iPhone 13 Pro No 4k Cinema mode in future iPhones either? Explanation here...

[Menneisyys2]

Folks, I’ve thought over this “why 1080p30 only in Cinema Mode” question. I don’t think it’s a storage throughput / CPU speed etc. issue at all. They’re plenty fast. Apple could easily provide the same with 4k30 with the current, built-in storage and CPU.

The reason may be the following: the cameras, during shooting, operate at the hyperfocal focus (the focusing distance that gives your photos the greatest depth of field). This, however, particularly with the new f/1.5 lens just can’t cover really everything. I’d say the main (wide) lens’ focus is constantly set around 4-5m, which, I assume*, results in the area between 3 and 9m being properly in focus even in 4k and 1,5m…15m in focus for 1080p footage.

Note: it MIGHT be possible the software also uses the other cameras’ image to be used in out-of-focus areas (particularly very close to the camera) but I really don’t think that’s the case. In addition to the major perspective distortion (“wide faces”) around the edges (which may be very hard to compensate for), these subjects are also shot from a slightly different angle. Even the single centimeter between the UW and the wide lens can make it impossible to substitute the close-up subject, shot with the UW lens with no focus problems, in the video stream of the (standard) wide lens. Assuming the perspective distortion / difference is fixed / negated, of course.

So, 1080p may have been chosen to somewhat mitigate the fixed focus + depth of field problem. In 4k, it’d be much more evident a focus was fixed during shooting.

This may mean it wasn’t the CPU / storage speed (or Apple’s greed ) that caused 1080p and we won’t see 4k in future models either. That is, if you refuse to buy the iP13P because you’d prefer Cinema mode in 4k, you may be disappointed when the iPhone 14 Pro is released.

Again: these are just my guesses. I may entirely be wrong and we WILL get proper (everything is in focus) 4k Cinema mode with the iPhone 14 Pro. I just think both the CPU and storage is sufficiently fast and it’s NOT Apple’s greed that forces the Cinema mode to only support 1080p.

*: yes, I should have used a proper hyperfocal calculator - I couldn’t find anything with settable sensor size much smaller than in digital system cameras so I had to guess.

EDIT: typoz

 

[MacCheetah3]

You could be correct.

Although, ultimately, the way I see it… Currently, most “cinema” content is still presented in FHD anyway — at least as far as I’m aware. So, it’s not as if anyone using this new feature even semi-seriously/professionally is going to be behind the curve. Of course, eventually, Apple will implement UHD support.

 

[matejphoto]

I will test the assumptions in the original thread when I get my iPhone 13 Pro. I expect that you are incorrect. I think the phone focuses also in the cinematic mode. And therefore the adjustment of focus after shooting will be limited on how the original footage was shot. I think the best example is the shot of the detectives hand with the tape measure in the clip. I doubt you could go that close with hyperfocal.
Obviously I could be wrong.

 

[Menneisyys2]

I think the phone focuses also in the cinematic mode. And therefore the adjustment of focus after shooting will be limited on how the original footage was shot. I think the best example is the shot of the detectives hand with the tape measure in the clip. I doubt you could go that close with hyperfocal.
Obviously I could be wrong.

I don't still know how focusing is done. However,
1, at least Pro models offer strictly post processing-time focusing,
2, assuming we do rely on selecting the focusing strictly in this mode (during post processing), focusing during shooting is plain impossible because it'd result in the rest of the distances being blurred. This is why I assume(!!!) the phone shoots with hyperfocal, fixed focus to achieve the largest possible range where you can choose the exact focus point during post processing. And this is why this all is restricted to 1080p - 4k would just be too blurry because of the originally fixed focus.

EDIT: hyperlocal -> hyperfocal (messed up by the spell checker, LOL)

 

[cmChimera]

Although, ultimately, the way I see it… Currently, most “cinema” content is still presented in FHD anyway

What? In what world?

 

[MacCheetah3]

What? In what world?

What is the resolution of the movies in large theaters (seating more than 300)?

Answer (1 of 4): The majority of theatres in developed countries use 2K digital image projection. That’s a container with a resolution 2048 x 1080, though the full area isn’t used except in some IMAX Digital presentations. Typically an “Academy Flat” 1.85:1 movie will be 1998 x 1080, and a “Scope...

www.quora.com

I said most, not all.

P.S. It is 1080p, not exactly FHD due to aspect ratios, though close enough.

 

[Menneisyys2]

There’s an excellent, short summary & a video on the 1080p restriction by “matejphoto” at https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-isnt-4k.2310851/?post=30309139#post-30309139

 

[Menneisyys2]

This is also a very viable explanation: DPReview's just-released video, from 3:34: (direct link)

"I do also think that they’re sticking with 1080p because any issues where it’s not totally cloning out like hair or translucent glass where the portrait mode tends to have a lot of problems - I think it’ll make a lot less evident if the video isn’t super detailed."

EDIT: typo (tens -> tends)