ProRes Video Recording on M2 iPad Pro Requires Third-Party Apps, Not Supported in Native Camera App

[capamac]

And I"m sure HEVC uses far less

Sure are lot of expert Pro Res filmmakers here weighing in with the typical inane comments. I suspect that's their format of choice when they're shooting their productions.

True, that and RAW video.

Why is Apple denying users of RAW video?

If my iPad isn't as good as an Arri then it's a conspiracy!

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

I think the average iPad user doesn't have a clue what the difference between HVEC and ProRes is and is better served with HVEC coz it's more compressed and has greater compatibility.

I think ProRes via FilmicPro is a fine solution.

It's just an iPad. It's not gonna be great at video. ProRes should definitely be on higher-end video cameras. But an iPad?

That's fine but Apple promoted the new feature. The great benefit to shooting in ProRes is that the subsequent editing is working with much less compressed video. Shoot in HVEC and that very-highly-compressed video gets edited and then compressed again for a final render. For anyone buying any iDevice wanting to end up with the highest-quality render, they should shoot with the highest quality format (ProRes), edit and then render to HVEC or whatever they want.

It doesn't really matter if the average iPad user has a clue or not. It's a benefit promoted by Apple. Some may buy this new iPad to utilize this new benefit.

Apple is promoting these "pro" devices for Video creation... for making films... with marketing spin like editing X streams of 4K at the same time, etc. For example...

Yes, that's iPhone Pro instead of iPad Pro but Apple is clearly conveying the concept of shooting "motion pictures" with the power of iDevice PRO. See this Apple video from about this point...

Pay attention starting at 5:20+... "a complete movie studio right in your hands"

If they are going to promote it, deliver on the implied promises. Else, getting away with overpromise:underdeliver too much and it can become a very bad marketing habit... as it does for MANY companies.

Of course I believe Apple will "fix" this in software in some future update. Apparently, they just couldn't launch on schedule and include this too for their own video app. But that might make yet another case for them doing something we often tout: "take the time to get it right" vs. force something out that is short on its promises.

And the problem with "a future software update" excuse I just implied is that it depends on Apple actually getting to it. I bought a generally spectacular Mac Studio Ultra way back in March. It has a few software bugs still waiting to be addressed in a "future software update." It's not so far from being a year old. I wonder if those bugs will be fixed by then.

 

[RalfTheDog]

I think this is more of a marketing fail than a design fail. Apple marketing people probably thought, "Announce the product, then the engineers will have no choice but to have it ready in time."

Fun fact:
It takes as long as it takes to get stuff working. "We need it now!" does not help.

I'm a little baffled as to why anyone would want to shoot ProRes on an iPad in the first place, really.

You use the camera you have with you. Lets say, I am expecting an alien invasion. I would have my Canon R3 and R5 charged and ready to go. Now lets say, I am at the airport reading a book on my kindle app when the invaders start landing. I would probably start recording with the iPad, then the two iPhones. If it comes down to it, just prick your finger and start drawing the invasion in blood on your boarding pass.

 

[capamac]

Anyone obsessed with video quality ... should not be using an iPad.

 

[citysnaps]

And I"m sure HEVC uses far less

True, that and RAW video.

Why is Apple denying users of RAW video?

If my iPad isn't as good as an Arri then it's a conspiracy!

Spot on. The outrage caused planet Earth to instantaneously tilt a couple of extra degrees. As a result, world-wide tsunamis are expected within the next hour. Head for the hills with your Arri Alexa, and leave your iPad behind!

Clearly Tim Cook needs to be fired over this.

 

[EugW]

P.S. I watch a YouTube channel called Best Ever Food Review Show. They went to Egypt, but for some reason the authorities there confiscated all their equipment, despite the fact they had all the legal permits to shoot. So, they went out and bought a bunch of iPhones and shot the whole Egypt segment on iPhones.

I wonder what format they used. I'm guessing HEVC, but I'm not sure.

 

[BWhaler]

Why would it be? It’s not like it’s the intersection of hardware and software…oh wait.

Apple needs engineering resources for their upcoming advertising products. The casinos and IAP slime can’t be made to wait.

 

[McWetty]

What the hell is going on at Apple?

Work from Home life?

 

[citysnaps]

P.S. I watch a YouTube channel called Best Ever Food Review Show. They went to Egypt, but for some reason the authorities there confiscated all their equipment, despite the fact they had all the legal permits to shoot. So, they went out and bought a bunch of iPhones and shot the whole Egypt segment on iPhones.

I wonder what format they used. I'm guessing HEVC, but I'm not sure.

I've only made it through around 20% that documentary, but just wanted to jump in and say that I'm very impressed with the production.

That it was made only with iPhones kind of dovetails with my views about cameras and photographs in general. And that's creative people can produce outstanding photographs, or in this case films, with basic tools. Making photos (and films) that move viewers has little to do with the gear used.

