It has been a year since the iPhone 13 showed that Apple was in a refinement path for the iPhone line with improved video across the board and the introduction of ProRes recording in 10 bits for some modes. The Slow motion capabilities had been capped at 1080p frame rates since the iPhones of old. The iPhone 14 has the same max 4k frame rate of 60p as the iPhone 13 but the sensor, image processor, and lenses have all been refined and improved.
Are high frame rates relegated to stay at 1080p forever on the Apple line? It has been 7 years of releases of capped 1080p at 120fps and 240fps with no other frame sizes getting a better spec. Most phones are also restricted but Sony, Huawei, and others have been delivering 120fps in 4k video modes for a couple of years now. The iPhone 14 seems to continue the trend of refinement without blowout frame rates at higher resolutions.
iPhone 14 Pro Video Recording Modes:
- 4K video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
- 1080p HD video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
- 720p HD video recording at 30 fps
- Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps
- Action mode up to 2.8K at 60 fps
- HDR video recording with Dolby Vision up to 4K at 60 fps
- ProRes video recording up to 4K at 30 fps (1080p at 30 fps for 128GB storage)
- Macro video recording, including slo-mo and time-lapse
- Slo‑mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps
- Time‑lapse video with stabilization
- Night mode Time-lapse
- QuickTake video
- Second‑generation sensor‑shift optical image stabilization for video (Main)
- Dual optical image stabilization for video (Main and Telephoto)
- 3x optical zoom in, 2x optical zoom out; 6x optical zoom range
- Digital zoom up to 9x
- Audio zoom
- True Tone flash
- Cinematic video stabilization (4K, 1080p, and 720p)
- Continuous autofocus video
- Take 8MP still photos while recording 4K video
- Playback zoom
- Video formats recorded: HEVC, H.264, and ProRes
- Stereo recording
- 12MP camera
- ƒ/1.9 aperture
- Autofocus with Focus Pixels
- Six‑element lens
- Retina Flash
- Photonic Engine
- Deep Fusion
- Smart HDR 4
- Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control
- Portrait Lighting with six effects (Natural, Studio, Contour, Stage, Stage Mono, High‑Key Mono)
- Animoji and Memoji
- Night mode
- Photographic Styles
- Apple ProRAW
- Wide color capture for photos and Live Photos
- Lens correction
- Auto image stabilization
- Burst mode
- 4K video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
- 1080p HD video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
- Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps
- HDR video recording with Dolby Vision up to 4K at 60 fps
- ProRes video recording up to 4K at 30 fps (1080p at 30 fps for 128GB storage)
- Slo‑mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps
- Time‑lapse video with stabilization
- Night mode Time-lapse
- QuickTake video
- Cinematic video stabilization (4K, 1080p, and 720p)
Is slow motion dead on the iPhone platform?
For the feature to be dead it would have to be missing on every single video mode. By including 1080p 120 and 240fps the feature is there if you need it and to some degree in 4k at 60p but we can hardly call it slow motion at 60fps. Apple really needs to include the now high-end phone spec of 4k 120fps and should improve 1080p 240p to be included at 2.7k and maybe increase the HD version to 480fps to create a competitive advantage against Android phones.
Apple has chosen quality video in HDR and a wide gamut color range with very decent low light and low artifact results instead of creating more frame rates as expected. They are all in for the cinematic look instead of feature for feature besting to Sony, Samsung, and other Android brands.
Should I upgrade?
There is no question that the iPhone 14 is the best video capture phone Apple has ever made, especially in the Pro and Pro Max varieties. ProRes cinematic 24p video, 4k 60p, and impressive video stabilization that rivals that of GoPro and or DJI Action cameras with super stable results with intelligent cropping and very little if any rolling shutter.
If you have an iPhone 13 or there is no legitimate reason to get an iPhone 14 other than bragging rights and or unless you need one of the few new features. The iPhone 13 video modes are very comparable and could be compared side by side with hardly a significant difference. Yes, there might be more detail and better quality in the shadows and highlights in the 14 but no feature is really a must this time around for slow motion enthusiasts. In fact, the slow motion modes since the iPhone 11 remain pretty much the same with just better marginal quality of image upgrades between models.
If you own an iPhone 11 or 12, then an iPhone 14 is a more justified upgrade, you get better cinematic video, better stabilization, audio, sensors, and low light processing. If you are in the Apple ecosystem and don’t plan to change to Android anytime soon, the iPhone 14 is a clear upgrade path. There is nothing inherently wrong with the phone, just that it is a bit disappointing that after nearly 10 years of slow motion on these devices, we hardly get any upgrade to the feature.
For slow motion enthusiasts, we suggest you look at GoPro, DJI, and or other Android handsets for better options. – HSC