Could the iPhone 6’s Camera Revolutionize Filmmaking?
Late last year, we investigated whether mobile movies are the way of the future. And now, with the iPhone 6’s new camera, the issue becomes even more relevant as new and improved technology continues to democratize filmmaking.
As Wired.com points out, “Amidst all the hoopla over the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus and their motion processors, faster CPUs, and larger screens, it was also announced that Apple’s latest smartphones would have a much better camera. And while that’s great news for those looking to take less-wack selfies at the bar, the new video features that come along with it mean something else: a high-quality camera filmmakers — and those who aspire to be — can keep in their pockets.”
Among the new features of the iPhone 6’s new iSight camera are continuous auto-focus while shooting video, new “cinematic” stabilization mode for video and the ability to record slo mo video at both 120fps and 240fps. The camera has a new sensor which allows it to record 1080P video at 60 frames per second, as well as the ability for time-lapse recording and HDR video. The camera also features a f/2.2 aperture, which enables you to shoot video in low light situations.
READ MORE: Are Mobile Movies The Way of the Future?
In recent years, movies at least partly shot on iPhones have garnered critical attention, including the Academy Award-winning documentary “Searching for Sugar Man” and Iranian director Jafar Panahi’s “This Is Not a Film” (which the National Society of Film Critics voted best experimental film). Park Chan-wook shot his short film “Night Fishing” entirely on an iPhone 4. Ricky Fosheim shot his feature “And Uneasy Lies the Mind,” which screened at SXSW and is now out on VOD, on an iPhone 5.
Just a few years back the idea of shooting (or watching) a film on a phone was considered implausible. Now, of course, there are entire film festivals devoted to films shot on iPhones. Just because the word “film” isn’t strictly applicable doesn’t make these works any less captivating.
READ MORE: Will 2014 Be the Year that Smartphone Filmmaking Goes Mainstream?
