Iphone as Macbook Camera

[Crimson36]

Hello everyone!
I am trying to figure out how to film large video files using my Iphone 6 (which has a wonderful camera and the advantage of being very easy to position, etc.) and store them on my computer (which has plenty of storage and video editing software, etc.). The problem is all I can figure out how to do is use quicktime to display the screen my iphone is displaying and record that image. The issue with that is that if I am using the iphone camera app to activate its camera, my recorded video will include the black bar and menu options present in the camera app. What I really want is to record only what my iphone camera sees, not what it displays on the screen. If there was an app for iphone that displayed only what the camera saw, with NO menu options present on the display, that would solve the issue. Or if there was a different program for my Macbook Pro that would utilize the camera of my iphone only and not its display that would also solve it. Thank you for any help you can give!

 

[Geekazoid]

So, let me get this straight @Crimson36, you're wanting to utilise your iPhone as your MacBook Pro's camera instead of using the camera built into your MacBook Pro, and your current method of doing this records the menu as well of which you are not wanting to happen, correct?

 

[nepalisherpa]

Hello everyone!
I am trying to figure out how to film large video files using my Iphone 6 (which has a wonderful camera and the advantage of being very easy to position, etc.) and store them on my computer (which has plenty of storage and video editing software, etc.). The problem is all I can figure out how to do is use quicktime to display the screen my iphone is displaying and record that image. The issue with that is that if I am using the iphone camera app to activate its camera, my recorded video will include the black bar and menu options present in the camera app. What I really want is to record only what my iphone camera sees, not what it displays on the screen. If there was an app for iphone that displayed only what the camera saw, with NO menu options present on the display, that would solve the issue. Or if there was a different program for my Macbook Pro that would utilize the camera of my iphone only and not its display that would also solve it. Thank you for any help you can give!

You can't record using your iPhone and then transfer the video files to your PC?

 

[Crimson36]

So, let me get this straight @Crimson36, you're wanting to utilise your iPhone as your MacBook Pro's camera instead of using the camera built into your MacBook Pro, and your current method of doing this records the menu as well of which you are not wanting to happen, correct?

This is exactly correct, yes.

You can't record using your iPhone and then transfer the video files to your PC?

And no, I cannot, my iphone has little memory and the files are several gb in size (the videos could be several hours in length).

 

[nepalisherpa]

This is exactly correct, yes.


And no, I cannot, my iphone has little memory and the files are several gb in size (the videos could be several hours in length).

Can't you record few clips at a time?

 

[Crimson36]

Can't you record few clips at a time?

Because that is inconvenient. I am looking specifically to be able to film large videos in one segment using my iphone as an external isight. If I were to use small clips, I would have to stop what I am filming, upload my clips, and then wait for the upload to finish before finishing filming. Can you help me to film several hour videos in the manner I require?

 

[C DM]

So it sounds like what you are looking for is some app that simply will display what the (rear) camera displays without any controls on the screen (and without actually recording anything or really doing anything at all).

 

[Crimson36]

So it sounds like what you are looking for is some app that simply will display what the (rear) camera displays without any controls on the screen (and without actually recording anything or really doing anything at all).

That would be perfect, yes.

 

[C DM]

That would be perfect, yes.

Unfortunately I can't think of any at the moment, but there must be some out there that would allow you to do something like hide controls from a camera app or some sort of a mirror/selfie app that can also use the rear camera an not display controls.

Aside from that I can only think of using some sort of a video call/messaging service like FaceTime or Skype or something similar where I believe you can switch between cameras to use the rear camera and you can tap on the screen to hide controls.

 

[Crimson36]

Unfortunately I can't think of any at the moment, but there must be some out there that would allow you to do something like hide controls from a camera app or some sort of a mirror/selfie app that can also use the rear camera an not display controls.

Aside from that I can only think of using some sort of a video call/messaging service like FaceTime or Skype or something similar where I believe you can switch between cameras to use the rear camera and you can tap on the screen to hide controls.

Thank you, if anyone can think of one that would do that I'd really appreciate it. That's exactly what I'm looking for. Facetime or skype is my backup, but the extra layer of software there makes that slightly less desirable.

Also a possibility, if someone knows of a film edit software for the mac that would utilize the iphone camera like an external camera, and not display the phone screen, that would serve the same purpose and would work. Thank you all!

 

[nepalisherpa]

Because that is inconvenient. I am looking specifically to be able to film large videos in one segment using my iphone as an external isight. If I were to use small clips, I would have to stop what I am filming, upload my clips, and then wait for the upload to finish before finishing filming. Can you help me to film several hour videos in the manner I require?

Why not just get a dedicated video camera then? Even if you find a solution to use your phone, it won't be feasible because you might get a phone call or a notification while recording and that would interrupt the video recording.

 

[C DM]

Why not just get a dedicated video camera then? Even if you find a solution to use your phone, it won't be feasible because you might get a phone call or a notification while recording and that would interrupt the video recording.

Well, you can always put the phone into airplane mode and enable do not disturb to avoid things of that nature.

 

[Crimson36]

Well, you can always put the phone into airplane mode and enable do not disturb to avoid things of that nature.

Exactly. Basically I'm on a budget and I already have a several hundred dollar phone and a computer, both of which happen to be apple products, so I was hoping that the simple function that I'm attempting to perform would also have a simple solution. My phone has such a nice camera I was hoping I didn't have to let it go to waste and drop more money on something else that is effectively the same hardware, albeit hardware that is streamlined to do exactly what I want.

 

[2298754]

Couldn't you use QuickTime as usual to capture the iPhone screen and then "crop" the top and bottom off of the video in iMovie? It's pretty easy to do it inside iMovie once you have the video file.

 

[Crimson36]

Couldn't you use QuickTime as usual to capture the iPhone screen and then "crop" the top and bottom off of the video in iMovie? It's pretty easy to do it inside iMovie once you have the video file.

That's what I've been doing until now and it's just another step in editing. Also it lowers the resolution ever so slightly, because I'm limited to a smaller portion of my screen. It would both be easier and a little better if there was just an app for either my phone or computer that could streamline the process