Is there an app for iPhone or iPad that will let me record log color space video? It seems like with such an abundance of instagram-ish "filter" apps, developers probably have access to raw sensor data. Are there any apps designed to record it in a flat color profile for postproduction grading?
asked Sep 19, 2015 at 16:28
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4 Answers
This announcement article dated January 11, 2017 indicates that there will be an upgrade to the app FiLMiC Pro which may accommodate what you are looking for. Note that the FiLMic Pro App Store web page indicates the latest release is 12/23/2016 - I do not know when the update the article speaks of will be available:
The forthcoming update will introduce a new log mode that allows filmmakers to shoot videos with a flat picture profile containing additional stops of dynamic range.
Also check out FiLMic's website - I couldn't find any details, but I was interested to read that they develop it with Apple's Swift language.
Of note, they have apparently released a beta version for testing and demo of the LOG capture. Compare in particular the dark area of the dashboard in the lower left hand corner in this example of source video vs. the same footage after grading with BlackMagic Design's DaVinci Resolve. Disclaimer - these videos are from the article and the quality of the color grading vs youtube compression and such is relative. Also, as an example of the extra detail shooting this way may afford, note in the third shot, the shadow detail of the hat before and after.
Likely you don't need this information, but here is a recent article which provides a decent overview of what it means to shoot in log color space , or, record a "flat color profile." Also, some related VideoSE Q&A about shooting considerations.
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I knew it would only be a matter of time after Apple started pushing "wide color." Hopefully more options won't be far behind. Thanks for the useful links, too. There's some interesting stuff in there. Feb 12, 2017 at 20:39
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@JasonConrad some additional info about Apple and color profiles in this recent thread: apple.stackexchange.com/a/272068/216401– MmmHmmFeb 12, 2017 at 20:48
How I understand from this question "Which color space the iOS devices is used?" iOS have only one accessable color space.
According to this, even RAW photos from iOS are not really RAW.
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1In the first link, they're talking about the color space of the iPhone's display, not the color space of it's camera. In the second part, I'm not really looking for RAW, I'm looking for log. I'm not totally sure that just because developers don't seem to be able to produce RAW stills, that they couldn't produce log video, if they tried. Maybe you're right, but I'd need a little more explanation in your answer before I upvote. Sep 29, 2015 at 15:36
The iPhone display and camera are already in logarithmic color spaces. I think you are asking about linear color space.
I very much doubt that Apple allows direct access to the camera hardware. I haven't seen any apps that required it.
But even if you somehow could, you'd find that the conversion to sRGB/BT.709 is done in the camera hardware, as is the compression. And even if you could access the raw sensor, you'd find the data noisy and unwieldy.
So, no. Sorry.
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1No. I'm asking about log color space. Like Canon C-log, Sony S-log, or BMD Film. Has any third party developed their own flavor? I know Apple hasn't, or I wouldn't be asking. And you're wrong about the camera and display being log. They're closer to sRGB. Again, if they were log, I wouldn't be asking. Mar 9, 2016 at 20:16
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What you are asking about is EOTF (gamma, PQ, HLG) and not color space. But the answer is the same. The gamma defined in BT.709 isn't ideal for professionals, but we're stuck with it. Mar 9, 2016 at 22:52
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What, exactly is that link supposed to show me? There's no mention of color space, gamma, EOTF, PQ, HLG, BT.709, or any of the other terminology you've used. I suspect your information is incorrect. Please cite your claims. Mar 10, 2016 at 15:47
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@JasonConrad - the link is just pointing out what iOS makes available to developers for interacting with the camera. It is extremely limited.– AJ Henderson ♦Mar 10, 2016 at 21:26
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1I'm not a programmer, but it looks like some of those variables enable high dynamic range video recording, specifically, automaticallyAdjustsVideoHDREnabled and videoHDREnabled. If the sensor can image a wide latitude, and the OS has variables which acknowledge it, it seems like it should be a matter of simple mathematical transformation of the data. I'm looking for an authoritative answer. If the answer is, "no, not possible", that's fine, but such an answer should include enough expertise and explanation to actually answer the question, not just point me to some arcane developer site. Mar 10, 2016 at 22:08
True Log recording is not possible in iOS till date. There is no access to raw sensor data when it comes to shooting video on iOS. RAW is possible only when you click a picture, not video. I hope iPhone was fast enough to process 30 RAW pictures per second but right now it can't handle more than 3 per second. I hope iOS 12.0 offers developers better access to the sensor to shoot real LOG videos, i.e. when developers can apply gamma curve of their choice when A2D conversion takes place in Bayer array filter.
