Phone distance and height to film full-body bench press and squats

Part of our guide on non-rotating mount for gym bar

Phone distance and placement to capture full-body bench press from the side with an iPhone 15 Pro

To film a full-body bench press from the side with an iPhone 15 Pro for a lifter about 1.8 to 1.9 meters tall, set the phone approximately 2.0 to 2.2 meters away from the bench's side edge. This distance ensures the entire body remains in frame horizontally without cropping feet or head, assuming a 16:9 video ratio and the iPhone 15 Pro’s default lens focal length of around 26 mm equivalent.

Height-wise, position the phone around 1.2 to 1.3 meters high to align roughly with the lifter’s mid-torso area. This height helps capture the bench and lifter in profile and prevents the frame from cutting off the barbell or bench ends. Adjust height slightly depending on bench or rack height variations.

Using the iPhone 15 Pro’s standard lens is fine, but to avoid distortion—especially the slight barrel curvature of the ultra-wide lens—stick to the main wide lens or use digital zoom to simulate a 28-35 mm focal length equivalent. This prevents the exaggeration of body parts near the edges of the frame, which is common at shorter distances.

Phone placement to film full-body squat from side with iPhone 14 for a 1.8 m lifter

For side-view full-body squat filming with an iPhone 14 and a 1.8 m tall lifter, place the phone roughly 2.3 meters away and about 1.3 meters high. Squats require capturing depth from knees to head, so this distance balances field of view and image detail. People in this spot often ask about setting phone distance for full body shots as well.

The iPhone 14’s wide lens focal length is approximately 26 mm equivalent. Similar to the iPhone 15 Pro, avoid the ultra-wide lens at this close range to reduce distortion. Using the main lens or zooming digitally closer to 30 mm equivalent helps maintain natural proportions.

Mounting the phone securely is critical since gym environments often cause vibrations or accidental bumps. Use stable tripod setups or clamp mounts with adjustable arms to fine-tune the angle precisely.

Phone placement to film bench press full body from bench end with Pixel 8 for 1.8 m lifter

Filming bench press from the bench end with a Pixel 8 for a 1.8 m lifter shifts the framing challenge. The phone should be positioned about 1.8 meters horizontally from the bench end and 1.1 meters high to capture the full body and barbell in frame from a frontal angle. We cover optimal filming distance for lifts in its own article.

Pixel 8’s main camera has a focal length close to 25 mm equivalent, so avoid ultra-wide lens here as well. The frontal perspective compresses depth but demands a slightly wider field to catch foot placement and bench ends.

Use a stable mounting solution that allows for vertical height adjustment and horizontal distance fine-tuning. Magnetic mounts with strong MagSafe compatibility work if the phone is in a compatible case that doesn’t reduce magnetic hold.

Phone distance and height to film deadlift full body with Galaxy S23 Ultra 0.5x lens for 1.85 m lifter

With a 1.85 m tall lifter, filming a full-body deadlift using the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s 0.5x ultra-wide lens requires pushing the phone back to about 3.0 meters and positioning it roughly 1.4 meters high. The ultra-wide lens opens up field of view but introduces distortion, which is less problematic at this longer distance. Before you commit to anything, it is worth looking at distance for filming full body lifts.

The 0.5x lens focal length is about 13-14 mm equivalent, so being farther back compensates for fisheye effects. Lower distances would exaggerate the lifter’s proportions and warp the barbell and floor edges.

Mounting on a tripod or boom arm with a telescoping pole helps achieve this distance and height, especially in crowded gym spaces. Stability is key to avoid vibrations, given the extended reach.

Lens focal length equivalent to avoid fisheye filming squat from 1.5 m

Shooting a squat from just 1.5 meters requires a lens focal length equivalent to around 40-50 mm to avoid fisheye distortion. Using wider lenses below 28 mm equivalent at this close range causes curved lines and body part exaggeration.

Neither the iPhone 15 Pro nor 14 has a true telephoto lens suitable for this distance without digital zoom. You can digitally zoom the main lens to simulate these focal lengths, but image resolution drops.

If you must film at 1.5 m, try to angle the phone slightly to lessen direct frontal distortion or accept some fisheye effects for the workout context.

Mounting details: bolt size for 6 mm threaded hole on gym plate tree and tripod height for Olympic clean filming

Most gym plate trees have M6 threaded holes, so an M6 x 20 mm bolt with matching lock nut is suitable for clamps or phone mounts. The 20 mm length secures through typical clamp thicknesses and leaves room for tightening.

Filming Olympic cleans from a 45° three-quarter angle for a 1.85 m lifter requires a tripod height around 1.5 meters to capture the barbell path and athlete’s full motion. This height aligns the camera roughly with the lifter’s mid-torso, providing an effective perspective without cropping.

Telescoping boom arms of about 1.5 m length allow positioning the phone 2.2 meters behind the lifter and 1.3 meters high, ideal for deadlift videos. Such arms must support the phone and mount weight without wobbling.

Questions people still ask

I've set up many phones on gym racks and boom arms to film full-body lifts cleanly with minimal distortion.