The iPhone 11 Pro: A Revolutionary Smartphone with 4K Video Capabilities at 60 Frames per Second

The iPhone 11 Pro is the first and only smartphone that can shoot video in 4K quality at 60 frames per second, a feature made possible by the new high efficiency H.265 file format that saves storage space while retaining image quality. This is a significant improvement over other smartphones that can record in 4K but only at 30 frames per second. In this article, we will explore what 4K 60p means and why it's such a big deal.

What Does 4K 60p Mean?

4K quality refers to the resolution of the video, which is more accurately described as UHD (Ultra High Definition). 4K resolution has four times the pixels of 1080p HD, resulting in much more detailed video. The "60" in 4K 60p refers to the frame rate, which measures the number of frames per second. In this case, the iPhone 11 Pro can record at 60 frames per second, making it ideal for slow-motion footage and other applications that require a high frame rate.

Why is 4K 60 Such a Big Deal?

The reason why 4K 60 is such a big deal is because most high-end cameras cannot record at this level of quality. The Panasonic GH2, for example, costs around $1,000 and is one of the best camera options available, while the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV is priced at around $3,000. Even new action cameras with wide-angle lenses without stabilization are not capable of recording at 4K 60p. This is due to processing power and budget constraints, as most camera manufacturers do not want to sacrifice performance or compromise on image quality.

However, Apple has managed to pack such an amazing feat into a compact device thanks to the new ultra powerful A11 Bionic processor. This processor provides the necessary processing power to handle 4K 60p video recording without sacrificing battery life or compromising on image quality.

Comparing 4K 30fps and 4K 60fps Video

To compare the two, we set up the iPhone 11 Pro on a tripod and recorded both in 4K 30fps and 4K 60fps using high efficiency mode. We later transferred the clips to our Mac and converted them to ProRes LT using EditReady software, ensuring they would be compatible with Final Cut Pro X.

When taking a look at this scene, we noticed that the 4K 60 video looks darker around the fence in the ground but the roofs of the houses are extremely blown out compared to the 4K 30fps video. This might seem counterintuitive, as one would expect the higher frame rate to result in brighter images. However, there's an explanation for this phenomenon.

In 4K 60fps, the exposure is reduced to accommodate the faster frame rate, which means less light enters the camera. To compensate for this decrease in light, the camera increases the ISO (sensitivity) to brightness levels, resulting in a darker image. This effect is more pronounced when cropping in on the video.

Moreover, we saw some extra noise in the higher framerate video. When we cropped in on the scene, it was clear that the 4K 60 footage had significantly more noise compared to the 4K 30fps footage. The increased frame rate also led to a loss of detail, particularly in low-light conditions.

Conclusion

In conclusion, shooting in 4K 60 does allow you to get smoother video in slow-motion footage but at the cost of extra noise, worst dynamic range, and less detail, especially in low light. While this feature is remarkable for its compact size and affordability, it's essential to consider the trade-offs involved.

If you plan on shooting at night or in low-light conditions, we recommend using 4K 30fps instead. On the other hand, if you want to capture smooth slow-motion footage without sacrificing image quality, 4K 60 might be worth considering. Ultimately, the choice depends on your specific needs and preferences.

