iPhone Cinematography

kerrigan

kerrigan

Well-known member
Now that the iPhone 15 Pro has added more lenses, records 4K on an SSD and Blackmagic has released it's new camera app, I've decided to go all in... and buy a 15 Pro Max and build a camera rig. Is there a Forum for iPhone Cinematography within DVXUSERs? Or should I look somewhere else?
 
NorBro said:
The cafe, I'm interested in this, and upgrading from my ancient 8 Plus soon.

https://www.dvxuser.com/forum/off-topic/cafe-ala-dvx
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One of my best friends, for whatever reason, refuses to get a new phone until the current one dies, despite the importance of having a working and reliable cell phones for our business. His current one was purchased during the Obama administration. And his previous one would barely hold a charge, would only charge under a specific set of circumstances(one of our buddies likened it to a petulant child) and it actually got to the point I would text his wife to give messages to him. I mean, hell... If I missed one job, because my cell phone acted up like that, I would lose more money than the cost of a brand new phone. It never made sense to me...
 
haha, I hear you. If mine didn't work well I would have replaced it a while ago, but it's perfect (besides the battery not being to hold a charge as long as it used to but still fine if I don't use the phone and it's only in my pocket).

I just never had much reason to besides with the 14, but really wanted to see what they would do with the 15 and it's time now.

As far as work, no one I know would ever call me without emailing first and setting something up...people don't actually call each other anymore without a heads up, do they? :grin:
 
kerrigan said:
Now that the iPhone 15 Pro has added more lenses, records 4K on an SSD and Blackmagic has released it's new camera app, I've decided to go all in... and buy a 15 Pro Max and build a camera rig. Is there a Forum for iPhone Cinematography within DVXUSERs? Or should I look somewhere else?
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I own an iPhone 12 pro max and used it for a couple of projects and been mostly satisfied for what it is. Apple's marketing claims/specs are misleading to put it mildly. I'm not up on the latest iPhone but I've heard the tech doesn't live up to the hype. Not saying you shouldn't get it just be wary of falling head over heels based on ads.
 
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Per usual, the results - good or bad - will speak for themselves (and for an interested individual) rather than people who make content for a living speaking about them.
 
NorBro said:
haha, I hear you. If mine didn't work well I would have replaced it a while ago, but it's perfect (besides the battery not being to hold a charge as long as it used to but still fine if I don't use the phone and it's only in my pocket).

I just never had much reason to besides with the 14, but really wanted to see what they would do with the 15 and it's time now.

As far as work, no one I know would ever call me without emailing first and setting something up...people don't actually call each other anymore without a heads up, do they? :grin:
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I mean for texts and emails, as well (mostly).

Isn’t it funny, when people actually used to talk on the phone, we only had a limited number of minutes, but now no one talks and we have unlimited minutes.
 
Please leave a message for: RUN•AND•GUN

Heyyy, R&G - it's John from North Carolina Racetrack. We need you this weekend with the 2700. Hey, quick question; we tried to call your buddy, Joe, but he never picks up the phone. We wanted to grab you two for Nathan's Hot Dog preliminaries next Sunday but already got Mike from Charlotte. Anyway, hope you're good, man, call me back!
 
NorBro said:
Please leave a message for: RUN•AND•GUN

Heyyy, R&G - it's John from North Carolina Racetrack. We need you this weekend with the 2700. Hey, quick question; we tried to call your buddy, Joe, but he never picks up the phone. We wanted to grab you two for Nathan's Hot Dog preliminaries next Sunday but already got Mike from Charlotte. Anyway, hope you're good, man, call me back!
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:grin:
 
Apologies for answering my own post, but I just found a YouTube video where a filmmaker successfully connected an iPhone 15 Pro to an external SSD hard drive and recorded sound using an external microphone. Given this capability, it's likely that many manufacturers are currently working on creating hubs and camera rigs to accommodate all necessary components, including power sources, sound monitoring port, and secure clamps for a complete setup.

Since DVXUSER doesn’t have an iPhone Cinematography forum, can anyone suggest another site?
 
I know you mean no harm but let's get one thing straight, there is no such thing as "iPhone Cinematography" just as there is no Canon, Sony, Android, or Panasonic Cinematography. There might be phone cinematography if you are referring to filming in a vertical format. So is that what you are talking about?

The other more subjective point is most people who use a phone are in social media where they need to film themselves by themselves so they want a fully automated camera that is light that they can hold out in front of them, so a smart phone makes a lot of sense. Imhop what it sounds like what you are doing is trying to turn something into something that it isn't intended for. There are dedicated professional devices for audio and video that will give superior results. Beyond adding wireless audio and maybe Nd filters I'm not sure what else is necessary to add to a phone. BTW, all of that has nothing to do with cinematography, that's gear talk.

There are many Youtube channels that specialize on phone videography/photography and they're not hard to find.
 
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You're absolutely right, Peter. I should have used the term "Mobile cinematography" or "Mobile filmmaking," etc. I only used the term "iPhone cinematography" to be more specific.

A quick background on me: I'm a 78-year-old guy who has been an early adopter throughout my life. When I was younger, 16mm film was considered amateurish. However, when Arri introduced the SR 16, I bought a camera and flew to Munich to watch its assembly. I was one of the first to transition from film to video for documentaries and low-budget features. I then spent two years teaching other DOPs and filmmakers how to make this switch.
I used to have connections with Sony and would often be the first in Canada to own their new releases. However, after shooting a few 4K videos with an iPhone and now with the release of Black Magic's Camera app, I've decided to sell my two Sony cameras and cine primes and go all-in with an iPhone 15.

