The viewfinder shows a different image than the camera is sending to the audience. The camera operator sees a wider field, with lines showing where the broadcast image is in the field of view. If someone misses a change in direction, the director cuts to a different camera, so you only see the times they do the right thing.
They have insane autofocus system. Any modern pro dslr or mirrorless camera can lock onto the subject and follow it, no matter the speed and or movement. It is called continuous auto focus. With the right settings. Exposure settings, the photographer can easily capture, “freeze” the action whenever it is needed
I work in sports. Not as a camera operator but as a Technical Director. It mostly comes down to experience and practice. But camera operators understand the sport and the body language of the players. Players movement, direction and position are just as helpful at tracking the ball as the ball itself.
It all comes down to having a parfocal lens. A parfocal lens enables the camera operator to quickly zoom in and out without losing focus. It also needs a motorized aperture and focus remote control.
[Here is a great video explaining how this is possible.](https://youtu.be/RkTaMyatsTo) There is actually more to it aside from the lens.
I have actually worked as a cameraman at hockey matches that got aired on local tv. This was over a decade ago.The way to make sure we had the tiny puck in the shot was mostly educated guesswork. The viewfinder on the camera’s we used could hardly show the tiny puck. We all wore headsets to hear the directors instructions. He assigned some camera’s an (easier) medium shot in which you have a broader view and the more experienced operators were assigned the close ups. Getting the close ups was hard. You focussed on a player that had the puck and when he swung to hit it you just guessed where it went. Sometimes you’d lose the puck entirely and then the director would instantly cut to the medium shot, allowing you to do a quick zoom out, find the puck and get a close shot again. It was hard work that required a lot of concentration and experience. Keeping a ball in focus works the same way.
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