Shooting 4K ProRes Video Requires iPhone 13 Pro With at Least 256GB Storage

[vladi]

Since no one knows the actual profile, it could be some of the existing ones or it could be the brand new one just like how it happened with Dolby Vision. Not that it matters I don't think ProRes will give you any super leeway because behind those cheap glasses sits the same tiny sensor that depends on SoC for per-frame image stacking and post processing. Think of this ProRes as bumped bitrate option like Filmic has.

ProRAW has turned to be a meh feature down the road after initial wow effect. They tried to cram so much post effects in it and turn RAW into a playground of plugin adjustments like on a plugin stacked smart object. But in the end you can't overcome lack of data and poor signal transmission as the end result looks fake or in other words: it looks too computational. Same thing will happen to Cinematic mode which is just a Portrait mode but for video, super stupid poor quality faux defocus effect that can't mask right half of the time.

 

[Abazigal]

Maybe the base Pro storage ought to have been 256GB then?

I agree. Make 256 gb the base model, so you don’t need all this fine print as to what feature works and what doesn’t.

 

[iDento]

Then the base should have been 256GB.

This.

 

[Rychiar]

They needed a matte black model to eliminate reflections when recording up against windows.

Who uses a phone without a case? I forgot what color mine was

 

[BigKahunaBurguer]

At the video level, this iPhone has improved a lot to the previous ones. I understand maybe it is not something that people use a lot, but for those who do (like me), it is impressive. That said, a usb-c port wouldn't have been bad, and 256gb+ for pro models is a must. But anyway I usually use icloud to transfer and store files.

 

[ian87w]

I agree. Make 256 gb the base model, so you don’t need all this fine print as to what feature works and what doesn’t.

Surely that's what Apple should've done. Simple. Or if they really think it does cost more for 256GB, then just increase the starting price. People already willing to spend $1000 for a phone might not mind of a $100 price increase. I'm guessing someone at Apple really wanted to keep that $999 price point.

 

[Menneisyys2]

Why is no one pointing out that strands of hair look like a blurry mess when cinema mode is enabled, especially in the first shot. This phone is perfect if you have an all-bald cast.

Just started a dedicated thread, with frame grabs, on this at https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/iphone-13-pro-cinematic-mode-being-pro-grade-bad-joke.2310995/

 

[Falhófnir]

Timmy the Upseller is at it once again, nickle & diming the faithful

Don't think it's necessarily nickel and diming in this case, that tends to be little things like not including the charger or anything else in the box. If anything this would be a hard upsell, but even for that it's probably too obscure a feature to really drive sales of the next tier up*. I think it's more a case that they just weren't willing to abandon the $999 'starts at just' eye-catching marketing price, but including 256 for $999 left their strict profit margin a bit short.

* Though if we start hearing Apple Store employees have been told to push the 256GB over this missing 'feature' then maybe? I don't think sales assistants in Apple Stores tend to push anything in my experience though, they only answer any questions you ask...

 

[The Game 161]

There's really no excuse for this, other than pushing higher storage options.

iPhone 12 128GB can write at least 400MB/sec. So it's obviously not speed related.

It basically says how bad it will eat your storage.

 

[Greenmeenie]

As a photographer, I am loving the camera updates on the new iPhone 13 Pros, and I’ll definitely be upgrading my iPhone 11 Pro Max. I do still wish Apple would switch to USB-C for the iPhone Pros. It would make my workflow with my iPad Pro much easier. But it is what it is. I also shoot a lot of video, and am interested in the Pro Res abilities. My iPhone 11 Pro Max is 512 gigs which is more than enough. But Pro Res video will eat up space. Still, i think I’ll go with the 512 again. I am just waiting to see if the 1TB comes with more memory than the 512. If it does, that might sway me. Other than that, I am really excited for this update. I already ditched my dslr for iphone photography. So any improvements to the cameras always gets me excited, and this update is substantial.

 

[ParagJain]

Choosing apple products is like choosing insurance products; Read the fine fine prints...
thank goodness for forums like this one, there is lot of help already available for decision making.

