The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max cameras got a big boost to their video production abilities by being able to record Apple ProRes videos in the Log color profile at 4K resolution. This may sound like jargon (because it is), but what it means is that you can get beautiful-looking, professional-standard video footage, shot just with your phone.
But what do Log and ProRes mean? How are they better than standard video on your phone and, above all, should you use them when recording your videos? Here’s what you need to know.
What is ProRes?
ProRes is a video codec created by Apple in 2007 that has been widely adopted by video and film professionals. ProRes files, typically found on high-end video cameras costing thousands of dollars, capture more data when shooting, resulting in better-quality images than you’d typically get with a phone or even some dedicated cameras.
What is a registration video?
Log (short for “logarithmic”) is a color profile found on some professional video cameras and is now also available on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Log footage retains more image information in highlights and shadows, allowing for greater flexibility in color and contrast editing in post-production.
On the left is unclassified recording material. On the right is what that same footage looks like after a basic color grading in Davinci Resolve.
Andrew Lanxon/Keynote USA
How do I activate ProRes and Log video?
On your iPhone 15 Pro or 15 Pro Max, go to Settings, then scroll down and tap Camera. Then tap Formats and within this submenu, you will see a section for video capture. Lever Apple ProRes to on and below will be the options for ProRes encoding. By touching it you can switch between HDR, SDR, or Record.
You can activate ProRes and log recording in the main settings app.
apple/Keynote USA
Note that while you can turn ProRes on or off directly in the Camera app, you have to go back to the Settings app if you want to switch from Record to HDR or vice versa. You can record 4K footage at 30 frames per second on the phone, but if you want to record at 60 frames per second, you’ll need to connect an external SSD drive via USB-C and record directly to it. While you can record ProRes footage without Log, you can only record Log with ProRes.
Why does the Log video look gray and faded?
Log files straight out of the camera look flat and have low contrast and saturation. The files are designed to be edited in programs like Adobe Premiere or DaVinci Resolve, where colorists will recover contrast and color tone based on the look they’re trying to achieve, a process called color grading.
The low-contrast look of raw footage gives colorists the best starting point to modify the video image however they want. Log footage should always be edited and graded before use.
How do I edit the log video?
While Apple has yet to implement specific color editing tools for log footage on the iPhone, you can make progress by using some of the exposure tools in the ‘Edit’ options in the Photos app. However, you’ll get better results by transferring the files to your iPad, Mac, or Windows PC and editing them in dedicated video production apps.
My favorite is BlackMagic’s DaVinci Resolve, which is industry-standard software used in professional productions and Hollywood films. It’s known for its flexibility with color editing and I loved using it to see what looks I can achieve from video footage from both the iPhone 15 Pro Max and BlackMagic’s Pocket Cinema Camera.
Davinci Resolve on desktop may seem daunting, but its color grading tools make it industry-standard software. apple/Keynote USA
Resolve is available on Mac and PC, but there is also a great iPad version of the app. Best of all, the software is free to use on all platforms, with only some advanced features requiring the paid Studio version. But anyone who wants to bring their footage to life will find the free version more than capable.
BlackMagic also released a color editing panel designed for use with the iPad. The Micro Color Panel provides fine control over color editing in Resolve and allows you to quickly edit your footage using the same professional hardware used in Hollywood films.
Can my phone record ProRes Log videos?
Apple introduced the ability to shoot with the ProRes codec on the iPhone 12 Pro, but at the moment only the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max can also shoot in Log.
I took over 600 photos with the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. See my favorites
Do you have to use the iPhone camera app to record ProRes Log videos?
No, Apple has opened this feature to third-party apps. My recommendation is the BlackMagic Camera app, which provides the same level of control over settings that you’d find on the company’s professional cameras. It’s a great tool for getting the best-looking video on your phone, and like DaVinci Resolve, it’s free.
The BlackMagic camera app is the best tool you can use if you want to record professional-looking videos from your iPhone.apple/Keynote USA
Should I record videos in the ProRes Log?
The ProRes footage in the Log profile is very specialized. Additional time is required in post-production tocolor-correctt footage, and file sizes are many times larger than regular video files. If you just want to record footage of your family gathering or friends at the beach to upload to Instagram or YouTube, then you don’t need to worry about ProRes or Log.
However, if you want to use your iPhone 15 Pro as a professional video production tool and have the time and resources to color correct and edit your footage, then you should give it a try. The recording flexibility allows you to shoot videos from your iPhone that would give dedicated film cameras a run for their money and makes the iPhone 15 Pro an exceptionally powerful camera for content creators looking to add a professional touch to their videos.
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