What type of camera/webcam should I use in order to record golf swing?

[tonydt1g3r]

I am an avid golf fan, and want to record my golf swing to practice/learn. I signed up for this place called golftec which charges about $1500 per 6 months. Their main service is being able to record your golf swing. Their equipment doesnt look very expensive and their software is pretty low tech. So I figured I could write my own software that could do the same thing. However I cant seem to figure out what type of camera to use along with my computer. I've tried using a few webcams, with the best result being a Logitech Quickcam 9000 pro, but I am afraid my swing motion is too fast and I cant capture the exact location of the club shaft throughout the swing. It doesnt need to be perfectly clear just somewhat. The equipment they use at the place that charges $1500 has some old cameras hooked up through s-video to the computer and the image quality is pretty fuzzy but you get a pretty good indication of where the club is, its not crystal clear but you pretty much know where it is. I was hoping I could duplicate it with some type of USB camera to cut down cost. I am guessing an average golf swing is about 2- 3 seconds. I'd probably only need like 10fps just clear frames. Do you guys have any suggestions as to what to buy and what settings to use? I am currently using 320x240 frame size and 15 fps.

Thanks, Tony

[Comeback City]

My Canon SD550 Point & Shoot digital camera shoots 320x240 at 60 fps. It's over 3 years old and there's a lot of cheaper cameras that I'm sure pack new and better features. I can also shoot 640x480 but at only 30 fps. I would say you can probably spend in the $200 range and get what you want plus a nice digital camera.

[tonydt1g3r]

can that be used as a webcam? i was thinking of something more along the lines of a camera attached to the computer so i can run my software and look at the swing frame by frame.

[Comeback City]

I'm not sure if you can hook it up like a webcam. Sounds like you're better off getting a webcam. Higher frame rate...the better.

[Clambake]

Pick up a copy of Michael Breed's book "Picture Perfect Swing". He has a chapter on picking a camera and the critical features used, and then describes how to best set up the camera and then use the images to evaluate your swing. I've found it to be a very good instruction aid as well.

[tonydt1g3r]

Im trying to keep cost as low as possible since I am just building this for myself at home. I wrote most of the software already, basically the software would record my swing from front and side view and allow me to draw lines. The camera I need would need drivers for a computer since the cameras would be attached directly to the computer. I was hoping to get a higher end webcam since they are cheap, but not sure if there are any that are good enough to capture a swing and break it down frame by frame. Ive tried a logitech quickcam 9000 pro which has great reviews online but its just not good enough unfortunately

[wannabe]

1. You can download free software to view your golfswing here: http://www.v1sports.com/Academy/ALL/AS_Home.asp

2. I have a Panasonic digital camcorder that's a few years old that has a mini-USB out port on it so you can use it as a webcam. I've used it for Skype perfectly. I'll see if it can be used with this software too.

[schapman]

Any digital camcorder with firewire or USB should do the trick I imagine.

[clearwaterms]

not counting the back swing I believe the actual golfswing is far less then a second. I also believe that if you want a good shot of the impact, you will need a camera that can shoot at over 60fps. GolfTec is a nationwide chain and they do alot more then just record your swing. You also get PGA quality instruction so you can at least get a concept of what you are doing wrong.

I have had my swing video tape and other then the camera adding 10 pounds, I had no idea what I was looking at. However, my swing coach was able to point out areas of concern and showing me a before and after, areas of improvement.

[wannabe]

ok, just tested my camcorder live with the v1 home software. you actually plug the camera in via it's firewire port, and it works live in realtime perfectly with the v1 home software.

awesome!

not sure about the frame rate yet, but you want to go as high as you can afford so you can get the fast part of your swing viewable. The v1 software actually has a demo of a pro's golf swing at 600fps, really cool.

[wannabe]

I have had my swing video tape and other then the camera adding 10 pounds, I had no idea what I was looking at. However, my swing coach was able to point out areas of concern and showing me a before and after, areas of improvement.

I tend to agree with this. I recorded my own swing in my backyard and tried to self-analyze & self-correct my swing. In the end, it helped a little, but to really get the improvement I was looking for, I've ended up getting lessons and it's by far the best thing I ever did. I would've never uncovered my swing flaws like my pro has been able to do.

