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Jon M. Chu, best known for directing hit movie "Crazy Rich Asians," was provided with one of Apple's new iPhone XS Max models by WIRED, which he used to shoot a short film in 4K to test out the device's capabilities.


Chu's video was shot handheld using available light using only the native camera app and stabilizer, without any additional equipment or lighting. The video was edited on a computer, but no color correction or post-production tricks were used.

Chu told WIRED he was impressed with how well the iPhone handled moving shots, and to challenge himself, he shot in a garage under fluorescent lights.
"I'm moving around a lot, and the focus was adjusting as I was moving, but it was finding the subject really well," he says. "There's a shot at the end where I'm rushing toward the garage--that's using the built-in stabilizers. It's pretty smooth."
Chu also said the device's color accuracy was notable, as it accurately depicted the real-world colors of the garage where he was filming. "You can see the colors, they really pop," he said."

After the testing, Chu says he's going to upgrade to the iPhone XS Max from the iPhone X, "no question." iPhone XS Max, he says, is lighter than the 8 Plus and "doesn't feel like a plus phone." "The weight, the density -- it doesn't feel like an inconvenience to hold it," he said.

Chu's full two minute video can be watched on YouTube. Called "Somewhere," it focuses on dancer Luigi Rosado's rehearsal space.

Article Link: 'Crazy Rich Asians' Director Jon M. Chu Shoots Short Film Using iPhone XS Max
 
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Juiceboy

macrumors regular
Mar 10, 2011
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Does it say how he moved the files off his phone onto his PC? iPhone X doesn't support USB 3 speeds. Getting video off the device is such a huge pain!
 
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KPandian1

macrumors 65816
Oct 22, 2013
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I saw the movie, it needed the wide screen (70mm) experience - so don't shoot your next with an iPhone.
 

CrazyForCashews

macrumors 65816
Apr 1, 2018
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iPhone XS Max, he says, is lighter than the 8 Plus and "doesn't feel like a plus phone." "The weight, the density -- it doesn't feel like an inconvenience to hold it," he said.

iPhone 8 Plus weight: 202 grams
iPhone XS Max weight: 208 grams

Lighter than the 8 Plus, riiiiight... These phones are getting heavier.
 

madKIR

macrumors 6502a
Feb 2, 2010
849
801
NYC
The Apple marketing machine is working day and night to make sure these new iPhones are shoved down your throat lol
I see the same level of noise as on the X, frankly speaking.
 
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69Mustang

macrumors 604
Jan 7, 2014
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In between a rock and a hard place
iPhone XS Max, he says, is lighter than the 8 Plus and "doesn't feel like a plus phone." "The weight, the density -- it doesn't feel like an inconvenience to hold it," he said.

iPhone 8 Plus weight: 202 grams
iPhone XS Max weight: 208 grams

Lighter than the 8 Plus, riiiiight... These phones are getting heavier.
Perception and reality often intersect at different corners... in different neighborhoods. :p:D

Seems more like accidental confirmation bias. I can easily see someone making an off-hand comment about the Max seeming lighter than the 8+ and Chu going, "Yeah, you know what it does, doesn't it?" Feels lighter is probably what he meant. Not is measurably lighter. Only geeks like us pull out scales to differentiate 6 grams. Normal people just eyeball it and keep it movin'.

The video looked like a good cell phone video. Not great, not bad. Good cell phone video. Pretty much standard these days.
 

KPandian1

macrumors 65816
Oct 22, 2013
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I loved the movie and the job he did with Singapore.

iPhone movie shoots are limited - no matter who is handling the camera. I love the iPhone and the main updates this year are the cameras' abilities.

However, we are not in the "The Blair Witch Project" days.
 
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1050792

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Oct 2, 2016
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This video looks much better than the blurry picture Mr Cook took for Twitter with his iPhone 6S.
742AD0FB-C302-4896-BAAD-324102FD4BF0.jpeg

#ShotonIphone
 

usarioclave

macrumors 65816
Sep 26, 2003
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iPhone 8 Plus weight: 202 grams
iPhone XS Max weight: 208 grams

It's actually more about weight distribution than actual weight. The iPad Pro 12 is heavy, but it doesn't feel that way because the weight distribution is really good. It feels as heavy (in its case) as my Moto e4 does, which shows that someone at Apple still knows what they're doing. Out of its case the Pro 12 feels ridiculously light.

They could probably have a year-long class about how to do that.
 

