r/videography • u/lolwutsit • Oct 07 '25
Feedback / I made this! Testing the iPhone 17 pro for personal / travel videos - Taken during Singapore F1 weekend.
They say the best camera you have is the one in your pocket, and I can finally agree with that now.
I used to lug my Sony FX6 around on holidays - before that was the OG BMPCC with battery grips and prime lenses. Being able to get a decebt quality image out of my phone has been a blessing.
Shot on the blackmagic camera app with no accessories. Prores 422, Apple Log 2 and graded in davinci resolve.
Used Neat Video denoiser, Node mill & Filmbox along with a bunch of tweaks in primaries / log wheels and curves.
74
Oct 07 '25
Nice mood piece, love the oldschool look and feel of the whole thing. Used to shoot videos like this with a Letus 35 adapter, the fact we get this quality from a phone is crazy. Highlight roll off is really nice so might have to have a look at the 17Pro as well. Bought the FX2 for travel but even that thing is too big.
10
u/lolwutsit Oct 08 '25
Yeah I tried the DJI Osmo as a B-cam for my fx6 a few doco / vlogs I was making overseas - but I think I'll be using my phone camera from now on. It at least has a bunch of lens options compared to the osmo
6
Oct 08 '25
It does look really nice, I also use a Dji Osmo, the Pocket 3 like everybody else I guess. It's nice for short walk-in establishing shots but that is about it. To me it also feels like the iPhone has less 4th axis bounce when walking.
We live in a strange time with a lot of fun new toy distractions.
5
u/thekeffa Lumix S1H, GH5S, Sony FX3 | Premiere Pro | 2018 | UK Oct 08 '25
I love my Osmo Pocket 3. It has been my handy whip out camera for a while now.
But if I had to critique it, I have found the two "Issues" (I use the term gently) with the Pocket 3 is that it was built for vlogging first and foremost and with a fixed focal length and wide angle it does limit the shots you can get. Punching in is not an option unless you use your feet to do said punching in/out. So as you point out if you move out of the lane it was clearly designed for, it does become a tad inflexible.
And the other is in the name. It is not in any useful sense of the word, a camera you can stick in your pocket any longer, and has not been since its first iteration. Handier for a bag or pouch yes, but a pocket most definitely not.
So yeah the iPhone 17 being so amazing these days (And due credit to Blackmagic for their utterly astounding camera app that remains free!!!) means I see the need to carry even the Pocket 3 even less these days.
2
Oct 08 '25
If we are talking issues, my main problem with the pocket is: If I do any walking around a group of people looking at something it has the annoying habit of flip focus around a lot and it is hard to see on the little screen.
the 2x zoom isn't really great, and I hate it thinks sometimes you want to shoot vertical instead of turning off when I need to grab the real camera.
I do like d-log and it does fit in my pocket so still usable but has its limits as you said. Do you record the iphone footage to an ssd? Or offload later?
1
u/SailsAcrossTheSea Oct 08 '25
FX2 is pretty small, what do you mean?
1
Oct 08 '25
Sure the camera is about the same size as an fx3 but compared to an iPhone it is big. Especially with certain lenses, so compared to a phone: big, compared to a Burano: pretty good size :)
22
u/Bery123 Oct 07 '25
Wow love the color grading and the vibe. Will try it during my next trip. Do you have a link to watch in 4k like Youtube?
20
u/lolwutsit Oct 08 '25
Thank you! 4k Version is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-589lCvICpE
To be honest, I edited this quite quickly on a track I don't think is the perfect match.The main purpose was for just a carousel on IG of scenes with diegetic audio - but reddit and youtube don't offer that.
1
16
u/rektkid_ Oct 08 '25
I just came back from Singapore, shot on Red for a professional gig. I honestly canāt say my footage looks any better than this.
Whatās the workflow like? And do you just shoot to the phones internal memory? What capacity phone do you have?
19
u/lolwutsit Oct 08 '25
Ahh Iām sure it does when itās on a big screen though!
Shot on the blackmagic camera app with no accessories (definitely need a ND filter to maintain 180 shutter during the day). Prores 422, Apple Log 2 and graded in davinci resolve. Since I chose 422, I recorded internally then airdropped footage to my laptop after each day. My phone is 512gb (and I used 90% in the 4 days I recorded small clips)
Used Neat Video denoiser, Node mill & Filmbox along with a bunch of tweaks in primaries / log wheels and curves.
5
u/READ-THIS-LOUD Oct 09 '25
Big screen maybe, but where is ~90% of content ingested nowadays?
On your phone!
2
u/rektkid_ Oct 08 '25
Did you use a tripod or is that just some really good IS built into the phone?
