2 camera solution for girls' soccer?

[Scott Stephen]

Hi,

I recently "went full frame" and bought a Canon 6D. I am going to sell my 17-55 2.8 lens, but I have been thinking of keeping the T3i body for the reach.

I kind of see myself shooting my girls' soccer with 2 cameras at the same time, but I am not sure. Something like the T3i with the 70-200 + 1.4x TC on the monopod, and the 6D with the 24-105 or maybe an 85mm prime on the shoulder strap. Of course I can also picture myself banging the 2 cameras together clumsily, or forgetting to use the 2nd camera at all, or some combination.

Or, I could sell the 17-55 AND the T3i and roll it into a used 7D, which I am sure would be better at the soccer shots with the great AF.

Or I could sell the lens and just keep the money instead of buying gear, but that would be no fun at all.

Soccer does not start for another 3 weeks, and it is too cold to shoot much so maybe I have too much time to brood over what switches to make.

Anyone have experience attempting something like this? Note that the kids are Kindergarteners, so I would have a couple years to practice before the action gets terribly fast.

[Manfred M]

I know someone who shoots a lot of soccer (his daughter's team) and he always uses two crop-frame cameras.

He uses a long lens on one when the action is happening down the field; he shoots an f/2.9 70-200mm lens. His second camera has a mid-range zoom, but I'm not sure which lens he uses. He does switch as the game flows from end to end. He has one camera around his neck and carries the second one on a holster on his hip.

[William W]

. . . bought a Canon 6D. I am going to sell my 17-55 2.8 lens, but I have been thinking of keeping the T3i body for the reach. I kind of see myself shooting my girls' soccer with 2 cameras at the same time, but I am not sure. Something like the T3i with the 70-200 + 1.4x TC on the monopod, and the 6D with the 24-105 or maybe an 85mm prime on the shoulder strap. Of course I can also picture myself banging the 2 cameras together clumsily, or forgetting to use the 2nd camera at all, or some combination. Anyone have experience attempting something like this? Note that the kids are Kindergarteners, so I would have a couple years to practice before the action gets terribly fast.

I’ve used a dual format kit since cutting over to Digital. For Sport - I now shoot Field hockey, a bit of Rugby Union and Soccer. (And lots of Swimming).
A few points:

‘Kindergarteners’ means 4~5 years old where I live. – if that is the case, are they playing on “Minky Fields” (i.e. FOUR ‘minky fields’ set up inside ONE standard Soccer field?) If this is the case then a 70 to 200 and APS-C Camera (and the ability to move around) should be enough to use for the next couple of years.

On a full field – a 70 to 200/2.8 and x2.0 Tele Extender is more useful than a x1.4.

It is a nice idea to have two cameras (and for example a 24 to 70 / 24 to 105 loaded on the 6D), but the return on the effort will be very small – just watch any game and plonk yourself at any one point on the sideline and then tally how often you would actually use 24 to 70 to frame any worthwhile shot: realistically the only arguable place to be to get use out of a 24 to 70 on a 6D would be at the Goal Post – sitting at it – which is not a bad idea with two cameras: and you swap ends at half time so you always get your team attacking.

Handling two cameras can be done a number of ways: I use the longer lens on a monopod, sometimes ball head, often not: always the tripod mount ring. The monopod strap through my LEFT wrist so I can drop that pod easily (the 70 to 200 I the HEAVIEST lens I will drop). I have the second camera over my RIGHT shoulder so I can swing it up with my R Hand. Sometimes I wrap the second camera strap around my RIGHT wrist. I will drop a camera without question and take the impact of it – it is just training – the cameras never collide, they fall straight down, not very far – the fall is only a few inches.

Also my camera straps are set from (viewing from behind) Top Left to Bottom Right, which allows me to pull up the RH camera and catch it ready to shoot, in one motion. If you don't understand these descriptions, somewhere I have photos taken in my workshops I can look for them.

As a GENERAL POINT about leveraging the advantage of FoV reach with a Dual Format Kit – considering the RANGE of Canon Zooms from which to choose to make your kit – the WORST choice is to buy any of the 24 to 70 or 24 to 105 lenses. The combination of 16 to 35 /17 to 40 AND 70 to 200 makes the most complete effective FoV range in a Dual Format Kit.

You don’t really list what lenses you actually have: IF you have a 70 to 200, then I suggest you go to the first game with that lens on the APC-S and plonk any other lens you have which is anywhere around 35mm to 85mm on the 6D and view that outing as a trial run.

Most importantly, for kids’ sports - the ability to get to a shooting position which leverages your shots and the ability to roam around as you want and an understanding of the game, its purpose and the players' abilities (and inabilities) - are all more important to getting good shots, than having two cameras.

WW

[rpcrowe]

There are several ways of handling a pair of cameras and among these are:

The OPTECH Reporter Strap with two cameras on a single neck strap, one above the other. The cameras will not tangle but, you have both cameras weighting down your neck...
http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&key...l_4tl9pleead_e

The Optech Dual Harness which spreads the weight of the two cameras across your shoulders rather than hanging from your neck.
http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&key...h+dual+harness

Both of the OPTECH units above are rather inexpensive and both work well...

Using one camera/lens on a monopod and the other hand-held.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMgZ13X_pr4

I like shooting with a pair of cameras wth 70-200mm f/4L IS and 300mm f/4L IS lenses. Not the absolutely best combination for field sports but, they are quite decent in capablity...