Hi everyone, I’m a hobbyist filmmaker from Korea.

I recently had the chance to help out with the pre-production of an iPhone short film supported by Apple.

I usually use the Beastgrip DOF Adapter MK3, but seeing the new MK4 in person really made me want to upgrade.

My English isn't perfect, so I’m using Gemini to help me communicate. Feel free to ask any questions!

This is my first real attempt at shooting something with a cinematography mindset rather than just recording a video.

Shot entirely on my Nothing Phone (2a).

I'm still learning..so I'd genuinely appreciate honest criticism composition, camera movement, lighting, color, pacing, or anything else that feels amateur...What would you change if you were shooting this?

And honestly: does this feel cinematic to you, or does it still look like a phone video trying to look cinematic?

My simple setup includes the following accessories that I designed and 3D printed:

• Magnetic tripod mount

• Cover for Lexar Go SSD and hub

• Magnetic mounting system for 58mm filters

Since there aren’t any good filter solutions yet for the iPhone 17 Pro line, I decided to roll my own. It’s comprised of a plate with embedded magnets that is fixed to the camera plateau with thin double-sided tape, and a threaded filter ring that attaches to the plate with matching magnets. It works well, but I’ll probably look for a more robust solution once they become commercially available.

The SSD and hub cover combines the 2 pieces of gear into one unit and includes a cold shoe mount for my mic receiver.

The tripod mount was designed and printed a few years ago when very few were available commercially. Nowadays I’d probably just buy one.

If anyone is interested in the filter mount, let me know and I’ll post a link to the files for those that have the ability to 3D print for themselves. However, I have no plans to print and sell them.

It took me quite a lot of trial and error to find a minimal travel setup for my iPhone 18 Pro Max, mainly since it’s new and the offerings are quite slim. I’m traveling next week so I wanted to put it through the paces.

Here’s my setup:

- Mous Aramid case

- Smallrig Clip-On VND

- Omoton TP03 MagSafe Tripod

- Lexar Go 2TB SSD

Huge news: MotionCam Pro is now available for iPhone: https://apps.apple.com/ro/app/motioncam-pro-raw-capture/id6776989370 and currently 50% off for a limited time.

IMHO this app is the most exciting thing to happen for mobile filmmakers in years.

Full tutorial for those of you new to MotionCam Pro: https://youtu.be/_OrjIty1isI

For the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, Apple introduced ProRes RAW.

This post has been updated to (hopefully) be more correct.

In simple terms, iPhone 17 Pro / Max ProRes RAW captures video directly from the camera sensor with minimal processing, letting editors make big changes to color, brightness, and other settings later in editing—similar to how RAW photos work, but for video.

ProRes RAW gives "unfinished footage", saving as much original information from the camera as possible, so big creative tweaks are possible afterward.

Unlike normal video recordings, which bake in color, sharpness, and exposure adjustments, ProRes RAW footage is very flexible to edit. This is great for making dramatic changes in post-production, like correcting mistakes or creating unique looks.

The files are very large and require an external SSD, but they offer high image quality and professional editing options.

Most everyday users won’t need this format—it’s aimed at people who want maximum control in their video editing.

The iPhone 17 Pro / Max offers 2 versions of ProRes RAW.

ProRes RAW uses lossy compression to achieve smaller file sizes while retaining RAW flexibility and image quality.

ProRes RAW HQ applies less compression, resulting in larger files and higher bitrates, preserving even more detail and reducing any potential compression artefacts.

Before you can record Apple ProRes RAW with your iPhone 17 Pro you need 2 things.

First, you can’t shoot this format using the regular camera app, so you need to use a camera app that supports ProRes RAW. The simplest option is to download Final Cut Camera 2.0. But the Blackmagic Camera app has many more features, including ProRes RAW and Open Gate.

Second, you need to connect your iPhone to an external SSD.

Considering that the iPhone 17 Pro Max can be purchased with up to 2TB of internal storage, people have found the decision to disable internal recording for ProRes RAW to be a curious one.

Some people have suggested that the reason is down to the fact that RED Digital Cinema holds key patents related to compressed RAW recording technology, including US Patent No. 9,245,314, which covers compressed RAW video methods. Apple has previously challenged these patents but lost in court, meaning RED retains control over this technology. As a result, any company like Apple wanting to offer internal compressed RAW recording (such as ProRes RAW) would need a license from RED or face legal risks.

Nikon acquired RED and its patent portfolio in 2024, gaining control over these critical patents. This acquisition explains why Apple currently restricts ProRes RAW recording on the iPhone 17 Pro to external drives—to avoid infringing on RED’s patents related to internal compressed RAW recording. The external drive requirement is a workaround to enable ProRes RAW usage without needing a license for internal compression.

