If you plan to livestream your high school team’s sporting events, it’s important to find best camera for live streaming.
According to The Current, a survey found that nearly six in ten young sports fans (ages 18 to 34) use a live streaming service to watch sporting events. Over one in three older fans (35 and above) do the same.
However, you need to use the best camera for live streaming your school events to make your content watch-worthy. Whether you plan to stream your sports team’s games, your school’s marching band, or the cheerleading squad, the camera you use can make or break your production.
Don’t worry; the WSN Live team is here to help you make the right choice. We’ve shared tips on choosing the best camera and knowing what to look for in one, so read on.
Opt for the Best Resolution You Can Afford
Video resolution refers to the number of pixels within each frame. It determines how detailed, realistic, and clear your videos will be. The higher the number of pixels, the greater the clarity and the crisper and more real-life-looking the video will be.
The best camera for streaming high school events will have the highest possible resolution you (or your school) can afford. However, you should avoid settling for anything less than 720p, the minimum high-definition resolution. Anything lower than 720p (e.g., 480p) is standard definition and won’t look professional.
You want your streams to look and feel professional, but even more so if you plan to put up a paywall and charge for streaming access.
So, if you can afford it, consider getting a camera with 1080p or even 4000 (also known as “Ultra HD” or “4K”) resolution. It will cost more, but it’ll be a worthwhile investment if you use it as a high school sports camera to livestream games.
Consider the Frame Rate
When you watch a video, everything seems to play like a continuous recording, right? In reality, though, a video consists of many images called frames. Cameras just play them back at such high speed that they appear to move in one fluid motion.
The number of frames and the speed at which the camera plays them back is the frame rate, expressed as frames per second (fps).
Why Frame Rate Matters
Frame rate is crucial when choosing a camera for your live streaming equipment because it dictates how fluid the video’s motion is. It also plays a role in recorded videos you’ll make later with slow-motion clips.
What Frame Rates Are Available?
As the University of Kentucky College of Communication and Information points out, there are three standard frame rates used for videos, including:
- 24fps, the standard used for cinematic films
- 30fps, the video standard
- 60fps, the standard for slow-motion videos
A video with a 24fps frame rate means the camera captured 24 individual frames per second. With 30 fps, it’s 30 images, and 60 images for 60fps.
Which Frame Rates Should Your Camera Have?
While 24fps is the standard for cinematic film and TV, 30fps is for live TV and sports. Because it has six more frames per second than the 24fps frame rate, it feels and looks more realistic for live events.
The good news is that the top streaming cameras for live high school sporting events offer different FPS settings, with some even offering rates higher than 60fps. You just have to set the camera at 30fps when streaming live events.
If you’re going for a multi-camera setup, one of your cameras should stream live at 30fps and, ideally, another at 60fps. As mentioned above, 60fps is the standard for slow motion. You can use it to show clips replaying high-speed movements in slo-mo, such as those in high school sports like football.
Look at Zoom Capabilities
If you’re going to livestream events where you’ll be far from the subjects, you need a camera with flexible zoom capabilities. Any event with you shooting by the bleachers, such as sporting competitions, is a perfect example.
Zoom functions allow you to capture wide-angle shots necessary for courts and fields. They also let you take close-up shots, such as when you want to focus on a single athlete.
Check for Connectivity Features
Since you’ll use your camera to live stream school events, you’d need to connect it to a computer to encode the audio and video input into a format for streaming. For this reason, you should choose a camera offering various connectivity options, such as:
High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI)
Most cameras feature an HDMI output that you can connect to your computer via a capture card. As MakeUseOf explains, a capture card is a device that converts external video signals into a format that you can stream or record.
So, in the case of an HDMI-connected camera, a capture card allows you to convert the video signal from the camera and prepare whatever it captures into a format ready for streaming.
Universal Serial Bus (USB)
Some cameras also have USB outputs that allow a direct computer connection. You’d likely have to use a separate driver and streaming software for this setup. However, if you choose your streaming software wisely, you’ll have a nifty tool that will let you do stuff like:
- Overlay graphics and text on the video feed
- Use various sources during live-streaming
- Switch between different cameras
- Insert pre-recorded videos or still images during a live broadcast
- Display a scoreboard for live sporting events
The best streaming software and services also offer other state-of-the-art features, such as WSN Live’s AI live streaming technology.
Get the Best Camera for Live Streaming at WSN Live
From having the highest possible resolution you can afford to offering at least 30fps and having flexible zoom options, these are just some of the top features to look for in the best camera for live streaming your high school events.
The good news is that at WSN Live, our cameras have all those features and more. And, with our online streaming service plans, you won’t just get access to one camera; you can choose up to eight. We’ll even supply you with everything you need for your live stream setup, including a laptop, audio gear, and streaming software.
So, if you want to take your live-streaming production to the next level, get in touch with us today.
