Competently Shot on iPhone
After budgeting for my photo prime lenses over the summer, I've been reluctant to invest in a video camera for special occasions and simple outings.
To get a robust video rig that's comfortable and reliable, I'd prefer to have a dedicated body, zoom lens, and microphone rather than appropriate my existing photo camera. However, given that it can potentially run me thousands while I'm saving for a car, my last option is to compromise for a lower budget.
The Tradeoffs I Can Stomach
With camera gear, you get what you pay for. If you can't pony up for high end optics, you either sacrifice image quality, long-term reliability, or cutting edge features.
With expectations as realistic as I can manage, my research sent me in search of a lightweight $1000 camera (bonus points if its feature set can inventively punch above its price point. Since a good Sony video camera costs over $2000 before the lens, it was the smartphone's turn to step up.
A Titanium Surprise
The iPhone 15 Pro announcement in September highlighted the phone's compelling video recording improvements.
LOG shooting mode, 48mp main camera sensor, and USB 3.0 transfer speeds meant that this new model was worth a look. While companies like Peak Design and Moment have offered quality iPhone video accessories for years, 15 Pro's new tool's make my smartphone worth supporting more than ever.
After getting mine in the mail, I jerry-rigged my pseudo-cinema camera to life within the month. I settled on two simple builds that strike a nice balance between quality, simplicity, and subtlety.
The Candid
Features a Sennheiser MKE 400, a Moment Tripod Mount, and a Peak Design Area Swiss Baseplate
This build features a Sennheiser microphone, a magnetic Moment Tripod mount with a cold shoe, and a Peak Design camera baseplate. This camera picks up my single grievance with the camera by capturing higher quality, directional audio. The baseplate offers attachment to a Peak Design Capture Clip, placing the phone face-up at my side either for recording or use as a normal phone.
While less covert than the naked phone, the 15 Pro's candy bar shape and visible camera cluster keep it fairly approachable as a non-professional camera. It's the perfect candid camera!
The FX3 Wannabe
Remixes all the accessories from The Candid, but adds a PGYTECH Mantispod 2.0 tripod for the handle
This build adds a mini tripod to emulate a cinema camera's top handle. It makes possible low angles and a more comfortable grip at the cost of stealth. 15 Pro's mounting also makes it harder to use as a normal phone.
With a tripod and top handle in a single package, this build is best suited for longer days or events where capture is the primary focus.
Empathy for the Machine
As fun as it's been to use this camera, the two existential trappings left for the 15 Pro are battery life and internal storage.
Taking up the USB-C port or MagSafe connection for charging leaves either camera build with compromised utility. While it helps to have a fast-charging battery bank in times of need, practicing good battery habits keeps me from crossing that bridge altogether.
A Truly Hip Shooter
While these paper cuts will accumulate over time, I'm happy to accommodate such a wonderful, novel shooting experience. For ~$300 in accessories, I can comfortably explore a new medium while far undershooting my initial budget.
I'm glad I can push my phone’s video further without need for excessive hacks. In making it a more useful camera, I can more clearly see what makes iPhone such a pleasant computer.