How to Set Perfect iPhone Video Exposure with FiLMiC Pro and the PolarPro Variable ND Filters
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- Опубликовано: 28 июл 2024
- Learn how to achieve perfect iPhone video exposure with FiLMiC Pro on the iPhone XS, XS Max, XR, iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, using a variable ND filter.
Manual control of exposure has become very difficult with the latest generation iPhones. Manual adjustment of shutter speed and ISO in FiLMiC Pro can cause problems with Apple's dynamic tone mapping, resulting in a compromised image.
Instead of fighting against the iPhone's camera AI, let it do what it does best. The best way to control your iPhone video exposure is to use a variable ND filter. Once you've adjusted the variable ND filter to let in just the right amount of light, you can use FiLMiC Pro's auto exposure reticle to lock exposure and leave Apple's tone mapping to set up an optimal image.
0:00 - Introduction
0:55 - Why exposure is critical
3:25 - Always protect highlights
4:23 - Set up your shot
5:46 - Using a variable ND for perfect exposure
Read more on my website:
Find out more about how to nail perfect iPhone video exposure: www.richardlackey.com/iphone-...
Learn more about ND Filters for iPhone video: www.richardlackey.com/nd-filt...
Learn how to shoot cinematic iPhone video: www.richardlackey.com/filmic-...
A major part of what makes a video look cinematic is how you shoot it. Improve your composition skills: www.richardlackey.com/cinemat...
Subscribe to the channel for more videos, tests, tutorials, tips and tricks.
AFFILIATE LINKS (I earn some affiliate revenue if you use these links):
Buy your Moondog Labs gear: moondoglabs.com/?ref=2u_sw53l45a
Buy your Beastgrip gear: beastgrip.link/Rich
Buy your PolarPro Variable ND: www.polarprofilters.com/produ...
Richard Lackey:
Member: Colorist Society International (CSI)
Member: Digital Cinema Society (DCS)
Visit my website: www.richardlackey.com
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DISCLAIMERS
This video was not paid for by a manufacturer.
I was given the products shown to test, review and use.
My opinions are my own and were not reviewed before publishing or paid for by any manufacturer. 
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If you've watched any of my previous tutorials that involved manually setting exposure using FiLMiC Pro, this is an updated method that works well with the latest generation iPhones that have active tone mapping and other AI image processing. Feel free to ask me any questions!
If you're interested in buying the PolarPro Peter McKinnon Edition Variable ND's please consider using my affiliate link :) amzn.to/36qzPZW
Here's the Ulanzi iPhone 11 Pro Max cage: amzn.to/36E7D67 and the 17mm to 52mm filter adapter amzn.to/2LUlf5b.
Hey , can you use the cage with a zhiyun crane 2 gimbal??
Amazing videos! Do you think these guidelines are still relevant with iPhone 14 Pro and Filmic Pro v7 ?
This has been so helpful in me starting iphone filming! I've been trying to shoot in 1/48 for a few days and was frustrated that my image was overexposed even on cloudy days... Thank you so much for the informative content and hope you continue to make more. Subscribed as well.
Thanks so much for the lovely comment! Yep, the only way to reduce your exposure in bright light enough to allow you to use a slow shutter speed like 1/48th sec is to get some ND filters, or a variable ND filter. It’s like sunglasses for your camera, cutting down a percentage of the light passing through the filter depending on its density. I wrote an article on my website that might give you some further insight. www.richardlackey.com/nd-filters-for-iphone-video/
Thank you! You've answered a bunch of my questions. I just downloaded your Luts to use with Nitrate, and I'm blown away already!
Excellent. Thanks for taking the time to make this kind of content. Really helpful to get some professional guidance on how to get the most out of phone video. Look forward to seeing more!
Thanks so much John, I was finding the old way of manually setting up exposure wasn't working well at all on the newer generation iPhones so this is the best method I've found. I really appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment! Cheers!
Finally..... been waiting for you to start tutorials. This is great, keep them coming man. Amazed at what you get from a smartphone!
Thanks Alex! I want to do more, they take me a while to put together properly. Trying to find ways of making more tutorials that don’t wind up taking months to finish.
Perfect, thsnk you!
Thanks!
This is great!
Thanks so much Nicos!
excellent video.thanks you.it was very usefeul
Thanks for watching!
I've found your videos are super helpful , even though this video is months old and I'm not even an iPhone user. Thank you so much for informative content !
Thanks so much Arif! I try to present things that are pretty universal and don’t change quickly.