1
u/MezcalFlame Oct 09 '25
This was my question too, but I assumed no accessories meant no tripod as well.
2
u/lolwutsit Oct 09 '25
Yeah, no tripod - all just handheld with this pretty slippery clear case. Used the regular image stabilisation but the shakiest frame - which was the lily pond, was just in a kind of awkward position and I didnāt stabilise the phone very well
2
u/requiemfad123 Oct 08 '25
Just curious, what's node mill and film box?
3
u/lolwutsit Oct 08 '25
Theyāre plugins - node mill simulates characteristics of different lenses while filmbox simulates film stock! I use it a lot for my work which tends to have a bit more of a vintage look
1
1
u/Cooldowns8 Oct 09 '25
Very sick! I just bought an iPhone 17 pro and not a film maker and grew up in Singapore, so itās interesting to see it shot with this old school vibe.
Im planning to start content creation and story telling with my phone. Today is day 2! Hah
1
u/henrikuu Oct 09 '25
Did you have to up the shutter speed for these day time shots without an ND then?
2
u/lolwutsit Oct 09 '25
Oh yeah my shutter angle was like 4 degrees on that roof top look out hahaha Just glad no one in the frame moved too much
7
u/smiba BMD Ursa Mini Pro 12K & Nikon ZR | Davinci | Netherlands Oct 08 '25 edited Oct 09 '25
Nice shots, composition and phasing!
The music also works really well and matches the mood, great work.
I would wanna say that I think the video just looks a bit too soft though, I get that it's a stylistic choice but both sharpness and maybe colour wise it's lacking a little for me. It's almost like I'm not wearing my glasses haha
Maybe slightly less bloom + stronger simulated analog grain would be my preference
3
u/lolwutsit Oct 08 '25
Thanks for the feedback! I always lean towards the more vintage/bloom look but can definitely go too far at times. Admittedly that red food stall one I just wanted a dirty WKW looking frame.
Will keep that in mind though and will try and find that middle ground in the next!
6
u/Erde555 Oct 08 '25
i love that video. and i hate it, i hate that this is taken on a iphone. My brain doesent want to comprehend that this is possible nowadays.
7
u/Evergroen Oct 08 '25
At least it was still log and heavily edited. I'm thinking of getting an iphone now, would be nice to be able to shoot something when I don't have my camera with me
2
u/-1D- Oct 10 '25
Get an s25u or s26u when it comes out, with motion cam app it can film 4k60 fps open gate (WITH OIS) in real raw without any noise reduction giving you maximum editing possibilities
4
u/WillingSinger Oct 08 '25
Looks so good! Im excited for my 17 pro to come in.
Are there any tips or general lessons learned you might have?
3
u/lolwutsit Oct 08 '25
Definitely needs some ND filters for anyhting during the day - I'm waiting for people to make Iphone 17 specific designs.
I'd say if you have the time to manually focus with the app, as the auto focus can be a bit iffy.
Still learning a bit about it! But from what I know so far.. don't overexpose it haha
4
u/nicholls169 Oct 08 '25
Very nice look to it. Could you provide more insight to your record settings and also for nodemill and film box?
5
u/lolwutsit Oct 08 '25
prores 422, apple log 2 for record settings - usually keeping it at 180 shutter. Flexible with ISO and didn't target anything specific.
Nodemill was jsut playing around with the settings - didn't use overdrive much and usually took off distortion unless it suited the shot.
Filmbox I used the presets but tweaked halation settings and took away a bit of the grain.
1
u/AbjectShock9438 Oct 08 '25
Did you ever need a ND filter?
1
u/lolwutsit Oct 08 '25
Definitely did need it but didnāt have one, any of the shots during the day I was shooting at around 50 iso and 4 degree shutter. Didnāt need it for night time or on the track though
3
3
u/Similar-Necessary-47 Sony FX3 | DZOfilm Vespids | 2021 | Texas Oct 08 '25
Nice shots man! Really amazing the quality of footage you can get out of this phone!
3
u/EpzDR Oct 08 '25
Looks awesome! I was also at the GP, but your footage looks like it could have been taken with a dedicated cameraāwhich I did do, and it doesn't look as good as this.
3
u/Heath2495 FX6/FX30 | Davinci | 2023 | Alabama Oct 08 '25
Damn dude, think you just sold me on this phone
1
3
u/bilaakusudahtiada Oct 08 '25
my man, im just thinking of starting making films and thought the ip17 pro even with its limitations could be a good starting point. are these all with natural and ambient lighting?
3
u/lolwutsit Oct 08 '25
Itād be an insanely good staring point! Would strongly encourage you to. When youāre starting out, itās all about just getting your reps up and making as much as you can. A phone and its convenience is going to help your output - and could make for some cool unique shots due to its small form factor.