 

[capamac]

Filmic Pro is $2.99 a week ... pretty crazy.

If I were going to attempt to do a serious video project on an iPad I'd probably pay for Filmic Pro for the length of time needed, then end my subscription. And I'd want to use ProRes, probably, at 24 fps or 23.98 fps.

Filmic Pro has a lot of nice manual controls that the standard camera app lacks.

But, really, I'd not use an iPad at all. I already have a Nikon D3300 with several lenses. No point in using an iPad when I have a system like that, with a relatively large APS-C format image sensor as opposed to the super minuscule image sensors used in iPads and iPhones. And there's no per-week charge for my Nikons. My Nikon doesn't do ProRes tho, just H.264, which is fine. It does have full manual control, 23.98 fps, etc.

 

[EugW]

Filmic Pro is $2.99 a week ... pretty crazy.

If I were going to attempt to do a serious video project on an iPad I'd probably pay for Filmic Pro for the length of time needed, then end my subscription. And I'd want to use ProRes, probably, at 24 fps or 23.98 fps.

Filmic Pro has a lot of nice manual controls that the standard camera app lacks.

But, really, I'd not use an iPad at all. I already have a Nikon D3300 with several lenses. No point in using an iPad when I have a system like that, with a relatively large APS-C format image sensor as opposed to the super minuscule image sensors used in iPads and iPhones. And there's no per-week charge for my Nikons. My Nikon doesn't do ProRes tho, just H.264, which is fine. It does have full manual control, 23.98 fps, etc.

I have three Canon dSLRs although I'd only use one of them for video. Well, actually I wouldn't even use that one because it's old and kind of awkward for video, and I actually get better video out of my iPhone 12 Pro Max. However, even then, the HEVC video out of my iPhone 12 Pro Max isn't the greatest.

BTW, your Nikon D3300 is crop frame camera, just like my 3 Canon dSLRs. I'm considering a 4th (!) Canon dSLR, this time with a full frame sensor, but mainly for portrait type shots (with proper camera lenses), and better low light, etc. And even for still pictures, I still use my iPhone 99% of the time, because I carry it with me everywhere. And on my last vacation, I didn't even bother carrying my dSLR just because I didn't feel like lugging it around that time.

 

[citysnaps]

Filmic Pro is $2.99 a week ... pretty crazy.

If I were going to attempt to do a serious video project on an iPad I'd probably pay for Filmic Pro for the length of time needed, then end my subscription. And I'd want to use ProRes, probably, at 24 fps or 23.98 fps.

Filmic Pro has a lot of nice manual controls that the standard camera app lacks.

But, really, I'd not use an iPad at all. I already have a Nikon D3300 with several lenses. No point in using an iPad when I have a system like that, with a relatively large APS-C format image sensor as opposed to the super minuscule image sensors used in iPads and iPhones. And there's no per-week charge for my Nikons. My Nikon doesn't do ProRes tho, just H.264, which is fine. It does have full manual control, 23.98 fps, etc.

I agree. I think it's about knowing that I could make photographs or video clips with my iPad if necessary, for some reason.

I stopped using dSLRs/mirrorless cams altogether around 7-8 years ago. And only use a phone now. It's good enough for the kind of photographs I like to make (not take).

 

[genovelle]

There are many calculator apps for iPad on AppStore, i use them everyday… - Craig Federighi.

And they mostly suck. Too big or too small. I think they are avoiding it because the average iPad size is to big for how you would use a handheld calculator like the one on the iPhone and making it bigger is extra clumsy. It’s not a good experience so I don’t think they want to be attached to that.

 

[capamac]

I have three Canon dSLRs although I'd only use one of them for video. Well, actually I wouldn't even use that one because it's old, and I actually get better video out of my iPhone 12 Pro Max. However, even then, the HEVC video out of my iPhone 12 Pro Max isn't the greatest. BTW, your Nikon D3300 is crop frame camera, just like my 3 Canon dSLRs.

I'm considering a 4th (!) Canon dSLR, this time with a full frame sensor, but mainly for portrait type shots (with proper camera lenses), and better low light, etc. And even for still pictures, I still use my iPhone 99% of the time, because I carry it with me everywhere. And on my last vacation, I didn't even bother carrying my dSLR just because I didn't feel like lugging it around that time.

I prefer not to think of "crop frame" or "full frame" as these are poor phrasing.
I prefer to think in terms of format ... APS-C (DX) or 36x24mm (FX).
"Crop" is only crop when compared to a different format.
If you don't compare formats, there's no crop.
Compared to the Hasselblad X2D, "full frame" is crop.

