Description
As a coach for the last thirty years I’ve certainly seen some changes in the way teachers teach and players practice. One of the biggest is the introduction of video. Yes, the numbers you get from launch monitors and looking at a student’s ball flight and seeing and hearing the contact are all important, but seeing their swing in stop action on video is also a vitally important part of the equation. Plus, them being able to see themselves on video when they are practicing is another important aspect of the improvement process.
When I’m practicing, sometimes I’ll make and watch a video of each swing I make over a one- or two-hour period. I’ve found there’s not a better way to see changes unfold before your eyes and also to be able to verify you’re doing what you think you are and not having to guess at things.
But the biggest thing that can frustrate students and coaches alike is sub standard video recording, especially in indoor venues. And a huge part of the process of getting good quality clear footage to analyse is the camera you capture it with. Way to often for me to count in the past, I’ve had to put up with cameras that couldn’t capture swing at the necessary frame rate, so the clubface and shaft were blurry. This was especially common when filming indoors, where light levels are lower.
Or, I’ve had cameras that got in focus, clear images, but the over-all light level was just too dark. Or, to get the quality we wanted, you had to buy a really expensive camera. Yes, in a commercial business that’s approachable, but for the average person, with a home set-up, trying to do this with multiple camera angles can soon get cost prohibitive.
Well the good news is that here at Golftec, we think we’ve been able to solve these problems. We’ve sourced a camera that provides a great frame rate, either 60fps/120fps/260fps, dependent on how much light you can provide, or whether you’re filming in door or out.
The cameras come with either a 2.1mm or 2.8mm lens, which you can use for face on (caddy view) or a down the line view, depending on the space you have available.
The cameras can be easily mounted to a tripod or screwed into a support.
They come in a professional industrial box housing, and we also sell a PVC plastic secondary protective housing that they can be fitted into. UVC compatible with most operating systems: Windows, Mac, Linux, Rasberry, Android and Li, they are easily set up.
Ok so now there’s an outstanding camera option, at an outstanding price.
If you are looking to purchase two golf swing cameras with a desk top computer it is recommended you install a separate USB controller card. Some PC setups require a separate controller card in order for dual camera to work. They can typically be purchased for less than $30.00.
Tested to work with TrackMan, MotionView, Kinovea, Swing Catalyst and V1. Note Kinovea is free golf swing analysis software, while the other options are paid solutions.