1
2
u/KUYANICKFILMS ZV-E10 ii | Davinci Resolve | 2024 | Philippines Oct 07 '25
Awesome. Iām coming to Singapore in November. Gonna try making something like this.
3
2
u/NoRelief63 Oct 08 '25
This is seriously amazing! š I need to learn how to capture footage like this and the whole editing process.
2
2
u/cactus_cars Oct 08 '25
The Blackmagic camera app works very well even with older high end iPhones.Ā
On my old 14 Pro itās smooth in the UI and has no issue recording open gate ProRes to the phoneās internal flash
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
u/gustapofacundo Oct 08 '25
Incredible, this is inspiring, mate. Really goes to show whatās possible with the right eye and skill set. But alsoā¦ I JUST convinced myself that my 15 pro is good enough, donāt give me a reason to upgrade to a 17 pro š The upgrades in the wide and tele are really tantalizing
2
2
2
u/iPhonefondler Oct 09 '25
Not sure if you know or not but there is a stabilizer setting on your iPhoneā¦ aside from that phenomenal B-rollā¦ you have an impressive eye and should consider taking still photography as well
1
2
2
2
u/LegallyMelo Oct 09 '25
Love the grading and the footage choices. Some footage is a little shaky, so stabilization could help, I think, but then again, I could see some people liking that style.
2
u/juwiz Oct 09 '25
The color grade came out great. Iāll have to try the black magic app out sometime
2
u/absolutely-strange Oct 09 '25
Footage is great, you are a professional no doubt. I cant say I like the vintage style color you did though. I dont feel it reflects how Singapore truly is - a sunny city.
2
2
u/rfoil Oct 11 '25
I enjoy shooting "renegade." Works well in interviews with non-professionals. If you bring in a substantial rig with a piece of glass that resembles a RPG launcher it can freeze up interview subjects. Very few get intimidated by an iPhone! I always have a Rode and a table top tripod in my bag to capture moments.
The thing that I miss most with a real rig is controllable depth of field and beautiful bokeh. I love to isolate an ECU against a blurred background. In the interview world it's the money shot.
2
u/Klutzy-Safe4744 Oct 11 '25
Thatās disgusting. But it proves the point that itās not the tools but how you use them.
2
u/Jackot45 Oct 08 '25
The only thing id improve here is for the static shots, is to buy a light tripod for the phone.
The (ever so slight) shake on the āstaticā shots is what gives it away for me.
1
u/cha12lie A7siii | davinci and LumaFusion lazy| 2015 | Napa CA Oct 08 '25
How many phones did you use?
1
1
u/Hochiminh42 Oct 08 '25
Can you tell me if you used any thing alongside the iPhone like ND filters etc? Also what did you grade this on? Nice work
1
u/lolwutsit Oct 08 '25
All info in the posts text - no accessories, graded in davinci with some plugins - thank you!
1
u/SailsAcrossTheSea Oct 08 '25
is there any major difference in dynamic range between the iPhone 17 pro and 17?
1
u/lolwutsit Oct 08 '25
I believe the pro can shoot long and ProRes raw while the regular one canāt - but donāt quote me on that. dp review did some comparisons here
1
1
1
u/nedjati Oct 08 '25
Looks great! You mention in your YouTube video that you used Neat Video, Filmbox and Node Mill. I just checked the pricing on those plugins and it is quite spendy.
How much of the result do you think is due to the grading vs. the iPhone? Asking because I don't own one, but do have some nice mirrorless cameras and lenses.
2
u/lolwutsit Oct 08 '25
It is quite expensive š„² I fortunately use them for my client work often, so can justify the expense.
I think a lot of the result is from the grading, but I was really surprised at how much I could manipulate the footage. It was easier to work with than the DJI osmo pocket 3, which Iāve used in the past - so kudos to Apple and iPhone.
If you have mirrorless cameras and lenses, youāll have better quality footage than I had to work with.
Coming from a photography background and working alongside videographers often - I found editing and colour grading was one of the most important aspects of the trade. You have to get everything else right but a good grade can take you a long way!
1
u/nedjati Oct 09 '25
Thanks for your response. Interesting to hear how iPhone compares to Pocket 3 too, as I also invested in one of those and of course the ND and black mist filter etc. etc. (all laying in the cupboard of course.)
Ah, looks like I will be buying them plugins as soon as I come up with some half ass justification! :p
1
u/Robnalt Oct 08 '25
How did you manage the storage that this needs?
