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What camera and lighting setup does Scott Kivowitz recommend for fast-paced sports photography?

Updated May 26, 20261 min read

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Scott Kivowitzcamera setupsports photographylighting

Answer

From Scott Kivowitz

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For fast-paced sports photography, I focus on gear that’s fast, reliable, and consistent rather than “fancy.”

Here’s the general setup I recommend:

  1. Camera body: A fast autofocus mirrorless or DSLR with great tracking and at least 10 fps (Canon R-series, Nikon Z, Sony A9/A1 type bodies)
  2. Lenses: 70–200mm f/2.8 and/or 24–70mm f/2.8 for most field and court work
  3. Shutter: 1/1000s or faster to freeze action
  4. Aperture: Around f/2.8–f/4 for subject separation and light

Lighting depends on the job:

  1. Outdoor day games: Usually natural light, maybe a fill flash for portraits
  2. Indoor gyms or evening fields: Strobes in the rafters or on light stands, triggered wirelessly, balanced around ISO 1600–3200, with consistent white balance

What sport and level (youth, high school, pro) are you shooting?