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

[marysnyder28]

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

[marysnyder28]

Thank you for the info. On the panning I had someone tell me to go out and shoot moving cars for practice. I do tend to get some good pictures but a lot have some blur Like you said hand might be blurred. So now I don't feel as discouraged.
I have been trying to learn my camera and lens myself and not had much help. So I am glad to find a forum and be able to get great advice. Thank you very much

[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.

[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.