To use "log" on your iPhone 15 Pro, you'll be enabling Apple Log video recording, a powerful feature that captures footage with a wider dynamic range, perfect for professional-grade color grading in post-production.
Understanding Apple Log on iPhone 15 Pro
The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are the first smartphones to support Apple Log video recording. This feature records video in a flat, desaturated profile, preserving more detail in the highlights and shadows than standard video formats. This allows videographers and filmmakers to have much greater flexibility when adjusting colors, exposure, and contrast during the editing process.
Think of it like a digital negative: it doesn't look great straight out of the camera, but it holds a tremendous amount of information for you to shape and transform into a stunning final image.
Enabling Apple Log for Video Recording
Shooting in Apple Log requires you to enable Apple ProRes, a high-quality video codec designed for professional workflows. Here’s how to set it up:
- Access Camera Settings: Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Navigate to Camera: Scroll down and tap on Camera.
- Choose Formats: Tap on Formats.
- Toggle Apple ProRes: Under the "Video Capture" section, toggle Apple ProRes to the "On" position.
- Select ProRes Encoding: Once ProRes is enabled, new options will appear. Tap on ProRes Encoding.
- Choose Log: From the available ProRes encoding options, select Log.
Once selected, when you open your Camera app and switch to Video mode, you'll see "LOG" displayed in the top left corner, indicating that you are now recording in Apple Log.
Key Benefits of Shooting in Apple Log
Using Apple Log unlocks a new level of creative control for your iPhone videography.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Dynamic Range | Captures more detail in extreme bright and dark areas, preventing clipped highlights or crushed shadows. |
| Color Grading | Provides a neutral starting point with rich data, allowing for extensive and precise color correction and artistic looks in post-production. |
| Professional Workflows | Integrates seamlessly with professional editing software like DaVinci Resolve, Adobe Premiere Pro, and Final Cut Pro. |
| Consistency | Helps match footage shot on different cameras (e.g., your iPhone and a dedicated cinema camera) by providing a similar base for grading. |
Practical Considerations
- File Size: Apple ProRes files, especially in Log, are significantly larger than standard video files. A minute of 4K 30fps ProRes Log footage can be well over 6 GB. Ensure you have ample storage on your device or an external drive.
- External Storage: For extended recording sessions, consider connecting an external SSD directly to your iPhone 15 Pro via the USB-C port. This allows you to record ProRes Log footage directly to the drive, bypassing internal storage limitations.
- Post-Production is Essential: Footage shot in Log will look flat and desaturated directly from the camera. It is designed to be color-graded in editing software to achieve its full potential.
- Editing Software:
- Desktop: Popular choices include Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, or CapCut. These offer robust color grading tools.
- Mobile: While more limited, apps like CapCut or LumaFusion offer some color correction capabilities directly on your iPhone or iPad.
By utilizing Apple Log on your iPhone 15 Pro, you transform your smartphone into a powerful tool for capturing cinematic-quality video, giving you unparalleled flexibility in your creative process.