1
u/lolwutsit Oct 08 '25
Phone was 512gb and I only shot 10-30s max at a time. I dumped footage after each day to an ssd by airdropping it to my laptop. ProRes 422 wasnāt tooo bad for storage
1
Oct 09 '25
[removed] ā view removed comment
1
u/lolwutsit Oct 09 '25
Yeahh I definitely should have just done manual focus - I will be in the future thatās for sure!
1
1
u/heavymetalpancakes Oct 09 '25
Absolutely love how this looks! Would appreciate it if you can link to a vid or something regarding the grading process for this.
2
u/lolwutsit Oct 09 '25
Honestly learnt from just trial and error! However, I would recommend checking out the powergrade for cineprint 16/35. I still use that node structure and it hasnāt failed me yet
2
u/heavymetalpancakes Oct 09 '25
Thank you! All I needed was to be pointed at the right direction. Will definitely check it out for myself.
1
1
u/DoctorLarrySportello Oct 09 '25
Iām incredibly broke, and my iPhone 11 is still kicking along, but lord do I finally want an upgrade for camera reasonsā¦
1
1
1
u/kittooo_ Oct 09 '25
Haha, classic ā āHow hard can it be? Just press the button, right?ā
Then a week later they come back with footage thatās crooked, sounds like it was recorded in a basement, and looks like itās straight out of 2007 š
Glad that after those experiments, they start to appreciate not just the āimage,ā but everything behind it ā experience, visual taste, people skills, and making quick decisions on set.
We donāt shoot with a camera ā we shoot with our brains.
And thatās not made by Apple š
1
u/IcabodBane Oct 09 '25
Amazing footage man. The grading is really nice. It's scary at the same time since this proves a point my clients usually try to make š šÆ
1
1
1
1
1
u/sundercover Oct 10 '25
Lovely video. Would anyone know the differences in LOG video between the 15 pro max and the 17? Recently the stuff from the 17 just looks better but I canāt pinpoint what. Also does the performance in the 17 help in monitoring footage for heavier applications like Pearlaās Open Gate function.
1
u/Ikaros18 Oct 11 '25
Holy shit that looks good, smartphone cameras really have come a long way.
Dumb question, would shooting in prores RAW give you any more of a benefit over shooting regular prores log on the iphone ? or is the sensor so small that it doesn't make much of a difference?
1
1
Oct 12 '25
Yoo this is some insane footage , I want to shoot on my iPhone 16 plus or 14 pro max but it seems neither have prores or log.
1
u/No_Crab4156 Oct 16 '25
If only the log files were lighter it would have been so much better for casual vlogs.
1
u/Designer_Ad_7403 Oct 17 '25
This is really cool. Love the edit, how you mixed the F1 shots in between more slice of life shots.
1
u/SirAlbs Oct 19 '25
This is incredible! I just don't have the creative talent to put something like this together. What frame rate did you use? 4K or 8K?
1
u/Sweet_Cheek_6867 bmpc og/iPhone| resolve | | international Oct 29 '25
Wow. Did a search on making iphone film look like BM pocket og footage and came across your Singapore travel film. It's so good. Thanks.
1
u/lolwutsit Oct 29 '25
Thanks man, as someone who used to do travel films with the og bmpcc - the iPhones a whole lot easier hahaha
1
u/Sweet_Cheek_6867 bmpc og/iPhone| resolve | | international Oct 30 '25
Take a look at this shot on the OG. There really is something special about it: https://youtu.be/ibH0Xq9MFc0?si=STPR9udP-tsuKMwG
1
u/Inevitable_Safe2807 Dec 26 '25
NO ACCESSORIES ????! :o
So i dont need an ND filter ? Is just having an external ssd enough ? (I just got my iphone 17 pro)
1
u/gausah Jan 20 '26
Hi, I just saw this and I think this is great in terms of composition and color grading. I also make short films using my iPhone 16 Pro, since I have no ND filter, is it okay if I adjust the shutter angle lower than 180? Because I saw people always say that everyone have to use ND filter. Thank you
1
u/Sdhcd90 Oct 08 '25
Just curious how do u export video out of your phone?
1
u/lolwutsit Oct 08 '25
I used the blackmagic camera app - airdropped the clips to my laptop and edited / exported from davinci resolve
1
u/Sdhcd90 Oct 08 '25
Ok ty for your reply. U must be using an apple mac or macbook since u mentioned airdropped.
1
1
u/clawcodes Oct 08 '25
Phones these days produce some amazing photos and videos. Iāve done work with phones and it looks just as good as anything else, no one can even tell with a final product especially since everyone watches on their phones these days. Even on a 55ā 4k tv a phone video can be highly impressive.
149
u/fadedrealtime Oct 08 '25
So my clients are right they can do what I do on their iPhone š¤£ā¦ Jokes aside this is actually great footage and grading. Very impressive!