Media Technology

Congratulations to GoBeachSoccer.com for winning the 2018 U.S. Pro Cup, at the Beach Soccer Championships. The contest featured an all-star lineup of international players, including Nick Perera, Mikel Palmerin, Chris Toth, Lucao Azevedo, and Frank Velasquez. @GoBeachSoccer won the final round against NorCal Beach Soccer Club.

These beach soccer photos were shot with the Sony a9, Sigma MC-11 adapter, and a Sigma 135mm f/1.8 ef-mount lens. The lens aperture was at f/2.0, and f/1.8 for some of the Sunday finale pictures. Shutter speeds were usually 1/10000th or 1/12800th. The MC-11 integration with modern Sigma lenses looks like a native e-mount lens to the camera body, and with the Sony a9 you have all of the native autofocus modes available in the a9 menu. The MC-11+Sigma 135/1.8 combo performed well, with some early testing showing AF-C working at 13-14fps, according to the EXIF date/time stamps.

Using a prime lens to shoot a bigger playing field like this incurs some major tradeoffs, mostly in the form of heavy resolution loss due to severe cropping, at 50% or more in some of these photos. Cropping a photo can also affect the way that the depth of field looks, which tends to counteract the use of fast prime glass. Picking the correct focus area with ball sports is a headache, due to all of the players on the field. Expanded flexible spot is a viable option, but then it’s difficult to frame the shot with a focus point that’s off to one side, which is often necessary to get the best shot composition.

The biggest problems with adapted lenses on Sony bodies tends to be with video autofocus, and in this case, the lens would autofocus, but it appeared to be using CDAF, judging by a slow but brief hunt on both sides of the focal plane, before settling into focus. That is not native e-mount lens behavior, but you should test it for yourself to see if it’s acceptable. That behavior could be different with the upcoming Sigma Art lenses release, in e-mount.

Dan Euritt
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The Pan American Beach Handball Championships were held in Oceanside CA, on 3/2018. A total of 20 teams were scheduled to compete, with both Men’s and Women’s Tournaments built around group play, that sets up seeding for the knockout tournament, that all teams will advance to. The top four teams of each gender advance to the World Beach Handball Tournament in Russia. USA BEACH HANDBALL TO HOST THE 2018 PAN AMERICAN BEACH HANDBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Most beach handball action revolves around the limit line that defines the goal area, that outfield players from both teams can’t enter. The exception to that rule is when offensive players are making jumping throws from outside the goal area, but then land inside it. They have to leave the area immediately afterwards.

All photos were shot with a Sony a9 and an FE 90mm f/2.8 macro lens, shot wide open at 15fps.

Dan Euritt
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Surfers from around the world met up at Surf City USA for the Vans US Open of Surfing. This surf/BMX/skateboarding event was sanctioned by the World Surf League, as a qualifier for surfers to get on the Championship Tour circuit. There was an unusually big swell, with perfect conditions for most of the event. Sage Erickson and Kanoa Igarashi took home the trophies. These surfing photos were shot with a Sony a7R, LAEA4 adapter, and Tamron 150-600mm G1 lens, shot wide open, at 1/2000th-1/2500th.

Dan Euritt
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The worlds best pro surfers met up at Lower Trestles for another WSL surf contest, and it proved to be a historic event, in part because Trestles is not on the WSL circuit for 2018. Of course no one knew that at the time; the news was all about the John John Florence title hunt, Jeep Leader Jordy Smith, etc. In the end, Brazil dominated, with Felipe Toledo and Silvana Lima taking the titles. Felipe was always a contender of course, but Silvana was a surprise, she put on a stunning performance that dominated the worlds best women surfers.

All photos shot with the Sony a9 and the Tamron 150-600mm G1 lens, with the aperture wide open, 1/2000th-1/2500th shutter speed.

Dan Euritt
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