I would love to see the Big Boy in person. A friend sent me a link to a short video of it taken shortly after restoration. Big industrial machinery is impressive.
Good point on the weight of the Siggy but Anna is in pretty good shape from conditioning for soccer and the heavy lens won't bother her. She played an all day 3V3 soccer tournament Sunday without a sub, her team came in second and I am pretty sure her 21 goals were the highest individual player score 🙂
I really don't notice a lot of difference between the 1DX 1 and 2, I tend to treat the 2 as the primary camera at sports events because it is newer but I have zero complaints about the AF speed and accuracy and high ISO performance of the 1 which is very similar. They are both great cameras and the limiting factor is me and not the camera. I bought the 1DX 1 used as a second camera to use with the 1DX 2 at sports events and when I bought it there was a 1DX 2 available for about the same price but with a considerably higher shutter count and I decided for me that the 1 with very little use (under 20K exposures) was the better choice and I am happy I made that choice. The image below was taken Sunday after Anna stole a pass and was setting up for goal #20 in the final round. It was taken with the 1DX Mark 1 and an EF-135 F2 wide open at 1/640, ISO 8000 and with minimal noise reduction in post.
I hope that there is a 1DX 3 in your future. And like you I prefer being on the viewfinder side of the camera or as the medical doctors like to put it, on the correct end of the needle.
Rodger
"Good point on the weight of the Siggy but Anna is in pretty good shape ..."
After that shot, I will agree. She looks perfectly able to handle it. 
Perhaps a scholarship?
You know, I carried two 1 series all the time. One with a big tele and the other with a normal zoom or 50mm prime. I never even thought about complaining like I hear people do today. I just thought it was part of the game. Even today at 73, I still carry the same gear. Maybe a little slower I admit but it's there.
Ernie,
Carrying that heavy gear keeps you in shape and it sure beats "mall walking" for exercise. You don't grow old until you stop doing the things you love to do.
Anna wants to play college soccer but she will likely be going on an academic rather than an athletic scholarship. She is a high school sophomore this year and has her first refereed academic journal pub coming out shortly from a project she did through Los Alamos and she presented some of the earlier research at an academic conference last month. Her high school has decided that in addition to whatever online university courses she wants to take, her remaining math credits will be awarded as a teaching assistant for calculus because she has gone well past anything they can teach her. She doesn't want to graduate early because she wants her full four years of soccer and she will also take over place kicking duties for the football team next Fall and I am very happy to see her being a "regular kid" and truly enjoying high school. The head football coach discovered her throwing ability this week while she was in conditioning class throwing long pass routes for the receivers but I told him not to get any ideas beyond kicking!
Her soccer ability (and my soccer photography ability) have both improved a lot since those early days when I was the team coach and also the team photographer when she played in the park district league. It was fun to work with the young kids and Anna graduated to middle school at the perfect time because I stopped coaching then and we had a perfect last season so it was a good time to retire from coaching. It is fun still working with those kids now that they are in high school and they still very much remember the fun we had when they were just learning the game. One of then told me at the soccer tournament she will always remember the "speech" I gave them the first time I coached them and I told them I would never get mad at them for making a mistake because I wanted them to push the envelope just to see how good they could be but I told them I would be angry if they didn't always play hard and try their best. I also told them that I wanted them to compete against the other team but more importantly I wanted them to compete against themselves to always try to play better than they had before no matter how skilled or unskilled their opponent. I am glad so many of "my kids" stayed with the sport.
Rodger
@Gloflosmith123 wrote:
I found some second hand close to where I live ... he wants to see as a set with camera but will possibly sell separately... can I post a picture somehow of what he has ? Maybe I will see if I can copy and paste
Canon 7D DSLR
Speedlite 430EX II TTL Flash
Canon 100mm-400mm L (pro lens) telephoto
Canon EF-S 15mm-85mm lens
Canon EF-S 10mm-22mm wide angle lens
Complete with two batteries and external charger
Ok these are what he has ... is there anything in here that would work and how much should I offer
I shoot a lot of equestrian events of all types.
First, you need fast focusing lenses to complement the fast focusing 7D camera. Canon's own "USM" or "ultrasonic" are among the fastest to acquire and the best tracking and keeping up with moving subjects. I don't use, but hear the Sigma "HSM" and Tamron "USD" are similar.
All the lenses you list above are very good and all of them are USM.
However, none of them are large aperture tenses and, of the three, the 100-400mm would be the most useful. I use the "II" version of it frequently (mostly 300mm or less, except at exceptionaly large arenas). The 10-22mm is one of the best ultrawides available, but mine doesn't see very much use at equestrian events. The 15-85mm would be moderately usable... though probably mostly at the telephoto end of it's range. Both these lenses are f/4.5-5.6 though, so they will be most useful in "good light".... less usable indoors, particularly in dimmer arenas.
I switch to f/4 lenses and faster indoors. For handheld shooting, that's mostly 70-200mm f/4 along with 300mm f/4.
In the dimmest arenas, I switch to f/2.8 and faster lenses.... 70-200mm f/2.8, 135mm f/2, 85mm f/1.8, 300mm f/2.8.
The 100-400mm lenses are fairly large and hefty at around 3 to 3.5 lb. I'll hand hold them for a few hours of shooting, but for any longer than that (some big events are 8 to 10 or more hours of almost continuous shooting), I put mine on a tripod with a gimbal adapter. I pretty much use the 300mm f/2.8 (about 6 lb.) only on a tripod and gimbal. I also use that with a 500mm (about 8 lb.), but rarely need that long lens for equestrian events (occasionally for cross country or trail trials).
