Once you purchase your QM-1 Portable Camera Mount, you want the best camera you can get.
Here are some cameras we can recommend (or not recommend) through personal experience.
Recommendations
- GoPro Hero 5. A a high-quality camera. This is the only action we now recommend. It has been tested under extreme conditions and comes out with flying colors. We have not tested the other GoPro’s but for a balance of quality and price, this one is in the sweet spot.
- Your Smartphone. Believe it or not, smartphones are capable of great videos. With the Smartphone Package, you can take very good video. And battery life varies, but usually it is sufficient for a match. Attach an external battery and you are looking good!
- Other Action Cameras – see below for what to look for. There are some out there that work okay,
Recommended Specifications for a Tennis Camera
What to look for in a camera? We do a lot of videos, including multiple and simultaneous videos at tournaments. Whether you are a player, a parent or a coach, we feel you will probably want:
- A minimum resolution of 720p
- Ability to film at a rate of at least 30 fps (we actually prefer 30 fps over 60 or 120 to reduce file size)
- Capability of at least 1.5 hours recording time per charge. This goes out the window if you can attach an external battery of at least 5000 mAh or so. Then your recording time will be in the 6 hour range.
- A built-in wide-angle lens. Most action cameras have that.
- An sd card slot to hold at least a 32 gb sd card.
- Ability to attach an external battery or power source (usually through the USB port)
The problem with some lower end, hand-held camcorders under $400.00, is that they don’t have a wide enough field of view, and many at that price point or below won’t accept add-on wide angle lenses. Watch out for those as you probably won’t be happy with them! A 75 degree FOV is not acceptable, and an 85 to 90 degree field of view (or more) is the minimum. Contact the manufacturer for this spec, as sales people will typically not know this.
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