I’m so happy I found your videos! Great content! I’m trying to transition more into iPhone filming.. since I make travel videos and it’s just SO MUCH easier and lighter. I’ve already decided I could bypass a gimbal with my 11 Pro Max and just fix some things with warp.. but I’m still confused about these ND filters. I’ve always used a variable ND on my GH4, and was thinking of ways to mount it onto my iPhone.. but then that just opens the door to endlessly adding more things and complicating everything. Then I was going to buy one of those new LiteChaser Pro kits from PolarPro.. but that setup just seems so gimmicky and then I’ll need a whole new case once I upgrade to the 12 Pro Max in a few months. So now I’m looking at the Sandmarc or PolarPro clip on ND filters.. but I’m confused about the disadvantages of a fixed ND filter. What exactly is tonal mapping? Sorry for the long message. My head hurts from all this research haha. But again.. glad I found your channel!! Subscribed!! I also just picked up the Shure MV88+ microphone yo capture all my B Roll audio. Any other insight you think could help me with my iPhone setup would be much appreciated!
Hi! Thanks so much, I'm so glad you found something helpful, even if it did bring up more questions. Ok, so the hands down easiest way to mount an ND filter right now directly to the phone is the Moondog Labs multi camera filter mount. I love this thing, and it only costs $35. moondoglabs.com/products/multi-camera-filter-mount?ref=2u_sw53l45a
This filter mount has a bayonet style mount so I use it with a $40 Moment iPhone 11 Pro Max case. moment.8ocm68.net/n5gAV
The Moondog Labs multi camera filter mount covers all three cameras, and even with the case is super lightweight. The filter mount gives you a 52mm thread. In terms of filters, the lightest fixed ND filters I've found are also from Moondog Labs but they are made by Nisi. moondoglabs.com/collections/filters/products/52mm-neutral-density-filter?ref=2u_sw53l45a
These Moondog Labs filters come in ND4, ND8 and ND16, so you'll have to stack more than one in bright sunlight. I stack the ND16 and ND8 together if it's bright, that gives a 7-stop reduction.
I have no idea if the mount will still work on the iPhone 12 when it launches, it's possible if the camera arrangement isn't too different. If so, the only thing you'd have to change is the case.
Ok... now my absolute favorite filters are the PolarPro Variable ND filters but they are a bit pricey. www.polarprofilters.com/products/variable-nd-mckinnon?sca_ref=204953.y1mGTg7yXu There are two, a 2-5 stop and a 6-9 stop. I have both but I use the stronger 6-9 stop much more than the 2-5 stop. The smallest these come in is 67mm so I still use it with that Moondog Labs multi camera filter mount, I just bought a cheap 52mm to 67mm step up ring.
The advantage of using these standard round threaded photographic filters is that they aren't proprietary like the PolarPro Litechaser. They will work on any phone that you get in future, all you need to change is the way it mounts. The combination of the Moment case plus the Moondog Labs multi camera filter mount and the PolarPro Peter McKinnon VND's is my favorite combination if I'm not using a lens on the phone.
If you use a lens, even then standard round threaded filters are the way to go, because most smartphone lenses have a filter thread, or at least a filter mount adapter.
One note... VND's can cause problems with very wide lenses, like anamorphic lenses or some very wide angle smartphone lenses. Fixed density ND's are the way to go on very wide lenses. The standard iPhone wide camera is fine with a VND.
More on ND Filters: www.richardlackey.com/nd-filters-for-iphone-video/
More on dynamic tone mapping: www.richardlackey.com/what-is-dynamic-tone-mapping/
Let me know if you have any more questions. I hope I haven't just made it more complicated.
Richard Lackey oh man you just blew my mind. Ok.. moment case + moondog filter mount + variable ND. This is it. I’m set. Thank you so much!!!
Genius 🙏🏼👌🏻
Thanks Danilo!
Great
This is excellent information...using variable NDs on bigger cameras is commonplace...but it was cool watching you use one on a phone! I always considered NDs the correct way to truly set exposure since you don't want to be changing the aperture setting between shots or scenes. So this is fantastic to see in the video. Thank you.
Thanks Arlin, yes, with smartphones also there is no aperture setting, since it is a fixed aperture. ND filters whether fixed density or variable are a must have for being able to set a slower shutter speed in bright light when shooting video with a smartphone. Thanks for watching and commenting! I’m so glad you found it interesting.
@@RichLackey Hey Richard - Curious about your take on the infamous lens flare greenish dots that seem to show up on most Phone cameras? Everyone is railing at Apple but they show up on all phones pretty much. I have been searching for solutions...but I think the cause is actually the tiny little lens covers that are on all those phone cameras. Basically what we're all seeing is REFLECTIONS in a tiny window placed right in front of the lens. The same thing happens if you try to take a picture out the window of your home or a bus or whatever...Haven't seen anyone yet suggest trying to remove those covers! But I watched your DOF adapter video which was also fascinating...and I started to wonder if you place a "real" lens in front of the phone's lens using an adapter like your did...would that get rid of the flare spots? And sure enough I saw none in your footage. Does using a larger lens not only give you shallow depth of field but also get rid of the awful green spots?
Thank you so much. I just bought my first VND from polar pro, but I have been struggling to find the right exposure setting in snowy conditions.😩 You tutorial is exactly what I needed. Thanks a lot. You have a new subscriber 😎🙋🏻♂️👏🏻
Wow! Thanks so much, glad it could help!
