One of the most visual novelties, never better said, of the iPhone 13 is the new Cinema mode. A feature that allows us add different focus based on depth to video shots that we capture with our new iPhones. A feature that, according to two Apple executives interviewed by TechCrunchIt has been quite a challenge.
A way that is born from curiosity and the analysis of cinema
Kaiann Drance, vice president of iPhone marketing, and Johnnie Manzari, part of the Human Interface team, explained how Apple has managed to bring Cinema mode to the new iPhones. A mode that was not planned as a feature to add to the new iPhones, but rather was born as a question and an interest in the world of cinema.
“We had no idea [para Cinematic Mode]. We were just curious to know what it is about cinema that does not go out of style. And that led us down this interesting path and then we started to learn more and talk more … with people throughout the company who can help us solve these problems. “
“When you look at the design process,” says Manzari, “we start with a deep reverence and respect for the image and the cinema throughout history. We are fascinated by questions like which principles of the image and the cinema are timeless? Has the trade endured culturally and why? “
“Take something difficult and conventionally difficult to learn, and then turn it into something, automatic and simple.”
It is something similar to what already happened when Apple began to develop the types of portrait mode lighting. According to Manzari, it all started with the design team exploring the portraits of great artists. A study that led them to visit the original pieces and study their characteristics analytically in a laboratory. Similarly, Cinema mode relies heavily on interviews and conversations with the world’s best cinematographers. Interviews that are born from explore what makes cinema timeless.
“By doing this, certain trends emerge,” says Manzari. It was obvious that focus and focus shifts were critical storytelling tools, and that we as a cross-functional team needed to understand precisely how and when they were used. “
On a technical level everything the system relies on the power of the A15 Bionic and the Neural Engine which is part of the SoC. Thanks to the greater graphic power of the iPhone 13, it is possible to process the amount of data necessary to bring this Cinema mode to life.
“We knew that bringing high-quality depth of field to video would be a much bigger challenge. [que el modo retrato]”says Drance.” Unlike photos, video is designed to move like the person filming, including the movement of the hand. And that meant we would need higher quality depth data so that Cinematic mode could work with subjects, people, pets and objects, and we needed that depth data continuously to keep up with each frame. “Render these autofocus changes in real time it is a great computational workload. “
In the end, as Manzari says, the whole Cinema mode project revolves around everyone being able to use a recording mode that until now it was only available to the most experienced professionals.
“We think this is the kind of thing Apple tackles best. Taking something difficult and conventionally difficult to learn, and then turning it into something, automatic and simple.”
Without a doubt, the Cinema mode is one of the most surprising novelties of the new iPhone 13. A mode that is called to inspire a whole new generation of creators by making it easier for the videos we record with our iPhone to communicate, now, much more.