I have a 50D and I am wondering what a decent lens to shot sports would be?

[TCampbell]

I've got a panning shot I've posted previously so I'll just re-link the same shot just to give you an idea of how this works.

This shot was taken with a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM at 135mm  (but with a 5D III / full-frame body... not crop frame so that will change change the angle of view as compared to your 50D).  

You can see that the spokes are nicely blurred as is the street and background -- providing the sense of speed and motion -- even though the wheels and rider are actually sharp.

Following the suggestions of good composition, the rider is not centered, but is off-center so that the direction of movement is moving "into the frame" (if he were traveling the other direction I would have placed him on the other side of center.)

The lens IS switch was set to mode 2 (mode 1 is normal IS, mode 2 is for horizontal panning.)

The shutter speed was 1/40th.  You may want to start a bit higher (perhaps 1/60th) and then work your way down as you get used to doing this.

The trick is to be very smooth and steady as you track your subject while shooting.  This does take a bit of practice.  This camera was doing continuous burst as the cyclist rode through the scene.  Of perhaps a dozen or so frames, there were three that I really liked... some weren't so usable (hence why you use burst mode).  

[marysnyder28]

@TCampbell- well that helped a lot. For some reason I have had it in my head that they pictures needed to be more clear, but makes sense that some of the picture will be blurred.  I figured that it was something that I was doing wrong.  I know when I shoot motocross, I get the same effect with the bike spikes being blurred.  I guess I will keep doing what I have been doing.

[marysnyder28]

Thank you. I am trying to develop the skill and will continue to keep plugging along.

[Skirball]

Nothing personal, but it’s not the lens, it’s the operator.  The 70-200 2.8 is a great lens, you should learn to use it well before buying more equipment. 

Again, your question is very open ended, so it’s hard to give suggestion without writing a mini summary on Photography 101.  If your photos are blurry then you’re either using too slow of a shutter speed for your composition, and/or you’re having focusing problems.  I’m going to guess the former. 

I’d start with some outdoor sports in good lighting.  Use Tv mode until you get the hang of various shutter speeds. 

Experiment with different speeds starting at around 1/60 a second.  At that speed, even at 70 mm you have to be real careful of camera shake.  And fast movement of your subject will show blurred (not always a bad thing). 

Move up to 1/100: camera shake is less of an issue (though still an issue, especially if fully zoomed).  If you’re shooting moving subjects their torso and head are probably mostly frozen, but arms and legs are not.

Move up to 1/250: camera shake shouldn’t be an issue.  Your subjects should be mostly frozen except for extremities – hands of a pitcher, foot of a soccer player, etc.

Move up to 1/500 and everything should be frozen unless you’re shooting something really fast paced.

I really recommend taking some time to learn how moving subjects are captured at various speeds, and learning how steady you can hold a camera at various speeds.  Likewise, I’d learn how much noise I’m ok with – as in, how high I can push my ISO on that specific camera and still be satisfied with the results.

If your photos are blurred I’m guessing that you’re shooting in less than ideal light, which is common in sports.  Maybe indoors?  I’d shoot full manual, fully opening up my aperture, moving my ISO way up say to 1600 to start, then I increase my shutter speed until I get proper exposure.  If I can get exposure up around 1/250 I’d bring my ISO down a stop and drop shutter to 1/125 (unless my subject was really fast).  If I need to go to 1/60 for exposure then I have to up my ISO even more (though 1600 is pretty noisy on a 50D).  Shooting in less than optimal light is a game of give and take, and you only have 3 variables to work with.  A noisy picture is better than a blurry one.

[marysnyder28]

Just quick update I tried your suggestion at tonight's game and that helped a lot. Thank you so much. I am just an amateur and live photography and grateful for any advice.