I would say phone video is not as good as DSLR video. Phones have limited lens options. The sensor is tiny, and thus noisy, especially in low light. The phone bokeh is basically nil, and relies on algorithms for "fake bokeh" which doesn't even look good. Whereas I have six lenses available for my Nikon, and all these lenses generate natural bokeh. I have a Tilta follow focus for smooth, precise cinematic focus pulls.

I do use my phone (an iPhone 7; I have no iPad) for "snapshot" stills and "snapshot" videos but when I work on short films, it's DSLR all the way.

 

[citysnaps]

And on my last vacation, I didn't even bother carrying my dSLR just because I didn't feel like lugging it around that time.

Same here. Over the years I slowly switched from:

"I'm going out or somewhere (such as San Francisco) to make photos" to

"I'm going out to do or see something interesting, and have my phone with me in case something motivates me to make a photograph." Which is usually about people in urban environments.

 

[mikethemartian]

I think this is more of a marketing fail than a design fail. Apple marketing people probably thought, "Announce the product, then the engineers will have no choice but to have it ready in time."

Maybe Apple marketing can announce a time machine.

 

[EugW]

I prefer not to think of "crop frame" or "full frame" as these are poor phrasing.
I prefer to think in terms of format ... APS-C (DX) or 36x24mm (FX).
"Crop" is only crop when compared to a different format.
If you don't compare formats, there's no crop.
Compared to the Hasselblad X2D, "full frame" is crop.

I would say phone video is not as good as DSLR video. Phones have limited lens options. The sensor is tiny, and thus noisy, especially in low light. The phone bokeh is basically nil, and relies on algorithms for "fake bokeh" which doesn't even look good. Whereas I have six lenses available for my Nikon, and all these lenses generate natural bokeh. I have a Tilta follow focus for smooth, precise cinematic focus pulls.

I do use my phone (an iPhone 7; I have no iPad) for "snapshot" stills and "snapshot" videos but when I work on short films, it's DSLR all the way.

Well, it's crop because the cameras (your Nikon D3300 and my Canons) are specifically built to be compatible with full frame 35 mm lenses. I don't know about you, but I have a mix of full frame and crop frame lenses.

And they mostly suck. Too big or too small. I think they are avoiding it because the average iPad size is to big for how you would use a handheld calculator like the one on the iPhone and making it bigger is extra clumsy. It’s not a good experience so I don’t think they want to be attached to that.

Maybe they'll bring back Dashboard in iPadOS Stage Manager at some point.

 

[Kevin2055]

It’s not a bug. It’s a joke!

 

[Royksöpp]

iPad's are useful as monitors for actual professional cameras. As for the camera itself, no.

 

[goonie4life9]

Everyone needs to relax! Apple said this is an incredible upgrade to the iPad camera, representing the best iPad camera Apple has ever released in the iPad. With this new camera, customers will be able to take incredible photos. For the first time ever, Apple has released ProRes support for capturing videos on the iPad. This game-changing feature will allow customers to fully unlock the power of the iPad including the improvements in image processing using the Apple Silicone M2. Apple can’t wait to see the incredible things customers will do with the new iPad Pro, the most pro iPad Apple has ever released!

 

[coolfactor]

Why the hell are they selling this iPad under "PRO" moniker?

Because the feature is still usable... with a 3rd-party app. Developers of said apps would be happy about this, rather than competing with a native built-in app. Apple just can't win...

 

[CarAnalogy]

Actually, it was already mentioned in this thread that some reviewers caught it.

True I shouldn’t say none. I should say few. Clearly the ones that did are the good ones.

 

[capamac]

"Pro" just marketing b.s.
What is a "pro" tablet ... a "pro" telephone. I mean, c'mon. It's just playing with the consumers head to encourage them to open their wallet is all.

 

[w5jck]

Shooting ProRes video on an iPad? That’s the last thing I would reach for to shoot high quality video.

Ditto for the iPhone. Tiny camera sensors equal garbage photos and video. It looks good in BS TV commercials, but like crap in real life…

 

[capamac]

Well, it's crop because the cameras (your Nikon D3300 and my Canons) are specifically built to be compatible with full frame 35 mm lenses. I don't know about you, but I have a mix of full frame and crop frame lenses.

Apply this to the Olympus OM-D E-M5 camera then, a Micro Four-Thirds camera.

Since the E-M5 is specifically built to be compatible with Micro Four-Thirds lenses, and because the M43 sensor in the E-M5 is a whole and un-cropped Micro Four-Thirds sensor, the E-M5 is a "full frame" camera.

Now, if Olympus were build a special variant of the E-M5 where the Micro Four-Thirds sensor is removed and replaced with a small 1/2.3" format chip (as used in many phones), this would then be a "crop format" E-M5 since the sensor is now much smaller than Micro Four-Thirds and the M43 lenses project and image circle that is much wider than the sensor. So this variant of the E-M5 would be crop. But the regular E-M5 would be full Micro Four-Thirds frame.