JosephAW

macrumors 603
May 14, 2012
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You can see the iPhone reflecting the light on the right wall as he quickly approaches the subject at the end. That's the problem with not using a case and having a glass back.
 

Abstract

macrumors Penryn
Dec 27, 2002
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It's actually more about weight distribution than actual weight

Exactly. It’s easy to change weight perception if we’re only talking about a 6 gram difference. I’m not dismissing affirmation bias as a factor, but if asked to discern 202 and 208g objects, design matters.

Besides, 6 grams is so little that lots of things could shift perception. Did he have both phones there, or was he working off memory? Which one did he pick up first?

My 200ml coffee, which, for the Americans, is roughly Starbucks’ smallest cup size, required roughly 14 grams of ground coffee to make. That 14g of ground coffee is already featherlight IMO, so for those who are saying, “Oh, I can’t believe Apple is making their phones heavier and heavier!”, 6 grams is a big, fat nothingburger with all the toppings removed. ;)
 

AppleFan910

Suspended
Jul 19, 2018
153
98
Boston
The Apple marketing machine is working day and night to make sure these new iPhones are shoved down your throat lol
I see the same level of noise as on the X, frankly speaking.

Funny. All the camera samples I’ve seen show it’s the best camera on a phone out right now. Great color and dynamic range. Even better than pixel 2. To each his own.
 

Whathappened

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Mar 15, 2018
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iPhone XS Max, he says, is lighter than the 8 Plus and "doesn't feel like a plus phone." "The weight, the density -- it doesn't feel like an inconvenience to hold it," he said.

iPhone 8 Plus weight: 202 grams
iPhone XS Max weight: 208 grams

Lighter than the 8 Plus, riiiiight... These phones are getting heavier.
So? It can still „feel“ lighter, although it is not. That’s what he said.
 

iamsikora

macrumors newbie
Jul 15, 2010
29
21
That was just bland and awful. Not a good way to market the camera at all. I've shot better things with older iPhones.
 

sidewinder3000

macrumors 65816
Jan 29, 2010
1,182
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I love this kind of marketing. Fun and informative. Footage looks great.

Pick a compelling subject, find interesting POVs, pick a lively soundtrack and make timely, snappy edits. Magic formula.
[doublepost=1537419721][/doublepost]
That was just bland and awful. Not a good way to market the camera at all. I've shot better things with older iPhones.
Maybe you’d care to share?
 
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wubsylol

macrumors 6502
Nov 6, 2014
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I'm all for the democratisation of cinema, however this - like every other film shot in the same fashion - looks clearly like a small-sensor camera. 4K means nothing when you have compression crawlies and high ISO noise all over your image.
 

BvizioN

macrumors 603
Mar 16, 2012
5,701
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Manchester, UK
Does it say how he moved the files off his phone onto his PC? iPhone X doesn't support USB 3 speeds. Getting video off the device is such a huge pain!

I missed the part where it says he have used PC! It says Computer which could have been either PC or Mac. Speaking of the latest, little do you know that iOS devices and Mac computers do feature AirDrop which allow devices to drop large files instantly between them without the need of wires. And for many photographers/Videographers/Film makers, Mac is the platform of choice (and for a very good reasons) I do effortlessly drop videos/fotos all the time between iPhone,Mac and iPad. It have been years since I last used a wire to plug an iOS device to a Mac and I just love the convenience of not having to.

PC? I use it at work, would never buy one for personal use.
 

WilliamG

macrumors G3
Mar 29, 2008
9,919
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You can see the iPhone reflecting the light on the right wall as he quickly approaches the subject at the end. That's the problem with not using a case and having a glass back.

Or the obvious focus-hunting blunder the phone makes in the opening few seconds.

So, say what you want about this short film, but this is not impressive - and quite frankly looks like any modern cell-phone video. Noisy in the shadowy sections, not really very sharp, and.. well.. a giant pile of whatever.
 

calstanford

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Nov 25, 2014
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Hong Kong
Seriously bad idea from Marketing. Noisy low-res due to low light and tiny sensor. Colour reproduction bad again due to low-light. Not sure why you'd need a director, let alone a famous one to film this either.
 

FFR

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Nov 4, 2007
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Seriously bad idea from Marketing. Noisy low-res due to low light and tiny sensor. Colour reproduction bad again due to low-light. Not sure why you'd need a director, let alone a famous one to film this either.

Did you watch the same video?
The director claims he liked it.

What major motion pictures have you directed?
 
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