You have very interesting subject. I'm going to subscribe :))
Hi Richard, thank you for this helpful video. Do you happen to know if there are any ND filters that are compatible with the chunky Mous cases? I've just bought one and am reluctant to abandon it to get a different filter compatible case! I'm using the iPhone 13 pro.
Thanks for your video could you please let me know will the bluetooth shutter works on Filmic pro as I have bough the filmickit which doent have the bluetooth shutter. Now thought of buying seperately however I have small doubt whether these will work on filmic pro app and moment app to capture the film and photo. Appreciate your valuable comments please
Thanks for the video, I have two phone cases, one takes 10mm (RhinoShield) and the other 17mm lenses. Do you know where can I buy the 10mm and 17mm step up ring adapter?
Hi, will you update your tutorials for Filmic Pro 7 anytime soon?
im about to make a video based on what you teach me, hopefully we are both good at our current tasks. im buckled in capt
Wow, I hope it turns out well! Share the link once you’ve made it. I’d love to see.
The newer Iphone 14pro max don't go below 1/60th of a sec anymore in Filmic Legacy filming in 4K 24fps, any idea how to get it to 1/48th?
Is there something similar for the Iphone 13 mini?
Thanx once again for an informative video! I really like Filmic Pro & Firstlight for stills. Where can I obtain these ND filters, and if you were financially pressed, what other ND filters would you recommend? Also, what about skylight filters? Do you ever use them? Should I?
Hi Stacey, there are a lot of variable ND filter options on the market, at all kinds of price points. These ones are on the high end side, but you could look at a Tiffen variable ND like this one, which is larger at 77mm but that's fine it just needs a larger step up ring. amzn.to/2PK7bfx. I trust and use Tiffen filters too for circular polarizer, black pro mist diffusion, and fixed ND filters. I don't bother with clear UV skylight filters though. Hope that helps!
@@RichLackey do you stack your polar pro VNDs on top of your black mist filter, or use polar pro MIST VNDs?
@@Nick_Wright_TV I tend to have the VND at the top of the stack, so a diffusion filter would be behind the VND, but I don't see any reason why it would make any difference for a diffusion filter whether it is in front or behind the VND. Happy to be proven wrong though if someone else comments differently.
Hi Richard, awesome video. Please could state once more exactly what case, mount and step up ring you used for these filters? (I would love to get the filter but then I spoke to customer support and they said it could not be used with their cases. so I am glad I found your video.)
Hi! Sure! This can be done with a bunch of cases. My favorite these days is the Beastcage from Beastgrip. It’s a full metal cage for supporting accessories and they make filter mounts too. A lightweight option is a Moment thin case with a Moondog Labs multi camera filter mount. Who did you contact? Ulanzi? I haven’t checked recently if they have discontinued anything. Sometimes their product range changes.
@@RichLackey yes I would go for the moment with moondog multi filter mount
I really appreciate this video. I’ve been trying to decide if I should buy the McKinnon ND filters all day and trying to figure out how to attach them to my case when I’m not using my Sandmarc wide angle lens... this answered both questions. Thank you.
I do have two other questions. Are there any issues using these filters with a wide angle lens? Also, I can’t buy both VND filters right now. I shoot outside in full sun usually and I’m following your white balance and log advice. Do you think the 2-5 stop filter will be okay or should I choose the 6-9 stop for now? I hate to choose, but that’s life. On an iPhone XS.
Hi Brian, thanks so much! Yes, I have noticed issues not just with these, but with all VND’s on extremely wide lenses. I don’t find any issues with the native iPhone wide camera, or any telephoto attachment lenses, but I do see issues when shooting anamorphic. I’d highly recommend switching to a fixed density ND filter for extremely wide lenses. If outside sunlight is your most common lighting (it is for me), then the 6-9 stop is the one to go for. Here’s my affiliate link if you want to use it (you totally don’t have to): www.polarprofilters.com/products/variable-nd-mckinnon?sca_ref=204953.y1mGTg7yXu
Richard Lackey Hey Richard, thanks for the reply. Would you consider the Sandmarc wide angle lens (16mm) to be extremely wide? Thanks for the link and the advice!
Very nice job but those ND costs about the same price as a new phone lol🤣😂☺🙏🏾 but for real really great content #keepfilming ☺👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
Thanks! Yes, they are pricey but there are other popular variable ND filters that cost substantially less. Any variable ND can be used. Really appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment, cheers!
I'd be curious to know your favorite VND's Patrick. Any advice I can pass on? I am sure I'll get a bunch of questions asking about more affordable options.
