What is iOS Cinematic Mode? The iPhone camera mode explained
If you’re shooting on your iPhone 13, you might like to try out Cinematic Mode. Here’s what it is and how it can change your video.
There are a plethora of different camera modes available on your iPhone, and one of the most recent additions to that selection is called Cinematic Mode. Apple describes this feature as letting you “record videos with a shallow depth of field and add beautiful focus transitions for a cinema-grade look.”
Essentially this means that there’s a sharp focus on subjects in the foreground, and when you change the subject of your shot, this is done smoothly and gently rather than snapping from one to the other, therefore making it look more like a cinematography choice in a film
At launch, Apple showed off the feature in a short homage to Rian Johnson’s 2019 film Knives Out:
How can I use Cinematic Mode?
When you’re in your camera app, simply swipe to the right on the screen until Cinematic Mode is in use. When you’re filming, you can tap a subject to change focus to it as you record, or double tap on a subject to keep the focus locked on to it.
Tap the arrow of the top of the screen and you can make more adjustments to the depth of field, switch the lens you’re using, change the exposure, or enable the flash.
Using these tricks, you should be able to get the most out of Cinematic Mode on your iPhone, in order to get your videos looking like mini movies.
Which iPhones support Cinematic Mode?
Cinematic Mode was introduced in 2021, and as of the time of writing it’s exclusive to the iPhone models released that year (i.e., the whole iPhone 13 range). That could well change with the release of the iPhone 14, which may well support the feature too. Currently, the models below all support Cinematic Mode:
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
