Blue Ridge Media

We often get asked “What do I need to start shooting Cinematic Looking 4K Videos on my Apple iPhone”.

FORGET the Apple Native Camera App for Video, because you have NO CONTROL over the Shutter Speed and ISO and it does not support Anamorphic Lenses or any Bluetooth Microphones – Not even Apple AirPods are supported.

You’re going to need a Manual Control Video Camera App like Moment Pro Camera or FiLMiC Pro.

1) Apple iPhone with Moment Safety Nylon Wrist Strap.

2) Zeiss Lens Wipes and / or MagicFiber Cleaning Cloths.

3) Moment Lens Cleaning Pen.

4) IOS Remote Control with Spare CR2016 Batteries.

5) Power Bank with USB-C and Lightning Cables.

6) Apple Watch For Remote Viewing.

7) Zhiyun Smooth 5 Gimbal.

8) White Balance Card.

9) Bens Deet Wipes and Alcohol Wipes For Cleanup.

10) Business Cards. You never know who you will meet out on the trail.

1) Use an IOS Remote Control with a Tripod. Avoids shake and bounce.

2) Enable Airport Mode – Disables Notifications and Phone Calls during Shooting.

3) Clean your Apple iPhone Cameras and Lenses. Use a Moment Lens Cleaning Pen.

4) Carry Zeiss Lens Wipes and MagicFiber Cleaning Cloths.

5) Power Cycle your Apple iPhone. This will Clear Cached RAM and Quit All Applications.

6) Set Manual White Balance For Each Scene – Use a White Balance Card.

7) Check Battery Level, Storage Space and Record Time.

8) Carry a Power Bank or two for Charging your Apple iPhone and Gimbal.

9) Use a Zhiyun Smooth 5 Gimbal, iPhone Tripod to avoid Hand Held Look.

10) Carefully Balance Your Zhiyun Smooth 5 Gimbal for Each Lens / Filter Configuration. Balance the Tilt Axis Clamp Position and the Rotate Axis Arm Extension.

1) Use a Manual Control App like Moment Pro Camera or FiLMiC Pro.

2) If using AirDrop, make sure the Control Panel Settings for Photos is set to Keep Originals, not Automatic, else it will degrade and compress the files.

3) Shoot 4K Video For Better Picture Quality.

4) Set to Manual Focus and Lock It if No Movement.

5) Enable The Rule of 3rds Grid For Better Composition.

6) Never Use Digital Zoom! Use Optical Zoom or Move Closer.

7) Turn OFF Image Stabilization when using a Gimbal.

8) Disable Any Noise Reduction or Added Sharpness.

9) Shutter Speed (1/48th for 24 fps) – Lock Shutter Speed. Film Rate 24 fps or 60 fps for 2.5x Slow Motion with a VND Filter for the 180° Film Rule – Use the Variable ND Filter to Control Exposure.

10) Set ISO as Low as Possible – To Avoid Digital Noise, Keep ISO Below ISO 100.

1) Attach a Heavy Duty Monopod to your Gimbal. It aids in Stabilization and can be used for special effects, like the “Drone Effect” or the “Dog View”. Handy for filming up-side-down.

2) Hold the Gimbal 45° Forward for the Best Stability.

3) Estimate the Length of your Video or Movie – Before Shooting.

4) Use a Variety of 2s – 5s Shots – Shorter When Shooting in Slow Motion.

5) Mix In Slow Motion and Timelapse – These Special Effects can Add Interest.

6) Mix In Wide and Close-Ups to Add Variety.

7) Move Slowly Around Your Subject to Create The Effect of Motion Practice your Ninja Walk.

8) Shoot in Landscape 16:9 – Not in Portrait 9:16 (as in TikTok or Instagram Reels).

9) Backup your Apple iPhone Files every few hours of shooting. Use an Apple SD Card Reader with a Large SD Card.

10) When Transferring Files to your Mac, use a Hard Wired Cable USB 3 Cable. AirDrop Can Compress Files.

Beginner on a Budget? You don’t need an expensive Apple iPhone 13 Pro to shoot Cinematic Looking 4K Videos. Every model of Apple iPhone from the Apple iPhone 6s on up has the ability to shoot 4K Video at 24 fps – You just need to enable it. Many of these Award Winning Apple iPhone Movies were shot on older Apple iPhone 5’s, 6’s and 7’s.

If you’re a Beginner on a budget, consider buying a like new or reconditioned $200 Apple iPhone 8 256GB or a $270 Apple iPhone X 256GB. These are Unlocked Units (No SIM Card) require No Cell Service or Monthly Contracts.

• Moment Pro Camera – This $7 App Supports 100 Mbps Capture, Manual Shutter Speed with Anamorphic Lenses and Bluetooth Microphones.

• Moment iPhone Case with Moment Lens Adapter – Lets You Mount Standard Camera Filters over Your Apple iPhone 8 Camera.

• Moondog Labs Filter Mount – Lets you Mount any 52mm Camera Filters over the Apple iPhone 8 Camera.

• 52mm Variable ND Filter – Lets you Control Exposure when the Shutter Speed and Film Rate are Fixed.

• Finch Pixel Lapel Microphone – Inexpensive, Yet Produces High Quality Digital Audio.

• Apple iPhone 13 Pro 1TB – 3 12MP Rear Cameras, Supports ProRes Video Capture, HDR, Macro Mode with 1 Terabyte of RAM.

• FiLMiC Pro – This $15 App Supports ProRes 422 HQ, Manual Shutter Speed with Anamorphic Lenses and Bluetooth Microphones.

• Moment iPhone Case with Moment Lens Adapter – Lets You Mount a Moment Anamorphic Lens on Your Apple iPhone.

• Moment Blue Flare Anamorphic Lens – Converts your Moment Wide or Telephoto Camera into a Blue Anamorphic Camera Lens.

• Moment Gold Flare Anamorphic Lens – Converts your Moment Wide or Telephoto Camera into a Gold Anamorphic Camera Lens.

• Moment 67mm Filter Adapter – Lets you Mount any 67mm Camera Filters over the Moment Anamorphic Lenses.

• 67mm Variable ND Filter – Lets you Control Exposure when the Shutter Speed and Film Rate are Fixed.

• 67mm Moment 5% CineBloom Diffusion Filter – Takes the Edge off of your Digital Video. Smooths out the Anamorphic Flares.

• Finch Pixel Lapel Microphone – Inexpensive, Yet Produces High Quality Digital Audio.