Cinematic Mode uses the iPhone’s LiDAR scanner to create a 3D map to create a fake shallow depth of field. For the iPhone 13, Apple decided to use the idea themselves, whilst making some big improvements to the technology. But Cinematic Mode is a bit more advanced, with Apple even claiming it would “change the language of cinema”.Įssentially, this mode was already available in the iPhone 12, if your device came with a LiDAR scanner and you downloaded an app called Focos Live. We’ve already had portrait mode for smartphone video in various devices, which attempts a very crude imitation. Thing is, you still really do need a big sensor, a wide aperture and a big long lens to achieve, which is basically impossible in a device which is flat and fits in your pocket. This is when the subject is in focus but the background is blurry. The one major quality of video shot using a regular camera with proper lenses is what has become known as the “bokeh effect”. The innovation which made all the noise after the launch of the iPhone 13 range was the introduction of Cinematic Mode. If you’ve been lucky enough to view a movie at the cinema in Dolby Vision, you will know what I mean. That said, I do think tech like Dolby Vision is the future. And this was enough to persuade most people it wasn’t worth the risk. People viewing with non-compatible monitors might get a poor viewing experience. The other problem is that to view Dolby Vision you need a compatible monitor and a compatible platform. Final Cut Pro and LumaFusion are both fine though, as you would expect from Apple only platforms. For example, Adobe Premiere Pro still doesn’t really handle it very well. The problem was, Dolby Vision is a little bit tricky to edit and colour grade. The video looked beautiful, so why isn’t the world full of Dolby Vision already?

This allowed iPhone users to shoot video with the enhanced dynamic range as well as in 10-bit colour.

The iPhone 12 range came with Dolby Vision as the big innovation. Has the iPhone’s new Cinematic Mode changed the language of film? Will the Google Pixel’s crazy zoom make you a better filmmaker? Is Sony’s Xperia Pro-I main sensor really 1 inch? Has Xiaomi taken over from Samsung as the best android video shooter?Īs well, I’ll talk about last year’s innovations and whether they turned out to be the world changing revolutions in videography that were promised.

Cell phone with best camera 2015