Tutorial on the Backboard Remote Camera

As promised I am posting how I set-up my backboard camera set-up. This set-up normally takes about 20 minutes to get all set and ready. A few things to look at is 1) how easy do the backboard lower. They can be lowered either electronically or manually. I prefer the manually lowered net. Because they are fast and easy. Sometimes with the electronic ones you might have to wait for someone from facilities to be available and your set-up then becomes up to someone elses time.

Here is all the equipment I use to get the camera hung.
1) Manfrotto Super Clamp.
1) Manfrotto Magic Friction Arm (The friction arm is the better of Manfrotto's two arms)
1) Manfrotto Camera mounting plate
1) Camera (I use the Canon XTi)
1) Fresh Battery in camera
1 Large capacity card (sometimes you just can't get to the camera to change cards.)
2) Pocket Wizards (there are cheaper remotes out there but, the PW's are far more reliable)
2) Camera cable (to connect the camera to the PW's)
Safety Cables (you wouldn't want you equipment to fall on someone!!)
Karabiner clips (good to have a few to assist in attaching your safety cables)

As you can see here I have anything that might cause a distraction to the players covered with gaffers tape. You should always have some gaffers tape handy. Also, prior to mounting you camera you want to pre-focus it just beyond the rim and tape down the lens.
Notice the split rings on the camera. I'll get to those in a minute.


Here I use some black cloth to reduce the reflection off the glass. With out the cloth you will tend to get a reflection of the baseline and anything behind the net in your images.



As you can see in this image the camera is secured to the backboard with the super clamp with the magic arm in between. Notice the safety cable securing all you equipment. I have a cable going through the super clamp and one attached to the camera. Also 1 cable is passing through the lanyard for the Pocket Wizard. To attach the camera to the safety cable I have split rings attached where the camera strap would normally go.

Here is another view from the side.






Here is a view from the front with the net lowered. Don't forget before your raise the net you want to make sure you have fresh batteries in everything, format your card, make sure your settings are correct, and most importantly.... Turn everything on. It's a lesson you only learn once.

With any luck you can start getting images that no one else is thinking about.