iOS 26 Allows Cinematic Mode Video Recording in Third-Party Apps

OK. Deep focus used to be considered Cinematic, now there's an assumption that shallow depth of field is. Well, it is on phones, where you have to keep the viewers eyes on the right part of a small screen, but "Cinematic" is what the filmmaker says it is.

Shallow depth of field is a fundamental part of what is considered a cinematic image as it comes natural due to the physics involved in capturing light using the large surface area of film and later on digital sensors in use to film films for the big screen the last century and afterwards high end tv. It is what sets it apart from regular tv programs that use small sensors for recording. During the last 15 years or so, due to the advancement of technology it became increasingly easier to obtain such a look as small low cost cameras with equivalent sized sensors became available to use for filming but as mobile phones lack the sensor size for this effect to come in natural they emulate it with computational photography methods.

Apple is making Cinematic mode video capture available beyond its Camera app on the iPhone.



In a WWDC 2025 session ('https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2025/319/') earlier this month, Apple introduced a new API that allows developers of third-party camera apps like Kino ('https://apps.apple.com/us/app/kino-pro-video-camera/id6472380172') and Filmic Pro ('https://apps.apple.com/us/app/filmic-pro-video-camera/id436577167') to offer Cinematic mode video recording capabilities in their apps, if they choose to implement it.

Apple introduced Cinematic mode on iOS 15, and it is available on all iPhone 13 models and newer. Inspired by Hollywood films, the mode allows users to record video with a shallow depth of field and automatic focus changes between subjects.

Cinematic mode uses a technique called "rack focus" to seamlessly shift the focus from one subject to another. It does this by locking the focus on the subject in a scene and blurring the background to achieve depth of field. If you subsequently move the camera to center on a new subject, or a new subject enters the scene, Cinematic mode automatically switches the focal point to this new subject and blurs out the background.

Since iOS 17, Apple has allowed Cinematic mode video playback and editing ('https://www.macrumors.com/2023/06/15/ios-17-cinematic-mode-third-party-apps/') in third-party apps, but the videos had to be recorded in the Camera app first. Now, camera apps on the App Store can offer an all-in-one Cinematic mode recording and editing experience, if they wish to. Watch the session below for more details.

Article Link: iOS 26 Allows Cinematic Mode Video Recording in Third-Party Apps ('https://www.macrumors.com/2025/06/21/ios-26-expands-cinematic-mode-recording/')

If the black magic app adds this AND its possible to shoot cinematic mode in log, I will be a very happy camper.

It doesn’t really depend on sensor size but more on the lens design. Apple can introduce better lens for natural DoF, but I am not sure whether users will like it or not, maybe they are omitting it because they don’t want to have users complaining about “blurred images”.

Nevertheless I would love better optics on iPhone. No computations will ever replace natural lens blur imo

The bigger the sensor size, the more obvious is the shallow depth is, when all things are equal, like field of view and distance from the subject. The lens design can give a distinctive look to the out of focus parts but doesn't affect the way light rays are or not focused.

I’d love to see this feature get a fidelity upgrade in the future, to look and function more realistically like shallow lens depth. It’s pretty good now for personal video and social stuff, but for more professional use it doesn’t hit the mark.

Shallow depth of field is a fundamental part of what is considered a cinematic image as it comes natural due to the physics involved in capturing light using the large surface area of film and later on digital sensors in use to film films for the big screen the last century and afterwards high end tv. It is what sets it apart from regular tv programs that use small sensors for recording. During the last 15 years or so, due to the advancement of technology it became increasingly easier to obtain such a look as small low cost cameras with equivalent sized sensors became available to use for filming but as mobile phones lack the sensor size for this effect to come in natural they emulate it with computational photography methods.

It doesn’t really depend on sensor size but more on the lens design. Apple can introduce better lens for natural DoF, but I am not sure whether users will like it or not, maybe they are omitting it because they don’t want to have users complaining about “blurred images”.

Nevertheless I would love better optics on iPhone. No computations will ever replace natural lens blur imo

Good to see Apple opening it up. Think for sure 3rd party apps will be supporting it soon.