The cameras that equip the new ones iPhone 15 Pro e iPhone 15 Pro Max they appear significantly better than what Apple used in the previous generation melafonini. With the Apple smartphones just launched on the market, it is possible to capture video sequences with a resolution of up to 4K at 60 fps using the Apple ProRes codec. But that is not all. Stu Maschwitz, professional filmmaker and photographer, explains what the log shooting and what advantages does the adoption of this technique entail in the recently presented iPhones.
What is log shooting and what is it for?
In the field of photography and video production, the term log shooting generally refers to the act of capturing images or videos using a logarithmic tone curve (log, precisely). This approach allows the obtaining of a greater dynamic range in the resulting image.
Dynamic range is the difference between the darker parts it’s more clear of an image or video. When you use a logarithmic curve, you compress the dynamic range in the raw image, preserving more information in the dark and light areas. This is a particularly useful scheme in situations where there is a high contrast: think for example of landscapes with deep shadows and intense lights.
The images or videos acquired with the technique of log shooting they may seem more dishes e desaturated. However, the result thus obtained can be processed in post-production, extending and restoring the dynamic range to obtain a more balanced and detailed final result. Obviously, considering the small size of the iPhone sensoryou can’t expect the same wide dynamic range as a professional cinema camera.
In this YouTube video, Maschwitz explains in detail how he exploited the log shooting of iPhone 15 Pro to achieve previously unthinkable results.
Processing shots with LUTs (Lookup Table)
As we mentioned earlier, “log” mode shots are processed during the post production using a file called LUT (Lookup Table). The LUT they are files for the color adjustment: some of these “tables” add a creative aspect to images, others have practical purposes by facilitating the migration from one color space to a different one.
Maschwitz points out that with the log shooting of the new iPhone 15 Pro, you can get multiple “visual interpretations” starting from a single image, thanks to the flexibility offered by the use of LUTs in post-production.
It might seem quite onerous to tackle the problem of color adjustment using LUTs. The great advantage of these “tables”, however, is that you can change the color of the video according to your preferences and needs. Capturing the contents in RAW mode, which is possible with various iPhones, the color tone information is already an integral part of the image. The degree of freedom in color adjustment is therefore significantly reduced.
The post-production process in detail
The expert filmmaker who, among other things, has worked on the production of cinematographic films such as Twister, Star Warse Mission: Impossiblealso explains that the post-production processing process of the shots taken with the log shooting it is the same used with traditional ones digital cinema cameras. As a result, it is possible to combine sequences captured with the iPhone 15 Pro with those made by other manufacturers, such as Canon and Sony. There process compatibility post-production facilitates the unified management of data from different sources.
An added advantage of shooting in log shooting consists of flexibility in terms of regulating the white balance and of theexposure during the editing phase. This feature opens the door to adapting video recording to footage taken in environments with difficult lighting conditions.
The acquisition mode log it also offers a significant advantage in terms of file sizes, which are smaller than the RAW format. Not to mention, the iPhone 15 Pro can save directly to external storage devices videos shot with Apple ProRes, simplifying the management of the content produced.
With the’camera app By default, you cannot manually adjust the settings during capture. However, Maschwitz notes that using the free Blackmagic Camera app, you can shoot with access to a wide range of manual settings.
