The iPhone 13 Pro has some great upgrades, including the addition of ProRes. While you could certainly shoot a feature with one, that doesn’t mean it will replace a proper cinema camera, but it does show how advanced and fun these smartphones are getting.
Cinematic Mode
Cinematic Mode is like Portrait Mode for video. You can now have selective focus and the ability to rack focus from one subject to another. This looks pretty cool in the sample videos. From what I understand, this can also be performed after the fact. Impressive!
These two shorts are impressive and show how advanced the new iPhone 13 Pro is, but don’t be fooled into thinking it’s just the iPhone 13 Pro in use. As you can see in the BTS, the set is full of your normal filmmaking gear, and many workarounds must be implemented. Never the less it looks excellent, and they don’t have to deal with transcoding since they can record in ProRes, making color correction and any effects compositing much easier with 10bit 4:2:2.
ProRes with a catch
If you want ProRes you have to go with the Pro or Pro Max model as the iPhone 13 doesn’t include it.
Giving the iPhone 13 Pro 10 bit 4:2:2 Prores recording is great as it is an easy codec to edit and looks great. It will use up more space, so I would get the most storage you can afford when buying the iPhone 13 Pro, which would be 1TB. I do wish more hybrid cameras would offer ProRes as it’s so dang good. The other small catch is ProRes won’t be included until later this year.
I mentioned a catch, and that is you can record ProRes up to 4K at 30 fps with all the models except the 128GB option. That model can only record 1080p at 30 fps. I would think the limitation is the files will be too big for 128GB.
iPhone 13 Video – No ProRes
- Cinematic mode for recording videos with shallow depth of field (1080p at 30 fps)
- HDR video recording with Dolby Vision up to 4K at 60 fps
- 4K video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
- 1080p HD video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
- 720p HD video recording at 30 fps
- Sensor-shift optical image stabilization for video (Wide)
- 2x optical zoom out
- Digital zoom up to 3x
- Audio zoom
- True Tone flash
- QuickTake video
- Slo‑mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps
- Time‑lapse video with stabilization
- Night mode Time-lapse
- Cinematic video stabilization (4K, 1080p, and 720p)
- Continuous autofocus video
- Take 8MP still photos while recording 4K video
- Playback zoom
- Video formats recorded: HEVC and H.264
- Stereo recording
iPhone 13 PRO VIDEO
- Cinematic mode for recording videos with shallow depth of field (1080p at 30 fps)
- HDR video recording with Dolby Vision up to 4K at 60 fps
- 4K video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
- 1080p HD video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
- 720p HD video recording at 30 fps
- ProRes video recording up to 4K at 30 fps (1080p at 30 fps for 128GB storage)
- Dual optical image stabilization for video (Telephoto and Wide)
- Sensor‑shift optical image stabilization for video (Wide)
- 3x optical zoom in, 2x optical zoom out; 6x optical zoom range
- Digital zoom up to 9x
- Audio zoom
- True Tone flash
- QuickTake video
- Slo‑mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps
- Time‑lapse video with stabilization
- Night mode Time‑lapse
- Cinematic video stabilization (4K, 1080p, and 720p)
- Continuous autofocus video
- Take 8MP still photos while recording 4K video
- Playback zoom
- Video formats recorded: HEVC and H.264
- Stereo recording
If you want to see the whole product reveal today here is the full presentation. I also like the new iPad Mini.
I’m due for an upgrade from my iPhone Xr and this time I’m thinking MAX!
