When I was filming with my DSLR camera the other day I started to wonder if I could get a similar video from my iPhone, that way I wouldn´t have to carry away a big bag everywhere I go. So, I did my usual research on what are the best ways to film with an iPhone.
So, how you can start filming with your iPhone? Figuring out first which type of iPhone you can have access to, and if has the best filming characteristics that suit your purpose is your first step. Then you should consider investing in a good case, lenses, audio equipment, a tripod, lighting, or anything that can improve the quality of your videos.
But, there are a few things you must know before investing a single dime into your iPhone to improve its filming capabilities.
How to Use my iPhone?
We´re going to talk about how to use properly your phone to record great videos for your vlogging channel.
Prepare your content beforehand. Nobody likes to see you rumble upon a certain subject unless you´re a celebrity (and even if you are one) you should be prepared.
Have a simple script at hand. Short paragraphs that set the tone of each clip and helps your audience to digest the content better.
Having something prepared beforehand makes a world of difference, you can, for example, rehearse a few times before you even press the record button.
Choose a Good Light to Shine. Almost any place can be a good scenery for your vlogging videos but if we´re talking about the lighting requirements of your iPhone that´s a whole different thing.
The light that “covers” the environment where you film your videos is a key element of your recording quality.
For example, you can trick the camera lens of your phone with the correct lighting if you are in a closed environment (living room at your house maybe) and direct the light to your face so you can make a DOF (Depth Of Field) effect and differentiate from the background easily.
Something that the camera lens of the iPhone doesn´t allow us to do by itself.
Another thing… avoid zooming your images at al cost! You will kill the quality of your video instantly if you use the zoom when you´re recording.
Clean the Camera Lens and Set your Microphone. You´ll get a better and cleaner image quality almost instantly and with a proper microphone (check out the Rode SmartLav+) will help to reduce background noise and improve the sound of your voice.
Frame the Shot! Your phone should be in a horizontal orientation and at eye level, or slightly up. Practice positioning your camera to create a much better look than just sitting just in the middle of the frame, use the rule of thirds to do this properly.
Control the Exposure Settings. One easy thing you can change is the way your iPhone reacts and controls exposure to light. Once you´ve chosen your position and you can see how the light is behaving with the camera lens you can manually set the exposure so it doesn´t change while you´re recording yourself.
Stabilization is Key. It is obvious you have to maintain your phone stable and don´t shake your arm too much if you´re filming while walking, but one good trick you can apply is that if you have an iPhone 6s or above you can film in 4k and then use that extra resolution to fix shaky frames when editing.
The Warp Stabilizer effect on Adobe Premiere, for example, does this with ease.
¡Vlog Like Pro!
Now, if you want to film professional cinema like videos then let me tell how to attain this.
The first thing you´ll need is FiLMiC Pro, an app that gives you total manual control over the features that need to be improved in order to get the best recording possible with the lens of your iPhone.
The regular apple´s stock camera app doesn´t do the trick. It is sufficient if you just want to film a good piece of content but not nearly enough if you want to take things to the next level and improve your videos in a noticeable way.
Which One Should You Use?
Okay, let´s get serious!
You could go with your old iPhone 4 but probably the most affordable and best option for you to get started is the iPhone 6s or 6s+.
Among the new updates are the larger 4.7-inch 1334×750 “Retina HD” LCD backlit display with Ion- strengthened glass for the 6 and a 5.5-inch display for the 6 Plus.
The 6 features 1334×750 pixel resolution at 326 ppi, while the 6 Plus features 1920×1080 pixel resolution at 401 ppi. Display Zoom and Reachability have also been added on the display screen.
With a 12-megapixel camera and the ability to film 4k videos, the iPhone 6s and plus are the perfect fit for your projects.
The iSight camera includes Live Photos allowing you to capture a still photo, together with the ability to capture what happens before and after the photo is been taken.
You´ll find a lot more dynamic range, HDR, and a lot more sharpness and detail than its predecessors.
Both types of iPhone 6 cameras can film slow-motion clips, but just the Plus version offers optical image stabilization.
The two phones can provide good aperture and record really good quality videos but the biggest setback they both have is that their batteries don´t last that long if used constantly throughout the day.
Now, if you are willing to invest a couple more dollars then you should consider the iPhone 7 and/or 7+. Your next very best option.
Not a huge jump in price, still cheaper than newer versions but with a slight improvement both in the camera system and battery life capability.
12MP camera and ƒ/1.8 aperture, and due to a serious of upgrades, it has a better low-light performance, 4K Ultra HD recording (although this could run out the memory capacity), greater slow-motion recording and optical image stabilization.
All of this things come useful when we´re talking about such small devices to make a professional video and get away with it.
Here is a short film to show you what an iPhone 7 is capable of:
Lighting
Although there are many things you can do to improve your videos the lighting is one of the most important parts you should always, and I do mean always consider before shooting a video.
