The iPhone 17 Pro has already excited me with its upgraded telephoto zoom and the new addition of ProRes raw video recording. It could be a superb tool for capturing stunning video, and Blackmagic’s new ProDock could make it useful on professional cinema productions.
Costing $295 (£225) from the Apple store, the dock connects to the iPhone 17 Pro over USB C, but features a variety of inputs to expand the phone further for pro video use. There are two USB ports for recording footage directly to external SSD drives — crucial if you’re shooting ProRes raw video which will generate vast file sizes — along with inputs for external audio recording and headphone inputs for monitoring that audio.
Read more: I’m a YouTuber and I’m Stoked for the iPhone 17 Pro’s Cameras
There’s also a handy HDMI output, allowing you to hook the iPhone up to a much bigger external monitor or a big TV. So you, your colleagues, collaborators or clients can see the shots you’re getting as you’re shooting.
Further along you’ll find inputs for timecode syncing and genlock — two features Apple added support for on the iPhone 17 Pro. For those of you not familiar with pro production terms like these, they essentially allow the iPhone’s frames and audio to be perfectly synchronized with other cameras and recording devices being used on set.
You’ll need to use the Blackmagic Camera app with the dock, which is free on iOS and I’ve found to be the best way to get pro-level control with your iPhone video.
Why is that important? Well, if you’re just shooting a quick YouTube vlog with the one phone, it isn’t. But if you’re using an iPhone — or several of them — on a production set along with other cameras and multiple microphone sources, then having the footage and audio in perfect sync is critical.
And with the quality of video that today’s iPhone’s can achieve, using them as part of professional productions is a realistic option. Recent zombie flick 28 Years Later was filmed entirely on iPhones, while Apple filmed its entire keynote video on an iPhone 17 Pro. Their small size makes them versatile to shoot in tight spaces and with the iPhone 17 Pro’s addition of ProRes raw capture and genlock and timecode sync I expect to see iPhones used increasingly in video production.
Apple shot its whole keynote on an iPhone 17 Pro. These phones absolutely can be used on professional productions.
You’ll need some extras with your phone and dock, most notably a cage that will both hold the phone and provide a mounting point for the dock underneath. I use SmallRig’s Mobile Video Kit, which also has side handles to help you get steadier footage, while Moment’s anamorphic lens gives your footage that cinematic widescreen aspect ratio. You’ll also need to shoot using the Blackmagic Camera app, which is free on iOS.
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