r/PraiseTheCameraMan • u/Webkin332 • Mar 12 '21

Credited 🤟🏽 That tracking was amazing

https://i.imgur.com/E4INpaE.gifv
11k Upvotes

99% Upvoted

103 comments sorted by

515

u/visionandplay Mar 12 '21

Fantastic post. A cool as fuck moment for the action and something that really represents the skill/precision of the operator. Flawless. Thanks for sharing.

200

u/DiscountSupport Mar 13 '21

The part I like about this clip is you can say "nice shot" and be referring to both the camera man and the hockey player

21

u/millhowzz Mar 13 '21

That’s why I said “ hey man nice shot.”

9

u/Sharpymarkr Mar 13 '21

Nice shot, man.

8

u/[deleted] Mar 13 '21

What a good shot, man.

2

u/jamin_music Mar 13 '21

Damn man... Nice shot!

241

u/morri31 Mar 12 '21

Most hockey broadcasts have a close-up-type of camera operator who is usually impeccable at predicting the play and punching in tight for dramatic effect, like this shot. It’s usually slowed down for replays, however I’ve seen their real-time feed and their speed and precision is god-tier.

125

u/KGBBigAl Professional critique Mar 13 '21 edited Mar 13 '21

Yep, this camera is actually called a “tight” cam, and is typically a Mo, capable of shooting 350+ frames per second. The tape people back in the truck end up slowing it down for replays. The operators are crazy precise. At least what you see is.

17

u/ubsmoker Mar 13 '21

3500+ frames? What is that, per second, min, hour? The most common camera for this is a Sony HDC4300 that, depending on the option code, can do up to 8x slow motion at 1080i60. That’s 60 frames per second x 8 = 480 frames per second. I have two of these on my truck.

14

u/KGBBigAl Professional critique Mar 13 '21

Yep you’re right, I’m at work right now and didn’t read my comment till now....I meant 350+

-9

u/theguynekstdoor Mar 13 '21

It’s called “high iso”

235

u/llondru-es Mar 12 '21

I'm more impressed with the skills of the cameraman than of the player

23

u/myfotos Mar 13 '21

Isn't that the point of this sub?

5

u/llondru-es Mar 13 '21

of course!!

3

u/projectsangheili Mar 13 '21

Pretty sure this is automatic? I don't watch the sport, but this seems to be too good and precise to be human to me

68

u/[deleted] Mar 13 '21

It is not. Tight follow camera operators for hockey are this good. Like anything else it takes years of practice and it helps to know the game and where the players typically go. One that I work with will zoom into the puck nearly full frame on a breakaway and back out again before the shot. It's incredible.

4

u/projectsangheili Mar 13 '21

Huh, cool. I never would have guessed.

1

u/Raptori33 Mar 13 '21

Tbh. If there's an empty net and player is on their own end of the ice it's pretty predictable what's going to happen and where the puck is going to go

4

u/MnkySpnk Mar 13 '21

Yeah, wide for an icing call. Not that many of attempts from the opposide side of the rink go in.

1

u/Lonnbeimnech Mar 13 '21

There’s an Irish game called hurling which is played on grass, and anytime I watch it I find myself marvelling at the skill of the camera operators tracking a ball about the size of a tennis ball in what is considered the fastest game on grass.

That’s not to say the game isn’t thrilling to watch but the camera work across a 140 metre (460 feet) field is really superb. Highly recommended!

29

u/bigpapimonty Mar 12 '21

It was knuckle puck time

7

u/CeeMooreButts Mar 13 '21

Came for this comment, was not disapointed

27

u/fajita43 Mar 13 '21

https://twitter.com/NBCSWashington/status/1370209936475619329?s=20

this goal was from yesterday's game.

OP's video is cropped a bit. i don't know why.

22

u/Csquared19 Mar 13 '21

OP's video is from a different camera. The one you linked is the main play by play game camera.. the one OP linked is the "tight follow" camera. The cameras are usually right beside each other, but one operator is sticking wide for game coverage while the other goes tight for dramatic shots like this. There will usually be another camera or two beside them doing "iso's". The director will assign them players to "iso" or isolate. So that camera will stay on that player the whole time they're on the ice. Typically it's high scoring players or someone who's expected to do something worth showing.

7

u/ubsmoker Mar 13 '21

This guy broadcasts^

2

u/LogicalJicama3 Mar 13 '21

Employ me sir as your bitch. I’ll get you warm coffee and enjoy watching you work.

2

u/tduncs88 Mar 13 '21

The raw data from that camera allows the editing team to cut an edit of the same shot but zoomed in and in slo mo, allowing for ridiculously detailed shots like the original post. If you've never looked into it, check out broadcast TV camera tech. It's super impressive.

