It’s no surprise that many people love filming on their smartphones, and as social media is now starting to accommodate films from smartphones, there is a question that’s building traction amongst filmmakers and social media influences alike. Are smartphones going to replace professional video cameras? This is a very loaded question and has even been used as a basis for many academic papers and theses. After all, there are many studies into the rapid development of technology and its impact on our lives. But for those of us who just want a simple answer, here are our thoughts on the subject.
No, They Won’t!
There are many reasons why smartphones won’t replace professional video cameras, at least not yet. One of them is the fact that professional cameras have more nuanced functions that help make filming videos more unique. That means that professional cameras have functions that can add filters to their video. Not only that but these filters can be adjusted more minutely; meaning that you can choose how much of the video is filtered. This can save your video editor the headache of colour grading your videos for you.
Another reason why professional videos won’t be made redundant yet, is the fact that you can manually control the white balance of a recording. So, before you even shoot your video, you can adjust the white balance both manually and automatically, as you wish. That way, your videos can look and feel the way you want them to feel, without needing to resort to a video editor. So, if you’re looking to capture that “golden hour” look, at sunset, you can do so, by adjusting the camera’s settings, before you start filming. That way, all you need to worry about is what the action in the shot is. With a smartphone, you’ll need to rely on the pre-set filters, or the filter sliders once the video is shot, which can be very limited.
You can also adjust the focus of a shot manually, even while you’re recording, with a professional video camera. This is a common feature in many films and TV shows, which helps to highlight where an audience’s attention should be. It’s also something that many smartphones don’t have yet, and those that do, may focus on the wrong thing. Not only that, but you can adjust the speed of the focus, with a professional camera, because of the manual function, and it’ll be much easier if you have a focus puller, who works with your camera operator.
Of course, one of the advantages of a professional camera is that you can shoot in 4K or even 8K resolution, in dedicated drives that have enough storage space, and these can be uploaded straight to your computer, without having to compete with other data or apps. With a smartphone, a 4K video, or even an 8K video will take up nearly all of the phone’s storage, especially if they don’t have at least 1TB of storage. After all, these videos take up a lot of space, and if you’ve got apps downloaded on your phone, the videos may compete with those apps
Yes, They Will!
Many video content online now, comes from mobile phones, and as such, many social media platforms now accommodate portrait videos. So, those who prefer filming with their phones will have a space for their videos. After all, many people who watch videos online, either watch them on their own phones, or watch videos on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. So, because of the ever-increasing accessibility, it seems like videos from smartphones will replace professional video cameras. If anything, it’ll be because of the popularity of social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
Not only that, but the technology of smartphones is improving, and soon, shooting a 4K video, or even an 8K video will be possible, without the loss of storage for your other apps. Not only that, but because of the usefulness of cloud drives, you can upload all your videos to your computer, while filming your videos. So, you can continuously film, just like with professional video cameras, without having to worry about corrupt files or converting them to a more accessible format.
Another reason why smartphones will replace professional video cameras is the fact that the automatic functions on a smartphone will make filming a video much easier. After all, you won’t need set up your white balance prior to filming, it’ll adjust itself, while you film. So, you can take long and continuous shots, without needing to set up a shot over and over again. Not to mention, there are ways you can adjust the preset filters on your camera, so you can get the right look for your shots, with just a few sliders.
Of course, the main reason why smartphones will replace professional video cameras is the fact that it’s more portable. After all, smartphones are smaller and lighter than a camera. So, you can take shots at interesting angles, heights, positions, and movements, which you can’t really get with a professional camera. Because of its portability, smartphones can literally go anywhere, even under water, as many are now waterproof. So, whatever shot you need, you can get with your phone.
What Do We Think?
For now, smartphones won’t replace professional cameras, just yet. Although the technology for smartphones is developing for cinematic uses, professional cameras are also evolving, to include other technologies, like 3D filming or live broadcasts. Not to mention, major studios and production companies still rely on professional cameras, because of the range of shots it can take, from super micro shots to very wide long shots, which can help create the effect that filmmakers want. Not only that, but many filmmakers would rather control how their shots look, so manual functions would help better than automatic ones. So, for now, smartphones won’t replace professional cameras, even though they’re gaining popularity amongst many filmmakers and social media influencers. After all, you’ll find many of them still buying and using professional video cameras, to shoot their videos, even those that are in portrait mode.
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