U.S. Open 2011

[eric8669]

I know I make this announcement yearly but I already had some inquiries.

Starting tomorrow and through Sunday the grounds to the U.S. Open are free. Great opportunity to shoot the qualifying rounds and some of the top players will be practicing throughout the week.

just some things to remember if your going to go. Backpacks are not allowed, I've had no problems bringing in my larger lenses and parking may not be free as the Mets will be home end of the week.

I most likely will be there Saturday/Sunday.

[steve1840]

Ah man. I wish I was there this weekend instead of Labor day weekend. I was looking for next weekend, but all the good seats are sold out already for Fri-Sun. Instead I'm most likely heading to New Haven to shoot the New Haven Open this Friday night.

[eric8669]

Ah man. I wish I was there this weekend instead of Labor day weekend. I was looking for next weekend, but all the good seats are sold out already for Fri-Sun. Instead I'm most likely heading to New Haven to shoot the New Haven Open this Friday night.

The good seats, How much did you plan on spending? For Arthur Ashe I prefer the cheap seats. Buy a grounds pass and shoot Louis Armstrong and the Grandstand.

[steve1840]

The good seats, How much did you plan on spending? For Arthur Ashe I prefer the cheap seats. Buy a grounds pass and shoot Louis Armstrong and the Grandstand.

I was willing to spend upwards of 100 bucks for good seats. What kid of shots can be gotten from the cheap seats at Arthur Ashe with the 100-400mm? I haven't been there since back in high school so I kinda forgot how close things are there.

[eric8669]

I was willing to spend upwards of 100 bucks for good seats. What kid of shots can be gotten from the cheap seats at Arthur Ashe with the 100-400mm? I haven't been there since back in high school so I kinda forgot how close things are there.

I don't really shoot from Arthur Ashe, you can get some shots. My favorite spot is in the Grandstand.

[ANITIX87]

I will be there Sunday for open day and the practice sessions. Look for me with my 50D + 100-400L!

I will be there Tuesday for the day session of the first round. No camera gear, as I'm going to the Mets game that night.

TIS

[moose135]

I will be there Tuesday for the day session of the first round. No camera gear, as I'm going to the Mets game that night.

Why wouldn't you bring your camera to the Met game as well? There isn't a problem bringing in a set up like that - I bring my 40D + 100-400L all the time.

[Gerard]

Why wouldn't you bring your camera to the Met game as well? There isn't a problem bringing in a set up like that - I bring my 40D + 100-400L all the time.

Maybe he just doesnt want to carry it around all day (and night).

[steve1840]

Why wouldn't you bring your camera to the Met game as well? There isn't a problem bringing in a set up like that - I bring my 40D + 100-400L all the time.

How is the 100-400 for shooting night games? Just curious as that is the only lens that I have that has any sort of reach for shooting from the stands. When I go to New Haven Open on Friday its going to be the night semi-finals match.

[ANITIX87]

Why wouldn't you bring your camera to the Met game as well? There isn't a problem bringing in a set up like that - I bring my 40D + 100-400L all the time.

Sunday, I'm going to see the big names and take photos. Tuesday, for the first round, I'm there to see the best tennis in the world. I don't want to be stuck behind my viewfinder the whole day, and the weight gets tedious. My seats at Citi Field are incredible, so I may change my mind and decide to bring it, but I don't think so.

TIS

[moose135]

How is the 100-400 for shooting night games?

Not bad - you will need to crank the ISO some to get fast shutter speeds, but all in all, it works...

For both of these, I was sitting about 8 to 10 rows from the top of the stadium, after sunset, so all I had was stadium lighting.

ISO 800, 1/400, f/5.6, 400mm, moderate crop (final size is about 2/3 of the original frame)...


ISO 1600, 1/400, f/5.6, 400mm, similar crop to above.

[steve1840]

Not bad - you will need to crank the ISO some to get fast shutter speeds, but all in all, it works...

For both of these, I was sitting about 8 to 10 rows from the top of the stadium, after sunset, so all I had was stadium lighting.

ISO 800, 1/400, f/5.6, 400mm, moderate crop (final size is about 2/3 of the original frame)...


ISO 1600, 1/400, f/5.6, 400mm, similar crop to above.

Nice shots Moose. I definitely have good expectations for this lens at a night time sporting event now. Definitely looking forward to Friday night in New Haven now.

[steve1840]

For anybody reading this particular post i am NOT talking about the US Open.....

Anybody that thought about doing a side trip to NEw Haven for the New Haven Open this week keep this in mind if you are thinking of bringing a camera

I was very excited about the thought to go photograph the semifinal event at the New Haven Open @ Yale on Friday night, which is one of the WTA's events leading up to the US Open. I was waiting for a response to an email I sent the tournament asking about photography policies for spectators since I didn't want to spend money on a ticket and come to find out that I cannnot bring a camera into the venue. The only thing I am happy about now is that I waited to get an asnwer before purchasing a ticket. Being that seats for Friday night's semifinal match were getting scarse, I decided to call a phone number listed on the tickets purchasing page to find out since I hadn't gotten a response to my email. When I called and asked, the response I recieved was that they only allowed point-and-shoot type cameras in the stadium, no professional type cameras. I was also told no flashes, or tripods.

I asked if by professional type camera she meant "detachable lenses" and I was told "I believe so." So, good news for all you people out there shooting with Canon Rebel XTi's, XSi's, 7D's, 5D's, Nikon D70's, 80's, 90's, etc......apparently we are all using professional cameras. It just seems funny to me that more and more people are bying DSLRs now, but yet places and events like this don't seem to want to make them usable. I even asked if the restriction was just to a certain focal length like other events I have gone to that wouldn't allow a lens over 300mm. Even to that question I was answered with "no detachable lenses at all".

To me it really is a shame that they would rather turn away someone who wants to enjoy their hobby while watching and supporting a great sport instead of making a ticket sale. All because that person wants to use something other than a $50-200 dollar walmart bought creditcard sized camera.

I really hope the US Open is more easy going with cameras inside the stadiums.

[lijk604]

Steve, I think it's more about the "large lenses" getting in the way of other spectators. Or people not controlling them and hitting other folks in the head. Kind of a liability thing. It's really hard to smack someone with a Nikon Coolpix or Canon G11...however, hit'em with a 100-400L or 80-400 VR and they will feel it.

[steve1840]

Yeah, you have a point, but I would think that since there are alot more DSLRs out there nowadays (since they are a lot cheaper than they used to be) that more people have them and your average person is going to have a fairly compact (relative to the size of the 100-400 or 400 prime) zoon lens on their DSLR that they would at least just put a restriction on the length of the lense. For example when I went to Monster Jam two winters ago, they simply had a restriction on the focal length. I just barely met the maximum length with my 75-300mm on my XTi.