I love smartphone videography and thought I’d test Filmic Pro 7, the latest incarnation from FilmicApps and is it pretty impressive. I wanted to see how well the stabilisation works, especially Cinematic+ without using a gimbal. When paired with the iPhone 14 Pro handheld it’s a really useful tool.
The video is a test and quick video review of Filmic Pro and the stabilisation, I went to London with a friend Chris and walked about filming random things with various moves.
Stabilisation and Cinematic+ Mode:
The stabilisation capabilities of the iPhone 14 Pro are truly impressive. Without the need for additional equipment like a gimbal, this device's built-in stabilisation technology delivers remarkably smooth footage, even when you're on the move. You can just chose a lens, point and shot without the need to carry lots of heavy gear. Of course the quality of the image from the phone can’t compare to A7Siii but for what it is, it’s impressive. Just take a look at any basic camcorder video from 20 to 30 years ago, no comparison. The phone is better than most camcorders from 10 years ago and certainly more flexible.
Filmic Pro 7 adds two further stabilisation modes, Cinematic and Cinematic+ mode. These features give you the ability to handhold without a gimbal. Cinematic is great for most images, standard is pretty good. Cinematic+ is particularly useful when capturing wide-angle scenes or while in motion, especially the ‘walk’. The stabilisation in Cinematic+ mode worked really well with wide angle pans, tilts and walking towards or away from something. Great for parallax shots where the background moves differently to the foreground. It has a two second delay so if you spin or pan the phone is still looking at the scene two seconds behind you, which is a bit confusing at first but then fun and then predictable. The stabilisation is amazing and not too much cropping, although more than the other two modes. I found that using Cinematic+ on the 3x zoom was very difficult as it moved around and when you tried to adjust it was difficult due to the 2 second lag. Cinematic or Standard were fine.
Some of the shots do look like a gimbal was used but it wasn’t. The three shots of the Tower of London wall are wide, mid and zoom and they are pretty stable. I used Cinematic+ with the 3x zoom towards the end of the video the still shot of the Isle of Dogs was further stabilised in Final Cut Pro using Tripod mode and it’s solid.
User-Friendly Interface and Pull Focus Mode:
Personally I quite like this new iteration of Filmic Pro, 7 it has quite user-friendly interface which is easy to navigate. The main functions are there or easily accessible and its intuitive design ensures that you can quickly and easily adjust settings without getting lost in a sea of menus. The simplicity allows you to concentrate on capturing the your shots, making the filmmaking smoother and efficient. One main advantage is that you can set the WB, shutter speed (1/50th if you have an ND fitted) and ISO, something lacking on the main iPhone video mode. Even the Samsung S21 can do this!
If you want to add a bit more creativity then try Filmic Pro 7's pull focus mode. It uses the A to B point system and it’s fairly easy to set plus you can achieve smoother transitions between focal points by using a slower or faster pull. It will require a little practice to get it working how you want.
Conclusion:
Filmic Pro 7, in conjunction with the iPhone 14 Pro, provides a formidable additional tool for iPhone filmmakers. The combination of the iPhone 14 Pro's exceptional stabilisation capabilities and Filmic Pro 7's advanced features offers a seamless and efficient workflow for capturing high-quality footage. The user-friendly interface and the option to fine-tune stabilisation in post-processing make it an accessible and versatile tool for filmmakers of all levels. If you're serious about smartphone videography, I highly recommend giving Filmic Pro 7 a try.
Here are some additional tips for using Filmic Pro 7:
- Use the highest resolution and frame rate that your phone supports. This will give you the most flexibility when editing your footage.
- Use a tripod or other stabilizing device when possible. This will help to reduce camera shake and improve the quality of your footage.
- Experiment with the different settings and features to find what works best for you. Filmic Pro 7 has a lot to offer, so take some time to explore all of its capabilities
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