@@RichLackey at the moment I'm using some really really cheap Neewer ND's there not the best but in time I will upgrade to something like what you're using im shooting on a Samsung Galaxy s7 Edge but really love the work your doing... you open my eyes to the whole color chart and pay more attention to white balance I've already tried to adapt that into my workflow and have noticed a big difference much more to learn I really like your workflow next I need to save up for the x-rite color chart #keepfilming 😃😎🙏🏾👍🏾
Nice. Yes, color management may seem like overkill for smartphone video, but I find it really makes a difference to how far you can take the final image. So much of what I try to do is in post anyway, so really trying to record the best image as a starting point makes a huge difference.
It's certainly not for everyone, some people just want to shoot, edit and go, and that's fine too. I've been working on employing some proper color management in my post workflow too. I just published a post about that on my site. It's about building a calibrated monitoring setup for Resolve (or any post software) for around $2200 using a calibrated LG C9 OLED TV. The great thing of course is that this improves the accuracy of all your video post work, not just smartphone stuff. www.richardlackey.com/low-budget-davinci-resolve-monitoring-video-color-management-lg-oled/
Hi. I have the Huawei P10 plus. Is any solutions to use the Peter MacKinnon ND Filter?
By the way great job... Keep going 👌👌
Thanks! I am sure there is a way. You could use a universal smartphone cage that works with any phone because it's adjustable. Take a look at the Beastgrip Universal Lens Adapter & Rig System for Smartphones - amzn.to/2RTd7pf or manufacturer web page here - beastgrip.com/collections/shop-now/products/beastgrip-pro
Ulanzi have made a universal smartphone cage but I don't think it is available yet - amzn.to/36BS4vt www.ulanzi.com/collections/smartphone-video-rig-cage/products/u-rig-metal-smartphone-video-rig-ulanzi
Both of these cages can accept a 37mm step up adapter ring, so you would just need the right size step up rings.
You can also use a cheaper variable ND filter, it doesn't have to be the PolarPro, because it's expensive. There are cheaper ones available, that aren't as good, but can work.
Really liked the content here, and the explanations. Good stuff …. I’m quite new to video (but not to photography) and although I am getting really good end video I get a bit confused with settings. I do understand the 180 rule; but some use 24 fps with 1/48 (or 1/50), some use 30 fps with 1/60? I am basically working to add to RUclips and as far as I know if I use 1/30 etc when rendering it will be set as 24 fps by RUclips….. can you maybe help here please
Thank you James!
Will the ND filter work with my iPhone 11 pro? Also what is the cost of the ND filter.
Watching this in 2023 still relevant
Thanks so much! I have not been shooting or posting anything for such a long time. The phone cameras have become so good now, and it seems like there's not much point anymore, especially since I'm still using a 12 Pro Max. But lately I think there are plenty of creatives that have older phones and still want to get great results, it doesn't always have to be about the latest and greatest cameras all the time.
Please tell me how do I colorize the subscriber button that you did
Can the Moondog (MCFM v2A) MULTI-CAMERA FILTER MOUNT V2 be usable on a Litechaser Pro for iPhone 13Pro? Also can it be used in a Moment Case or Small Rig cage for iPhone 13Pro? in other word is the MCFM v2A) MULTI-CAMERA FILTER MOUNT V2 compatible to iPhone 13Pro?
Great video dude 👍🏻 are you based in the Uk?
Hi Ricky, wow, thanks so much for watching. I'm based in Dubai but grew up in the UK.
Can I use that Ulanzi rig with my Moment lenses? Right now I use a SmallRig but it would be nice to move my lenses off the camera. BTW, it would get if you would tackle gimbals...
I guess not because of the Moment bayonet mount.
Hi John, yes, I was about to say that. The Ulanzi uses a 17mm threaded mount. I've done a few videos about gimbals, mostly the Moza Mini Mi and Moza Mini S, and lately have been using the Feiyu Tech AK4500 which I absolutely love. That one is not a smartphone gimbal, it's larger and has a hefty 4.5kg maximum payload but it works so smoothly for a fully rigged up smartphone (with metal cage, lenses, filters etc). I will do a dedicated video about it. So far I've only covered the Feiyu Tech AK4500 gimbal in my "Ultimate iPhone Rig" video.
Very useful video to this newbie. Thank You! One question, though. I use an iPhone 11 with FiLMiC Pro and the slowest shutter speed I can get is 1/60 using the manual wheel to lock speed. It does not go lower than 1/60, or to the desired 1/48. What’s going on? Did I miss something?
Hi Dan, what frame rate are you shooting at? My guess is you might be shooting 60fps? If you are shooting at 60fps for slow motion you cannot have a shutter speed slower than 1/60 second. If you drop to shoot 30fps you can go down to 1/30 sec shutter speed. The standard value for a natural looking motion blur is twice the number value of your frame rate. So 30fps at 1/60 sec, 25fps at 1/50 sec, or 24fps at 1/48 sec.
@@RichLackey
Thanks for the reply, Richard, but I actually figured out the issue. Under “Frame Rate”, the bottom option is Auto shutter, 50 Hz or 60Hz. It was set at 60Hz for some reason. Changed it to Auto Shutter and problem solved. Thanks again and have a great day.
