Video Review: $29 Tele Lens for iPhone 4

Is The iPhone 4 Ready For Video Post Processing?

It depends.

If you're doing it for fun, video-blogging, you may force the iPhone 4 to do video post-processing.

If you're doing it for pro, record on the iPhone 4 then edit it on desktop (yes you can put 'semi' word before 'pro' ^_^)

2 reasons.

1. It's a phone.
Its main function is a communication device. Rendering a video can take forever on this device & some apps are not natively multiprocessing. Anticipate a phone call while rendering. A phone call means interrupted rendering process. Not to mention the battery life. Don't try to render your edited video while far from electricity outlet. "Sorry I can't get your call, my phone is still rendering & the battery is low."

Takes 30 mins to render this 45 seconds video. 30 mins without receiving any phone call :D

And since it's a phone, you have to get used to edit in a small multitouch screen with your finger. iMovie for iPhone is great, but keep in mind that from desktop to tiny multitouch screen is another learning curve: finger editing.

2. Quality matters.

Color-correction is a critical process in video post processing. Without proper compression method, the video file will be 'damaged' due to inappropriate lossy data compression algorithm.
For instance, CinemaFX for video is the coolest color-grading app for iPhone 4. Problem is, by default it compresses the video from the Camera Roll, means that you'll get a video with blocky compressed quality - not the original.

Don't expect some Sorenson, DV-Pal or any professional video compression codecs for iOS anytime soon.


Try watch the video in HD to see the comparison.

iMovie for iPhone on the other hand, is using H.264 compression, which is good enough for final video. But not good enough to do multiple post-procs.

Is it ready for video post-processing?

"Hello? I'm shooting a video right now with my iPhone. Can I call you back?"

Video Review: Teddy's Night

Another iPad interactive book for children with beautiful illustration from Auryn Inc: Teddy's Night ($3.99).

Video Review: Teddy's Day

A children interactive book app for iPad from Auryn Inc: Teddy's Day

A Moment with Finger Video Editing on iPhone 4

Seorang teman di sini memesan unlocked iPhone 4 dari UK. Setibanya di Kuwait, kami diberi kesempatan untuk mencicipi iPhone generasi ke-empat ini. Sekedar ingin tahu bagaimana rasanya melakukan kegiatan video, dari pengambilan gambar hingga editing.

Untuk pengambilan gambar, tap-to-focus sangat membantu untuk mendapatkan kesan shallow focus. Tidak ada yang istimewa selain itu.


Focused, unfocused

Namun begitu mencoba iMovie.app, sebuah pengalaman baru menyunting video dalam sebuah layar kecil. Tepatnya: menyunting video dengan jari telunjuk. UI & navigasi di dalamnya sangat touchable & bersahabat. Amazing, saya bisa scrubbing video dengan jari saya di dalam sebuah 'mesin editing' sekecil ini. This is true finger scrubbing for video editing. Finger editing!

Video di bawah diedit langsung di iMovie.app & di-export sebagai HD 720p (half-HD).

Quick Comparison: iPhone 2G/3G Video Recorder

While Apple is no longer giving total support on 2G & 3G iPhone, some developers actually still give supports by providing new capabilities in this 1-2 year old product: video recording. Only in a matter of days, there are already 5 to 6 video recording applications for iPhone 2G/3G in the AppStore, including Qik VideoCamera that released today.

But how about the ability & quality of these apps when handling video recording task in the old device? Here's a quick comparison from 4 apps I consider the best plus 1 from Cydia (jailbroken iPhone).

Qik VideoCamera ($0.99) (link iTunes & website)
iVidCam (free & $0.99) (link iTunes & website)
iVideoCamera ($0.99) (link iTunes & website)
ShowTime ($0.99) (link iTunes & website)
VideoRecorder3 ($19.95) (link website)



Summary:

Qik Video Camera
Pro: Better frame rate, save to Camera Roll, H.264 compression
Cons: Portrait recording only

iVidCam
Pro: Biggest frame size, 10x digital zoom, free version is available
Cons: Only upload to YouTube

iVideoCamera
Pro: Upload to YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, email & save to Camera Roll
Cons: Smallest frame size, limited recording time

ShowTime
Pro: 5x digital zoom, share via email
Cons: Portrait recording only

VideoRecorder3
Pro: Upload to YouTube & email, best frame rate, MPEG4 compression
Cons: Expensive, only for jailbroken iPhone

Go get one, give your old iPhone another chance to reveal its true ability.

Quick review between iVidCam & Cydia VideoRecorder3

Seems Apple loosening it's grip for video feature on iPhone 2G/3G. Now new video recording apps for iPhone 2G/3G are available on AppStore. But are they good? Are they worth the price? Do we still need iPhone 3GS?
I pick 1 app from the AppStore called iVidCam & my favorite VideoRecorder3 app from Cydia (for jailbroken iPhone) for a quick review.


iVidCam ($0.99) (link)

Low light environment


Outdoor


Pro:
- Good quality video
- Encodes to MP4 for smaller size of file. Handy for EDGE network
- Sharing to YouTube
- Portrait & landscape recording 427 x 320
- No recording time limit

Cons:
- Low frame rate: 3 fps
- No option to save to Camera Roll
- No option to share via email

Note:
- Failed sending the file to Twitvid.com via email (using Cydia File2Mail app) due to Motion JPEG codec of the MP4 file


Cydia VideoRecorder3 (link)

Low light environment


Outdoor


Pro:
- High frame rate: up to 15 fps
- Encodes to MP4 for smaller size of file. Handy for EDGE network
- Sharing to YouTube
- Sharing via email (upload to Twitvid.com is possible)
- Portrait & landscape recording 384 x 288
- No recording time limit

Cons:
- Bad quality video - video becomes reddish
- No option to save to Camera Roll
- Only for jailbroken iPhone


Summary:
- Apple only allows 3 - 7 fps for the frame rate in their developer kit. Since Cydia developer not bound by Apple restrictions, they can push for higher fps. Cydia VideoRecorder3 is the winner
- Low fps helps capturing more lights and hence better video quality. iVidCam is the winner

So do we still need iPhone 3GS?