Superbowl Camera coverage

Byron K wrote on 2/8/2016, 12:59 AM

I noticed that there wasn't the annoying wired "skycam" and they were able to do the "matrix" style play coverage. I hear that they had 70+ camera angles covering the game. I also hear that they were using 5K cameras to cover the game. I must admit that the resolution was quite good!

Is 5K going to be the new standard?? (;

Anyway whatever team you were rooting for it was a good game.

Camera technology is moving faster than I can afford to keep up!

Comments

John_Cline wrote on 2/8/2016, 3:51 AM

There actually was a cable-suspended Skycam, I saw it several times.

rs170a wrote on 2/8/2016, 4:50 AM

I don't know about 5K cameras but here's a few numbers I came across for the game.

Mike

3 Aerial camera systems for those soaring overhead shots we all love to see on Super Bowl Sunday.

16 Camera angles provided by the 8 Pylon Cameras, which will be making their debut for the first time in Super Bowl history. They were used in the AFC title game on January 24 to prepare for use in Super Bowl 50.

70 Game cameras to fully cover all aspects of Super Bowl 50.

100-Plus cameras used to shoot the game and pre-game broadcast.

256 Microphones used for the Super Bowl 50 broadcast.

360 Degrees used by the CBS Sports’ Eye Vision 360 replay system, highlighting key plays for viewers to hone in on during Super Bowl 50.

1.1 Million Communication points within the compound’s intercom system.

DGates wrote on 2/8/2016, 5:04 AM

SO many cameras to record what was a mediocre game.

JJKizak wrote on 2/8/2016, 7:05 AM

I liked the shot of the end zone blur wall with the running back sticking through it.
JJK

musicvid10 wrote on 2/8/2016, 7:41 AM

I don't think anyone in my neck of the woods considered it mediocre, although a defensive win might seem less exciting.

DGates wrote on 2/8/2016, 8:24 AM

Well to be fair, very few Super Bowls ever live up to the hype of a great match-up.

riredale wrote on 2/8/2016, 9:29 AM

As my own protest against conformity, I read part of a pretty good book about the Dolittle raid in WWII rather than watch the game and commercials. But I did see a few minutes while downing a pizza and was blown away by the 3D effect of the teams frozen in time as the POV circles around them overhead. How do they do that?

rs170a wrote on 2/8/2016, 10:00 AM

riredale, the 3D/POV effect was done with something called FreeD EyeVision 360.
This is a very brief description of what it can do. I'm sure that googling it more than I did will turn up more info.

Mike

GeeBax wrote on 2/8/2016, 4:43 PM

I really don't know why they needed that many cameras to cover such a boring game. Really? 30 seconds of action at a time then 5 minutes of faffing about before the next play. Even soccer is not that boring, and I don't like soccer either.

Byron K wrote on 2/9/2016, 3:12 AM

Thanks rs170a for the numbers of cams and gear. FreeD EyeVision 360 was interesting.

Arthur.S wrote on 2/10/2016, 5:11 AM

I didn't watch it, but I guess it says everything if folks are talking more about camera angles than the game! But, yeah...if it's your team winning you'll be delighted. My own (very mediocre) football team who I follow just because I was born in that area (Millwall in London) have a saying; No one likes us....we don't care. :-)

rs170a wrote on 2/10/2016, 8:14 AM

I'm not and never have been a sports fan. I watch it for the new technologies and the commercials - and was very disappointed with most of this year's spots :)

Mike

DrLumen wrote on 2/10/2016, 7:18 PM

I saw a few shots that looked like they may have been done with drones. I'm not sure they would use or would be allowed (per FAA) to use drones.

Len Kaufman wrote on 2/10/2016, 9:57 PM

How did they show the line of scrimmage and the downs and yards to go "under" the players? The players were able to run over those images, just like they (the images) were part of the field.

DGates wrote on 2/10/2016, 11:34 PM

Len, you must not be a football watcher. They've been doing that for years. It's essentially a highly complex green screen effect, where the color of the field is used like a weatherman's backdrop. That, combined with sensors along the field to help coordinate and adjust to the camera movements.

John_Cline wrote on 2/11/2016, 12:45 AM

"I saw a few shots that looked like they may have been done with drones."

It was probably the "SkyCam" shots.

rs170a wrote on 2/11/2016, 7:11 AM

How did they show the line of scrimmage and the downs and yards to go "under" the players?

Here you go Len.
The NFL’s Magic Yellow Line Explained

Mike

Len Kaufman wrote on 2/27/2016, 12:09 AM

Right, I'm not a football watcher. I did figure out that the field color was used like a green screen, but hadn't figured out that sensors were used to place the text, i.e. line of scrimmage, etc. Thank you.

Tim L wrote on 2/27/2016, 9:07 AM

I had not realized that Garrett Brown -- inventor of the Steadicam -- was also the inventor of the Skycam. It makes sense, of course, but I didn't realize the connection. The Skycam is kind of an inverted Steadicam. The cable attachment must be at the center of gravity of the system.

Here is another good video about the Skycam, with Garrett himself describing it and giving some background about its development.