Thanks for your wonderful informative videos. I was wondering if i can use multi camera filter mount by moondog labs with step up ring to polar pro peter mckinnon VND filters?
Absolutely, that’s exactly what I’m doing. It works perfectly!
Thanks so much Richard!
Hi Richard, maybe you can help me on this one: If ordered the smallrig cage for my new iPhone 13 Pro Max. I would like to mount a Polar Pro Peter McKinnon 67mm ND on it, but it's really hard to figure out which adapter I'm gonna need for that...
Nice looking cage! Okay so it looks like it has the bayonet style lens mount. Best thing for it is the MoondogLabs multi camera filter mount plus a step up ring to your filter size. This filter mount gives you a 52mm thread, so you’ll need a step up ring from 52mm to whatever VND size you get. moondoglabs.com/collections/accessories/products/multi-camera-filter-mount-v2
ok so right off the bat your telling me I just need to go break some sunglasses...got it im listening
Ha, no not quite but it’s a simple analogy people can understand.
Dope T Shirt! Where did you purchase it from?
Haha thanks! It’s actually a Belgrade, Serbia based brand called Dechkotzar. They are my favorite but change designs all the time. I think this design is long gone, but they have a lot of cool stuff. Belgrade is kind of my second home so I always grab stuff when I’m there. www.dechkotzar.com/en/
I find that when my hands move in and out of frame on the iPhone 11 the exposure changes even if the AE lock is on. It's not a dramatic difference but it is noticeable if I am trying to film a stand up with emotion. I am using the front facing camera. Do I have to buy an ND filter or is the app good enough to keep the video from changing exposure automatically?
Absolutely, it’s the number one most annoying thing. You’ve just noticed what we call dynamic tone mapping. This is Apple’s built in algorithm driven shift of shadow levels up or down slightly depending on the overall contrast ratio of whatever is in frame. It’s awful, we all complain about it, and there’s no way to turn it off, or for third party app developers to bypass it. It’s not so apparent in wide, bright, daylight lit shots but can be obvious indoors and in lower light situations. Unfortunately a ND filter won’t affect this, and locking exposure won’t prevent this small secondary shift. Super annoying. I try to minimize having anything dark that will occupy a large part of the frame from moving in and out of the shot. It’s not always possible, but something I aim for.
@@RichLackey Thank you. Very unfortunate because I have set up a black background for an upcoming series of projects. Which means I either need to get a new background or real cameras. Either way.. an expense I didn't know I had to have.
Hi .
I just wanna know, why I don’t have the iris control manual over the filmic pro app... this gonna frustrates me so much... very annoying!!!
Hi Gianclaudio, which phone are you using? The vast majority of phone cameras have a fixed iris. Your primary exposure control is shutter speed only, and ISO, although you’ll want to keep ISO locked to minimum to avoid video noise. Using an external ND filter is advisable if you want to keep a low shutter speed in bright conditions.
Have you tried MoviePro? I’ve found it much easier than filmic.
I haven’t yet but really should. There are quite a few good ones. Mavis is another good one.
is the same for those who use android? thanks for the video.
It should be the same in principle but I’ve never used FiLMiC Pro on an Android device yet.
I’m a bit lost. Can’t you lock your shutter and adjust the ISO manually? Can this be done at all without expensive ND filters, mount, and case?
Hi Tony, you can absolutely lock shutter speed where you want it and adjust ISO separately, however in bright light, ISO will always need to be at minimum value (you should aim to keep it minimum in all conditions, even low light... or as close to it as possible), but in bright light, low ISO with a slow shutter speed the image will always be very over exposed. That’s where ND filters come in. In this scenario you have only two options, a very fast shutter speed, or use external ND filters. I hope I’ve made some sense. Please let me know if I’ve just made you more lost.
is there a rule of thumb as to how much ISO i should set after setting up the shutter speed and the variable ND?
Thanks for watching! Good question. Yes, the main thing is to always keep ISO as low as possible to avoid video noise. Things can get very noisy quickly once ISO starts to get too much above the lowest setting. A little bit above is ok, there is some wiggle room, but it should be pretty much as low as it will go. On the iPhone 11 Pro Max I keep it in the range ISO 30-40. It can also depend on the phone, they all have slightly different "base" or "native" minimum ISO levels, and it can vary between wide and telephoto camera too. With these small sensors, "native" is always the lowest setting, and that will also be the cleanest. So in this sense it's different to large sensor cameras where "native" ISO might be around 800, or perhaps higher.
Nice video - thank-you so much! I have a question. I've an iPhone 11 Pro and want to record indoors. I don't have any equipment except for a tripod, a bright LED Snap-on light from Home Depot, and Filmic Pro with the Cinematographer Kit. I am having trouble getting a pleasant looking image. Either the highlights are all blown out and it looks terrible, or there's so much grain it looks terrible. I would like to record 24FPS / 4K. Any tips?
