How to Film Pickleball: Phone Setup for Match Video

The short answer to how to film pickleball: put one phone behind a baseline, as high as you can safely mount it, with the whole court in the frame, both baselines and both sidelines, and don't touch it until the match is over. A still camera from the end of the court shows where every player stands relative to the lines, which is what you want when you rewatch a point or have the video analyzed.

You don't need special gear: our Kitch IQ filming guide says a regular phone video is fine. The rest of this guide explains why that setup works, which phone settings are worth checking (with Apple's and Google's own instructions), and the exact limits if you plan to upload the video to Kitch IQ.

What you'll learn

• Where to put the camera, and why the court corners need to be in view.
• How big the court is, so you know what "whole court in frame" means.
• Which iPhone and Pixel settings affect framing, file size and stability.
• The file types, length and size limits if you want a Kitch IQ report.

How big is the thing you're filming?

A pickleball court is a rectangle 20 feet (6.10 m) wide and 44 feet (13.41 m) long, the same for singles and doubles. The non-volley zone (the kitchen) is the 7-foot by 20-foot area on each side of the net, and its lines run parallel to the net 7 feet from it (2026 USA Pickleball Official Rulebook, Rules 3.A.1 and 3.A.4.c).

The court sits inside a larger playing surface. The rulebook sets the minimum playing surface at 30 feet wide and 60 feet long, and recommends 34 by 64 feet for new construction and tournament play (Rule 3.A.3). On a minimum-size surface with the court centered, that leaves 8 feet between each baseline and the end of the playing area ((60 − 44) ÷ 2). That's the minimum; many courts have more.

So "whole court in frame" means a 20-by-44-foot rectangle, the two kitchen lines and the net, seen from somewhere in the space behind one baseline.

Camera position: behind a baseline, high, and still

Whole court in frame

Our filming guide asks for the camera behind a baseline with the whole court in frame, and explains why: player positions are mapped from the court lines, so the corners need to be in view. It suggests a fence or a tripod behind the baseline. Even if you only want to rewatch the video yourself, having all four corners visible is what lets you judge where someone was standing.

Higher is better

For Kitch IQ, any height gives you the position figures and heat map, but reading how high the ball crossed the net needs the camera at least 2.3 m (about 7.5 ft) up, and from 2.85 m (about 9.4 ft) it is measured with the most confidence. Below 2.3 m the report leaves that reading out rather than guess (Kitch IQ filming guide). Only mount as high as you can do safely.

Keep the phone still

Prop or clip the phone; don't hold it. Handheld or part-court video still gets you a Kitch IQ report, but your court position gets harder to place, so the position figures and heat map may be left out (filming guide).

Phone settings worth checking

You don't need to change anything to get a usable match video: Kitch IQ doesn't turn a video away for its frame rate or resolution, and a regular phone video is fine (filming guide). These settings matter mostly for framing and file size.

Resolution and frame rate (bigger files)

On iPhone, depending on the model, you can record in formats such as HD and 4K and choose 24, 25, 30, 60 or 120 fps, either from the values at the top of the screen in Video mode or under Settings > Camera > Record Video. Apple notes that faster frame rates and higher resolutions result in larger video files (Apple Support: Record a video with your iPhone camera). On a Pixel, you can record in 4K at up to 60 frames per second by opening Video Settings in the Camera app and turning on 4K and 60fps (Pixel Camera Help: Record a video on your Pixel phone).

If you're uploading a long match, file size is the thing to watch, so the highest settings aren't automatically the right ones. Apple also says its HEVC (H.265) video format uses less storage than H.264 while preserving the same visual quality; the Settings > Camera > Formats choice "High Efficiency" uses HEVC, and "Most Compatible" switches new videos to H.264 (Apple Support: Using HEIF or HEVC media on Apple devices).

Framing: grid, stabilization and lens switching

• Grid and level. On iPhone, Settings > Camera > Grid and Level puts a grid or level on the camera screen to help you straighten and compose your shot (Apple Support: camera tools). A level frame makes it easier to check that both sidelines are in view.
• Enhanced Stabilization zooms in. On supported iPhones, Enhanced Stabilization zooms in slightly to improve stabilization, and it is on by default; it can be turned off under Settings > Camera > Record Video (Apple Support: Change video recording settings). If it's on, check that all four corners are still in view.
• Lock Camera. On supported iPhones, Lock Camera prevents switching between cameras while recording video. It is off by default and lives under Settings > Camera > Record Video (Apple Support).
• Pixel stabilization. In Video mode, Video Settings > Stabilization offers Standard, and on Pixel 4a (5G) and later, Locked "to capture still shots" and Active for heavy movement (Pixel Camera Help).

Filming for Kitch IQ: length, files and a quick check

Kitch IQ is PickleSwaps' match video analysis: you upload one clip, and depending on what your video shows, the report can include a court-coverage heat map, ball speed in mph, a position score, a 4-week practice plan and the single coachable moment worth rewatching. It usually arrives in about 45 minutes. You can read a sample report before deciding.

These are the limits the filming guide lists:

• Up to 20 minutes is analyzed. If your video is longer, you choose which 20-minute stretch to analyze when you upload.
• MP4, MOV, M4V or WebM, up to 3 GB. iPhone and Android videos are fine as they come off the phone. Files over 3 GB, or in other formats, are turned away at upload, so trim a large video on your phone first.
• A few taps after upload. On a still from your video you drag a marker onto each of the four court corners and the two net posts (three corners work if one is out of view), say whether another court is in view, and tap yourself so the report is about you, not your partner.
• You need to be identifiable. If the system can't reliably tell which player is you, it doesn't guess: you get a message instead of a report, with a refund on request. Filming from behind the baseline, with you clearly in view, avoids this.

The guide's own pre-upload checklist:

• The whole court is in the frame, both baselines and both sidelines.
• The phone stays still for the whole video (propped or clipped, not handheld).
• It is filmed from behind a baseline, as high as you can safely mount it.
• The part you want analyzed is 20 minutes or less (you can trim a longer video when you upload).
• The file is an MP4, MOV, M4V or WebM, and under 3 GB.
• You are in the video and can point yourself out on a still frame.

What to watch for when you review the video

A baseline camera is at its most useful for court position: where you were when the ball was struck, and how quickly you got from the baseline to the kitchen line. If that's what you want to work on, our guide to kitchen line footwork covers the non-volley zone rules and the movement USA Pickleball teaches, and it pairs well with a match video. When you're ready to look at equipment, the PickleSwaps paddle catalog lists specs for every paddle we track.

Last updated: September 30, 2026