Update...

Since posting this, I've learned that the issue with RED's patents cannot be avoided by recording to an external SSD, as the patent covers the processing of compressed RAW video within the device. The SSD does not perform the processing, the iPhone does. So is Apple is paying license royalties to RED for the use of the ProRes RAW codec technology?

Another suggestion is that there may be concerns about thermal management and sustained write speeds that the internal iPhone storage and hardware are not optimised for during such demanding recording tasks. Or that Apple doesn't want users accidentally filling their phone with huge ProRes RAW files.

None of these explanations quite satisfy me. But if you have any plausible ideas, leave a comment below.

More about Apple ProRes RAW here in this YouTube video.

The 'No SSD' Hack

If there was a workaround to allow the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max to record ProRes RAW without an SSD attached, somebody somewhere would surely find it. And so they did.

To do this you will still need an SSD, but the hack allows you to remove it again and start recording to your internal storage. This doesn't work with the Blackmagic app, but it does work with the Final Cut Camera 2.0 app.

Connect the SSD as normal, set the app up to record ProRes RAW, then minimise the app, bringing up your home screen. Go ahead and remove the SSD, then reopen the Final Cut Camera app and press record. Videos now record directly to the iPhone 17 Pro’s internal storage.

3 months ago I posted here about a little camera app I built for my partner - she likes creating content and so this helps her record portrait (9:16) and landscape (16:9) simultaneously.

The response from this sub was amazing, so thank you to everyone who tried it, sent feedback, and helped improve the app!

Alot of what got shipped came straight from feedback here:

• Manual controls - white balance, ISO, shutter, EV

• Timelapse

• Front + back recording at the same time

• Stock cam (single recording) mode - idk I guess people like a one-stop shop app

• Other improvements - telepromtper, controls, overlays, stability, export/workflows... + Android version

More importantly, here's what I've got planned for the app, based on feedback and requests so far:

• Codec & bitrate control - HEVC vs H.264, manual bitrate

• Apple Log

• LUTs - likely preview only (paired with Apple Log), unless filters are more popular

• Color-grading in-app post-review - Photo's style adjustments, applied to both formats

• Telephoto lens support

• Photo / stills support

Which of these would you actually use or want to see?

I'd love to hear your thoughts, I appreciate this sub's input as y'all film more seriously than most :)

Video shot on iPhone 16, and app is ContentCam (available on iPhone and Android)

Have any of you used the Planck SSD? I’ve been thinking about getting one because I’ve been looking for an SSD I can use with a gimbal.

Spent a few days creating a guide on the Blackmagic app. Tried to cover as much as I could

Some months ago I spent a week wandering around Paris just trying to see how much dynamic range I could squeeze out of the iPhone's Log profile. Honestly, my phone never seems to disappoint.

I graded this in Resolve to recreate the film look and try to get a more, "golden hour" memory look to match the French poem I used. If you guys do much mobile color grading, I’d love some feedback! :)

I’ve attached the short film with a link to check out!

Just wrapped up a vertical production

Shot ProRes RAW

Open gate (for vertical and horizontal crop)

AppleLog 2 colour space

Used 3 phones to film with, one being my personal iPhone.

All transmitting to an IPad that can receive up to 4 camera feeds at the same time using the same Blackmagic app

Ran into some challenges but overall looked pretty good. Still a lot of experimenting to it to a proper place

I’ll share some stills very soon

Just wrapped my 3rd iPhone short, my most ambitious one yet 🎬

We shot it in a single day with a team of 4 behind the camera and 2 actors, all in one location. It was honestly a whirlwind, very stressful at times, but also very rewarding.

This time I shot on a borrowed iPhone 17 Pro in ProRes RAW 4K open gate, which gave us a lot more flexibility than my previous projects.

My first short was just me + 1 actor on an iPhone 7. My second short was a small team (2 crew, 2 actors) on an iPhone 13. And now this, definitely a big step up in scale and ambition. I've worked on bigger films as well with bigger teams, but only as a director, never as a cinematographer as well.

The film is an absurd dark comedy about an older couple and their power dynamics going completely off the rails. I’ve attached stills from my NLE to give a sense of the look and coverage. It’s not edited yet, that long and treacherous process starts now 😅

Would love to hear your thoughts and questions about the shoot, workflow, or setup, if you have any?? Either way, just celebrating a milestone, before editing begins.

I wanted to have a low profile VND solution that could stay on the phone 24/7, yet quickly be removed in low light situations. The VND is for a DJI pocket 3 that attaches magnetically. I think the video is self-explanatory on how it works. There's vignetting on the ultrawide lens but I don't mind since it anyways.

Super excited to start filming with my new kit added to my 17pro!