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Hi fellow ActiveMelody students. This is kind of a gear discussion, but I’ve posted it here, since it is directly related to our lesson challenges. I use an iPhone 5s to shoot my videos, and I suspect that many of you also use either iPhones or iPads to do your videos. I’m learning more and more about how to optimize videos shot with iPhones and iPads, so I’ll just pass on some of the stuff I’ve learned. Here’s a video discussion:
And here are a few more notes: I didn’t mention that Apple products save videos as .MOV files. These are useless if you want to edit them later, unless you use the useless Apple iMovie software. So the first thing I do is convert all my clips to .MP4 files using an inexpensive conversion software called iSkysoft Video Converter. It’s a simple drag and drop process, takes a matter of seconds to convert a typical clip. MP4 files are then easily edited using Adobe Premiere Elements (about $100). There’s a bit of a learning curve for Premiere Elements, so if anyone is interested, I’ll be happy to post a few tips on using it.
Back to the iPhone, the selfie camera (on the screen side of the iPhone) is only 1.2 megapixels with 720p resolution. The camera on the rear of the iPhone is 8 megapixels with 1080p resolution. So it’s much better to use the rear camera. Before shooting a video, you need to go into Settings and put it on Airplane Mode or turn off Wifi, and put it on Silent mode. That’s because the mic can pick up RF noise from a wifi router, and also you don’t want your phone to ring in the middle of a recording.
A weird thing I didn’t mention in the video is the dreaded upside down video problem. Sometimes I would shoot a video clip, import it into my editing software only to discover it was upside down. Viewed on the iPhone, it was right side up. A bit of Googling revealed that if you place the iPhone on a flat surface, then pick it up and start shooting video, it sometimes fails to know which side is up and results in an upside down video. I found that if you hold the iPhone in video shooting position and wiggle it around a bit, then put it into your tripod or stand, you don’t seem to get upside down videos. Apparently it has to do with the little motion/balance sensor inside the iPhone.
I hope these observations are useful to someone other than just me.
Sunjamr Steve
Sunjamr Steve
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Hi Steve,
Great video. I think I’m going to buy that microphone you describe.
It’s a–Shure MV88 iOS Digital Stereo Condenser Microphone–correct?
I’m assuming it will plug right into my iPhone 6 with no adapters or other accessories required, as it looks to be in your video, correct?
Thanks a lot for sending in the useful comments.
Larry
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Hi Steve,
Great video. I think I’m going to buy that microphone you describe.
It’s a–Shure MV88 iOS Digital Stereo Condenser Microphone–correct?
I’m assuming it will plug right into my iPhone 6 with no adapters or other accessories required, as it looks to be in your video, correct?
Yep, I bought mine from the Apple Store here in New Z-land, as it was cheaper than the local retail stores. It does plug straight in, but if you go to the App Store you can download a free app (the mic instructions will tell you the name of it) which allows you to set the mic gain, etc. Then when you plug in the mic, the app pops up and reminds you to turn on Airplane mode and Do Not Disturb mode. It does indeed just plug straight in, no other accessories needed. You could just use it straight out of the box without the app, but I found that when recording an acoustic guitar, it was useful to turn up the gain a bit. I did several test videos with and without the mic, and the mic gives me way better sound. After hearing it, the built-in iPhone mic sounded tinny with very poor bass and no crisp high notes.
Sunjamr Steve
Sunjamr Steve
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I also recommend the app FilmIc Pro in the app store. It is for shooting video and corrects some short falls that the default camera has, such as focus lock, lighting lock, white balance and all.
I have it, used it quite a lot on a 5 and now have it on my 6s Plus. Great App!
Don't practice till you get it right, practice till you can't get it wrong.
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I also recommend the app FilmIc Pro in the app store. It is for shooting video and corrects some short falls that the default camera has, such as focus lock, lighting lock, white balance and all.
@Music-AMG: if it can do focus lock, then that alone would be worth the cost.Sunjamr Steve
Sunjamr Steve
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