Tips for setting up camera for serve video?

[MiPeGr]

Hi all...I just looked through the last 10 pages of threads, and I didn't see anything like this.

Can someone give me some tips for setting up a camera for videoing some serves?

Front, back, from the side? Just focus on my body, or make sure that the receiving service box is visible?

I've borrowed a gopro hero 4 for a few weeks, if that matters. And I'll be filming indoors.

Thanks...

 

[LeeD]

6' high, directly behind you is most important. Pan it until it shows your whole body, the net, and also the backfence behind the other baseline, up to 4' at least. A side view is less important, but good for checking your body drive forwards, and exact forward location of toss.

 

[dgold44]

6' high, directly behind you is most important. Pan it until it shows your whole body, the net, and also the backfence behind the other baseline, up to 4' at least. A side view is less important, but good for checking your body drive forwards, and exact forward location of toss.

Hey, Lee, I have an iphone but need to buy a stand ??

 

[LeeD]

Don't think your iphone has a tripod mount, but it might and you'd be lucky.
Just tape it with duct tape to the backfencing behind you, be aware of where the camera lense is on the phone.

 

[Chas Tennis]

There is about 100X the light level in direct sunlight as in indoor courts. The automatic exposure control of the camera will select a relatively slow shutter speed indoors and that will probably result in considerable motion blur. Some cameras do better than others but sunlight is the way to go for small motion blur.

I believe that the ball's trajectory should be used to align the camera. From behind the server look along the likely trajectory say to the center of the service box. If you view along the center line then the serves on the ad and deuce can't be compared. A high camera location that shows the ball bounce is a big plus but it is not easy to get a tripod high enough. Get a tall tripod and try it. This requires changing the camera for the ad and deuce sides.

For the side view, point the camera perpendicular to the ball's trajectory. Pick the side that shows the most to the camera - to the right for a RH server. But maybe you are interested in the back view? This requires changing the camera for the ad and deuce sides.

If you catch the ball in two frames after impact and you are fairly perpendicular you can get the serve speed from the two frames. Needs some calibration = point your racket in the direction of the ball's trajectory hold it up and walk along the ball's trajectory.

If you want to see ISR directly you have to see the elbow bones rotate around the rotation axis which is the center line of the arm.
1) get up close so that the image is large and the shadows of the elbow or even veins show.
2) put a few tape markers on the upper arm just above the elbow. Wrist, other places.

Framing. You should not miss ball impact. You want to show toss height at least on some serves. Show below feet to above racket generally. But go for closeups also. GoPro has a wide angle lens and fast shutter in direct sunlight.

I believe that these are all 240 fps and a very fast shutter, manually set. Look at motion blur. To view single frame on Vimeo hold down the SHIFT KEY and use the ARROW KEYS.
Serve with markers. Poor ISR.

Serve with high view, tripod on ladder. See the ball trajectory looking right along the trajectory. You might see the ball curve. ? (The back fence is not high enough for this view.)

Kick serve. Stop action to see how the racket moves when in contact with the ball. Not 1% of tennis players understand this.

Close-up.

 

[MiPeGr]

Thanks to everyone, especially @Chas Tennis for the detailed info. Unfortunately, winter and early spring weather is not conducive to dry weather or sunny days here, so it's gotta be indoors or wait 'til May. I'll give it a go and see how it turns out...

 

[Chas Tennis]

GoPro recording indoor tennis courts.

Stop on some of the serves. Too much motion blur.

Google: GoPro (model?) indoor tennis high speed video

You need GoPro's high speed video mode. 120 fps? ?

You can download the instructions for the GoPro model that you are borrowing. If there is any way to adjust ISO, shutter speed, etc try it. If there is a way to adjust recording brightness, set it darker. This should give a faster shutter speed. But unfortunately the camera's automatic exposure control is probably fully automatic and may not have any adjustments.

See Exposure Compensation for a possible faster shutter speed. I think +2 might help but it could be -2. Reset the camera to the original Exposure Compensation as the setting may be retained.?
https://gopro.com/support/articles/advanced-protune-controls-explained

 

[Erlang]

There is about 100X the light level in direct sunlight as in indoor courts. The automatic exposure control of the camera will select a relatively slow shutter speed indoors and that will probably result in considerable motion blur. Some cameras do better than others but sunlight is the way to go for small motion blur.

Hi I tried this and even outdoors there is a significant amount of motion blur near and during contact

Do I just get a different camera?

 

[Chas Tennis]

Hi I tried this and even outdoors there is a significant amount of motion blur near and during contact

Do I just get a different camera?

One other thing - the 'fastest' lens setting should be used. If a zoom lens, use the widest angle lens setting available. Move camera close as necessary to frame.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated of motion blur for 100 MPH object.

Converting, 100 MPH = 1760"/sec

1) Shutter speed 1/100 sec_ 1/100s x 1760"/s = 17.6" of motion blur
2) Shutter speed 1/1000 sec_ 1/1000s x 1760"/s = 1.76" of motion blur

Look at your motion blur and estimate the shutter speed -- For the racket as seen from the side at impact, are you getting about 18" of motion blur or closer to 1.8" ?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To view the faster parts of tennis strokes you need high speed video of 200 fps or more and small motion blur.

This Canon camera, at $150 refurbished, with Canon Warranty does it. Others may? Especially similar Canon Powershot models with high speed video mode. I tested this particular model for motion blur. The resolution is low but it works.
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/black-friday-sale-high-speed-video-camera.484212/

 

[Erlang]

One other thing - the 'fastest' lens setting should be used. If a zoom lens, use the widest angle lens setting available. Move camera close as necessary to frame.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated of motion blur for 100 MPH object.

Converting, 100 MPH = 1760"/sec

1) Shutter speed 1/100 sec_ 1/100s x 1760"/s = 17.6" of motion blur
2) Shutter speed 1/1000 sec_ 1/1000s x 1760"/s = 1.76" of motion blur

Look at your motion blur and estimate the shutter speed -- For the racket as seen from the side at impact, are you getting about 18" of motion blur or closer to 1.8" ?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To view the faster parts of tennis strokes you need high speed video of 200 fps or more and small motion blur.

This Canon camera, at $150 refurbished, with Canon Warranty does it. Others may? Especially similar Canon Powershot models with high speed video mode. I tested this particular model for motion blur. The resolution is low but it works.
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/black-friday-sale-high-speed-video-camera.484212/

I did some research and apparently the shutter speed of the camera is locked at 1/60 for 30fps video and 1/50 for 25fps

I guess I'll get a new camera. I tried the one on your link but it says it's not available. I'll keep looking

 

[Chas Tennis]

This link works.
http://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/c...catalog/powershot-elph-110-hs-red-refurbished

 

[Bilders]

GoPro recording indoor tennis courts.

Stop on some of the serves. Too much motion blur.

Google: GoPro (model?) indoor tennis high speed video

You need GoPro's high speed video mode. 120 fps? ?

You can download the instructions for the GoPro model that you are borrowing. If there is any way to adjust ISO, shutter speed, etc try it. If there is a way to adjust recording brightness, set it darker. This should give a faster shutter speed. But unfortunately the camera's automatic exposure control is probably fully automatic and may not have any adjustments.

See Exposure Compensation for a possible faster shutter speed. I think +2 might help but it could be -2. Reset the camera to the original Exposure Compensation as the setting may be retained.?
https://gopro.com/support/articles/advanced-protune-controls-explained

That first ball toss is just epic. It's like on the toss he is controlling it with magic