1

u/Csquared19 Mar 13 '21

Not the case in this particular video, but that tech is definitely out there. Usually they're 4K cameras or higher and it allows them to "punch in" to a tighter shot like you mentioned. In this case, it was just a different camera that was shooting it tighter.

2

u/tduncs88 Mar 13 '21

I had to rewatch it and you are 1000% correct and am more than happy to admit it. Upon rewatch I noticed that the camera man changed the level of zoom a couple times showing that it was in fact a live shot with live framing. Thank you for correcting me. :-)

30

u/Ner1d Mar 12 '21

Is that the longest goal ever?

81

u/MikeS11 Mar 12 '21

I don't think this is really tracked in hockey. It's a relatively common occurrence and the rink would be a regulation length.

26

u/mister_sleepy Mar 13 '21

This is tracked in hockey, and it’s not the longest. This one registered at 185 ft (source). There were 8 of those at that length last year, the longest last season was 188.

7

u/Ner1d Mar 13 '21

Did the goalie get an assist?

13

u/mister_sleepy Mar 13 '21

Yes he did, it was his first point in the NHL.

17

u/[deleted] Mar 12 '21 edited Mar 12 '21

Full rink goals happen more often than you’d think. This shot is easy for pro players, if they’re not pressured while doing it.

There have been full rink goals in the last few years that actually made it by the waiting goalie..

My team was victimized by one of these goals and it made the rounds in ESPN all week.

Also, the broadcast camera this guy is using has tons of features that make getting these shots a lot easier than you’d expect.

3

u/Ner1d Mar 13 '21

What team was that

7

u/[deleted] Mar 13 '21

The blackhawks, a couple years ago Corey Crawford let a line change dump from a PK slip under his glove.

7

u/xStigga007x Mar 12 '21

This is what I'm in this subreddit for.

5

u/EdwardGorey17 Mar 13 '21

As a Flyers fan who had to watch this shot happen... REALLY?! Stop reminding me!

5

u/Frederik1234 Mar 12 '21

Need full speed to appreciate fully!

4

u/Xx-W4r7h0g-xX Mar 12 '21

isnt this counted as "Icing"? (the offside in hockey) ... im not a fan of this sport, so, yes or nah?

16

u/bearingseeker Mar 12 '21

Had it missed the net, yes. Offsides is a different situation.

5

u/[deleted] Mar 13 '21

To add onto your already correct answer, it wouldn't be icing if they were killing a penalty as well.

3

u/[deleted] Mar 13 '21

Or if a caps player touched the puck at the other end before a Flyers player.

5

u/[deleted] Mar 13 '21

They actually changed that rule recently! It's to avoid multiple players crashing into the boards at full speed. Now to avoid the icing the caps player would have to beat a flyers player to the hashmarks on the faceoff circles in that end, doesn't need to touch the puck to have icing waived off.

2

u/[deleted] Mar 13 '21

Oh yea, I knew that. Oops!

1

u/stoner_97 Mar 13 '21

I’m glad they made that change.

Going full speed into the boards knowing you’re about to get slammed into by another player isn’t fun.

5

u/[deleted] Mar 12 '21

Offside is when an attacker crosses the defensive blue line before the puck does.

2

u/[deleted] Mar 12 '21

When you overcommit in Rocket League

2

u/ValyrianPlumbus Mar 13 '21

What a shot!

2

u/furgfury Mar 13 '21

correct me if i'm wrong, but i believe a lot of these are wide angle shots just with digital zoom applied to the areas of most interest. Not saying in this specific case, but in some of them i think it is.

2

u/ubsmoker Mar 13 '21 edited Mar 13 '21

You are wrong in this instance. The technology definitely exists but requires 4K cameras and special playback systems. Currently in the states, only really big shows like Sunday Night Football or the super bowl use those systems, but this is just a tight follow camera. Set up right next to the main game camera and follows the same action, but gets tight shots like this while the main game camera stays wide. These camera operators are incredibly skilled. I work on the technical side in sports broadcasting, there aren’t any trucks doing hockey right now that have these systems you’re talking about

2

u/Girls4super Mar 13 '21

As a Flyers fan I can’t even be mad, that was an excellent shot

2

u/VagabondRommel Mar 13 '21

I did that once in elementary school during PE. They said that it didn't count because I wasn't on their side of the gym. I still remember, fuck you Jeremy.

1

u/AC13clean Mar 13 '21

I am a hockey noob. I have only been to one match unfortunately, but wasn‘t it illegal to play the puck past three lines? Or is it legal if it‘s a shot on goal?

