My son will be a high school freshman in Fall 2019, and I was interested in buying a video camera. Does anyone have any suggestions brands, models, or features to look for?
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Most of your new DSLRs also do video in HD or 4K. That way you would get both in a single unit. Many now have apps that if you have it set on tripod you can control etc... via your phone. Also you can transfer video and pics via wifi from camera to phone so you can send out pics/video immediately to friends and family. This is what I would get
Nikon Z6
Enjoy taking high-resolution photos with this full-frame, mirrorless Nikon camera. The FX-format sensor is compatible with F-mount NIKKOR lenses for shooting options, and mirrorless operation makes it lightweight and easy to handle. This Nikon camera shoots 24.5-megapixel stills at up to 12 fps and video at 4K UHD for versatile media creation.
A lot depends upon your needs, goals, and price range. I was looking for something simple and light, remote control with phone, multiple shot angles, 1080p resolution at 60 fps, and could be set up to stream live (with a couple of additional accessories). I went with a GoPro Hero4 Silver and it has done everything I've needed so far in very compact and durable package.
What tequila said. A lot depends on your goals. Are you shooting from behind the back stop? From center field? Looking for a few clips? Looking to record the entire game? If you're just looking to get clips of your son AB then a cell phone will probably work. If you looking to shoot from center field the you are going to want something else. We use a Sony HDR-CX900 for shooting vlogs, internal stuff and social media posts at work.
https://www.amazon.com/Sony-HD...WVNK#customerReviews
I used it to film some of my kids games. Really nice camera but not cheap and it maybe overkill depending on what you want to do.
I would like to use the camera to capture ABs as well as his work in the field (1st, 3rd, pitcher, and OF).
A basic smartphone can do almost anything you would need for recording your son at a baseball game, including live-streaming. You can buy accessories like mounts, tripods, handles and even gimbals to improve the recording quality. The only reason I can think to upgrade would be for optical zoom, which is much better than digit zoom if you're too far away from the action to get clear video. For that you need a camcorder or DSLR. You can get a decent Sony or Panasonic camcorder w optical zoom for less than $200. Those don't have too many modern features, just basic high quality video recording. Camcorders or DSLRs with lots of cool features like wifi (not for streaming) will cost at least $500 and realistically more like $1,000 and up.
MidAtlanticDad posted:A basic smartphone can do almost anything you would need for recording your son at a baseball game, including live-streaming.
Totally agree MidAtlanticDad. I will add that the reason I chose an external purpose-built device is because A) I didn't want my phone dedicated/allocated to this during the events, and B) I wanted easy control over the storage, which can be quite significant with med/high quality video. I felt that dealing with the management and transfer of this data on an iphone was kind of a pain.
I am going to make a bit of an odd suggestion. But first, I'll explain my criteria for buying it. I hate getting right up to the fence to video an at-bat, particularly at a place like Lake Point or at a showcase (I prefer to be invisible). My phone camera just doesn't have enough zoom to get this job done. Second, my phone was getting filled with video so I wanted something that stored the data off my phone. Third, I use my phone during a game so this gave me another reason to get a separate camera.
I ended up getting the DJI Osmo, which is a drone camera on a stick. I met a filmographer who was using one and he raved about it. Fantastic zoom (72x), takes HD video (60 frames per second), stores video on mini SD card, and has an amazing stabilizer that works great for baseball. It is really professional quality video that makes great clips for a recruiting video. Also, your phone is the "view finder", so you can set up the camera on a tripod and control the action from your seat in the bleachers. It's not cheap, but fit perfectly into what I was looking for.
tequila posted:Totally agree MidAtlanticDad. I will add that the reason I chose an external purpose-built device is because A) I didn't want my phone dedicated/allocated to this during the events, and B) I wanted easy control over the storage, which can be quite significant with med/high quality video. I felt that dealing with the management and transfer of this data on an iphone was kind of a pain.
Agree right back at you. Also if you have other interest like skydiving (GoPro) or high quality photography (DSLR), those other options make more sense, too. Still, it's amazing to me that my iPhone 8 can record 240fps at 1080p for amazing slow motion video.
THANKS for all the advice/tips!
