pocket and digital has made life easy but post production shouldn't become a crutch that supplants achieving good captures in camera.

Having been fortunate to have my own lab back in the days of silver bromide, from my perspective the only thing that changed, I swapped trays, chemistry and an enlarger for a computer.

Post productions has been and will always be an interracial part of photography. That being said, when I started over 40 years ago the camera gear and lab weren't part of the same learning curve. I learned the gear first, then moved to learning post.

Re: Baseball photos too far away with 24-50mm lens on EOS R8

mdphotography — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 22:13:53 GMT

Honestly, I think your photo is fine as a wide angle shot. As @ebiggs2 mentioned, it just needs a little clean up in post production. 😊 Also try cropping your images to get in "closer" - 24.2 MP isn't a lot, but it gives you a little wiggle room, especially if you're only posting on social media.

My personal opinion is that you buy cheap and learn. Once you have an idea of what you're doing and what you'll need, you can invest in quality glass. And I also agree with @wq9nsc: shop the used markets for savings

The RF 100-400mm is decent budget lens, so is the 18-150mm kit lens. Just keep in mind that they are budget lenses so you'll have to keep them dry/dust-free and the image quality will be good-but-not-great.

Good luck and keep posting in the forums for feedback and help!

Re: Baseball photos too far away with 24-50mm lens on EOS R8

ebiggs1 — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 14:55:17 GMT

“Also try cropping your images to get in "closer" - 24.2 MP isn't a lot, but it gives you a little wiggle room, especially if you're only posting on social media.”

there is a lot to say about extra room and cropping. A lot of folks make the rookie mistake and shoot too tight. That leaves little room for edits.

Re: Baseball photos too far away with 24-50mm lens on EOS R8

ebiggs1 — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 15:15:30 GMT

“I started over 40 years ago the camera gear and lab weren't part of the same learning curve. I learned the gear first, then moved to learning post.”

There is no doubt learning how to use your camera is important but learning post editing is also of top most important. If you want the very best post editing becomes the most important part as the camera whether film or digital simply becomes a storage device. In my former life I worked for a huge company that had 10 fully equipped darkrooms. We had folks that were simply darkroom experts. As Photoshop became more and more powerful and capable slowly the darkrooms vanished. And we now had Photoshop experts. These people were separate from the actual photographers.

i had my own personal darkroom for decades. Started with three soup bowls in my grandma’s bathroom. Ended up with full color analyses equipment. Started Photoshop soon after it became available to the market. I would rather have Photoshop and an average camera than the best camera made and no Photoshop.The fact Canon offers DPP4 is a fantastic deal and value. It is a super powerful app all for free. All Canon owners should take advantage of that. Most don’t.

Re: Baseball photos too far away with 24-50mm lens on EOS R8

March411 — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 15:30:36 GMT

i had my own personal darkroom for decades. Started with three soup bowls in my grandma’s bathroom.

I can't say that I ever used soup bowls but you do what you have to get stuff done. Cool tidbit Ernie!

Re: Baseball photos too far away with 24-50mm lens on EOS R8

ebiggs1 — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 14:35:28 GMT

"Cool tidbit Ernie! "

My grandma didn't think it "cool". She thought the chems stunk and left stains in the bathtub and sink. Personally, I like the smell of stop bath because it meant fun. Every time I smell vinegar today I remember those days so long ago.

Time keeps moving on doesn't it?

Re: Baseball photos too far away with 24-50mm lens on EOS R8

March411 — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 14:55:07 GMT

Time keeps moving on doesn't it?

It does and we just keep rolling with it....

And I'm with you on the smell of the chemistry. I had a small space set up in the basement where I built a mostly dust free lab, I was able to leave chemistry in the trays for a couple days. Always loved opening that door.

Re: Baseball photos too far away with 24-50mm lens on EOS R8

ebiggs1 — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 15:01:05 GMT

Not only smell, I was always 'stealing' her vinegar to use as stop bath. I was about 10 years old and had an Argus 75 that used 620 film. At first I could only make contact prints because the only light source was flexible desk lamp exposure source.

I local "grocery" store sold film, along with a lot of other non-grocery sundries and was just a block down the street. I still have the old Argus 75 and it still works. I may even have a roll or two of Kodak 620 roll film.