A general overview of the Blackmagic Camera app interface and controls.

Download the PDF tech specs for the app below.

Part 1 - General overview of how to use the screen controls in the Blackmagic Camera app, including:

• Choosing the lens

• Frame rate

• Shutter

• ISO

• White balance

• Audio meters

Note: The 48mm "virtual" lens shown is only available in iPhone 14 Pro devices or later.

Part 2 - General overview of how to use the screen controls in the Blackmagic Camera app, including:

• Recording a clip

• Zebras

• Focus assist

• Frame guides

• Aspect ratio guides

• Action safe guides

• False color

• Displaying LUTs

Part 3 - General overview of how to use the screen controls in the Blackmagic Camera app, including:

• Setting focus

• Exposure controls

• Stabilization

• Digital zoom

• Digital slate

Overview of how to use the Media tab, which in other apps might be called the Library.

Overview of what the Chat & Settings tabs do (which both are really just ways to open a different set of features and/or menus).

Overview of the different settings within the Record menu and how to use them.

Overview of the different settings within the Camera menu and how to use them.

Overview of the different settings within the Audio menu and how to use them.

Note: Blackmagic updated the app to v1.3 and you can now monitor audio more easily within the actual app using headphones - although it's not completely fool proof. It doesn't work well with external analog mics and Bluetooth headphones and so it can be unreliable depending on your setup. The best way to monitor audio, especially in a more professional environment, is with wired headphones using an audio interface like the RODE AI Micro, which is featured in Advanced Section 4.4.

Overview of the different settings within the Monitor menu and how to use them.

Overview of the different settings within the Media & LUTs menus and how to use them.

Overview of the different settings within the Presets menu and how to use them. Also includes a quick tutorial on how to create a new preset.

An overview of frames rates & resolution and when to use the different options.

Important note regarding slow motion: While you can shoot 120FPS HD in the Blackmagic app (depending on the iPhone model - a 15 Pro Max was used here), I find the results are not great. Although now with v2.1 of the app you can choose the H.265 bitrate and so the quality is better.

Before the update, the footage was only HEVC with a baked-in Rec 709 look - and you could NOT choose the bitrate and it was too low (so you got compression artifacts and the footage was generally soft or even "mushy" looking). So I would tend to shoot 4K 60FPS in ProRes instead of low bitrate H.265 HD 120FPS.

And also note - now if you have an iPhone 16 Pro or later you can shoot 4K 120FPS slowmo in H.265 or ProRes.

Getting proper exposure with a smartphone is imperative to create professional quality images (you especially never want to overexpose a shot) and using the Blackmagic Camera app there are several tools to help get this right.

1. Auto Exposure

2. Zebras

3. False Color

4. Histogram

NOTE: Be careful using Zebras when shooting Apple Log as in our experience they aren't as reliable as False Color or the Histogram - and ultimately False Color is the best option.

Also, normally when shooting outside in bright sun like in this example you would want to use an ND filter to help control the exposure - but also to get ideal motion blur by reducing the shutter speed. That way if you do use auto exposure (when using an ND) the shutter would be okay. Not using ND the shutter will be very fast and the footage can look "staccato".

Choose the best codec for the job...

If you're shooting everyday stuff like family videos or social media, etc. then HEVC is probably the best option as the files are much smaller. However, for the highest quality images shoot with ProRes, but just know the files will be very large.

And if you have an iPhone 15 Pro or later then definitely use Apple Log as well to get the very best results (and that includes using HEVC).

Note: Now with v2.1 of the app you can choose the H.265 bitrate, so it's not auto anymore, which is great.

This lesson expands on the previous one on choosing the best codec, but it only applies to iPhone 15 or 16 Pro users who want to use Apple Log for social media type videos.

Apple Log turns off sharpening and dynamic tone mapping and produces much better results than shooting standard Rec 709, but in most apps it's only available using ProRes. But the Blackmagic Camera app allows you to shoot Apple Log in HEVC or H.264, which are often better codecs for social media and/or family-related videos since the file sizes are considerably smaller.

The problem though is shooting Apple Log you normally have to do color grading in post-production, but there is a way around that - use a baked-in LUT.

Important note: Remember, if you bake in a LUT to the footage you no longer have the log profile to work with in post-production and so you are locked in to how it was shot.

In this lesson we look at the best or ideal shutter and ISO settings, and how & why to use them.

Stabilization overview to help you choose which setting to use and when:

1. None

2. Standard

3. Cinematic

4. Extreme

Note: For gimbal users - typically go ahead and leave stabilization set on Standard. If you're using a third-party lens though you might need to turn stabilization off so you don't see the edges of the lens (sometimes you see them "drift" or "float" around), especially using anamorphic.

To zoom or not to zoom, that is the question... :)

Zooming is something we don't recommend very often. One of the main reasons is it can degrade the image since more times than not you're doing a digital zoom.

So to get a tighter shot the best way is to "zoom with your feet", meaning move the camera closer. Or if you want a longer lens look, then manually switch the camera/lens in the app to keep it optical (and the available lenses/cameras will depend on what phone you have) and ultimately that way you'll get the highest quality results.

Overview of how to setup and use an HDMI monitor with the Blackmagic Camera app.

Note: This demo is using USB-C, however, it also works via a Lightning connection with the appropriate HDMI adapter.

Rack Focus Control was added in the v1.3 app update.

Note: In this demo I refer to "keyframes" when setting a focus mark, but you could also say "in point" or even just "focus mark". The triangles in the controls remind me of keyframes in other apps and so that's the term I used, but use whatever name you prefer.

Overview of setting up and using Blackmagic Cloud with the Blackmagic Camera app and Davinci Resolve.

Please note: You'll need Resolve 18.6 or later for the media upload features to work with an iPhone.

Added in app version V2.0 (iOS) is wireless remote control for multiple cameras, whether iPhones or now iPads, too.

Phone 15 or 16 Pro series or later users can record video & audio via USB-C. In this lesson we show a variety of ways to do this using both the native iPhone camera app and the BMD app, including with:

• SSDs

• CFast 2.0 cards

• SD cards

iPhone 15 Pro series or later users can output video & audio via USB-C. However, if you're using an earlier model phone you can use Lightning to do the same thing, except for recording to SSDs (that requires a 15 Pro series or later device).

In this lesson we show a variety of different accessories, including:

• USB-C to 3.5mm adapter

• RODE AI Micro

• Basic USB-C Hub

• Advanced USB-C Hub

See the Additional Resources for links to this gear along with some optional suggestions including for Lightning connections (for previous model iPhones).

An overview of using LUTs to color correct and/or grade Apple Log shot footage.

Note: Links for the various LUTs or plugins shown in this lesson are in the Additional Resources section.

Download the PDF below to learn the "Best Practices" I do before, during and after an iPhone video shoot.