Apple's iPhone 11 Pro is an impressive device that offers a range of exciting features, including 4K video recording at 60 frames per second. While this feature has its limitations, it's undeniable that the iPhone 11 Pro is a force to be reckoned with in the world of smartphones.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enthe iPhone a is the first and only smartphone that can shoot video in 4k quality at 60 frames per second which requires the new high efficiency H EVC file format which save storage space while retaining image quality many other phones these days can record in 4k but only at 30 frames per second later in this video we'll compare the quality of 4k 30 and 60 frames per second video but first let's give you a quick rundown of what 4k 60p means 4k quality means 4k resolution are more accurately UHD 4k has four times the pixels of 1080p HD eight point three million pixels versus 1.9 million resulting in much more detailed video now why is 4k 60 such a big deal first of all because most high-end cameras can't even do it panasonic gh2 thousand dollars and the next cheapest is a Canon at six thousand dollars there's also a few new action cams but you're stuck with an ultra wide lens without stabilization this is all due to processing power and most camera companies aren't willing to make extra room in their budget to allow for more powerful processors in their cameras our our hats go off to Apple for being able to pack such an amazing feat into a compact device and it's all thanks to the new ultra powerful a 11 Bionic processor now let's take a look at what we found when comparing 4k 30fps video to 4k 60 we set the iPhone 8 on a tripod and recorded in each setting both using high efficiency mode we later transfer the clips to our Mac and converted them to pro res LT using editready software so they'd be compatible with Final Cut 10 taking a look at this scene we noticed that the 4k 60 video looks darker around the fence in the ground but the roofs of the houses are extremely blown out compared to the 4k 30 video for some reason the highlights should have actually gotten darker if the rest of the video got darker so we can see that in this scene shooting 4k 60 we also saw some extra noise in the higher framerate video in this scene we can see that both clips are similarly bright but if we crop in we see a lot more noise in the 4k 60 footage scene also shows identical exposure for both clips cropping in we can again see more noise in the 4k 60 footage and can even see less detail compared to the 4k 30 footage now this scene is the most interesting we kept lighting exactly the same and tap to focus on the lamp in the center ensuring exposure was identical in both clips but the 4k 60 footage turned out way darker this is due to the shutter speed in ISO when shooting in 4k 60 other speed needs to be twice as fast as in 4k 30 since it's taking twice as many pictures per second when you increase shutter speed less light enters the camera system making the image darker to compensate the camera turns up the ISO to increase brightness but the maximum available is 880 so if the scene is too dark then the iPhone can't compensate enough to make up the difference another drawback is that increased ISO introduces extra noise and decreases detail for these same reasons we saw added noise throughout all of our 4k 60 footage our conclusion is that shooting in 4k 60 does allow you to get smoother video in slow-motion footage but at the cost of extra noise worst dynamic range and less detail especially in low light but without looking at footage side by side most people would be happy with 4k 60 so we recommend shooting in whichever format you prefer take note that if you are gonna shoot at night or in low-light we would recommend shooting at 30 frames per second we're working on a couple of videos to show off what you can do with 4k 60 like slowing it down and create beautifully sharp slow-mo video so make sure to stay tuned if you enjoy this video like it and hit that subscribe button also check out a price guide which makes it extremely easy to find the best deals and Apple products updated daily be sure to follow us on social media and we'll see you in the next videothe iPhone a is the first and only smartphone that can shoot video in 4k quality at 60 frames per second which requires the new high efficiency H EVC file format which save storage space while retaining image quality many other phones these days can record in 4k but only at 30 frames per second later in this video we'll compare the quality of 4k 30 and 60 frames per second video but first let's give you a quick rundown of what 4k 60p means 4k quality means 4k resolution are more accurately UHD 4k has four times the pixels of 1080p HD eight point three million pixels versus 1.9 million resulting in much more detailed video now why is 4k 60 such a big deal first of all because most high-end cameras can't even do it panasonic gh2 thousand dollars and the next cheapest is a Canon at six thousand dollars there's also a few new action cams but you're stuck with an ultra wide lens without stabilization this is all due to processing power and most camera companies aren't willing to make extra room in their budget to allow for more powerful processors in their cameras our our hats go off to Apple for being able to pack such an amazing feat into a compact device and it's all thanks to the new ultra powerful a 11 Bionic processor now let's take a look at what we found when comparing 4k 30fps video to 4k 60 we set the iPhone 8 on a tripod and recorded in each setting both using high efficiency mode we later transfer the clips to our Mac and converted them to pro res LT using editready software so they'd be compatible with Final Cut 10 taking a look at this scene we noticed that the 4k 60 video looks darker around the fence in the ground but the roofs of the houses are extremely blown out compared to the 4k 30 video for some reason the highlights should have actually gotten darker if the rest of the video got darker so we can see that in this scene shooting 4k 60 we also saw some extra noise in the higher framerate video in this scene we can see that both clips are similarly bright but if we crop in we see a lot more noise in the 4k 60 footage scene also shows identical exposure for both clips cropping in we can again see more noise in the 4k 60 footage and can even see less detail compared to the 4k 30 footage now this scene is the most interesting we kept lighting exactly the same and tap to focus on the lamp in the center ensuring exposure was identical in both clips but the 4k 60 footage turned out way darker this is due to the shutter speed in ISO when shooting in 4k 60 other speed needs to be twice as fast as in 4k 30 since it's taking twice as many pictures per second when you increase shutter speed less light enters the camera system making the image darker to compensate the camera turns up the ISO to increase brightness but the maximum available is 880 so if the scene is too dark then the iPhone can't compensate enough to make up the difference another drawback is that increased ISO introduces extra noise and decreases detail for these same reasons we saw added noise throughout all of our 4k 60 footage our conclusion is that shooting in 4k 60 does allow you to get smoother video in slow-motion footage but at the cost of extra noise worst dynamic range and less detail especially in low light but without looking at footage side by side most people would be happy with 4k 60 so we recommend shooting in whichever format you prefer take note that if you are gonna shoot at night or in low-light we would recommend shooting at 30 frames per second we're working on a couple of videos to show off what you can do with 4k 60 like slowing it down and create beautifully sharp slow-mo video so make sure to stay tuned if you enjoy this video like it and hit that subscribe button also check out a price guide which makes it extremely easy to find the best deals and Apple products updated daily be sure to follow us on social media and we'll see you in the next video\n"