ELi5 How a cameraman at a sports event able to track a fast moving ball with such a great focus on it?

Question

ELi5 How a cameraman at a sports event able to track a fast moving ball with such a great focus on it?

In: 2760

Answer 1

Here’s the trick. Every sports broadcast camera has a role. And depending on the sport and how many cameras you have, will decide what roles you can cover.

Basketball/Hockey:
1 camera is the “game” camera. This camera is up a little high, so it can see every player. The operators job it to keep most players and the ball in their shot at all times. They need to make live moves that are stable and not jarring to the player, often, you see an entire half of the playing surface. Sometimes this camera will completely lose the puck on screen, because the puck is on the near side, and blocked by the boards. The operator has to make their best guess as to where the puck is, based on where the players are going.

Another camera is the “Tight” camera. This camera will usually sit next to the “game” camera. Their job is to be used for cut-aways in between action. Close ups of players, fans etc. During gameplay, they are to follow the puck or ball or whatever the director/producer want. Here’s the key, they aren’t always live. They shot whatever they can, and their camera is fed into a replay machine. If the camera operator gets the shot, you’ll see that replay. If they don’t get the shot, you’ll never know. So while they don’t miss a ton, there is always a safety net.

Football has 2 or 3 cameras up top, 2 on the different 25 yard lines, and sometimes one at the 50. If you have 2 at 25 yard lines, those cameras will trade off who is the game and who is the tight. The game camera will be the camera closest to the action.

BUT, the biggest answer, is practice. You are watching camera operators on television that have thousands of games under their belt. in a single NBA season, a camera operator will see over 3,500 FGA. They learn little tricks and tips and tendencies. Some of them have played/coached that sport and can anticipate what the players will do.

I’m sure I’ve missed some nuances here, and there may be some regional differences.

TLDR: Practice, lots of practice. And not every move and shot is perfect.

Source: 15+ years experience in watching people play with their balls.