Has anyone used a setup with a tripod where you just leave it and record the entire game? If so, where do you put the camera? Did you ever get complaints?
@TerribleBPthrower posted:Has anyone used a setup with a tripod where you just leave it and record the entire game? If so, where do you put the camera? Did you ever get complaints?
I have not done this but I've seen lots of people do it. I have never seen a problem with it. Having said that, I think the result is rather awful. You have to have a wide enough angle so that you cover the whole field, which means the batter and fielders look like they are 1/2 mile away. Second, it's the wrong viewing angle to get a hitter since you can't really see the swing. I don't think it has any recruiting value. If you want it to record your son for posterity, it's probably fine.
My son is a C, so I really only need to get the view from C to 2b.
I read your post about the DJI. Which model did you get? I have a Sony SLR that I can control remotely for pics but for some reason won’t control for video.
Is there an OF fence? Are you allowed to put a camera in CF? Hopefully the fence is high you can use a fence mount, otherwise buy a tall tripod. Kinda expensive tho'
I purchased a Canon Vixia R800. I think it was a few hundred bucks. Great in the sun and when the lights are on. Barely a step above useless when it is cloudy. I would not recommend it.
I also purchased a Dinkum Systems fence mount which is awesome. I just bought another one to mount my phone as well to get two different angles.
I purchased an AKASO V50x for about $60, a tripod for $15 plus a mini SD card. So, less than $100 all in. I narrow the field of view to 110 degrees to avoid the fish eye. I looked it up on Amazon. it's up to $85.
My son is a catcher, 3B and pitcher and it has excellent picture quality at up to 4K30fps. 4x zoom. I wouldn't recommend it for an outfielder.
You can find some really good quality cameras below $200. The reviews I saw on GoPro said that it was not good for baseball. I don't remember why, so I went a similar but different route.
I just googled best video/action cameras for less than X dollars and checked out the list and read the reviews. Just depends on how many X dollars you have to spend.
I was hoping to find something close to the quality of my phone. The Canon reviews were solid but the rep at B&H said it may not be good in low lighting situations. I was surprised to find out that meant a cloud. It works fine for AB's and to get video of my son catching, but anything past the SS in cloud cover is like old school Atari figures.
I've heard terrible reviews on the GoPro's for baseball. Another parent was trying to use one at the beginning of the season and then just offered me a nice bottle of bourbon to get a copy of my video. Now I upload the video to the school HUDL account for the entire team to use.
Our HS team has begun streaming all games from an iPhone. Nice to get the film. Not cinema quality but every hit is captured and available to anyone who wants it!. There are contraptions from Amazon that bungee to the fence making it pretty simple to set up. Kudos to our team for adding a pocket radar and scoring/broadcasting games on iscore—we have grandparents across the country tuning in!
It obviously depends on your needs. I don’t have any expertise if you’re looking for high quality. I’ve been looking for a an alternative as well and here’s what I’ve used or encountered.
Last year I was using the Periscope app to live stream with iPhone. Twitter bought and has retired it but I think you can livestream with Twitter now too, but haven’t got that far. I think it will store your feed, like periscope did. Livestream is for the grandparents and family. I use “the fence clip”, which is pretty solid on regular chain link, but isn’t great on backstop with netting.
Another dad on our team is testing the game changer team manager app’s livestream in the beta. Seems to be getting better. It doesn’t have a option to save or store the video Just mentioning it in case someone is interested in livestream options too.
A dad this weekend was using two GoPro Hero9s to get footage. He setup one behind home and another closer to the dugout to get the batter. I saw the behind home footage and it was really good quality in my opinion. The feature I like too is the ability to live stream through your phone as your recording. Also saw that GoPro subscription is $49/yr for unlimited cloud storage. Pretty decent option as I’m no long a fan of maintaining external drives at home.
Another simple setup I liked was a dad had a 5ft tripod with an iPhone/iPad set back about 15 feet from the fence. Not gonna get the best quality but the fence was not a distraction in watching the video. Might be an option for youth, probably not for HS depending on the seating.
For chain link I'd highly recommend a Dinkum Systems mount. Get the larger size clamp. You can position it so the camera is aligned perfectly. It is also very sturdy once in place and doesn't move. It will not be a good option though for netting. I don't think anything would be though.