Race - Opening Camera Shot
Race - Opening Camera Shot
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anonymous-user

Original Poster:

75 months

Saturday 11th September 2021
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Personally I would prefer the race start to be covered by an overhead camera up to and including the first corner instead of the current ground level head-on view.

We normally get the overhead view later as a replay but for me that is a much clearer view of what is going on.

Is there a good reason why it is how it is?


Krikkit

27,771 posts

202 months

Saturday 11th September 2021
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The low camera angle gives a better view of the wheel to wheel racing, and transitions better between it and the other camera angles during the lap.

Personality I like the later overhead coming in after a few laps

JaredVannett

1,618 posts

164 months

Saturday 11th September 2021
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I'm ok with the current angles, but the 'sound effects' for the grid lights is a bit too mario kart for me lol

CocoUK

1,047 posts

203 months

Sunday 12th September 2021
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Let’s go full JackRussel helmet cam, should pickup some dicing carnage!

Hungrymc

7,220 posts

158 months

Sunday 12th September 2021
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MikeStroud said:
Personally I would prefer the race start to be covered by an overhead camera up to and including the first corner instead of the current ground level head-on view.

We normally get the overhead view later as a replay but for me that is a much clearer view of what is going on.

Is there a good reason why it is how it is?

Yep, I agree. I’m trying to interpret what I see in the front on view as you can’t really see the subtlety of their relative fore/aft positioning,

I actually thought the general direction of the sprint race was poor, but maybe they couldn’t win on this as nothing happened in the race after the start, and you couldn’t really see what was happening at the start due to the silly front on view….lol

I reckon a higher view (not necessarily the full overhead) would be much better at the start.

Sandpit Steve

13,721 posts

95 months

Sunday 12th September 2021
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MikeStroud said:
Personally I would prefer the race start to be covered by an overhead camera up to and including the first corner instead of the current ground level head-on view.

We normally get the overhead view later as a replay but for me that is a much clearer view of what is going on.

Is there a good reason why it is how it is?

The standard overhead view we see, is from the cable-cam that runs down the pit lane. While it would be good for the first few seconds of the race, it would quickly be needing to zoom in and difficult to identify the cars. It does work well for the replay though, when we can see the reaction times and the launch that each driver got.

Having just watched the F2 start, they have a camera a couple of hundred metres down the road to the outside, which starts zoomed in, then zooms out as the cars approach, before switching to a higher-up camera beyond the first corner.

The first replay they showed was from the helicopter, high and behind the grid. The colours of the cars were quite washed out and difficult to identify. The F1 cars might be a little better though, as their colours are more distinctive.

Oldwolf

1,002 posts

214 months

Monday 13th September 2021
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What about a split screen for the start showing both views, as the overhead cam runs out of travel switch to single cam view

shtu

4,085 posts

167 months

Monday 13th September 2021
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MikeStroud said:
Is there a good reason why it is how it is?
Drama.

The whole point is you can't immediately tell who has got the jump on the opposition.

Plus, once everything has settled down a few laps in, you can replay the action from the start lap several times.

reapercushions

7,306 posts

205 months

Monday 13th September 2021
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Oldwolf said:
What about a split screen for the start showing both views, as the overhead cam runs out of travel switch to single cam view
Half of both worlds.. sounds crap.

LostM135idriver

657 posts

52 months

Monday 13th September 2021
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MikeStroud said:
Personally I would prefer the race start to be covered by an overhead camera up to and including the first corner instead of the current ground level head-on view.

We normally get the overhead view later as a replay but for me that is a much clearer view of what is going on.

Is there a good reason why it is how it is?

The main reason is so you see all of the sponsor’s logos around the s/f line.

Carlososos

976 posts

117 months

Monday 13th September 2021
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I agree. Not impressed at all with the first camera shot. You have no real idea who has had a good start or not until 5 or so seconds later.

M1C

2,162 posts

132 months

Tuesday 14th September 2021
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LostM135idriver said:
The main reason is so you see all of the sponsor’s logos around the s/f line.
This will be the correct answer.

HardtopManual

2,820 posts

187 months

Tuesday 14th September 2021
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Head on shot from a drone on the ground in front of the grid, as the lights count down.

Drone takes off with 1 light left to extinguish, 5m above the ground. Camera tilts down to keep the first 6-8 cars in shot.

Drone stays just ahead of the leaders all the way down to the first corner.

Yes, I know, it'll never happen.

boyse7en

7,895 posts

186 months

Wednesday 15th September 2021
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Carlososos said:
I agree. Not impressed at all with the first camera shot. You have no real idea who has had a good start or not until 5 or so seconds later.
That's precisely why they use it - gives a bigger sense of drama and excitement as the cars approach the first corner and it also gives the commentators a few seconds to work out what is happening.

Carlososos

976 posts

117 months

Wednesday 15th September 2021
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boyse7en said:
Carlososos said:
I agree. Not impressed at all with the first camera shot. You have no real idea who has had a good start or not until 5 or so seconds later.
That's precisely why they use it - gives a bigger sense of drama and excitement as the cars approach the first corner and it also gives the commentators a few seconds to work out what is happening.
Doesn’t make sense to me, although you maybe correct. I’m watching tv not listening to the radio, I want to see what’s going on.

MontyPythonX

1,170 posts

137 months

Wednesday 15th September 2021
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LostM135idriver said:
The main reason is so you see all of the sponsor’s logos around the s/f line.
Hit the nail on the head there! I'm guessing the race sponsor pays a lot of money for that one camera angle

MontyPythonX

1,170 posts

137 months

Wednesday 15th September 2021
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HardtopManual said:
Head on shot from a drone on the ground in front of the grid, as the lights count down.

Drone takes off with 1 light left to extinguish, 5m above the ground. Camera tilts down to keep the first 6-8 cars in shot.

Drone stays just ahead of the leaders all the way down to the first corner.

Yes, I know, it'll never happen.
I suspect you're correct about it never happening...what happens if the drone fails and falls out the sky onto a live race track?

LostM135idriver

657 posts

52 months

Wednesday 15th September 2021
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Just to expand the previous point, if you look closely at the framing and shots they often use you’ll find very many of them are set up to show the sponsor logos at the track (I believe that F1, not the track/promoter gets the money for these). A good example is ‘car coming round corner onto straight’. Often the logos will be in frame and in focus with nothing on track before the car appears and then the camera starts to track it.

HardtopManual

2,820 posts

187 months

Wednesday 15th September 2021
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MontyPythonX said:
I suspect you're correct about it never happening...what happens if the drone fails and falls out the sky onto a live race track?
Drone takes off from the third row at the next race, obviously.