If it's between buying a webcam or paying for a golf lesson, get the lesson.

[squaddie]

I've been using a Canon Powershot A590 8mpx camera to record my swing. The Canon A590 is primarily a digital still-picture camera but can also record low-resolution videos. It only does 320*240 at 30fps, but gives me enough resolution to identify problems during my swing. I slow the framerate down to 5 fps using a freeware software program called VirtualDub.

I also tried a Kodak Zi6 pocket camera to record my swing, 60fps and 720p HD resolution, but found my 4-year old computer could not process the high-resolution file that well (the camera saves to Quicktime MOV format, which runs dog-slow on my machine). It's almost required to get a small tripod for the Zi6 since it doesn't stand-up on it's own that easily.

The Canon Powershot has done the job well so far. After my own video analysis my swing has improved so I'm holding off on a better camera until problems crop up again.

[iacas]

Kodak Zi6.

720 x 1280, 60 FPS.

I used to use the SD550 too, but the Zi6 blows it away.

[mkrolewski]

I would suggest many of the digital camcorders.

The swing is in the range of a 1 second. The actual swing is really short -- 0.2 - 0.4 seconds. I would suggest that you have a frame rate in the order of 1/1000 second. For instance, the Sony Webbie HD (about $200) has a frame rate of 1/30 - 1/4,000 second. Higher end camcorders have 1/10,000 sec recording rates. Most camcorder do not have more than one playback speed. But that is almost exactly what you want, high record, slow playback.

There are all sorts of issues though with recording your swing. The biggest one is you are looking at a two dimensional image of your very 3-dimensional swing. It is often hard to see all the major mistakes, and still harder to see minor mistakes. One might suggest that you want to see front, side and overhead views simultaneously to get a "good" look.

Then there is the issue of figuring what to change/how to change it. There is software that will help convert the video into useful information -- like what you get from a techie golf analysis. So you can see if you are moving your hips too soon, or if your stance is too narrow, etc.

One school of thought is the swing is not as significant as what is happening at the point of impact. Kenny Perry comes to mind. He has a rather unorthodox swing, but good results. To look at the point of impact -- a still shorter time interval requiring still shorter frame times.

There are other swing aids like the p3proswing analyser can "see" your swing at impact. It can give you other things like: swing speed, angle of attack, face position, plane of swing, etc. These analysers often than translate that into a ball flight. Of course, you still have to attempt to change your swing to get better numbers.

[iacas]

I would suggest that you have a frame rate in the order of 1/1000 second.

That's not a framerate. That's a shutter speed.

For instance, the Sony Webbie HD (about $200) has a frame rate of 1/30 - 1/4,000 second.

1440x1080/30p, 1280x720/30p, 640x480/30p Movie recording

30 frames per second (progressive). That's not even really close to good.

[tonydt1g3r]

wow thanks for all the great replies.

-wannabe, I took a look at the pro v1 software, its nice but it doesnt have all the features I want free but I definitely have alot of the same features. Ive also have lessons where they analyze my swing, therefore I know what to look for. I want to build this system for practicing what I'm trying to fix from the lesson, its not a lesson replacement.

-mkrolewski, I wont have a problem slowing down the video since my software is doing all that for me. My idea is to have two cameras one for the front view and one for the side, the software is going to have it side by side and i'll be able to view it however fast I want it, ie frame by frame or every .1 of a second ect.

My software I am programming isnt the biggest concern, its finding a decent camera/webcam that has a USB passthrough, which means that it can be recognized by the computer through either firewire plug or usb plug, and the computer could then use it as a web cam. Also I wanted to keep cost as low as possible. So my guess is I am looking for a camera with atleast 320x240 recording with min 60fps, however i dont think webcams have shutter speeds. I am guessing I might need a digital camera.

[N.V.M.]

i've done a lot of this and the most difficult thing to capture is seeing the clubhead and how open or closed it is at any point in your swing. almost any camera can spot you chicken winging, but if you want to see the face angle of any club, 30 FPS won't cut it.

[ApocG10]

I like to use two cameras, one from the back, and one face on. I got two at walmart this winter cheap. 11megapixel, 60frame/second, 300$ for both. But i couldnt find a good program to play them side by side.

Im gonna try this v1 suff!