How do you film your hockey games?

[eugene8080 0]

I would like to find a simple, effective solution for filming my team's games. We use video for analyzing our players and game. Our current solutions are:

1) filming with a smartphone by hand from the spectator stand - this works well but is very tiring and only works if we have a friend watching the game

2) gopro on the glass behind the goalie - great for our goalie but hard to see plays, especially in the offensive zone

How is everyone else recording their games?

Have you tired the auto-cameraman solutions where the camera automatically follows the play (I've seen these online for soccer but never saw a hockey one)?

Does your rink have a good filming system that captures the entire rink?

Is there a simple solution to record from the bench (maybe a GoPro on a stand or 2x GoPros, one for each zone)?

Thanks Everyone,

Eugene

[IPv6Freely 2082]

I think I’d go with a GoPro at each end and two more, placed about the hash marks, aimed towards center ice. May not get everything but if you’re not wanting to spend an absolute fortune it should be pretty good. 

The ones at each end are a must, not just for the goalies but so you can see almost all of the offensive zone play.

I know there is tech out there that can follow the play but I have to think it’s crazy expensive. At least way more than four or five GoPros.

Theres also the option of other brand 4K action cameras that are way cheaper. I just don’t have experience with them but I’m sure they’d work fine (and maybe you could then afford more of them?)

[colins 246]

 

I've recorded a lot of games from the stands. You can see some of them online on my youtube channel here:

https://www.youtube.com/user/cjsutoob/videos

Some key things I've learned:

1. Use a quality camera. Arenas generally have poor lighting for video, and high contrast between the ice and players. Also very fast movement. You need a quality camera and you need to learn to use the white balance, gain and shutter speed controls to adjust for arena conditions. It's not that difficult once you do some experimenting. I use a 6 year old Canon Vixia HF-G10. It's small enough I can put it in my coat (winter) or shorts (summer) pocket.

2. I don't lug around tripods - if I had to do that I wouldn't record games to be honest. I just hold it in my hand, and I make smooth gradual movements as much as possible. I watch the game (not through the camera) and check my framing from time to time via the lcd screen. I don't zoom in and out excessively. The magic is afterwards - I upload the video to youtube and click 'stabilize' under their Edit options. It's kinda incredible how smooth the video is after the stabilization is done, considering no tripods or other tricks involved. 

3. My camera is a bit long in the tooth now and is not a true 60fps camera - it can do 30fps@1080p or 60fps interlaced. If you use a high quality modern camera that can record 60fps@1080p the results will be so much better. I can instantly tell hockey video that is 60fps - it looks like you are viewing it live, instead of it looking like a video.

Any questions let me know - I'm no expert but I've shot enough games in enough different arenas now to have some ideas on what works and what doesn't.

colins

 

[IPv6Freely 2082]

12 minutes ago, colins said:

 

I've recorded a lot of games from the stands. You can see some of them online on my youtube channel here:

https://www.youtube.com/user/cjsutoob/videos

Some key things I've learned:

1. Use a quality camera. Arenas generally have poor lighting for video, and high contrast between the ice and players. Also very fast movement. You need a quality camera and you need to learn to use the white balance, gain and shutter speed controls to adjust for arena conditions. It's not that difficult once you do some experimenting. I use a 6 year old Canon Vixia HF-G10. It's small enough I can put it in my coat (winter) or shorts (summer) pocket.

2. I don't lug around tripods - if I had to do that I wouldn't record games to be honest. I just hold it in my hand, and I make smooth gradual movements as much as possible. I watch the game (not through the camera) and check my framing from time to time via the lcd screen. I don't zoom in and out excessively. The magic is afterwards - I upload the video to youtube and click 'stabilize' under their Edit options. It's kinda incredible how smooth the video is after the stabilization is done, considering no tripods or other tricks involved. 

3. My camera is a bit long in the tooth now and is not a true 60fps camera - it can do 30fps@1080p or 60fps interlaced. If you use a high quality modern camera that can record 60fps@1080p the results will be so much better. I can instantly tell hockey video that is 60fps - it looks like you are viewing it live, instead of it looking like a video.

Any questions let me know - I'm no expert but I've shot enough games in enough different arenas now to have some ideas on what works and what doesn't.

colins

 

Agreed. 1080p@60 is way better looking than 4k@30 when it comes to sports.

[Hills 709]

22 hours ago, IPv6Freely said:

Agreed. 1080p@60 is way better looking than 4k@30 when it comes to sports.

4K@60 FTW!

[IPv6Freely 2082]

5 hours ago, Hills said:

4K@60 FTW!

Haha well yes of course 😄 

[Paddy 11]

If you've ever watched Beer Leage Bender, on youtube, i like the corner glass location he uses for a gopro. Seems to me, a better spot than directly behind the goalie. The angle gives you more depth, you're able to see zone entry and breakouts better.

[IPv6Freely 2082]

1 hour ago, Paddy said:

If you've ever watched Beer Leage Bender, on youtube, i like the corner glass location he uses for a gopro. Seems to me, a better spot than directly behind the goalie. The angle gives you more depth, you're able to see zone entry and breakouts better.

Useless if you’re a goalie though 😉 

[Paddy 11]

9 hours ago, IPv6Freely said:

Useless if you’re a goalie though 😉 

I almost wrote that, lol

[YesLanges 126]

Tough to beat a wife willing to stand by the glass all game, but compare her reaction to goals in 2014 and 2018.

2014 (7 Red): https://www.dropbox.com/home/Good Ol Boys games/Boys vs. BS%26B 2-9-15?preview=Chas+Blue+Moon+from+Dave+%26+Steve.mp4

2018 (21 Green): https://www.dropbox.com/home/Mallards vs. Aces 5-30-18?preview=video-2018-05-30-21-21-38.mp4