GEAR MINI TESTS
SPECIFICATIONS Operating systems: Apple iOS, Android Download size: 49.1MB On-screen displays: Status, lens, fps, shutter speed, timecode, project name, ISO, white-balance or tint, resolution, histogram, audio meters, record button, storage indicator, upload indicator, zebra, focus assist, grids, frame guides, safe area guides, false colour, 3D LUT, touch to focus, autoexposure, image stabilisation, zoom, metadata Upload: Blackmagic Cloud with live sync, DaVinci Resolve and live chat Storage: Phone memory, Blackmagic cloud
BLACKMAGIC CAMERA APP Free blackmagicdesign.com
Monitoring tools like zebras, focus assist and frame guides are better here than on many mirrorless cameras. The app also allows 3D LUTs to be added to recreate film looks. Shooting is in 16:9 or vertical aspect ratios, plus there are tabs for media management including uploading to Blackmagic Cloud, chat and access to more advanced menus. It’s easy to tap any item and change settings without searching through menus. What Blackmagic calls the ‘heads-up display’ shows status and record parameters, histogram, focus peaking, levels, frame guides and more. Autofocus is achieved by tapping the screen, which also gives AF and AE lock for the same area. These can’t be separated, unlike on other smartphone apps. But a workaround is to use manual focus to lock focus on the subject, then use the AF/ AE selector to lock exposure. Or control everything manually, of course, just like a real camera. You can record to the camera’s internal memory – which comes in sizes up to 1TB on the biggest iPhone 15 Pro models – or record directly to Blackmagic Cloud in industry- standard 10-bit Apple ProRes files up to 4K. This allows collaboration on DaVinci Resolve projects – and, of course, the basic DaVinci software is also free. You do have to pay for a cloud subscription, though. Other small gripes include that you can’t do automated focus pulls, setting in and out points and letting the phone do the rest. There’s also no automatic support for gimbals and
If you have always dismissed your phone’s capability as a filmmaking tool, it may be time to rethink thanks to the Blackmagic Camera app. This is especially true if you are the owner of the latest Apple iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Although the app works with other devices, giving the feel of using a Blackmagic Cinema Camera and all its filmmaking tools, it’s the latest iPhones that work best. High-end Apple devices let you shoot in Log for maximum dynamic range, as well as unlocking a whole slew of Apple ProRes codecs in a variety of manually selectable bit rates. You can also set conventional H.264 and HEVC H.265 codecs, except these use the standard phone settings so there are no bit-rate options. Features like this have the world of smartphone filmmakers opting for the Blackmagic Camera app instead of the current favourite: Filmic Pro. The free Blackmagic app is based on the same operating system as the firm’s digital film cameras, and integrated support for Blackmagic Cloud enables instant uploading and media sharing. Since it’s in a phone, it works well as cellular or over Wi-Fi. The app downloads quickly and proves incredibly intuitive as it works much like a professional camera, with simple, speedy adjustment of settings such as frame rate, shutter angle, white-balance and ISO. Delve a bit deeper into menus and you can even alter anamorphic de-squeeze and lens correction. Options for sound include VU or PPM audio meters as well as AAC, IEEE Float and PCM formats.
no remote control app, so you can’t remotely monitor your phone from another smart device. But those sort of technical details might be what serious smartphone filmmakers want, showing just how capable the latest devices are. If you only ever use your phone for social media footage, it could be time to re-evaluate its potential: maybe as the ultimate stealth camera, a B or C roll option or to mount where you just can’t put a ‘proper’ camera. Download the app and have a go – it’s free! PRO MOVIEMAKER RATING: 9/10 Powerful app with amazing control Pros: Makes a phone like a real cam Cons: Optimised for iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max
A KIND OF MAGIC The
app offers all the controls of a real camera on your phone
66
PRO MOVIEMAKER
Powered by FlippingBook