Hi, thanks so much for watching!
Indoors is always challenging, which is why I don't do it very much, even during the day, much less at night. Smartphones, even the latest and greatest, with all their low light performance hype, still prefer a lot of light when it comes down to it.
The only thing I can suggest if there's not a lot of light is to make sure your shutter speed is as low as possible, which would be 1/24th sec if you are shooting at 24fps. This is going to give you motion blur, but less noise. In my opinion noise is always worse than blur, so I take the motion blur. As long as ISO is under 100, you should be ok.
What are your typical ISO and shutter speed settings in FiLMiC Pro when you just use the exposure reticle to auto expose in the situations you are talking about? If you can test and check, and let me know, it would help me give further advice.
How are you editing? Maybe a noise reduction plugin for your editing software might help?
As for blown out highlights, I assume you are talking about day interiors, and parts of the image which may be in a lot of light compared to the average level of indoor lighting. Such as an open door, or a bright window to the outside. In these cases there's not much you can do. You have to either expose for the bright areas (increase your shutter speed) and then everything else becomes too dark, or you expose for the average light level in the room, and have blown out windows. There actually is no easy solution to this. It's one of the situations I try to avoid in the first place.
In a professional production situation, you would actually light the interior of the room. You want to reduce the difference in light between brightest and darkest areas (scene contrast ratio). That means lighting the room with big powerful lights, and lighting it in a way that it looks natural (easier said than done). This is the art of film lighting, and it sounds like you don't have a lot of big lights at your disposal in any case.
If it's bright outside daylight through windows that is causing the problem, you could try covering the windows and doors. I do this in my apartment when I record myself talking to camera. You can see it in my video, in the background I make sure I have those paper blinds down on the windows so they don't blow out. I'm lucky in that my living room is very bright during the day anyway, so I get a lot of natural light in the room which helps lift the ambient levels inside and reduce the difference between bright and dark.
Not sure if I've been helpful at all. If you can test and let me know what ISO and shutter speed FiLMiC Pro is giving you when you auto expose in the kind of lighting you are having trouble. I might be able to help more.
@@RichLackey Thanks so much for your thoughtful reply. I will test my settings at lunch time and get back to you (if the light isn't favourable I may have to do it a different day). I am editing with the free Davinci Resolve. And wow - an ISO of 100? The camera defaults to 1000 or (often much) higher, so 100 makes it significantly darker. Just doing a test right now sitting at my desk. At a 24 shutter speed going from an ISO of 1050 to ISO 104, it significantly reduced the brightness (and it looked better when I panned across the window) but didn't help the graininess much.
@@RichLackey Ok, so I started the app where I want to film, and the app started off with a shutter speed of 1/48 and ISO of 176. There is snow outside, so even though it's overcast, the window to one side is quite bright. I did some filming at 1/48 and 176 and also at 1/24 and 176. There was grain in both, but maybe slightly less in the 1/24 (and blockier?? not sure). As well, the 1/24 setting had more blown-out highlights than the 1/48 setting. The 1/48 setting also had some blown-out highlights, but noticeably not as bad. This was using the Natural curve in Filmic Pro. Also, what's up with the Low ISO Bias, Moderate ISO Bias, and High ISO Bias? Does it matter which one it's set to?
Ok it looks like you are really pushing the minimum amount of light you’ll be able to successfully shoot with. One thing to know is that a change of shutter speed either increases or decreases your exposure because it’s changing how much light exposes the sensor for each video frame. So a shutter speed of 1/24 lets twice as much light expose the sensor as 1/48 for example.
ISO is basically just amplification, also called gain. If you think about recording sound with a mic and a recorder, and the sound level you are trying to record is really low. You can increase gain, which amplifies that low signal, but what else happens? It gets very noisy. As well as amplifying the sound signal, you are also amplifying the unwanted noise. This is signal to noise ratio.
Same thing happens with your camera image sensor. The sensor has a native sensitivity to light, which is its lowest ISO setting, this is zero amplification, zero gain. This will always be the cleanest image (least amount of noise).
So, ISO should always be kept as low as possible. Actually it should always be minimum if possible and only increased if you absolutely have to, and when you do increase it, it should be as little as you can get away with.
A doubling (2x) of ISO is a 2x amplification. So ISO 100 is twice the effective exposure as ISO 50. ISO 200 is twice the exposure of ISO 100, or 4x the exposure of ISO 50. We call every doubling increasing exposure by one stop. Or every halving is a decrease of exposure by one stop.
A stop, is a doubling or halving of exposure.
So, back to shutter speed, a halving of shutter speed (so 1/24 second compared to 1/48) is increasing exposure by... one stop (a doubling of exposure).
Both ISO and shutter speed affect exposure but increasing ISO always introduces video noise.
