iPhones are Apple’s bread and butter, so the tech giant updates its mobile device lineup annually with innovative features that consumers never knew they needed. For instance, its latest iPhone 13 Pro models ship with ProRes high-quality lossy video codec, capturing more details, thus offering greater flexibility in post-production. Read on to learn how to record with this feature.
Also read: How to Crop or Trim a Video on Android and iPhone
What Is ProRes?
ProRes is a video codec that was introduced by Apple in 2007 as part of its Final Cut Pro 6 editing software to solve the issue of producing high-quality video in smaller file sizes. Today it’s a widely-used codec in editing software, such as Adobe Premiere Pro, Davinci Resolve and Final Cut Pro X. What’s more, in recent years video cameras capable of recording video and saving the result as ProRes have also emerged.
ProRes makes use of multicore processing to support frames up to 8K at full resolution. Its high color fidelity and low compression (compared to other codecs) enables users not only to record video but also compress the file while retaining the original quality.
The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max are the first phones to arrive with native support for ProRes. However, they aren’t the only Apple mobile devices to offer ProRes.
iPhone 13 users will be able to both record and edit ProRes videos right on the handset. However, do note that ProRes files are 30 times larger than the standard HEVC files the other iPhones record, as ProRes footage is extremely detailed and ideal for editing and color grading.
For this reason, you’ll need a 256GB/512GB/1T iPhone 13 model to be able to shoot in 4K 60fps. Phones with just 128GB of storage are limited to 1080p at 30fps.
Why Should You Record in ProRes?
Recording in ProRes provides a superior experience in post-production, as the video format captures additional data while also saving memory on your PC. In contrast, uncompressed RAW videos can take up an enormous amount of space on your device as well as impact your computer’s memory making it an impractical choice.
With Apple’s ProRes, compressed video formats won’t sacrifice video quality. Recording in ProRes will allow you to have a more fluid workflow while editing, as it puts a significantly lower strain on your computer’s CPU/GPU than uncompressed formats.
Also read: How to Set a Timer on Your iPhone Camera
Which Apple Mobile Devices Support ProRes?
Apple’s latest iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max offer support for both recording and editing in ProRes. The phones record in the Camera app.
In addition, a number of other Apple mobile devices support ProRes editing, including:
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation) and later
- iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation) and later
- iPad mini (6th generation)
- iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13
Also read: How to Compress Videos on Your iPhone
How to Record on iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max
To record a ProRes video on your iPhone 13 Pro or Pro Max, follow the steps below:
- Go to the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap “Camera.”
- From the camera settings, tap “Formats.”
- Under the “Video Capture” section, enable “Apple ProRes.”
- Open your Camera application and select “Video.” In the top left, tap “ProRes.”
- Start recording your ProRes video by pressing the red button at the bottom.
Note: if you have already manually enabled Apple ProRes in the settings, proceed to step #5 onwards. Also, if you want to stop recording videos in ProRes, you have to manually disable it using the same steps mentioned above.
Also read: How to Hide Photos and Videos on Your iPhone
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I record ProRes footage with my iPhone 13 Pro using Cinematic Mode?
Apple introduced a Cinematic Mode for video recording in the iPhone 13 line. Unfortunately, this video mode that allows for a shallow depth of field can’t record in ProRes.
2. How do I transfer my ProRes videos to a computer?
You can use the AirDrop feature for Mac OS X 10.6 and other supported devices, such as iPads. If you have a Windows PC, you’ll have to go through iTunes. Additionally, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Media Encoder, Adobe Premiere Pro, and Adobe Premiere Rush are some of the software that enable playback of ProRes footage for Windows users.
3. What software supports ProRes editing?
The iMovie app supports ProRes editing on the iPhone 13 line. For desktop, Final Cut Pro X (Mac exclusive), Adobe Premiere Pro CC (Mac and Windows), and AVID Media Composer (Mac and Windows) are on the list of video editing software that support ProRes footage editing.
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