Comments on: iPhone 4: How does it perform for video recording?

By: jfrancis

jfrancis — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Looks nice.

Some cameras when panned rapidly make a ‘rubbery frame’ quasi-slit scan effect as one part of the frame is recorded at a different time than the other. I didn’t see that ‘rolling shutter’ effect here.

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&source=hp&q=rolling+shutter+plugin&aq=0&aqi=g10&aql=&oq=rolling+shutter+&gs_rfai=&fp=d2eda4910a7445ea

By: ToddBradley

ToddBradley — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

The resolution was nice, but the frame rate seemed fairly crappy. What frame rate does it shoot at in high res mode?

And of course, the footage is almost totally unusable for any professional purpose due to the shakiness. But Final Cut Pro has a pretty decent software stabilizer built-in (of course, buying a $1300 software package to fix video shot with a phone is a bit weird).

Are you forced into automatic white balance, gain, etc.? Or are these manually settable?

By: samuraizenu

samuraizenu — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Has anyone done a comparison with the new HTC EVO 4G? It is supposed to have high res also….

By: Usonian74

Usonian74 — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

And with this, any reason to ever buy a Flip camera is now null and void.

By: za7ch

za7ch — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Xeni,
Was the video editing done on phone with the iMovie app or did you use a desktop app?

By: mgfarrelly

mgfarrelly — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

True. Though the iPhones are coming in with an ATT subsidized price of course. I get the feeling flip will be doing some kindle/nook style price-slashing sooner rather than later.

The video sizes seem pretty decent. I’m sure an app solution will come along, but one thing I dig on flips is the countdown timer. When I do video editing classes with older patrons at our library the number one question is always “How do I know how much time is left to shoot?” A holdover from the tape era :)

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I thought all professional use of H.264 required a license? Did you check the iPhone terms and conditions to see if video shot using the device was for nonprofessional use only?

I imagine video shot to review a device would not need a license but it’s prudent to mention this previously unpublicized limitation of video encoded using H.264.

Keep the great reviews coming – these are really good.

By: Xeni Jardin

Xeni Jardin — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Editing was done using Final Cut Studio, but we could have easily produced something pretty much identical to this with the iMovie for iPhone.

Just, we have an existing workflow for these episodes, and it’s easier and faster for us to convert the footage and do Final Cut for production.

By: Jack

Jack — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Flip cameras are nice, but not all of us want video cameras. I actually want a device that does everything this device does but without the phone part. So I’m waiting to see about the iPod Touch 4G; if and when that comes out. But this seems to truly be a nice “pocket knife” of electronic tools.

By: za7ch

za7ch — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Ah, that makes sense, workflow ‘n all.

Thanks for the answer. :)

By: Zebra05

Zebra05 — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I don’t understand why you are just doing product reviews for Apple. iPhones are reviewed by everyone from the Wall Street Journal to my local newspaper. Lots of other interesting stuff out there.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

So, what’s the recommended storage for an iphone 4 if you want to use video and all the other whatnots: 16 GB or 32GB? Is 16GB sufficient?

By: Blue

Blue — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

>And with this, any reason to ever buy a Flip camera is now null and void.

When the Flip gets App store lock-in, expensive contract lock-in and hobbled data caps. Yeah, sure.

By: Chesterfield

Chesterfield — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

My problem with flip and phone video cameras is that they all seem to suffer from shaky hand syndrome. I don’t know if it is from the lack of mass or the awkward way you are forced to hold it, but it seems almost impossible to get a steady shot with one of these things (and I’m not talking about your shots from the moving bicycle).

Or maybe it’s just my DT’s.

By: Nelson.C

Nelson.C — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I can’t think of an earthly reason why BB shouldn’t review the iPhone.

By: Blue

Blue — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Kodak’s Zi8 has built-in image stabilization. It’s not perfect by any means but it eliminates a lot of the worst shaky-hand noise.

By: timbearcub

timbearcub — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Me neither – I just wish other phones and brands got as much coverage as Apples, esp. iPad/iPhone on BoingBoing.

I’d love indepth reviews like this for Android & Symbian (for Symbian has the biggest share of the market still, or did in 2009) phones…

By: Rego Digital

Rego Digital — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Xeni, can you show us the Rubber Band Steadicam? By the way, I saw a cool mount for an iPhone 4 that gives the iphone a 1/4-20 screw mount and it fits in your pocket. its called the Glif and has a great Kickstarter story. it’s been featured on BB. (i’m not affilated in any way with the product).

By: timbearcub

timbearcub — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Still has the same ‘jelly’ issues as the iPod, if better quality.

CMOS I guess? Sigh.

By: Chesterfield

Chesterfield — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I have one of these as well and I’m not very happy with it. The image stabilization doesn’t seem to work very well on scenes with a lot of movement (including pans).

By: ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive

ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Is this 30 frames per second, or 24 frames per second, or perhaps 30 frames exported to 24 after editing? There seemed to be some interlacing on the shakey-cam shots. It might be the embedded player making the action look a bit strobey. It didn’t seem to cache so I could look at it without the streaming speed affecting playback. The footage looks nice and sharp and saturated. Some wonky lens flare, but that’s to be expected.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

is it a time machine as well? where’d that “Maui and Sons” shirt come from?

By: Wingo

Wingo — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I just have to point out how totally AWESOME that little skater kid is. Wow.

By: JGB

JGB — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Its fine for what it is…

And if you are getting a phone anyway, great.

BUT, dont miss the point of optics, etc. Footage really doesn’t compete with a half-decent camera… albeit this is better than standard ipod and flip…. sure.

For family outings this is great. I really dont see why people are making a fuss.

By: pretzellogic

pretzellogic — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

The girl in blue @ 1:05… What a fantastic cool & cocky move!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

video quality was good — but, like #26, I was more amazed by pint-sized shredder at the end. Please test more video devices at that park.

By: Pantograph

Pantograph — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Agreed. I’d like to remind BoingBoing readers that there is no “i” in “phone”.

Now go call your mom.

By: cstatman

cstatman — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Once again Xeni, you have inspired lust in my heart.

this time for the iphone.

;)

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

The only thing I noticed from a quality standpoint is that the color seemed to have a hard time locking into a steady whitepoint. The young girl’s face went from bluish to oversaturated red/yellow depending on the lighting from second to second. You can see a similar thing on the gray cement in the skate bowl as the pan moves from side to side and light to dark (it turns alternating greenish- to reddish-gray). Xeni – is there any auto-correction enabled in the Final Cut workflow that might have introduced this, or did you see that as well in the iPhone itself?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

And no ones mentioned that amazing skater kid! How incredible