Where to put your phone

The best place to put your phone to film badminton is behind one baseline, centred, a few feet up, pointing down the court with the whole court in view. From there one camera sees every shot along the length of the court, the far landings are as clear as they get, and the phone is safely out of the way. Film at 120 fps if you want smash speeds you can trust.

That's the short version. Below: an interactive planner to test positions, why height matters so much, the best frame rate, mounts that work in a real sports hall, and the mistakes that cost you shots.

Try it: the setup planner

Tap around the court to move the phone, or use the presets and sliders. The dashed lines run from the phone to the four corners of the court. Change the height and watch the verdict.

The best camera angle for badminton: end-on

TV coverage films from high up behind one end for a reason: it's the angle that shows the whole rally. From behind a baseline you look along the court, so every shot travels toward or away from the camera, and both sidelines are visible as two separate lines. Line calls and landing spots are readable on both sides of the net.

Filming from the side looks natural, because it's where spectators sit, but it's the worst angle for analysis. The near and far sidelines stack up on top of each other, so you can't tell whether a shuttle landed in or out wide, and players on the near side hide the far half of the court.

How high should the phone be?

Higher is better. Badminton Sensei's advice is a few feet up at minimum, and head height or above (around 1.7 m / 5.5 ft or more) if you can manage it. The reason is geometry: from low down, the far half of the court is squashed into a thin strip of the frame, so a few pixels of error on a far landing can be the difference between in and out. Raising the camera spreads the far court out and separates the lines.

That's also why line calls on the far side are the ones most likely to come back as “Too close”: the app knows the margin of error is bigger there, and won't guess. More height means fewer of those. Read more in line calls.

Badminton tripod position and mounts that work

• A tall tripod behind the baseline is the most reliable option. Extend it fully, and spread the legs so it can't tip.
• A balcony or viewing gallery behind one end is ideal if your hall has one: high, centred and out of the way.
• A bench or stacked chairs with a phone stand works when you have nothing else. Get it as high as is safe.
• A clamp mount on a railing or wall bar behind the court, if the venue allows it.

Frame the whole court

Both baselines and both sidelines need to be in the picture, with a little space around them. The near corners are the ones that fall out of frame most often, because they're closest to the camera. If they're cut off, step back. Landscape usually fits the court more easily; check the preview shows all four corners before you start. If part of the court is still out of shot, the app lets you drag a corner past the edge of the video when you mark the court.

Keep the phone still for the whole match. A camera that moves means the court has to be found again, and a camera that falls over means missing rallies.

What frame rate to record a badminton match at

More frames per second means more positions of the shuttle to measure. A smash crosses the court in a fraction of a second, so frame rate matters most for smash speed. As a rough guide for one camera:

Higher frame rates make bigger files and use more battery, so 120 fps is the sweet spot. If you film with the iPhone Camera app and import later, Slo-mo mode records at high frame rates; the frame rate is set in Settings > Camera > Record Slo-mo.

Light, battery and storage

• Don't point into the light. Windows or floodlights behind the far court silhouette the shuttle. If you can, film from the end with the light behind or beside you.
• Brighter is better. Dim halls mean more motion blur, and a blurred shuttle is harder to track.
• Charge up. High frame rates use more battery. A power bank on a long cable keeps a long session going.
• Free some space. High-frame-rate video is big. Delete old matches' videos and keep their stats from Settings > Storage in the app.

Quick setup checklist

1. Behind one baseline, in line with the centre line.
2. Far enough back to be safe; a few feet up, ideally head height or higher.
3. Both baselines and both sidelines in view.
4. 120 fps if you want verified smash speeds.
5. Stable, charged, with free storage, not facing bright windows.

For more on filming for highlights as well as analysis, including mounts and settings, see how to film badminton with your phone. For exact court measurements, see badminton court dimensions.