Professional video filming with the iPhone: these are the best apps

Professional video recording apps for your iPhone

Your iPhone’s camera keeps getting better every year. Even Apple uses the iPhone to film events, although tens of thousands of euros in additional equipment were required. Feature films, commercials and music videos have been filmed with the iPhone for much longer. It’s not always a matter of budget, but also of convenience: an iPhone is much lighter to carry and can easily be replaced by another iPhone when the battery runs out. New options such as LOG video make professional filming with an iPhone even more attractive. You can use Apple’s standard Camera app for this, but with the apps below for professional video filming you have even more options.

iCulture recommends: Blackmagic Camera

Blackmagic released a professional app for video recording on iPhone in September 2023. The free app is feature-rich and gives you more creative control when shooting. We know Blackmagic from high-end digital film cameras and popular video editing software, such as DaVinci Resolve. In short: this app was made by experts and you will notice this in the operating options. You have full control over the various settings such as frame rate, shutter speed, white balance and ISO.

The display shows status and recording parameters, histogram, focus peaking, levels, frame guides and more. If you think this information is getting in the way, you can remove it from view with one swipe. You can film in 16:9 or vertical aspect ratios. You can also set the video resolution and recording format via the Record tab, including Apple ProRes or the more efficient options H.264 and H.265. Professional audio options are built in and you can also add external microphones.

Blackmagic Camera was also used by Apple to film the Scary Fast event in October 2023, so that says something for such a relatively new app.

Filmic Pro

Serious creators already know Filmic Pro. This app is packed with powerful features and gives you the ability to set almost everything manually. You get warnings if the exposure is not right and you can record LOG gamma curves if you want to do the color grading afterwards. Filmic Pro can handle frame rates from 24 to 240 fps and offers various options for file formats and audio recording. The biggest disadvantage is that the original Filmic Pro team was fired after a takeover and that the app is now maintained by employees of the current owner. But the question is whether they have the same passion for the app.

Positive points are the interface and many professional features, making the output comparable to professional video cameras. The disadvantage is that you have to be very practiced to use the app and it can all be a bit overwhelming for novice filmmakers. It is also a shame that the new owner has increased the price of in-app purchases.

MAVIS

MAVIS is a comprehensive tool for professional video recording with unique setting options such as shutter angle, real-time color vector scope and exposure waveform. You can choose from custom frame rates between 3fps and 240fps. The audio recording options are also very extensive, including audio monitoring passthrough and recording via accessories connected to the iPhone’s Lightning port. The app also offers tools that come in handy during recording, such as zebra bars, false color for exposure and range, and focus peaking for precise focus. A unique feature is the self-selectable bit rate from 10Mbps to 100Mbps and the embedding of time codes in the video files. Despite all these advanced features, the interface is still clear.

ProMovie Recorder

ProMovie Recorder is a free video recording app with lots of customization options. The app is almost as comprehensive as MAVIS and Filmic Pro, but lacks the intuitive interface of these apps. With ProMovie Recorder you can adjust the bitrate and manually control all kinds of things. We find the disadvantage that the app is less user-friendly than many other apps. This app is also initially free to download, but to remove the watermark you have to pay a one-time fee of a few euros. It can be a good start for students or hobbyists who want to experiment with a high-quality video recording app.

MoviePro

MoviePro is a good middle ground for iPhone users who are serious about filming, but don’t feel like investing in an expensive app yet. Movie Pro is available for a one-time fee and offers several useful features, including manual controls for almost all aspects of your video recording. There are many options to optimize audio recording, including on-screen audio meters and the ability to connect Bluetooth microphones. At the same time, the app is less complex than Filmic Pro and is therefore a great choice to start with.

ProCam8

ProCam 8 is available for a one-time fee of ten euros and also contains a few (optional) in-app purchases that are manageable in terms of costs. The app contains all the necessary settings for video recording, both manual and automatic. We’re talking about adjusting frame rate, resolution, shutter speed and more. With ProCam 8 you have complete control over the production process. You have advanced settings for light adjustment, video stabilization, tilt meter and non-destructive editing tools.

ProCam has also received many innovations that take into account the arrival of iOS 17 and the iPhone 15 Pro (Max). For example, ProRes LOG video is supported and you can seamlessly switch between resolutions, frame rates, color profiles (SDR, HDR, LOG) and formats (ProRes, H.264, HEVC).

The great thing about this app is that the wishes of photographers and video makers have been taken into account. Since iOS 17, ProCam has been continuously capturing images in the background, so that when you press the shutter button you can be sure that the photo is exactly the same as what is seen on the screen. You can also shoot photos faster. In short: an all-in-one solution for people who want to take both professional photos and videos.

More apps for professional video filming with your iPhone

Here are some other apps worth considering:

• ACDSee Camera Pro ($6.99, iPhone/iPad, iOS 11.0+) – Provides control over exposure, white balance, and over- and underexposure. You can access a shutter priority mode to set the shutter speed manually, or you can let the app choose the appropriate speed. You can also make real-time adjustments. The biggest disadvantage is that the app has not received any updates for a while, so you miss out on new features of your iPhone camera.
• Horizon Camera (Free, iPhone/iPad+ IAP, iOS 9.1+) – This app is especially intended for people who want to film horizontally. No matter how you hold your iPhone, the app will always turn it into a horizontal video. It works with both front and rear cameras. Horizon Camera also records geolocation and contains various video filters. However, some professional functions are still missing, such as VU measurement and the prevention of zebra stripes.
• Protake – Mobile Cinema Camera (Free, iPhone/iPad+ IAP, iOS 14.1+) – A Chinese app, which fortunately has an English-language interface. The app is free to use, but also has some in-app purchases. You can use all functions for around 20 euros per year.