As Apple has expanded the video capabilities of its iPhone series, including major breakthroughs with the iPhone 15 Pro and new iPhone 16 Pro devices, the iPhone has become a legitimate professional video camera.
As director Stanislav Kapralov and cinematographer Eugene Usanov from Evotime Films show, when the iPhone is paired with professional filmmaking tools and put in the hands of creative artists, the results can be staggering. In the case of a new short film, O2, one of the tools used is the Beastgrip DOF Adapter Фoton (pronounced like “photon”) created by Vadym Chalenko, founder and CEO of Beastgrip.
This new adapter enables filmmakers to attach professional cinema lenses to an iPhone, significantly improving image quality and creative versatility. While the iPhone’s image sensor and lenses are impressive, the small form factor limits the optical possibilities, especially regarding depth of field, focal length, and the overall look of footage. O2 was shot entirely using Atlas Mercury series anamorphic lenses, which are PL mount lenses typically used on full-fledged cinema cameras, some of which can cost upwards of six figures.
Of course, Atlas Mercury lenses aren’t cheap themselves — they’re $7,995 a pop. Further, the team, with additional support from Old Fast Glass, custom-built a camera rig for the iPhone. By the time all the costs are added up, it’s still an expensive production, albeit one much more affordable and way smaller than one built around a typical cinema camera.
“This adapter is the next step in the evolution of mobile filmmaking,” says Chalenko. “It’s still a prototype, but it allowed us to break through the limitations of the iPhone’s built-in lens. We used high-quality cinema lenses, giving the film a look similar to what you’d see with traditional cameras.”
“I wanted O2 to have a true cinematic feel. Being a visual director, I was excited to see the results we achieved using Atlas lenses with this new DOF adapter,” says director Stanislav Kapralov. “Additionally, AI tools enabled us to add VFX at a fraction of the cost. Although it’s in its early stages, I believe the film’s final look speaks for itself.”
The director of photography, Usanov, adds that the results blew him away.
“Despite concerns about the iPhone’s dynamic range and low-light performance, Apple ProRes Log exceeded expectations. Combined with the Atlas lenses, the footage looks like it was captured on a cinema camera. It felt like we defied physics,” Usanov exclaims.
Apple’s flagship iPhones, whether used to capture ProRes Log straight out of the box or rigged up with specialized accessories, change how some filmmakers can create. Tools like the Beastgrip DOF adapter make the iPhone even more capable as a cinema camera. The iPhone is not a replacement for cinema cameras in every possible situation. Still, as filmmakers are finding out, it can be an interesting new tool to add to their kit and offers unique benefits compared to traditional cinema cameras.
If someone saw O2 and had no idea how it was shot, it is hard to believe they would ever guess it was made using a smartphone — and that is quite an achievement.
Image credits: Beastgrip
