Mac products to shoot sports video

afie said:

I am after some help to choose an Apple product to shoot sports video (with viewings quickly after they are shot). Sport is rowing, video shot from 5-15 metres away, often in low light (dawn/dusk) conditions, no more than one hour of recording per session.

What video codec can/should I choose to record in? i.e. What would provide quality resolution but fit into the smaller (16GB)/cheaper models?

What noticeable differences would there be between 720p and 1080p cameras? I have read that 720p are better for low light conditions?

Why does the new iPod touch (5th Gen) shoot HD 1080p, but can only replay at 720p?

Is there any real (noticeable) difference between the 8MP iPhone 5 and 5MP iPad Mini/iPod (5th Gen) iSight cameras?

Any recommendations for good Apps that can quickly select video that has just been shot, to be replayed with a pause, zoom, slo-mo functionality?

Cheers

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Rowing=low light=5 a.m. lol

I have heard that the iPhone 5 is better at low light conditions than any other device in the line. You might be testing this, even still. I suggest you test someone's in your conditions to make sure its acceptable

Shooting an hour's worth is not going to be idea on a phone or an ipad, however. You might want to look at dedicated cameras.

The best cameras for low light shooting would be in the DSLR range, the still cameras with big sensors that won't need additional lights. Canon or Nikon.

Canon, Sony, and Toshiba make camcorders that have some low light ability.

Either way you can dump the footage to any laptop or iPad for viewing quickly, slowing down, etc. You can also shoot nice slow mo on these.

The types of sensors used in many consumer devices (including Apple's products and DSLRs) probably aren't the best for what you want to do as they distort the image when recording fast moving objects (rolling shutter). For applications like low budget filmmaking this usually isn't a deal breaker but if you need to analyze a rower's stroke, especially in slow motion, this could be problematic.

afie said:

I like the ability to record on, say, an iPad and then hand it over to the athlete who can then watch it as they sit in the boat.

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Borrow one and try it. It's all academic until you hit the record button.

IMO the sensors and lenses for the iDevices (and similar) are terrible. Adequate would be the kind way to describe them. You can take acceptable images and video with them if you can control the conditions sufficiently, but using available light at dawn with an iDevice while in a moving boat is more likely to reveal their deficiencies than result in usable video. While someone may be able to say one is better than the other, the real answer is more like 'which one is most terrible and which one is least terrible'.

My first thought about this is that I think you're going to need to spend money on lights. 5 - 15 m in low light conditions is too much, too far. But try it to make sure. See if you can mount it on a tripod.

As a rower for 5 years (competed on the national level in high school) I can say that you'll want a DSLR with a long lens....We had two pro photographers (parents really) but they couldn't reach out and touch with their 7D's or 1D's...Something like a 70-200 f/2.8 would be nice...in rowing you can never have too long of a lens...really. If you can go even farther than 200mm great. I can tell you right now that if your camera is not going to reach out far and is not strong you might as well give up. Rolling shutter in video is an issue but again with a good long lens with IS you can do pretty good, we reviewed video footage from various sources and I can say you'll want to be shooting 50fps or 60fps...my coach made the mistake of shooting like 24p and trying to examine my form and it almost got the point where I was like "uh coach thats just a blur...". A nice weather proof case for a DSLR that can shoot 60p video with a long lens would do good....just make sure your launch driver isn't an idiot (almost had a team mate drive a launch through my four...). The iPod touch or iPhone really don't provide enough reach again...if your in the launch and your close enough to see the rowers fine detail your likely causing them a bag of hurt with the waves, of course there are ways around this but its a pain.

If your on the ergs for the winter then you could get away with anything that shoots a constant frame rate pretty high...I find the iPhones variable frame rate between 24p and 30p to suck for frame grabs and pausing...sure its efficient for quality but is just allot of blurriness. 60fps is the way to go (the iPhone needs 60p over higher rez if you ask me!) the nature of hand held is shaky :/ Alright Ill stop posting, I'm starting to have flash backs to this abusive sport! Aw damn I miss it! Only a rower can understand the feeling! Good luck!

Get a Go Pro, and get a memory card reader for iPad and you can play back on iPad.

afie said:

I like the ability to record on, say, an iPad and then hand it over to the athlete who can then watch it as they sit in the boat. Lessen the time it takes to get good feedback and make changes straight away.

The cases and lifejackets made by Lifeproof make this possible.


Any thoughts on recording at 720p or 1080p?

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There's no way an ipad is going to work. The sensor in those light conditions and the distances and the handheld mean I don't think its an option.

Shooting from a chase boat? Or shore?

I'm thinking that gopro is not a bad idea, cheap, waterproof housing, overcranked frame rates an option. The Go Pro 3 is meant to have better low light performance, and you can do the protune thing to tweak it

http://www.unsponsored.co.uk/press/?p=3726