Action cameras: Filming surfing videos – Nico Prien shares tips on cameras, mounts and angles

Nico Prien’s action cameras probably clock up more kilometres a year than the average surfer ever does. His videos are hugely popular. Nico tells *surf* readers how he works and what to look out for when filming your own windsurfing home videos.

What cameras are you currently using?

We currently have the Insta360 X5, the latest version of the 360-degree camera. We also use the Insta360 Ace Pro 2, the latest version of the standard action camera. We also use the Insta360 Go 3S, a mini camera that we’ve integrated into the helmet so that you hardly notice it. It’s about the size of a matchbox and weighs just 25 grams. It works on the same principle as the brand-new model: you can click it into a base for charging, which also has a small screen. To film, you simply take out the small camera module.

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When you’re filming, how do you compare 360-degree cameras with standard action cameras?

When I’m out on the board, I actually only use the 360-degree camera these days. The only time I wouldn’t use it is during competitions. One criticism of 360-degree cameras is that they’re actually too heavy for windsurfing. We experience such strong gusts that almost every mount gives way after a while. As far as I know, though, Insta360 is working on a smaller 360-degree camera.

"We’ve fitted a camera inside the helmet for the races."

What kind of mounts do you use?

I use a heavy-duty clamp – that is, a clamp with a screw fastening – on the boom. That’s the standard mount when you need to get things done quickly. For the mast, there’s the Flymount. About two years ago, we also developed our own design, in which we combine two mounts: We attach one to the boom using the clamp, and the other side to the mast using a Flymount. This creates a stabilising triangle. The shot is significantly better when the camera is further away from the sail, as it then doesn’t look as distorted and more of the sail and the horizon can be seen. With this cross-corner system, we can position the camera about one metre away from the fabric, though this is already the limit – the further away the camera is, the greater the leverage and the more likely the mounts are to give way.

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Where are your favourite places to spend a Monday?

The safest option is at the rear end of the boom. It’s out of the way there, and you can tighten it really securely. It looks fine in the video too, but of course your face isn’t in the shot. If I want my face in the shot, I mount the camera at the front of the boom or directly above the boom on the mast. Of course, you can also use a helmet mount or this trapeze mount, where the arm extends backwards. When surfing, however, this setup gets in the way because it’s always wobbling. For a single shot, though, it’s fine, as the camera is superbly stabilised by the software. You just have to distinguish between mounts that you attach briefly for a cool shot and those that you leave on for a whole session. I’d only use the trapeze mount, for example, for a few runs. The same goes for the helmet mount – the 360-degree camera is actually a bit too heavy for that. The mounts at the front and back of the fork are quickest to fit, cause the least disruption and can even stay on for a whole session.

How can freeriding – that is, simply riding back and forth – be presented in the most appealing way?

The best option is actually this forward-facing angle, because you’re then moving towards the camera as if it were a small drone. You can see most of the subject – their face, their posture – and it looks very dynamic. The Insta360 app has a motion blur feature, which looks really cool and isn’t distracting. It makes it look more like how it felt at the time, because otherwise the distorted wide-angle effect often makes it seem slower than it actually was.

Do you have any default settings for the camera?

We always film at maximum resolution and 25 frames per second, because I don’t really like slow-motion from this angle. We simply want the best resolution. We use the H.265 codec and set the bitrate to at least 90 Mbit per second – which is quite high – for maximum quality. Of course, you have to bear in mind that higher quality also requires more storage space. If you don’t have a lot of hard drives to hand, you might want to opt for something in the middle – something that offers good quality but doesn’t fill up your memory card straight away. We only use the camera to shoot videos, not photos. For online content, it’s perfectly sufficient to film in 8K and then extract a still image from the footage with a bit of post-processing.

You sometimes surf with the stick in your hand – is that the easiest solution?

It’s really just for fun. Of course, you can vary the angle and move the camera back and forth a bit, or hold it a bit closer to the water. The closer the camera is to the water, the faster it looks. By the way, it’s important to always secure the camera with a rope. I’ve often heard of people who’ve lost their camera because it wasn’t properly secured or they used the wrong mount.

Are there any tips on how to speed up the post-processing?

Most of the time is spent finding the best moment in the video, such as the best gybe. There are remote controllers that you can attach to your wrist and use to press record. This saves an enormous amount of time in post-production, because you really only end up with the shots you need. When it comes to editing, the tracking AI is now so good that you can simply track a face. The latest Insta360 even has a feature that automatically creates a fully framed video that’s tracked to your face from the outset. The camera records a 360-degree video and, in addition, an MP4 file that you don’t need to edit at all. Editing can be done in the smartphone app or using the desktop software Insta360 Studio.

If someone wants to buy an action camera for windsurfing, would you recommend a 360-degree camera?

Yes, a 360-degree camera simply gives you more options. With a normal camera, you only ever have one angle of view and can’t change anything afterwards. With a 360-degree camera, you can still change the perspective during editing, which is particularly cool when you’re surfing with friends. As an accessory, I’d definitely recommend a heavy-duty clamp for mounting on the boom. Mast mounting, on the other hand, I’d recommend less, because you end up with a 2D perspective and can barely distinguish the surfer from the water.

• Nico's YouTube channel: youtube.com/@Nico_GER7