Whereas the world has been glued to its TVs, telephones and tablets watching the athletes within the Olympic Video games, I can assure that each one the photographers studying this have been attempting to work out what digital camera gear everyone seems to be utilizing on the Paris 2024.
Properly, due to Instagram, we will get a glance into the equipment that legendary sports activities photographer Bob Martin is utilizing on the Olympics. Whereas this may not be all the gear he’s utilizing for every occasion, his Instagram could be very rewarding studying.
Bob tells you what digital camera, lens and typically even the settings he used to take his great footage – a goldmine for anybody within the greatest cameras for sports activities pictures and the way the professionals are utilizing them.
So let’s analyze the grid and see what we will see…
Proper off the bat we all know it is going to be Sony gear, as Bob has been a long-standing Sony consumer for the reason that launch of the unique A9 again in 2017. So one would suppose Bob can be taking pictures with the brand new Sony A9 III?
Properly, it appears to be like like he truly prefers taking pictures with the Sony A1 – the present flagship and an enormous 50MP digital camera that’s able to taking pictures as much as 30fps and in addition having the ability to file 8K 30p video.
As we will see within the crop above (taken from the candid snap beneath, of Martin together with fellow sports activities pictures legend David Burnett on the Olympic seaside volleyball), there is no mistaking that that is Bob’s digital camera from the code on the physique!
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Lenses are at all times a crucial alternative when photographing any vital event, however for the Olympics it is a essential a part of the method of having the ability to seize “the shot” or lacking it utterly.
It seems that Bob likes to shoot primarily with prime telephoto lenses, and having a look at his Instagram the Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 seems typically throughout his photos – equivalent to his wonderful shot of US gymnast and 8x Olympic medalist, Simone Biles, competing on the uneven bars.
One other of Bob’s favourite lenses is the large Sony 600mm f/4 G Grasp OSS when he must get nearer to the motion, often with motion sports activities like canoeing or swimming – wherein Bob is thought for being one thing of an Olympic skilled.
As may be seen beneath, utilizing the 600mm provides that further attain to make an actual impression on photos and brings emotion to the {photograph}.
Whereas huge telephoto lenses get you nearer to the motion, there are at all times devoted zones the place photographers can actually shut the space – and people huge telephotos will must be switched out for a wide-angle.
From what I can inform by way of Bob’s Instagram, he’s utilizing the Sony 12-24mm f/2.8 G Grasp to seize some wonderful scenes throughout the Olympics. A large-angle can actually provide you with a terrific establishing shot if taking pictures for editorial functions, and works together with a telephoto for the athletes.
Whereas I am positive Bob has entry to many different lenses and cameras from Sony, it’s totally fascinating to see that his main focus is the A1 – which I nonetheless suppose is the greatest digital camera for sports activities pictures (and that is coming from an previous Nikon professional shooter), alongside together with his 300mm f/2.8 and 600mm f/4 primes and his trusty 14-24mm f/2.8 wide-angle zoom.
After all, it isn’t simply the gear taking these beautiful photos; Bob is nothing in need of an skilled and has been photographing sport on the highest stage for many years. So he is aware of what makes a shot and what would not, and whereas the gear he is utilizing is dear it additionally makes his job that little bit simpler.