Shooting High School Golf

gkweber

I have a Nikon D5000 and would like to take pictures of my daughter at her high school golf tournaments. Would love a recommendation on a good lens to use. Thank you very much.

Moose

Howdy @gkweber - In my experience with high school golf tournaments, you should be able to get within close proximity (10 to 30 feet) of your daughter. Of course it depends on the golf course and spectator rules for your district.

The Nikon 55-200mm (see here) is probably your best bet. It's affordable, it's got vibration reduction (VR), it's somewhat portable and is quite sharp.

If you think you'll need a bit more reach (say shooting beyond 30 feet away), then I would go for the next step up...the 55-300mm (see here). This lens is practically identical to the 55-200mm, but it will allow you to zoom in a bit closer for tighter framing.

Happy shooting! :)

gkweber

Moose, thank you so much for the info. I noticed on your website you mention the Tamron AF18-270mm f/3.5-f/6.3 lens. Would this lens also work for shooting a golf tournament or even a high school baseball game? I noticed comments that this lens is good for a walk about lens. If this is a good choice, can the lens be used on the D5000? I really appreciate your time.

Moose

@gkweber - Glad to help! Yep, the Tamron 18-270mm is compatible with your D5000. If you purchase it brand new, it's also a bit pricier than both Nikon's I mentioned.

You can think of this lens like a Swiss army knife. It's got the ability to shoot a wide variety of scenes and subjects, but when matched up head to head against a lens designed for a particular type of photography (like the 55-200mm or 55-300mm for outdoor sports) it doesn't quite measure up.

Both Nikon's will be a bit sharper towards the telephoto end (200 to 300mm) and they tend to autofocus a bit quicker as well. So in your particular situation, I would probably go for the one of the Nikon's since you're interested in shooting golf and baseball.

If you weren't exactly sure what type of photography you'd be focusing on, then a general lens like the Tamron all-in-on would allow you to compose a wide variety of scenes and subjects.

Hope that all makes sense and happy shooting! :)