Why is filming with an iPhone a bad idea?

kerrigan

kerrigan

Well-known member
"Why is shooting a film or documentary with an iPhone a bad idea? I'm developing a film course for filmmakers and students who have chosen to use the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Blackmagic Camera app to shoot their projects. I want to be fair and balanced and include all the reasons not to use the iPhone and choose another format. I plan to present these reasons in point form. Any help would be appreciated.
 
I teach a course about YouTube at the community college out here. We talk about the iPhones vs DSLRs vs action cams vs cinema cameras. Here's some of the reasons I give:
Image Quality: Cinema mode on the iPhone still isn't as good as using a real camera with interchangeable lenses
Looks: Shooting with an iPhone can cheapen the vibe on set for cast, crew, and onlookers. A real camera sets a different tone.
Rigs: an iPhone almost always needs to be rigged out, and it needs special rigs to make that happen.
 
Lack of focal length range. A doc that is all wide shots is extremely boring and harder to cut.
No shallow DoF.

Students will learn almost nothing about camera operation if they shoot with a phone.
So, if learning about exposure, WB, composition, etc. is important, a phone is not the right tool to learn any of that stuff.
 
It isn't a bad idea. It can even be a great idea. It all comes down to what is the right tool for the job. But, like any camera, it isn't always going to be the absolute best choice for every situation.
  • There are limits to your workflow when filming with an iPhone- You are limited in focus pulling, on-set monitoring, and in terms of timecode and audio connections. On large shoots, this could make the iPhone a difficult fit.
  • The iPhone has no genlock connection. Though typically this isn't something you would need, for certain kinds of effects shots it can be necessary.
  • The iPhone's smaller-sized sensor and fixed lens results in limitations regarding sensitivity, dynamic range, field of view, and less control over various optical characteristics.
  • To help achieve high-quality output, the iPhone's camera utilizes AI to enhance the image, denoise, and bring back details. All phones do this to some extent, and it allows for a much higher quality image than would physically be possible with the provided camera hardware. But, this takes a certain amount of control out of the user's hands. In certain conditions it can make mistakes.
But, there are also some very good reasons to use an iPhone-
  • The resulting footage can look very good, especially if you are aware of the limitations and plan on working around them.
  • It is easy to mount on a gimbal, lightweight jib, vehicle rig, or just about anywhere else.
  • Its small size and light weight also makes it much easier to shoot things very quickly with a small crew.
  • For filming a documentary on sensitive matters, or in sensitive locations, it doesn't necessarily draw a lot of attention.
 
I once taught a course and to play devil advocate there are many things at this level that are more important than image quality and camera operation.

In my mind students should be learning how to story board and tell a story visually. So this requires planing out the shots and then filming them editing and putting it all together. This should be more about ideas and process rather than technical proficiency with a camera. Once they master that then yes using a normal camera that has controls closer to what would actually be used is useful.
 
Peter C. said:
I once taught a course and to play devil advocate there are many things at this level that are more important than image quality and camera operation.

In my mind students should be learning how to story board and tell a story visually. So this requires planing out the shots and then filming them editing and putting it all together. This should be more about ideas and process rather than technical proficiency with a camera. Once they master that then yes using a normal camera that has controls closer to what would actually be used is useful.
Click to expand...
I feel 180 degrees the opposite from your viewpoint. Technical proficiency (or at least a basic understanding of the concepts) ought to be the very first priority when someone is making a "film". I don't want to see someone's glorified home movies no matter what message or story they are trying to convey. Learn the camera. Learn lighting. Learn audio. Learn editing. THEN you will be in a better position to actually entertain or educate viewers with whatever message you mistakenly thought was so compelling that quality doesn't matter.
 