To go back to your example. You shot at 1/48 shutter speed and ISO 176. Also 1/24 shutter and ISO 176. But... by increasing your shutter speed from 1/48 to 1/24 sec, and keeping ISO the same you were doubling exposure. What you want to do is keep ISO as low as possible, so if exposure at 1/48 ISO 176 generally looks ok but noisy, then increase shutter speed to 1/24 but also reduce ISO by half... to around 80 or 90. This will give you the same overall exposure but at a lower (less noisy) ISO.
I know it’s confusing.
You may not get an acceptable image at all in the conditions you are trying to shoot.
I made this video which might help. The only thing is that the AI tone mapping that is active on the iPhone 11 series (and the XS series... and less on the X) can get screw up the image when you make manual adjustments. Maybe this video helps though. ruclips.net/video/Tx2trCa0edk/видео.html
@@RichLackey Hey Richard. Thanks so much for the information-packed reply - it's been really helpful. I know it takes time and effort. I didn't realize how important it was to keep the ISO low. I want to do some filming today if it's not too dark outside, so I'll definitely use these tips.
Hi, can you use a variable ND with the ultra wide or does is have to be fixed? Hope the question makes sense, thanks!
Hi Phill, great question. The problem with variable ND’s is that the effective density, or strength of the light reduction will vary depending on the angle of light. This is due to how they work, and the polarization of light. If you are standing outside in the sun for example, density will appear strongest at 90 degrees to the sun. So if you are facing a subject and the sun is over either of your shoulders, that’s 90 degrees, the density will appear to drop off away from that angle. Wide angle lenses cover a large angle, and so you’ll get an uneven exposure. Fixed density ND filters won’t give you this problem.
@@RichLackey Thanks Richard, I think I'll order the Sandmarc clip on fixed ND filters. I'm an Estate Agent in Spain and making quality video has now become a top priority! Your videos have really helped me.
Thanks for posting this. I’m new at filming and I’m starting a vlog channel about food. I have an iPhone 11 Pro, I’m filming inside, no windows in the room and I’m using 2400 watt soft box continuous light kit that includes 1 light on a boom and 1 light on each side for a total of 3 boxes. Some of my whites are getting blown out in the food. Can I fix this using an ND filter or something else?... I noticed other people in my field are using something like a Sony Rx100, I’d like to stick to my iphone if possible.
Correction the lights I’m using are 3 x 135w 5500k. 3 separate boxes w 4 bulbs in each box.
Hi Al, sounds good. What video camera app are you using? The only reason I ask is to have an idea of what exposure control you have in app. There's two things you'll want to control. The first is the overall light level illuminating your scene, and the second thing is the contrast ratio. The overall light level needs to be enough that you can keep your ISO level locked as low as possible.
Contrast ratio is the difference in brightness between the highlights, which you say are blowing out, and the ambient light level filling in the shadows. This is your key vs fill ratio. Your key light is your brightest main light source, and your fill light is a light source filling in the shadows from the opposite direction. A fill light source can be one of your lights, or a reflector that bounces light back from the key light, or just the ambient light in the room.
It sounds to me like it might be helpful to read up a bit on basic three point lighting, and to set your light levels of key vs fill so that you don't have too much contrast in your lighting. As for ND filter, you may not need one if you can get your lighting contrast ratio right.
I'd approach it this way... if you can lock your ISO at minimum, and set your shutter speed around 1/48th or 1/50th (depending if you're shooting at 24fps or 25fps) and then control the brightness of your light, setting it so your highlights aren't over exposed. Then check the image and see where your shadows are, you'll want to add light to fill in the shadows so they aren't too dark.
What kind of lighting style are you going for? So you have one softbox overhead from the top, and two on stands right?
I totally don’t mean to tell you things you might already know, apologies if that’s the case. You should be able to get correct exposure and get the look you want just by adjusting the brightness of your lights relative to each other, and/or the distance and placement relative to your subject. :)
Richard Lackey No apologies needed! I didn’t know any of this. This helps a lot. I’m using Filmic Pro. And yes 1 light over head and two on the sides (1 box on each side)
Were you shooting yourself in this vid with the iphone? I ask that because you look very good
Thank you, yes I set the phone up on a small tripod on the table. Thankfully the table I sit at is by a window so I can take advantage of the natural light coming in.
OOPS! I should've asked the first time: where could one obtain the filter holders (I believe you called it an "Elan Zhi Video Cage")?
Ah, yes, the cage I'm using is this one made by Ulanzi. amzn.to/36E7D67 The only criticism I have is that the thread is difficult to screw on the filter adapter, and could be easy to damage the actual screw threads. I haven't damaged mine yet, but I am always worried about it whenever I screw anything on and off.
@@RichLackey is it just for 11 pro max? I got the 11 pro , cheers
1:44 This is here Istanbul (Galata Tower)
Yes! Istanbul is my favorite city. I have hours of great looking shots from my last visit that I haven’t edited yet. I will finish a Istanbul video soon. My video with the Ulanzi DOF Adapter is also from Istanbul.
