What 85 - 150mm AF Nikkor lens for super fast action?

[BruceSD]

In August I'm planning to photograph the World's Barefoot Waterski Competition ( http://barefootworlds.org/ ).

I've shot this before with great success using my Nikon D7100 camera with my 300mm f/4 lens (not the latest pentaprism one, the one before that).   The autofocus on this rig was very fast and I got lots of keepers.

This August I'll be back shooting the barefoot skiers going 45 mph.   I will have one D7100 with the 300mm lens on my monopod.  I was thinking of hanging a second D7100 from around my neck with a prime lens in the range of 85-150mm on it.  What prime lens in this range might you recommend I get?  It would need to have good auto focus.

Thanks,
Dave

[tommiejeep]

Dave, not the answer you are looking for but for fast action my very favourite lens is the 70-200 2.8 vr (either version) .  Super fast AF.  Of course not really for hanging a(round your neck  but I often have it on a Black Rapid while shooting the 300 2.8vr).  I will have to check but I think the 85 1.8G is my fastest small prime for AF in that range.  Faster than the DC105 f2D , 105 2.8vr , or 85 1.4D.  If you are happy with f4 the 70-200 f4 vr is darn fast at AF. 

I will be interested in what others have to say 
Cheers,

[pluton]

The zooms are often fast with AF because the focus is usually accomplished by moving small internal element groups.  I'd check the zooms mentioned.

[BruceSD]

Thanks for your responses.

I am just not a zoom guy.

I think I'll get the 85 1.8G

[ArendV]

I would not recommend the 1.8/85 AFS for fast AF.
I have used it together with the 4/70-200 VR in action sports and the last one was definitely faster in acquiring focus, I had more keepers.

[Roland Vink]

The AFS 105 VR micro might be another option ... the focal length is in the right range, it has VR, and f/2.8 is fast enough for most situations, not sure if the AF is fast enough though, maybe someone else can comment.

[Hugh_3170]

The faster zooms are often built with sports photographers in mind and are designed for fast focus acquisition, e.g. the current crop of 70-210mm f/2.8 lenses from the likes of both Nikon & Canon.

The zooms are often fast with AF because the focus is usually accomplished by moving small internal element groups.  I'd check the zooms mentioned.

[tommiejeep]

OK Dave,  I just shot the D7100 with the AF lenses that I have, as mentioned in my first reply.  Only static targets but was rapidly moving from targets at a couple of mtrs to infinity and all ranges in between.  To be honest all focused at speeds to close for me to really say which is faster.  We are off to lunch in an hour or so.  I'll take the D7100, 85 1.8G, 105vr and DC105 and try shooting motorbikes on the highway across from the restaurant.  Only problem is that I will have lots of light but there will be buildings as BG on the other side of the road.
Next time I go out in the early morning for birds I will take same set up and check low light.  Very probably tomorrow morning or Tuesday.

It may come down to which FL you really want, how much you want to spend and what other uses you have for the lens.  Most sports shooters say that the DC135 f2D is too slow for indoor sports but I am now wondering about that.
I will get back to you in the next couple of days.  Maybe Jakov can shoot some moving targets in Scotland, with his new 135 f2, and see what he thinks 

I actually shoot more primes than zooms these days but would never shoot soccer without a zoom on one body. 

Edit:  I will do some High and low speed burst shooting and see what happens with tracking .    That could be the differentiating factor 
Tom

[HCS]

I'd say which type of lens you need depends heavily on the way the subjects are going to be moving opposed to you. Are they moving in a parallel plane? Then almost any AF lens will do.

Are they going to be moving towards or away from you at those speeds, then only the fastest AFS lenses will be able to keep up, coupled to the best AF systems in body.

So, are you planning to use the 85 for when the skiers are close, but in parallel motion, then even the 85 F/1.8 AF would do. I have that one, it's a slow focuser, but i've used it more than once to shoot rally cars. They seem to be going (much) faster than 45 Mph.

YMMV

[the solitaire]

If you want a fast focusing prime the already mentioned AF-S 105mm f2,8G VR is a good option. Use the focus limiter and you have a 105mm prime with nice rendering wide open, plenty of sharpness and fast AF (as long as it doesn't start to hunt for focus).

I occasionally use the lens for dogs-in-action which are fast and irratically moving subjects that can come really close and be really far away the blink fo an eye later.

I found the 85mm f1,8 AF-S rather lame when it comes to AF. The rendering is excellent though. Compared to the 85mm f1,8 Af-D where AF is lightning fast but rendering can be.... well, let's say that you can get results similar to those of the 85mm f1,4 AF-D and you can get.... other results.

It is sharp. Sharper then the faster big sibling across the frame. But it can render double lines on background subjects at medium distance.