El Director said:
I teach a course about YouTube at the community college out here. We talk about the iPhones vs DSLRs vs action cams vs cinema cameras. Here's some of the reasons I give:
Image Quality: Cinema mode on the iPhone still isn't as good as using a real camera with interchangeable lenses
Looks: Shooting with an iPhone can cheapen the vibe on set for cast, crew, and onlookers. A real camera sets a different tone.
Rigs: an iPhone almost always needs to be rigged out, and it needs special rigs to make that happen.
Click to expand...
Great points, will add them to the list.
 
Doug Jensen said:
Lack of focal length range. A doc that is all wide shots is extremely boring and harder to cut.
No shallow DoF.

Students will learn almost nothing about camera operation if they shoot with a phone.
So, if learning about exposure, WB, composition, etc. is important, a phone is not the right tool to learn any of that stuff.
Click to expand...
Thank you Doug, I shot a video last week... and was frustrated by my lens choices. 13mm, 24mm, 48mm, 120mm. But I think with the Blackmagic Camera App, you can learn about exposure and WB. https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/ca...wer,Blackmagic Design's award winning cameras.
 
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Adam Grunseth said:
It isn't a bad idea. It can even be a great idea. It all comes down to what is the right tool for the job. But, like any camera, it isn't always going to be the absolute best choice for every situation.
  • There are limits to your workflow when filming with an iPhone- You are limited in focus pulling, on-set monitoring, and in terms of timecode and audio connections. On large shoots, this could make the iPhone a difficult fit.
  • The iPhone has no genlock connection. Though typically this isn't something you would need, for certain kinds of effects shots it can be necessary.
  • The iPhone's smaller-sized sensor and fixed lens results in limitations regarding sensitivity, dynamic range, field of view, and less control over various optical characteristics.
  • To help achieve high-quality output, the iPhone's camera utilizes AI to enhance the image, denoise, and bring back details. All phones do this to some extent, and it allows for a much higher quality image than would physically be possible with the provided camera hardware. But, this takes a certain amount of control out of the user's hands. In certain conditions it can make mistakes.
But, there are also some very good reasons to use an iPhone-
  • The resulting footage can look very good, especially if you are aware of the limitations and plan on working around them.
  • It is easy to mount on a gimbal, lightweight jib, vehicle rig, or just about anywhere else.
  • Its small size and light weight also makes it much easier to shoot things very quickly with a small crew.
  • For filming a documentary on sensitive matters, or in sensitive locations, it doesn't necessarily draw a lot of attention.
Click to expand...
Great points, thank you. Please note if you shoot Apple Log you bypass the enhanced image, and denoise details.
 
Peter C. said:
I once taught a course and to play devil advocate there are many things at this level that are more important than image quality and camera operation.

In my mind students should be learning how to story board and tell a story visually. So this requires planing out the shots and then filming them editing and putting it all together. This should be more about ideas and process rather than technical proficiency with a camera. Once they master that then yes using a normal camera that has controls closer to what would actually be used is useful.
Click to expand...
Thank you!
 
Doug Jensen said:
I feel 180 degrees the opposite from your viewpoint. Technical proficiency (or at least a basic understanding of the concepts) ought to be the very first priority when someone is making a "film". I don't want to see someone's glorified home movies no matter what message or story they are trying to convey. Learn the camera. Learn lighting. Learn audio. Learn editing. THEN you will be in a better position to actually entertain or educate viewers with whatever message you mistakenly thought was so compelling that quality doesn't matter.
Click to expand...
Thank you.
 
What is your main goal? To have the students actually learn professional film/video production techniques . . . or to produce a video. Those goals are not necessarily the same thing. And your choice of camera and curriculum should be designed to support/encourage one or the other.

In other words, is the goal of your class just to have fun -- or is it to actually prepare them for a career in this industry?
 
No tripod mount
No interchangeable lenses for ultra wide, telephoto, macro, or tilt-shift
No sturdy way to mount optical filters
No swappable battery
No swappable flash memory
No HDMI or HD-SDI output for director monitor
No EVF
No minijack or XLR audio inputs
No headphone output
Overheating
Over-sharpened footage
You give up your phone, which you would presumably want to use for other tasks, e.g. calls, texts, GPS, etc.