My plan is to build a rig that can hold a 4 TB SSD HD for recording 4K files, a power supply, and a unit with one or two XLR inputs. This setup will allow me to control volume input and monitor output. I'm hoping to connect with like-minded individuals who are also pursuing this path. Cheers, Bill.
 
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The world has changed and the ideology behind the exact purpose of professional dedicated devices isn't the same anymore.

Yes, if you're trying to make a film in hopes of it being purchased by a major platform you have like a 1% chance of it becoming successful if you use a phone, but there are so many other videos you can make with phones.

I witnessed a private company create a bunch of phone content and close multi-million dollar deals in part because of it. The quality was the last thing that mattered and it was what was being filmed, how it was being filmed (very dynamic), the wide online distribution campaign, the editing, etc.

So...phones are actually more intended for making content than ever before; some might even think more than "professional" devices because those require more knowledge to operate.

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As far as accessories and companies making products for phones, some will but rigging out a phone for video is still a niche compared to using it as is.

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As far as other sites, you'll get the most engagement in comments section on YouTube or Reddit. Video forums aren't the same anymore and any dedicated ones will likely have less traffic than the aforementioned.
 
Appreciate you giving me your background and intended use. I think it might be difficult find people who are going as far as you want to.

At one point I owned FilmicPro and I used it to film 10bit video. The files were large but if you have a phone with 512gb or larger it was good enough for a shoot. The larger issue is standard video off the iphone is highly processed and while I felt it was a step up I couldn't say that the dynamic ranger was better and there were things like aperture you had no control of. I think connecting hard drives and power sources not necessary.

If you get the iphone Max you'll get a bigger screen that is helpful and the larger size means a bigger battery power might not be an issue. I would bring a power bank and plug the phone in on breaks and that always worked for me. I'd suggest getting a case that allows for ND or other filters to be attached, this will allow for proper motion blur. Maybe add a gimbal then film a project. You might be surprised you don't need a ssd or power supply.
 
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Thank you Peter. I appreciate this conversation; I've been seeking someone to bounce ideas off of.

You're absolutely right; I might be going a bit overboard, but I just want to ensure I have everything I might need. The iPhone Max has 1 Terabyte of storage, but it's reassuring to know that I can easily expand it if necessary. Also, there's a specific flavour of 4K that Apple only allows to be recorded on an external drive.

As for the extra battery, I'll have to see if it's necessary once I'm in the midst of the project. I'm definitely leaning towards a smaller rig for its practicality.

I've noticed some companies are developing filter holders, and I believe I still have a collection of small filters in my basement.

I'll be primarily using this setup to record music videos. When the need arises, I'll incorporate my Tascam DR-60DMKII for sound. It offers a meter and two XLR inputs, along with a mini plug for two additional channels, providing a reliable backup or the option for original sound.

I know several filmmakers who use an iPhone as their C camera, and it also serves as a crash cam when needed.
I think Blackmagic is aware of what’s coming and has spent money developing their new app. I'm looking forward to seeing what innovations and tools will be introduced at NAB next year.


https://youtu.be/SYQt_vuiOKM?si=XBYTQKzQrtRxN_Fg
 
The way filters are handled is you buy into a system that has a special phone case that will hold proprietary filters they sell. If you have the money to buy the iphone then you might as well get the filter system that's built for the camera. you don't want to diy a thing like that. There are also clip on ones that work without a case.
 
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NorBro said:
The world has changed and the ideology behind the exact purpose of professional dedicated devices isn't the same anymore.

Yes, if you're trying to make a film in hopes of it being purchased by a major platform you have like a 1% chance of it becoming successful if you use a phone, but there are so many other videos you can make with phones.
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NoBro, I'm interviewing musicians and luthiers for my YouTube Channel and recording music videos for musicians who have a zero budget. (which is most of them)
I'm also recording their live music so they can promote themselves when trying to book gigs.
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As far as other sites, you'll get the most engagement in the comments section on YouTube or Reddit. Video forums aren't the same anymore and any dedicated ones will likely have less traffic than the aforementioned.
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Yes, sad but true. I tried posting on the D-Word site which was once very hip... now crickets. I need to find where the under 30 hangout.
 
kerrigan said:
... I've decided to sell my two Sony cameras and cine primes and go all-in with an iPhone 15.
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Depending on what you want to do with your smartphone, maybe take as deep breath first. I have an iPhone 14 Pro and I love it. Three lenses, just like the turret cameras you probably lusted for in high school. Smart phones are just so great for family, vacations, social media and crash cams. Which after all covers probably over 99% of what the general population wants a camera for and sums up the reason for the decline in camera sales. Anything else: wildlife, team sports, commercial, there are better tools for the job than a smartphone. There is no perfect camera. If you rig your smartphone to try and make it into something that it's not, it will end up just as bulky and expensive as your cameras and it still won't be as good (the opposite also applies, youTube is full of enthusiast daytime landscape videos shot on FX3s for example that would have looked just as good if they'd been shot on smartphones). Summary, enjoy your smartphone, use it for what it's for, and keep it so it fits in your pocket.
 
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