ESPN Camera Angles

[AhosDatsyukian]

To anyone who watched the Canes/Bruins game on ESPN -- how in the world could anyone at ESPN possibly think most of those camera angles are acceptable? This is a huge issue that will take away from my enjoyment watching the entire playoffs this year and will certainly cause me to watch less games outside of my own team if this is the standard... Were the other games last night like this? Just random terrible camera angles making it annoying to follow the play for half the damn game. I recall this being a bit of an issue during the regular season but this game last night felt significantly worse in this aspect. We need a petition or some savvy social media folks to get this message across to ESPN. Thoughts?

 

[S E P H]

They were lit for me.

 

[yada]

What view were they using that was distracting? The view i hate is when they use the zommed in side angle from a high elevation.

A view i wish teams used more often was the camera above the net, behind the goal tender on PPs

 

[DaveG]

What view were they using that was distracting? The view i hate is when they use the zommed in side angle from a high elevation.

A view i wish teams used more often was the camera above the net, behind the goal tender on PPs

Can't speak for OP but one they were using frequently was almost a diagonal angle and elevated instead of the usual behind the net or side-view angles. Almost felt like watching one of those old FIFA games on a Sega Genesis.

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

Can't speak for OP but one they were using frequently was almost a diagonal angle and elevated instead of the usual behind the net or side-view angles. Almost felt like watching one of those old FIFA games on a Sega Genesis.

Yes, this. And also plenty of occasions where they had an extremely close up zoom in on the play. Which, as expected because it's a fast game, immediately became an angle that didn't show any of the action because it had moved. It was a pain for me to watch.

 

[x Tame Impala]

The behind the net PP angle always gets a lot of hate and i never understand why. It shows what the goalie sees and is a cool way to experience the game

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

The behind the net PP angle always gets a lot of hate and i never understand why. It shows what the goalie sees and is a cool way to experience the game

I'm one of those that's not a fan. For me it's because I prefer angles that focus on what the offensive team sees. That angle, like you said, is more about showing us what the goalie or PK team would see.

 

[yada]

Can't speak for OP but one they were using frequently was almost a diagonal angle and elevated instead of the usual behind the net or side-view angles. Almost felt like watching one of those old FIFA games on a Sega Genesis.

Ya sounds about the view ive seen them use, and yes it is god awful. Worst thing is they will keep it on that view for a long time too
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I'm one of those that's not a fan. For me it's because I prefer angles that focus on what the offensive team sees. That angle, like you said, is more about showing us what the goalie or PK team would see.

I feel from the end zone you can still see what the players see. You can see if theres a shooting lane between offensive player and the goalie and some of the passing lanes.

When i go to games i sit in the corners so maybe its just my bias

 

[TaLoN]

To anyone who watched the Canes/Bruins game on ESPN -- how in the world could anyone at ESPN possibly think most of those camera angles are acceptable? This is a huge issue that will take away from my enjoyment watching the entire playoffs this year and will certainly cause me to watch less games outside of my own team if this is the standard... Were the other games last night like this? Just random terrible camera angles making it annoying to follow the play for half the damn game. I recall this being a bit of an issue during the regular season but this game last night felt significantly worse in this aspect. We need a petition or some savvy social media folks to get this message across to ESPN. Thoughts?

It's not unique to ESPN... this started years ago with NBC.

These brodcast companies think they need to be "edgy" in providing camera angles during play... and all it does it disrupt the flow for the viewer. Save these edgy angles for replays, not during live play. I've been saying that for YEARS now.

The behind the net PP angle always gets a lot of hate and i never understand why.

Because the standard angle shows you the entire zone... the behind the net angle needs to rotate with the puck, thus you miss action away from the puck.

 

[tarheelhockey]

The behind the net PP angle always gets a lot of hate and i never understand why. It shows what the goalie sees and is a cool way to experience the game

I think it's an awesome angle, but the flaw in TV production is that the camera is too close to the play and needs to turn and follow the puck. If they could pull the angle out a bit and keep the camera still, it would be the ideal angle to follow the Xs and Os.

 

[MikeyMike01]

The behind the net PP angle always gets a lot of hate and i never understand why. It shows what the goalie sees and is a cool way to experience the game

I’d rather the screen go completely blank. It would show me more information than that wretched, disgusting view.