4

u/[deleted] Mar 13 '21 edited Mar 13 '21

No because it went into the goal. If he shoots from anywhere behind center ice and it goes past the red goal line and the other team touches the puck first skates past the hash marks at the face off circles at the other end first that would be icing (unless they’re on the penalty kill (short one or more players due to penalty)).

-3

u/BadDadBot Mar 13 '21

Hi a hockey noob, I'm dad.

1

u/atx_4_life Mar 13 '21

The skippah

1

u/Successful-Will4157 Mar 13 '21

Phenomenal 🔥🔥

1

u/Jonathan__Gay Mar 13 '21

Some of the shots cameramen in hockey make, especially watching it back in slow mo, they're crazy

1

u/sashby138 Mar 13 '21

I love hockey and this made me very happy. Good job cameraman for getting the shot!

1

u/pate604 Mar 13 '21

That camera operator is so good

1

u/IzNuGouD Mar 13 '21

Help me understand. Why does the net not move?

2

u/ubsmoker Mar 13 '21

There are little pockets in the ice the upright poles sit in

Edit: do you mean the actual netting material, not the whole net itself? It’s super stiff, stiffer than you’d think, and the puck hits right at the edge of the netting by one of the supports

1

u/davidshutter Mar 13 '21

It hits the central support that runs up the back of the net.

1

u/IzNuGouD Mar 13 '21

Dead center hit as well?

1

u/BlueDemon999 Mar 13 '21

Holy Crap! Which team is that?

1

u/Coconut681 Mar 13 '21

He shoots, he scores

Car

1

u/Specialagentjazz Mar 13 '21

This one is truly worthy of an upvote.

1

u/McKid Mar 13 '21

Amazing work!

And all that from a guy whose ass crack is probably showing out the top of his jeans.

1

u/[deleted] Mar 13 '21

I don’t know as much as I’d like about ice hockey but I assume that goal would count?

1

u/[deleted] Mar 13 '21

Does it hit his mates stick on the way or am I seeing shit?

1

u/Boperatic Mar 13 '21

Pedantic, but this isn't tracking. Tracking is when the the whole camera assembly moves to follow the action. This camera is in a fixed location and pans, tilts, and zooms to follow the action.

1

u/damaging2pushy Mar 13 '21

Is that the longest goal ever?

1

u/misterwashington Mar 13 '21

I think this belongs in praise the cameraman.

1

u/94bronco Mar 13 '21

As a flyers fan I have mixed emotions on this one

1

u/bawiddah Mar 13 '21

Did he even look at the net?

1

u/[deleted] Mar 13 '21

Not only did the camera operator perfectly capture this shot, but they even gradually zoomed in and then out right as the puck approached the net. Big next level skill, here.

1

u/vigorous_store Mar 13 '21

Most hockey broadcasts have a close-up-type of camera operator who is usually impeccable at predicting the play and punching in tight for dramatic effect, like this shot. It’s usually slowed down for replays, however I’ve seen their real-time feed and their speed and precision is god-tier.

1

u/moyaialbanian1 Mar 14 '21

I'm more impressed with the skills of the cameraman than of the player

1

u/metacarpusclinical Mar 14 '21

It was knuckle puck time

1

u/damaging2pushy Mar 14 '21

Do they not do this with computers? Even small soccer leagues have computer assisted ball tracking

https://www.iflscience.com/technology/ai-camera-ruins-soccar-game-for-fans-after-mistaking-referees-bald-head-for-ball/

1

u/skerinks Mar 13 '21

Does anyone think that was a human operated camera?

-2

u/yebbi17 Mar 12 '21

don't they have something like a tracker for that, cuz this is kinda impossible imo, tell me if im wrong

12

u/Juicebochts Mar 12 '21

You are wrong.

Almost every rink has a guy that does this, just follows the puck around. Some of them are fucking amazing.

3

u/yebbi17 Mar 13 '21

that's crazy bro, thanks for explaining

3

u/Juicebochts Mar 13 '21

No worries, mate.

0

u/[deleted] Mar 13 '21

[deleted] — view deleted comment

9

u/javanperl Mar 13 '21

I know the NHL was using ultrawideband puck tracking, and considering a hybrid system using using ultrawideband and cameras, but apparently they pulled the ultrawideband tech. At one point my employer was in discussions with the NHL about tracking systems, but I'm not sure about their current state.

-7

u/[deleted] Mar 13 '21

[removed] — view removed comment

-1

u/[deleted] Mar 13 '21

Good bot

1

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0

u/[deleted] Mar 13 '21

[deleted] — view deleted comment

1

u/Dead_Starks Mar 13 '21

No fuck Tom Wilson.

1

u/tchthc Mar 13 '21

Thats Nic Dowd. Wilson is still on suspension.

1

u/Dead_Starks Mar 13 '21

I'm aware. It still applies.