Another question Richard... without the iris , I cannot decide the deep of field ... isn’t ?
You’re exactly right. Depth of field is fixed and will always be very deep anyway because the image sensor is so small. This is one of the biggest limitations of using a smartphone but you can absolutely make up for it by getting clever with your image composition. Maybe you already know all this, but just in case it’s of any help I put together a guide to share some ideas. www.richardlackey.com/cinematic-iphone-video-composition/
Richard Lackey thank u so much for your respond. Btw, I was convinced with filmic pro there was a sort of computational pretending iris to manage a sort of fake depth of field... thank u again ... I appreciate so much your channel and your work for us
I am a beginner. I am ready to grow but dang this video was too good. You explain well but I am still lost. Haha
Hi what iso setting would you recommend? I use the moondog Nd filters with beastgrip but notice I have to increase iso as the filter is too dark. Also I notice outside the landscape is correctly exposed but the sky is overexposed. I may need to get the polar pro I think .
Hi! You should always keep ISO as low as possible. If you’re using a ND filter and the exposure is too dark, you need to swap to a lower density ND filter. Which strength ND filter are you using?
@@RichLackey I see. I'm using a 3 stop ND filter but dropped to a 1-2 stop. I find it difficult to balance the highlights as when exposing for the shadows the highlights get blown out or vice versa. I guess it's best to save the highlights more than the shadows
Also using with moondogs anamorphic lens 1.33
Ah, yes that’s a challenge. Unfortunately that’s just a limit of the camera. You’ll have to make a choice. I always protect highlights no matter what and just let the shadows fall wherever they fall. I try to make sure any person or action in the shot is in the light and not in the shadow. It’s a challenge, I understand your difficulty, I have the same.
@@RichLackey I've just come across the Tiffen ND grad filter which I think by stacking polar pro filter should be able to expose for both sky and foreground. I will test and confirm how it turns out.👍
Why not go manual, set the shutter speed at 1/48. And use auto ISO?
Thanks for the question Gary. The main thing is to lock everything down. ISO should always be minimum or close to minimum, and definitely not left unlocked to automatically shift while you’re shooting. If exposure changes while recording a clip, you lose consistency and control, also you’ll never be able to color correct it properly.
Do use auto iso with the ND FILTER? Or do you need to set it up manually?
I always lock ISO at minimum. On a smartphone with a small sensor, the lowest ISO is the native zero gain ISO, which means you’ll have the least amount of video noise. It’s different of course with larger sensor cameras where native zero gain ISO is well above the minimum value you can set.
@@RichLackey Thanks
What iphone camera app do you use for filming on this video? Thanks
Hi Peng, sorry for the slow reply. I thought I had replied already! I am using FiLMiC Pro.
Richard Lackey Thanks !
I wonder this app or any other iPhone camera app can make background blur when shoot video? Just like a real camera with a lens at f2 or F1.4 ? Seems like I get Focus on everything on video mode on iPhone, Portrait mode can do the background blur, but only available on shooting pictures , not on video mode.
ok, but if I have to add all those things to my phone to film I prefer to use my Canon M50 with an ND filter because, every time I change the phone I would have to buy a new cage. All this without considering that I also have to buy the software and the capabilities of a camera are infinitely greater than those of a phone.
I can't get below 1/60 shutter speed. What setting is wrong?
Hi Bob, what frame rate are you shooting?
@@RichLackey 24
@@RichLackey The audio gain control is gone to. I'm using a 12pro max
My iPhone XR works. It has 1/48 and the audio gain slider. Not in the 12 Pro Max
Ok in the settings menu, open the frame rate menu and scroll down, hiding below the capture and playback FPS is another shutter setting which should be set the “Auto Shutter”. This should free up your shutter speed setting.
The intention is, a small Setup like a IPhone, make Videos looks like Pro Cameras with Highend Equipment. This solution means, you need a extra Case, a Filteradapter and the ND Filter. The most Phone Gimbals are not able to handle this, so you need Counterweights. Everything together makes a cinematic movie but it’s far away from the idea to have a small Setup. It’s ridiculous to buy a IPhone 11 Pro, all this stuff extra, costs more than a Mirrorless Camera with the Ronin SC. I don’t like these solutions, only to get this f..ing motion blur
You're certainly not wrong about that. It can get quite ridiculous. I like the smaller clip-on PolarPro Iris ND filter set also because it's lightweight and just fits on the phone without any other rigging. The ND filters are fixed though, but there are a range of them in the kit, plus an additional set of higher densities. It does just about clip over and cover the wide and telephoto on the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max. However, trying to adjust the exposure in app, after putting in the closest required full ND, can cause problems with the tone mapping. That's the whole reason for the variable ND, but then it's back to all the paraphernalia needed to mount it. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts. Thanks for taking the time.