 

[Joshuar56]

What view were they using that was distracting? The view i hate is when they use the zommed in side angle from a high elevation.

A view i wish teams used more often was the camera above the net, behind the goal tender on PPs

That angle is awful. They used the same angle for decades, no reason to change it now.

 

[TaLoN]

I think it's an awesome angle, but the flaw in TV production is that the camera is too close to the play and needs to turn and follow the puck. If they could pull the angle out a bit and keep the camera still, it would be the ideal angle to follow the Xs and Os.

Problem is, it's mounted on top of the glass, so unless they give it a fish-eye lens, it will have to pivot.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Problem is, it's mounted on top of the glass, so unless they give it a fish-eye lens, it will have to pivot.

Yep, mounting it on the glass is the issue. It's too close to the ice. Ideally you want that angle to be set slightly back of the glass and about 10 feet higher. That would probably mean hanging something from a wire, which inevitably means they would have it dance all over the place to show off crazy angles.

 

[TaLoN]

Yep, mounting it on the glass is the issue. It's too close to the ice. Ideally you want that angle to be set slightly back of the glass and about 10 feet higher. That would probably mean hanging something from a wire, which inevitably means they would have it dance all over the place to show off crazy angles.

Which doesn't work since they have nets that extend so much higher than that getting in the way of the view for the camera,

 

[tarheelhockey]

Which doesn't work since they have nets that extend so much higher than that getting in the way of the view for the camera,

Too bad you can't put a hole somewhere in the net

 

[TaLoN]

Too bad you can't put a hole somewhere in the net

Would be a very big hole to accommodate the view required by a camera set a ways back from it. too bad we can't just eliminate those nets completely again.

 

[Butch 19]

To anyone who watched the Canes/Bruins game on ESPN -- how in the world could anyone at ESPN possibly think most of those camera angles are acceptable? This is a huge issue that will take away from my enjoyment watching the entire playoffs this year and will certainly cause me to watch less games outside of my own team if this is the standard... Were the other games last night like this? Just random terrible camera angles making it annoying to follow the play for half the damn game. I recall this being a bit of an issue during the regular season but this game last night felt significantly worse in this aspect. We need a petition or some savvy social media folks to get this message across to ESPN. Thoughts?

The camera angles are fine.

 

[jkrdevil]

The camera angles are fine.

It’s the use of the camera angles. There really is no need to do a lot of cutaways and long range angles during live play. Stick with the main center ice cam, use the other stuff for replays.

 

[bobbop]

ESPN coverage is flat out awful

 

[Stony Curtis]

I'm watching Calgary/Dallas right now and it's atrocious. Every time the puck goes into the corner, they cut to a closeup. With the size and clarity of big screens today, I'd be happy if they just showed the entire rink and left it that way like in those old scouting vids lol.

 

[blueinbigd]

Hate the behind the net also. Your focusing on the net but the play is at the blue line and the camera is going back and forth and swinging around the rink. The camera is moving too much and can't keep up,
Same with robo cam at center ice. There's already a camera for when play is at center ice its known as the center ice camera.
Nbc was much better.
You would have not seen the robocam at center ice used at all during o.t. like it was in the Pens Rangers game.

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

The behind the net would be interesting if it wasn't used every second of every powerplay and oh if it wasn't jumping around all the time because it's too zoomed in. Damn near makes me dizzy watching that angle. I will say I think tonight's coverage was a little bit better than Monday's. Greater % of time with normal camera angles. Still not great however.

 

[Mike0713]

To anyone who watched the Canes/Bruins game on ESPN -- how in the world could anyone at ESPN possibly think most of those camera angles are acceptable? This is a huge issue that will take away from my enjoyment watching the entire playoffs this year and will certainly cause me to watch less games outside of my own team if this is the standard... Were the other games last night like this? Just random terrible camera angles making it annoying to follow the play for half the damn game. I recall this being a bit of an issue during the regular season but this game last night felt significantly worse in this aspect. We need a petition or some savvy social media folks to get this message across to ESPN. Thoughts?

How many damm views do you need to enjoy a game. The camera was alright and nothing that was ruining the experience as you state. Stop being so dramatic.

 

[TaLoN]

It’s the use of the camera angles. There really is no need to do a lot of cutaways and long range angles during live play. Stick with the main center ice cam, use the other stuff for replays.

Luckily tonight ESPN did just that for the most part in the Wild/ Blues game.