Are there special equipment to fix a camera in a top down view?
(This is an alternative to mounting a camera above a game board.)
If it proves difficult to mount and operate a camera above the board, consider using a mirror as an alternative. The camera can be placed on a normal tripod, and a mirror can be mounted above the board on a 45-degree angle. The camera then shoots the image in the mirror.
The image will need to be flipped vertically in post-production to avoid showing a mirror image of the board.
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1This has the advantage that the camera operator can adjust things without having to climb a ladder. – stib Feb 7 '15 at 12:08
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It's a good suggestion. It swaps the issue of placing the camera to placing the mirror. I don't know which is more difficult to do. – xiaodai Feb 8 '15 at 22:24
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@xiaodai I'm not sure which is more difficult either! But mirrors usually have a wood frame which should be able to rest in a homemade stand more easily than a camera (depending on the design of the camera). And as stib pointed out in his/her comment, the camera operator doesn't have to climb a ladder. – BrettFromLA Feb 9 '15 at 17:36
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Just remember to flip the image horizontally with your editing software, or the board will appear reversed. – Jason Conrad Feb 22 '20 at 22:15
