Introduction
In the growing world of social media, Athletes are increasingly looking for more ways to share and showcase their accomplishments in endurance events. Providing quality photos and videos can really drive repeat business and awareness of your event through social media sharing of Online Results.
This guide will outline our currently-recommended best practices for capturing quality video for your ChronoTrack Live event.
Suggested Equipment
- An HD-capable Video Camera such as the Canon VIXIA HF R70 Full HD or the more-robust, higher end Canon Vixia HF G40 (for example)
- 32 GB or greater SD card
- Extended-life battery and/or power cable
- Tripod or scaffold clamp such as the Manfrotto 244 Magic Arm with camera bracket, along with the Manfrotto 035 Super Clamp
Equipment Configuration
Camera
There are a variety of settings to consider when configuring your camera for race day. Using our suggested settings, your camera should be able to record about 9 1/2 hours of video on a 32 GB card - that's about 18 minutes of good quality video per GB. Please note that space on the SD card and the charge on the battery may not be the same. We recommend that you plug the camera into AC power for longer events.
Our recommended settings are:
- Output Format: .mp4
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Video Resolution: 7Mbps -or- 1080p
- FPS: 60/60i
Make sure that your SD card has been formatted through your Camera's interface prior to each Event. This will ensure that video capture works correctly with your camera.
Capturing Quality Video
Camera Angles
- A higher angle that shows the entire Timing Line and any banners and clocks is ideal. This helps with dense packs of Athletes where seeing bib numbers may be difficult.
- Ensure that the camera is level and not in a place where it can be knocked over or crooked.
- Try to ensure that the camera is pointing away from direct light.
The example image below is an excellent example of correct video framing and setup.
- This angle is too close to get all the finishers in the shot
- This camera needs to be leveled and moved to the other side of the road for better lighting.
Camera Obstacles
- Volunteers and photographers can be a hindrance during video recording. Advise volunteers and photographers to stay well back from the line.
- Keep an eye out for bystanders blocking the finish
- Having someone monitor the video during your event can cut down on interference
- Be ready to make changes to keep the participants visible at all times
- Be wary of wind or other weather conditions that could impair or damage the camera during the event
Recording
- We recommend starting the recording 5-10 minutes before the first finisher crosses the line to conserve battery life and reduce the overall size of the video file.
- Do not start and stop the video recording once athletes have begun crossing the line.