There´s nothing that is cheaper and easier to improve than your lighting setup, or lack of.
Try to film on plain daylight, and if you are going to be recording in an indoor setting then it´s better to film when the sun is at its highest point, the light will be brighter then so you can stand facing or at least near a window.
Boost your lighting that way and you´ll make a huge difference in your vlogging clips.
Remember! You can manually change exposure on your iPhone by pressing the screen for a second or two (with camera mode on) and adjusting exposure rates so it suits better to the current environment.
A Good Lens
The second most important thing I would say is your camera lens. But, how you can improve this without expending much?
Well, clean it up, and clean it well. There are cheap cleaning solution formulas that are made for a professional camera but can be used in any type of lens, like the one that is in your iPhone.
Another thing, do not use your cotton t-shirt to clean it up, use a microfiber cloth or a clean tissue that you can throw away after one use.
Get fancy videos with a pro (and cheap) lens like the TECHO lens for iPhone. It is a great detachable design that allows you to take wider angle frames and use the super macro lens to get closer to your target without losing sharpness.
Audio Equipment
You must address one of the main problems the iPhone usually has, audio quality.
If you are walking down the street or you´re filming outdoors you´re always going to be dealing with an unwanted background noise of any sort.
The way to improve your audio as much as possible is through two simple methods.
One is to get closer to your phone, yeah, sounds simplistic but it works. Your iPhone microphone is not built to record your voice from any distance it captures what it can.
Keep your recording indoors, where you can control the noise, echo, and get close to your phone or position it in a better way.
Another thing you can do is invest in a BOYA Microphone, an excellent and very affordable piece of equipment that will improve audio instantly.
The second thing you can do in order to increase audio quality is basically learning the right post-production techniques to get rid of background noise, sync audio perfectly, even get your voice to sound very professional if you want to get fancy.
An Impressive Case
Most cases will do the work if you want to protect your iPhone while recording.
But, if you are interested in taking things to the next level and not just get your smartphone to look better but to be more useful too then you should check out the Optrix XD Wide Angle Sports Case Kit for iPhone. (It works for your iPod)
¨Optrix enhances the stunning 1080p HD video of the iPhone by adding an all glass, three elements, 175-degree wide-angle lens. Your action sports will look like they were professionally shot with solid hardware – The Optrix wide angle rugged water-resistant case is the perfect way to capture everything from mountain biking to a family day at the beach.¨ – According to Amazon seller.
It has really good reviews and it would be a good addition to your iPhone filming gear!
Stabilizers (Selfie-Sticks & Tripods)
Everybody hates shaky videos that cause more dizziness and confusion than anything else.
You want people to feel comfortable and relate to what you say and show on your weekly vlogs, not to have a negative reaction towards it and losing the power of the message you´re trying to deliver in the first place.
Manfrotto makes really good tripods and holders for iPhone that are very resistant and can certainly stabilize the images that you record.
The Manfrotto MTPIXI-B PIXI Mini Tripod is a great example of portability and good simple design, it is light and it can be used both as a tripod and a stick so you can vlog without a problem while moving.
With a solid head adjustment system that helps to lock your phone in a proper way. There are many promos that come with the universal cell phone mount.
In case you´re still doubting there are even cheaper options! What I want you to realize is that a tripod or holder of almost any kind is pretty necessary when it comes to video recording with ease and make an image stay sharp during the whole film.
Portable Chargers
If we are talking about the iPhone 6s and 6+ a good addition to your gear would be a portable charger.
This version of iPhone doesn´t endure that much if you use it constantly without charging. It can last for a few hours but it will certainly run out before the day is finished.
This is one of the cons that it has in relation to the iPhone 7 that has been improved regarding battery life. It can resist about 6 hours of constant recording if we are using the 7, and it can last easily all day long if its the 7+. Yes, I major plus!
That been said if you already own an iPhone 6 you can invest in a portable charger, it will give you around 5 to 6 charges so you don´t need to worry about this anymore.
Proper Software
Software to edit and make the post-production process easy and effective can improve your videos dramatically if used properly.
We´ve already talked about this when I mentioned the FiLMiC Pro app that gives more control over your phone when filming, great piece of software to have.
You should, at least, use iMovie in order to edit and cut your clips, don´t vlog an entire video rumbling about your life, there are already too many people doing just that. Try to be helpful, try to be original.
Another important one is learning to use Adobe Premiere. If you have the time and patience to practice you´ll never need any other program to edit professional videos, ever.
¡Bonus Tip!
Find a good music track for your transition and explanatory frames is the ultimate resource to make your videos way more professional and sophisticated.
It might seem like we´re going off track but the truth is that background music can sometimes make or break your videos.
Practice how to time your videos nicely to the music you´ve chosen, put everything together in a beautiful package and create something amazing that you can be proud of later.
In order to show you the potential of this great device this is an entire film shot with just an iPhone, enjoy!