 

[cnnyy20p]

Hope this is changing soon. But my hope is not high.

 

[Naraxus]

The 128GB model support regular 4K HEVC/H.264 compressed recording. It's just that if you want to use the Prores codec, you are software limited to 1080p resolution.

I stand corrected then. Will edit my post for clarity

 

[rimbs]

Being able to control the way motion is perceived is essential for filmmaking. If the software won't let us adjust the shutter speed to 1/48 or 1/50, then it's not really a viable camera for filmmaking.

It would also be nice to be able to shoot raw, or at least ProRes with a flat picture profile.

I threw my hands up in excitement when I saw the words "ProRes". Would love it if you could plug in an external drive to the usb-c port.

 

[neuropsychguy]

The solution is to spend an extra $200 or whatever and get the storage you need for shooting pro rez.

That's also not a problem if you use the phone to make money. It's a business expense.

 

[rimbs]

One question I have is if ProRes video will go straight to the iCloud Photo Library or if you'll be able to store them separately and then transfer to your computer via USB or WiFi.

Waiting for huge ProRes files to upload to iCloud over most Internet connections will be an unpleasant experience. ProRes really should be treated differently than other random video taken with the phone.

That's a great point! Yeah I wouldn't want ProRes files in my iCloud and I don't want to have to turn off photo backup.

 

[TroyBoy30]

makes sense

 

[saudor]

Remember when Apple was about convenience and „it just works“ instead of penny pinching?

Tim Cook Apple is selling a Series 3 Watch in 2021 and a Pro iPhone that isn’t really Pro unless you choose a higher storage capacity. Also, imagine transferring 1 TB over USB-2 speed. Sorry, client … give me just one hour to transfer your raw data I shot with my Pro Phone

More like over 9 hours at ~30 mb/s of USB 2 !

 

[Greenmeenie]

I don’t understand why some people are upset. Anyone who is going to shoot Pro Res, is a serious videographer and would want the larger storage sizes anyway. Pro Res is not for tik tok or shooting videos of your pets. Obviously Apple made the right decision to limit Pro-Res to the iphones with larger storage sizes for a reason. I bet all those complaining didn’t even know what pro res was, & would never edit in pro res. Just saying. For serious filmmakers tho, this is a game changer for smartphone videography.

 

[CBlakeston]

There's really no excuse for this, other than pushing higher storage options.

iPhone 12 128GB can write at least 400MB/sec. So it's obviously not speed related.

Assuming it’s regular ProRes 4444 the data rate is much higher.

It’s 120GB for 30mins and 240GB for an hour. it could even be an even higher bitrate as it’s Dolby vision ect.

Apple devices often have higher read write speeds the more storage space you get as a benefit of their being more flash chips to read/write across.

This isn’t any more complicated then that. It’s not like Apple have a history of disabling 4K video on the lowest storage option. It’s just a technical issue.

 

[Denzo]

I agree. Make 256 gb the base model, so you don’t need all this fine print as to what feature works and what doesn’t.

Agreed. Very un-apple like move in their halo product.

 

[jaster2]

I figured that. But is this going to be locked in at a specific ProRes rate or can we select from proxy up to HQ? It would be helpful to know so an actual data rate can be used to calculate file sizes.

 

[23Aaron]

Correct me if I've wrong (and there's a high probability of that), but didn't Apple under Jobs' reign operate under the core belief that each product should be easy to explain, easy to use and appeal to the average Joe? How many average Joe's see 4K ProRes and understand it, let alone want it? Seems like Apple is trying to sell something that very few people asked for.

So power users should never get any features on the iPhone? What a weird take.

 

[mlody]

My sole dissapointment is that base model is not 256GB. Android flagships has had 256GB base model for at least 2-3 years already.

I am genuinely interested to know which Android flagship phones in the USA came with 256 gb base storage in the past 2-3 years. Could you please list them??? Thank you

 

[smallcoffee]

Coming from an iPhone mini 64gb and 2TB iCloud and planning on getting a 13 Pro Max 128… should I get the 256?