I tried to film my friend the other day from beach - not trying to make an epic surf film just trying to get clear video for improving technique. I have a ton of still photography gear, but I've never really messed with video. I used a full frame DSLR and 100-400 lens on a tripod with ballhead. Didn't really work because the surfer goes zipping down the line and when you try to pan it's real jerky (using pan function on ballhead) and the pan goes diagonal usually cause it's hard to get a photo tripod perfectly level. I see that the standard solution is to get a video tripod/fluid head, but the ones for telephoto lenses appear to cost more than a new SUP.

Anybody wrestled with this and found a solution? Maybe just buy a cheap used digital camcorder that can work with a cheaper video tripod?

Looks like in surf videos they angle it so camera not perpendicular to beach/wave, but diagonal so surfer going down the line towards camera, maybe that would help... thanks!

My "camerawoman" tried lots of cheap solutions, but in the end she prefers just moving the camcorder by hand with some support for her elbows, most of the time her knees sitting down. But we have a very light camcorder, may not be possible with an heavy telephoto lens.

You may try to use a monopod. www.digitalcameraworld.com/buying-guides/best-monopods

Thanks Colas!

I am trying the "low tech" approach. I coded a small script that records our local webcams (e.g: www.webcam-hd.fr/webcam?id=49 I am a paying subscriber), implementing something like a crude "Surfline Cam Rewind" or "Surfline Sessions" that I launch before getting out for a session.

The goal is to be able to extract short clips to reference in my personal "Surf Journal" to act as memory-triggering reminders of the session. And maybe capture some of my rides with any luck.

Tested on Tuesday, It captured 4 waves. Definitely ultra-crappy resolution, but works very nicely for personal memories...

Nice! I use to write (very basic) code to control cameras with sensors to photograph bears

this reminds me that I could subscribe to Surfline and try the rewind, but my favorite spot has no camera.

Simpler solution for me was using a 4K camcorder ($300) at 60+FPS. Shoot a little wider. A little zoom and stabilization in the editing software does the trick.

Hey Oki, howzit over there? That setup had the standard camcorder lens?

Very nice Colas, ripping those lines. The waves were reeling this week. What time is the video taken?

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surfinJ said..
Very nice Colas, ripping those lines. The waves were reeling this week. What time is the video taken?

Thanks!
The water being incredibly crowded, I had to get up very early and play cat and mouse to find empty peaks...

First wave I got this day was at 7h30 (with my eyes I have a hard time seeing the waves properly before). The waves in the vid were between 7h55 and 8h15, and I got out at 9h50

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surfinJ said..
Hey Oki, howzit over there? That setup had the standard camcorder lens?

Very nice Colas, ripping those lines. The waves were reeling this week. What time is the video taken?

Hey J, it's been slow. Surfing most days, but hardly any storms this year. The couple we've had have been in poor positions, so goofy wind with the swell... So most days it's just the normal waist to shoulder bump coming out of the Pacific On the camera, yea. 4K not very cheap, with consumer-grade camcorders starting somewhere around US$650. But the Panasonic HC-VX1 has a good lens with 24X zoom. I'm cheap, and just have a 1080P camera, but with a 60X optical zoom, and it works well enough for Youtube I use Cyberlink PowerDirector editing software, and it does a good job of stabilizing.

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colas said..

surfinJ said..
Very nice Colas, ripping those lines. The waves were reeling this week. What time is the video taken?

Thanks!
The water being incredibly crowded, I had to get up very early and play cat and mouse to find empty peaks...

First wave I got this day was at 7h30 (with my eyes I have a hard time seeing the waves properly before). The waves in the vid were between 7h55 and 8h15, and I got out at 9h50

Getting the early! I have got to cut the umbilical cord to my local bar that seems to have formed up this last year plus. So much of last weeks swell was more surfable up your way. The long period was mostly closing out though there were some moments.

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OkiWild said..

surfinJ said..
Hey Oki, howzit over there? That setup had the standard camcorder lens?

Very nice Colas, ripping those lines. The waves were reeling this week. What time is the video taken?

Hey J, it's been slow. Surfing most days, but hardly any storms this year. The couple we've had have been in poor positions, so goofy wind with the swell... So most days it's just the normal waist to shoulder bump coming out of the Pacific On the camera, yea. 4K not very cheap, with consumer-grade camcorders starting somewhere around US$650. But the Panasonic HC-VX1 has a good lens with 24X zoom. I'm cheap, and just have a 1080P camera, but with a 60X optical zoom, and it works well enough for Youtube I use Cyberlink PowerDirector editing software, and it does a good job of stabilizing.

Thanks for the camera info. Maybe a future project. As far as your surf, I guess a slow typhoon season is a rarity these days. Maybe the typhoon factory south east of the philippines will still produce this season.

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surfinJ said..
Getting the early! I have got to cut the umbilical cord to my local bar that seems to have formed up this last year plus.

One trick is to do a nap in the afternoon if you can. This way you do not have to got to bed too early to get up early.

When I remote worked I napped from 13h/13h30 to 14h(*) - and even a 10mn nap is effective -, but now that I am retired, napping can be more extensive :-)
(*) I guess this will not brighten the reputation of French workers: comfy lunch pauses AND a nap! ;-)