You can rig a phone with the following work arounds, but by the time you go to that effort and expense, you might as well have purchased as DSLR, mirrorless camera, or prosumer/pro camcorder.

Full Tilta Khronos kit
Passive DoF adapter (loss of light, vignetteing, and image degradation)
Audio field recorder and slate
Power bank
USB-C SSD
Zacuto smartphone viewfinder

Since at least the iPhone 4, doc shooters have been using their phones where their big boy cameras aren't allowed.
 
Doug Jensen said:
What is your main goal? To have the students actually learn professional film/video production techniques . . . or to produce a video. Those goals are not necessarily the same thing. And your choice of camera and curriculum should be designed to support/encourage one or the other.

In other words, is the goal of your class just to have fun -- or is it to actually prepare them for a career in this industry?
Click to expand...
Initially, the course caters to seasoned filmmakers reaching out to me. The inaugural session was with a dance video producer. She intends to capture segments of her films using the 15 Pro Max and the remainder with larger cameras. Currently, she's filming in California, with another project slated for Italy in the summer and a third in South Korea come fall. Next on the agenda is coaching a mountaineer. His recent works, airing on Amazon Prime, feature 30% iPhone footage, a ratio he aims to heighten in his upcoming project with the iPhone 15. Following him is a budding filmmaker and cinematographer, planning to utilize the iPhone for her next project on a shoestring budget. Lastly, my fourth lesson will be with a recent graduate who perceives the iPhone as just another tool in her arsenal, to be employed as needed.
 
Imamacuser said:
No tripod mount
No interchangeable lenses for ultra wide, telephoto, macro, or tilt-shift
No sturdy way to mount optical filters
No swappable battery
No swappable flash memory
No HDMI or HD-SDI output for director monitor
No EVF
No minijack or XLR audio inputs
No headphone output
Overheating
Over-sharpened footage
You give up your phone, which you would presumably want to use for other tasks, e.g. calls, texts, GPS, etc.

You can rig a phone with the following work arounds, but by the time you go to that effort and expense, you might as well have purchased as DSLR, mirrorless camera, or prosumer/pro camcorder.

Full Tilta Khronos kit
Passive DoF adapter (loss of light, vignetteing, and image degradation)
Audio field recorder and slate
Power bank
USB-C SSD
Zacuto smartphone viewfinder

Since at least the iPhone 4, doc shooters have been using their phones where their big boy cameras aren't allowed.
Click to expand...
Great list! Thank you.
 
I'll post the Negatives List when I'm done... I think it will be longer than I originally thought.
 
kerrigan said:
Initially, the course caters to seasoned filmmakers reaching out to me.
Click to expand...
Isn't this really just a training course to teach experienced shooters how to get the most from shooting with an iPhone when/if they choose to use an iPhone. I wouldn't even call them "students" in this context. They seem more like clients who have hired you to provide specific training on a certain piece of gear -- their phone. Nothing wrong with that, and I'm sure there is a market for it. But why focus on the negatives of the iPhone? As experienced professionals with a phone in their pocket, they must already know the negatives. Why not just focus on best practices and how to squeeze whatever you can from the phone? Isn't that what they hired you for?
 
I agree. I assumed they were young inexperienced students but if they're experienced shooters... Maybe you should ask them what they're looking to get out of the course and then target those areas. Maybe they're a bunch of old traditional boomers looking to keep current on the latest advancements or maybe they want to know where they could add it to their work flow, or are they just earning credits or want to have a fun creative experience to get out of hum drum daily work.
 
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Peter, I'm the only boomer... but I've kept current. I'm building a website, and have a small Facebook Group with members from around the world... SmallRig just gifted me a $1000 light because of my media posts. Four of my ex-students now teach at 3 colleges and one university so I plan to contact them when I've gained enough teaching experience on the subject. Mobile Filmmaking is advancing quickly and I've found it to be fascinating. Here's a video shot by one of my FaceBook members:
 
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