Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

iPhone XS Max What's the Best Video Settings (Not Highest) for the iPhone XS Max?

MichaelMidnight

MichaelMidnight

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 20, 2008
400
115
Los Angeles
Hi guys! I'm hoping y'all can shed some light on this question I'm wondering about, which is what's the overall best settings to shoot video on an iPhone XS Max? Now I'm not looking for the highest quality which some say are 4k 60fps via Filmic Pro with the highest settings, etc but rather the best settings that has all the features within an iPhone and optimal for maybe today and the next few years, so not really future proofing. I've been doing some reading and I had heard that shooting in under 30fps and perhaps 1080p will unlock the best optical stabilization and cinema/HDR modes AND will work great on YouTube/Instagram/Facebook since most people view things on their phone or don't have the fastest internet connections to view things at say work.

So I ask yet again, what do YOU view as the overall best settings for shooting with in iPhone XS Max for capturing those great and random everyday moments!
 
I use 4K 30FPS. 60 looks too smooth to me, bothers me.

Seems like 1080P would be a good choice for you though, it isn’t massive, and you’ll be able to use the “most compatible” format without it creating massive files.
 
1080P 30 FPS is the norm. It will always look good. DVDs by comparison have a much lower resolution.
 
If you film in 1080p at 30fps, the Camera app can lower the FPS in low light to 24fps....and in my experience that works really well to prevent low light video looking really grainy.

Any resolution at 60fps will result in grainer images in lower light situations as the sensor is exposed to less light and so ups the ISO to compensate.

There’s less dynamic range at 4K and I also believe that 4K recording disables the software stabilisation...but I can’t remember where I read that so it could be lies.
 
30 fps looks too choppy for me. If you shoot at 60 at least you have the option to lower it in post.

I personally shoot in 4K60 but I rarely shoot any video.
 
areskins said:
Which setting takes more memory to store? 1080p 60fps or 4k 30?
Click to expand...

upload_2019-5-12_9-11-36.png
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kevbasscat and SRLMJ23
While other people's opinions can put you in the right direction, there's nothing better than going out for yourself and doing some tests to see what exactly looks best to *you*. As with all things, if you don't go out and practice and learn for yourself then when the moment comes you really want to be sure you're getting the results you want then it is this experience that you're wanting to fall back onto… rather than thinking "what exactly did that guy on MR say??".
 
  • Like
Reactions: russell_314, MEJHarrison, I7guy and 2 others
I personally use 1080p60 as I value the smooth frame rate more than increasing the resolution and 4k60 takes way too much space, but some people don’t like how smooth things are in 60 FPS. 1080p60 or 4k30 are the best choices IMO depending on whether frame rate or resolution is more important to you.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Smoovejayy and sparksd
Aftermath747 said:
I personally use 1080p60 as I value the smooth frame rate more than increasing the resolution and 4k60 takes way too much space, but some people don’t like how smooth things are in 60 FPS. 1080p60 or 4k30 are the best choices IMO depending on whether frame rate or resolution is more important to you.
Click to expand...

1080p60 & 4k30 are the two settings I bounce between.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Aftermath747
Normally, I would have said 4K60 for sure, because you can slow-mo the video later on if you like, or downsample it to 1080p, or crop into 1080p afterwards for zoom. However, the XS and XS Max have a little-known feature, expanded dynamic range in video, that works only in 4k30.


I would suggest using that, as it really preserves highlight detail and keeps your shadow detail too. It's like a video version of smart HDR.
 
Farsider said:
And below. 1080p gets the extended dynamic range love too.
Click to expand...
And a weird issue that if you shoot in 4K60 you don't get to switch lenses when recording. You have to do it before hitting the record button. This doesn't happen on any other setting.
 
One more thing is that in certain cases, 4k60 offers a benefit.

In 30p mode, the iPhone is happy to drop the shutter to 1/30, to keep the iso as low as possible. This happens pretty fast if you're indoors.

However that's a relatively low shutter speed, and it shows quite a bit of motion blur. You'll notice this in videos (for example where you're walking) and lights or lit-up signs will blur and "distort." It drives me a bit nuts, dead giveaway that it's a cell phone video.

By using 4k60, you can get crisper/sharper video in some situations, but with one extra stop of noise as well. And the lack of expanded dynamic range.

Hope the new phone gives us the full Monty at 4k60!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back