Filmmaking with iPhones is on the rise, with both first-time filmmakers and seasoned pros opting to film projects with their smartphones – and for good reason. Models like the iPhone 15 for filmmaking have plenty of features that can come in handy for creative projects, like the ability to film in 4k resolution or ProRes format.
That said, the default iPhone camera app lacks manual controls over elements like exposure, frame rates, white balance, shutter speed, and more. However third-party apps such as Blackmagic Camera can help you unlock these settings and get a more cinematic result without any additional equipment.
Below, find an overview of the Blackmagic app for iPhone and Android. Plus, learn how to use the app with tips from a Rhode Island videographer.
What is the Blackmagic camera app?
Blackmagic Design is an Australian company that makes equipment and software for film and video professionals, such as cameras and video editing programs like DaVinci Resolve. The Blackmagic Camera app is the company’s solution for smartphone filmmaking.Essentially, the app unlocks your phone camera’s usually hidden features and gives you manual control over them. For example, the default iPhone camera can’t precisely control the white balance. So, if you want to adjust a yellow or blue tint in a photo or video, your only default option is to adjust it during editing. But the Blackmagic app unlocks white balance as a manual setting, allowing you to correct color casting and tint issues in real-time.
The Blackmagic Camera App allows your phone camera to work more like a standard DLSR camera, making it a powerful tool for those who want more control over their smartphone footage.
Blackmagic Camera features
Plenty of formats
You have full control over your resolution and format within the app. Based on your phone’s model, you can film with the following settings.- Up to 120 frames per second (fps)
- Shutter speeds from 1/24 to 1/8000
- ISO sensitivity from ISO 21 to ISO 5472
- Resolution of up to 4k and 1080p
- CODECs like HEVC and Apple ProRes (iPhone only)
An intensive interface
The app uses the same interface as professional-grade Blackmagic cameras. If you’re already familiar with these tools, navigating them on your phone is straightforward. The full selection of options can be overwhelming if you’re a beginner filmmaker, but you can hide the submenus with a quick swipe.Filming Guides
Blackmagic has visual aids for filming, like the “false color” overlay. This mode assigns colors to parts of your scene that are over or underexposed. For example, overexposed areas look red, while underexposed areas appear blue. This allows you to identify problems that might be tough to see with the naked eye, so you can make adjustments on the spot rather than during editing.Other visual aids include the zebra overlay that shows stripes on over or under-exposed areas.
As an added bonus, these overlays are the same as the ones used on the DaVinci Resolve editing software. If you’re already familiar with that program, then you shouldn’t have much of a learning curve.
Audio settings
Beyond giving you more control over your video recordings, Blackmagic Camera also offers options for capturing audio. You can manually monitor the audio levels and choose which audio source to record with. For example, you can swap between the front and back microphones or choose to use an external microphone. We recommend using an external microphone for best results.Cloud compatible
High-resolution files are large, which can be a hurdle if your phone is low on internal storage space. Unfortunately, Blackmagic can complicate the issue, since the app doesn’t always recognize when internal storage is available on an iPhone.But Blackmagic allows you to outsource your video files to their free Blackmagic cloud storage network. You can set it to automatically sync all your recordings or manually select the files you want to upload. That said, while the cloud is nice for backups, we always recommend filming with an external storage device, like a solid-state drive (SSD.)
What phones does Blackmagic Camera work on?
Blackmagic Camera works on iPhones that run IOS 16 or later. On Android, Blackmagic Camera will work on Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel phones that run Android 13 or later.Do I need the Blackmagic Camera for my smartphone filmmaking project?
That depends. If you’re making a project that requires the “Hollywood look,” like a short film or a commercial, then Blackmagic Camera is ideal for gaining more precise control over your smartphone’s camera.That said, if you’re filming less demanding projects, like social media content, your phone’s standard camera can do the job without the extra adjustments. But since the Blackmagic app is free to download for IOS and Android, there’s nothing to lose from downloading it and seeing what your smartphone is really capable of.
A Rhode Island videographer
Tools like the Blackmagic camera app make videography more accessible for everyone. But even with the best tools at your disposal, filming your first video project can still be a daunting task.So, if you’re looking for a professional videographer who can get the job done, McVeigh Media is ready to help. We can handle every step of video production for you, from initial filming to editing, and we can even help you build a YouTube marketing strategy. Contact us today if you’re interested in working with an RI videographer.
Posted by Sean McVeigh
