Aside from a previously rumored portrait video mode, this year’s upcoming iPhone 13 models releasing in the fall are understood to also add support for Apple’s ProRes video codec.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS:
- iPhone 13 should support a portrait video mode, dubbed Cinematic Video
- It’ll automatically blur the background and put the subject in sharp focus
- Support for Apple’s ProRes codec is apparently coming as well
- A new filters-like system for boosting photos may also be in the works
iPhone 13 to bring the bokeh effect to video
All new iPhones releasing later this year will extend Apple’s portraiture photography mode to video. On top of that, the iPhone 13 models may gain support for ProRes video recording.
Similar to taking photos in Apple’s portrait mode with the stock Camera app, a portrait video mode will automatically blur the background of your footage, creating a dramatic effect often seen in the movies. With it, you’ll be able to record a video with that desirable bokeh effect and change the depth of field in post-production.
→ How to blur your background in FaceTime video calls
This is a very exciting feature, also one that’s obviously going to require tons of horsepower which the iPhone 13 family should deliver via a custom Apple A15 chip. A new report from Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman says this video-shooting mode will be dubbed “Cinematic Video.”
The current iPhone 12 family has enabled support for shooting 4K HDR Dolby Vision video in sixty frames per second, becoming the first mobile device to shoot Dolby Vision video.
iPhone 13 may also support Apple’s ProRes codec
As for support for ProRes video recording, this will be good news for video creators. ProRes is a lossy video compression format developed by Apple that supports up to 8K resolutions and is predominantly used in post-production and for video editing.
From the Bloomberg article:
A new ProRes video-recording feature will let iPhone users capture clips in a higher-quality format that gives editors more control during post-production. The format is used by professional video editors in the film industry and isn’t normally intended for the mass market in part because of its large file sizes. ProRes will record in either HD and 4K resolutions on the next iPhones.
And:
The ProRes feature would follow last year’s addition of ProRAW, a higher-quality still photo file format that gives professional editors more control. Like with ProRAW, the ProRes video recording may be exclusive to the pricier Pro models.
Don’t confuse ProRAW with the ProRes RAW video codec that Apple launched in 2018 to support video editors who prefer to work with the raw data coming from the sensor.
A new filters-like system
Gurman mentions another new feature that could be coming to older iPhones as well.
Another feature will let users better control the look of colors and highlights in their pictures. Users will be able to choose from several styles to apply to their photos, including one for showing colors at either a warmer or cooler temperature while keeping whites neutral. Another option will add a more dramatic look with deeper shadows and more contrast, and the company is planning a more balanced style for showing shadows and true-to-life colors with a brighter appearance.
So how’s this different from standard filters in the Camera and Photos apps?
→ How to use filters in Apple Photos
According to the article, the new filters-like system will use computational photography tricks and artificial intelligence to precisely apply changes to objects and people across the photos.
With the current system, the same effect is applied consistently across the entire image.
How about an astrophotography mode?
This year’s iPhones are also expected to bring out new photography features. For instance, prominent leaker Max Weinbach said in February 2021 that the iPhone 13 family will debut and an all-new astrophotography mode.
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Optimized for night sky photography, this mode should automatically spring into action when you point your handset up at the sky. While in astrophotography mode, the phone is said to use longer exposure times and devote more resources to internal processing than usual in order to capture as clear images of the night sky as possible.
When is iPhone 13 coming?
Apple is expected to unveil and release the iPhone 13 models in the fall, probably in September.
There should be no launch delays this time around though. Aside from the aforementioned camera upgrades, the upcoming models should see a few other internal upgrades, such as a faster Apple A15 chip, a smaller notch and a 120Hz display for smoother on-screen motion.