To get some idea of used lens values, check the used equipment dept. of B&H Photo, Adorama, KEH.com, MPB.com, Roberts Camera, Henry's Camera etc. Those retailers usually offer a store warranty for 90 days of longer.
Also look at "completed sales" on eBay. That gives you an idea of prices for private party sales, without any warranty.
The Canon 100-400mm lenses (two versions) are quite good, if large. The original version is a "push/pull" zoom, which folks either love or hate. It can be very good for fast action (birds in flight, air shows), but also may be more difficult to get a steady shot. The "II" version is truly superb, with even better image quality, fast focus and very good image stabilization. The "II" is on sale right now, new for $1800 (best price I've ever seen on it... usually around $2100). Used I see it for around $1500-$1600 in some stores. The original, push/pull version sells in stores for around $900.
To be honest, I rarely use above the 300mm focal length of that lens, shooting with it on 7D Mark IIs (I used a pair of original 7D for about five years previously... racked up about 300,000 shots with them). As a result, when using a crop sensor camera I think the Canon EF 70-300mm lenses are also worth consideration. These are also f/4-5.6 lenses, so would be best in outdoor situations with good light.
Canon offers two 70-300mm models currently and has offered a couple others in the recent past. The current off-white "L" version has the best image quality and is the only 70-300mm that can optionally be fitted with a tripod ring, costs about $1350 new (without the separately sold tripod ring), but has been around for a few years and can be pretty easily found used for considerably less. As an L-series, this lens is also more robust and better sealed for dust/weather resistance. It has IS (image stabilization) and USM focus drive.
EF 70-300mm "II" IS USM is the other model currently available new, very good, uses Canon's new "Nano USM" (quieter and smoother acting, but still just as fast). Image quality is good. It sells new for about $450. It's only been available for a year or so, and as a result you rarely see it used.
The earlier version of EF 70-300mm IS USM is also pretty good. Those are still available new for around $375 and can be found used for less.
A friend uses the much more compact 70-300mm IS USM "DO" or "diffractive optic" lens. That used to be even more expensive than the L, but sells for less used. It's discontinued, but the image quality always impressed me and it's quite compact (although not lighter weight than some of the other models).
The EF 70-300mm "L" weighs approx. 2.3 lb. The other three are around 1.5 lb. The L-series lenses (incl. the 100-400s above) come with lens hood.... while the other three do not (sold separately, but might be incl. with a used lens).
Several previous responses have mentioned the 70-200s and, yes, they are quite useful. My most used is the EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM... simply because it's about 1//2 the weight and 1/3 smaller than the f/2.8 version. However, in lower light conditions, the f/2.8 versions are more likely to be needed. Either version of the EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS USM "II" or "III" is a superb lenses, but weigh in about 3.3 lb. The EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM first version and "II" are excellent too, and just a tad over 1.5 lb. each (they come without tripod ring though, adding that also adds a couple ounces). I haven't compared them, but I hear the 70-200mm f/4L IS "II" is a noticeable upgrade from the original (which I've always found to be excellent).
EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM is another lens I use frequently for equestrian events. I especially like the focal length range on crop cameras, although it's a full frame capable lens. A lighter wieght, much less expensive "good light" alternative is the discontinued EF 28-135mm IS USM. It's a lens dating back to the film days, but is quite good for sports action (it's a little soft at 135mm, but improves if stopped down). A more modern, current alternative is the EF-S 18-135mm IS USM (there have been four versions of 18-135mm... the latest "USM" has AF performance up to the task of sports photography).
EF 300mm f/4L IS USM on EOS 7D...
EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM on EOS 7D...
EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM on EOS 7D...
EF 100-400mm L IS USM "II" on EOS 7D Mark II...
EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM on EOS 7D...
EF 28-135mm IS USM on EOS 7D...
EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM on EOS 7D Mark II...
EF 135mm f/2L USM on EOS 7D....
It wouldn't hurt to have a second camera. I usually shoot with two... with different lenses set up on them, for rapid switches. Another advantage is fewer lens changes in DUSTY environments....
When the action is fast and furious, I prefer to use two identical cameras (usually with all the same settings... when I change one, I change both). Currently that's a pair of 7D Mark II. In the past it was a pair of 7D. Before that I had three 50D, and a pair of 30D. I tried using dissimilar models and even slight differences sometimes causes mixups during fast shooting and quick swaps.
Finally, you mention a flash... I rarely use one for equestrian events. Amateur riders get concerned about it, even though horses almost always ignore it. Another problem, flash slows down shooting and makes high speed bursts very limited or impossible. When I use it, I actually use flash just the opposite of what you might think... mostly in mid day as fill, to open up shadows. I never use "full" flash, rarely use it early or late in the day or indoors. The portrait shot with the 24-70mm lens above was strongly backlit and could have used some fill flash. However, a flash can come in handy for many things. I've used them at awards dinners and such, too. The 430EX is a nice compromise of power and size. I use 550EX and 580EX models, which have one feature the 430EX lack... The 550EX/580EX can be used with a supplementaty battery pack. That helps them recycle a lot faster, as well as allowing a lot more flash exposures before fresh batteries are needed.
Hope this helps!
***********
Alan Myers
San Jose, Calif., USA
"Walk softly and carry a big lens."
GEAR: 5DII, 7DII (x2), 7D(x2) some other cameras, various lenses & accessories
FLICKR & ZENFOLIO
