5 Pros and 5 Cons of Filming Video On Your Smartphone (iPhone or Samsung)

Naik Media – Cumbria + North West Video Production | ‘How To’ Blog Series

Would you have guessed a few years ago that we’d all be walking around with HD (and even UHD) video cameras in our pockets and handbags?  Just a decade ago the video cameras with the same capabilities as our smartphones would have come in a massive crate along with a team… and a van.

Now that we have this power *literally* at our finger tips, let’s look at how we can make the most of this opportunity. 

The Pros of Filming Video On A Smartphone:

Let’s start with the Pros of smartphone cameras and why you should not underestimate their ability:

1. Convenient – how do you feel when you haven’t got your phone with you? Uncomfortable…? Like something’s missing…?  We’re so used to having our phones with us these days that we actually get withdrawal from them!  This convenience of having our phones with us, as well as the desire to keep it near you, means that you will always have your phone around ready to capture the fleeting moment you want on video.
2. Ease of use – you know how to use video on your phone, right?  This means you also know how to use video on every model of your phone that comes out after, and every other version that may belong to someone else.  With other camera types, even the newer model has a different function to previous iterations of it, meaning you have to relearn the processes all over again.  Not so with your smartphone!
3. Simple Uploads – once you’ve shot the video, you can trim it on the same device, add titles and graphics, even add backing music straight after.  Straight after that you can instantly upload it to a sharing platform giving you access to thousands to millions of people.  This process used to take months; today it takes seconds.
4. Two Cameras in One – if you’re in touch with the vlogisphere you’ll know that one of the most sought after features in a video camera is the ability to see yourself as you film.  This is something that is built into our phones, and done so extremely effectively.  The new ones are stabilised; they can add filters and effects to your image instantly.  Or even animate your recording of yourself into a cartoon…Maybe it’s tacky, but with the right creative mind, it can be done to great effect.  Being able to see yourself while filming can save so much time when you’re filming yourself.
5. Accessories Galore – can you think of another camera that has as many accessories built for it? Gimbals, waterproof cases,additional lenses…They’re cheap, they all fit really well  and work (usually!) seamlessly.  There is no other camera system with this many useful and affordable accessories.  For all of the shortcomings listed here, there is either an app or an accessory that addresses it.

The Cons of Filming Video On A Smartphone:

Most of the time your video can be greatly improved by simply understanding the shortcomings of your video camera.  This allows you to address the issue with additional items or adjustments to your shooting process.  Below are the shortcomings of smartphone cameras, as well as some suggestions on how you can overcome them:

1. Small Sensor = Noisy In Low Light – I’m sure you’ve noticed how mushy and soft your smartphone videos look in dimly lit environments.  This is a shortcoming of a small sensor – they need to compensate more for low light than larger sensor cameras and the resulting effect is not pleasing.  Knowing is half the battle: improve your understanding on how to light your subject (naturally or artificially) and you’ll greatly improve the quality coming out of your small camera.
2. Poor Sound Quality – as well as a small sensor, these cameras have small omnidirectional microphones (they pick up sound coming in from all directions).  The downside here is that the sound quality will be nowhere near that of a larger microphone and it will pick up too much background noise.  The quality is improving greatly with each iteration of smartphone (noise cancellation etc) but nothing can beat an external microphone, and as we mentioned in our other blog post on this subject, there are a big range of accessories which will have a huge impact on the quality of sound in your videos.
3. Ergonomics & Camera Shake – we’re putting this as one item as the two often go hand in hand.  Such a small camera is difficult to stabilise or hold comfortably and securely for a long time.  The result is of course shaky footage which, depending on the look you’re going for, lacks a professional feel.  But yet again, accessories are to the rescue! You can get an industry leading gimbal (device which compensates for your movement and keeps the camera steady) for 1/8th the price of the equivalent model for a DSLR camera!  After a microphone and lighting equipment, this is a valuable investment.
4. Limited Recording Options – here is the first major issue that is found within the software, and something that really shouldn’t exist, but here we are…Smartphones are often restricted to shooting 30p or 60p (frames per second) which is great for those of you in the United States. For most of the rest of us, this can lead to awful flickering when used under certain artificial lights.  There are apps which allow you to shoot at a different (correct 25p for PAL) frame rate, but this is something that REALLY should be built into the software already.
5. Lack Of Creative Control – tied in to some extent to the last point (number 4), is the lack of creative control you have over the shooting of video.  Unlike a more professional camera, you cannot change the shutter speed (or shutter angle) for a smoother more cinematic feel.  You cannot change the aperture for a shallower/deeper depth of field.  You get what the camera says is right for you.  Sure, you can brighten or reduce the exposure (brightness) but you have no say in how this is achieved.  It’s Apps to the rescue again as we can download some which give you such controls.  Would be nice again to have this inbuilt…

Even after all this, you might be thinking “They don’t stand a chance against my current [insert expensive camera brand/type here]”.  Of course not, but do you carry that with you wherever you go?  Do you have a backup for that camera?  Do you have a backup of that backup?!  If you know how to get professional results with your smartphone, you’re in a strong position, even if you do have a professional video camera to hand.

They’re feature rich (often outdoing the latest video cameras with features such as hyper lapse), they’re as compact as you can get, and most importantly: THEY ARE ALWAYS THERE.

Photographer Chase Jarvis was right when he said, “the best camera is the one you have with you.”

More often than not, your smartphone is the best camera in the world.

Do you use your smartphone for video content creation, or are you unconvinced?  Let us know in the comments below or get in touch if you’d like to see more content like this!