Camera for bmx photography?

I want to start doing some photography of some of the local bmx riders and skateboarders in my area. I need some help finding the right camera. What should I look for megapixel wise and what kind of len/s should I be interested in getting aswell.

I was looking at a Nikon D3200 with a 18-55mm lens.

Any suggestions would be great!

I use a 18-200 mm lens on a Nikon camera when shooting motocross and skate boarding events.

It has enough reach to catch most of the action on the track or skate parks.

Here are two samples of motocross using that lens.html? Sort=6&o=15.html? Sort=6&o=29

I was thinking 50mm f/1.8 (or faster / lower f/number). BMX is fast action. You need a lens that will allow you to freeze everything from that simple bunny hop to that awesome tabletop when shooting in the street. In pipes, as long as you're near enough (like on the rails itself), that lens will still allow you to shoot decently. What matters is you get to freeze the rider with a short enough lens that can get hit by your moving subject.

The camera? All dSLR's are basically alike so take a pick. The more expensive the dSLR, the easier to take the shot if you know exactly what you are doing. I recommend this so the riders see you from afar and hopefully avoid you or clear you enough space as they jump over you.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/...amera.html

Firstly, forget about megapixels unless you're going to be printing massive posters. 10 is more than enough for almost anything.

As for a camera, you might also consider the Canon 7D (which, for the record, has 18 megapixels). It is optimised for action, shoots up to 8FPS, and will be relatively inexpensive these days because it's a few years old now. As for the lens, it will depend on how far you will be from the action. If you're going to be close, then a 50mm lens as suggested could be the ticket, or you could try a zoom if you're going to be further away. Assuming the races will be held in the daytime, something like one of Canon's 70-200 F4 lenses might be good. You don't need the 2.8 for daytime shooting, plus the 2.8s are very expensive. An f4 70-200 isn't exactly cheap either, but in relative terms it is.

Maybe a combination of a zoom and a wide prime, say a 35 or under, might be the best mix. We don't know your budget though. The zoom will get you shots from further away, and the prime will let you get up close. As long as you don't mind switching lenses from time to time, these two could be a pretty versatile setup.

I shoot with a D7000. For your lens you will want like an 80-200. Don't fixate on megapixels. Any modern DSLR will have more than enough megapixels for your needs. As far as what to get, get the best camera you can afford even if you have to save for a while. You are going to be using this for a while.