Iphone video needs better compression

[jwolf6589]

Long videos on the iPhone end up being huge files (60MB) or larger. I just played with my Canon Viixia HFR800's settings and set my camcorder to record in the web/email format and a 40 second video is only 19MB! Unless I am mistaken using the built in iPhone settings one cannot get a 40 second iPhone video to be 19MB set on the lowest setting.

I am not making commercials, Youtube videos, or doing anything but storing memories and sometimes sharing them so no need for the high res settings. If anyone has a solution please reply. The web/Email format is only available on my Camcorder and not on my Powershot snapshot camera.

 

[ColdCase]

Camera apps like FiLMiC Pro allows you to set recording resolution and frame rate, down to 540 SD if you want (camcorder web/email settings may drop to 220). It also lets you set a wide variety of video parameters. I think they offer a free trial.

 

[jwolf6589]

Camera apps like FiLMiC Pro allows you to set recording resolution and frame rate, down to 540 SD if you want (camcorder web/email settings may drop to 220). It also lets you set a wide variety of video parameters. I think they offer a free trial.

How does it work with my iPhone or iPad?

 

[ColdCase]

Dunno what you mean by how does it work. Its an app available on the app store. Download/install and open the app and you see the typical camera view and controls with additional options. I use it for more precise recording where Apple's camera app doesn't give me the adjustments I need (like focus and exposure).

I haven't tried recording something for the web or email directly as I always do that conversion in editing. But there is a free trial and try it, you may like it. Given that it has tons of adjustments to toy with, it can be more complex to use than the built in camera app.

 

[MacNut]

You convert the file to something smaller after.

60MB is a small file actually. I usually work with GB files.

 

[jwolf6589]

You convert the file to something smaller after.

60MB is a small file actually. I usually work with GB files.

For emailing and texting it’s a large file. But yes compared to GB it’s a small file. I just wonder do those with these 4K recordings on the iPhone Pro models upload the videos to iCloud because that would take years?

 

[MacNut]

For emailing and texting it’s a large file. But yes compared to GB it’s a small file. I just wonder do those with these 4K recordings on the iPhone Pro models upload the videos to iCloud because that would take years?

I usually move files to Dropbox. That way I can keep it full resolution. If I'm sending it to someone it's converted to MP4.

Always record in the highest resolution and convert the file after.

 

[jwolf6589]

I usually move files to Dropbox. That way I can keep it full resolution. If I'm sending it to someone it's converted to MP4.

Always record in the highest resolution and convert the file after.

That takes too much time. I am not a video expert just someone using video to store memories.

 

[MacNut]

That takes too much time. I am not a video expert just someone using video to store memories.

So take the time and do it right.

 

[ColdCase]

The OP's question is more about recording to smaller video files and you need the tools to play with recording resolution and compression for that. For small screens, resolution is probably more effective, but thats a subjective thing.

But yeah, recording at full resolution is the best practice now that storage is cheap. If these memories include family, you may, at some time in the future, want to put a high quality 4k video together to watch on a large screen TV or projector. You also may want some resolution head room for zoom and pan effects.

But if your audience is watching these memories on an iPhone, then even 540 resolution looks great. 540 is much more portable than 4k.

For me, my 256Gb iPhone is useful for short video clips, maybe a few minutes. If I'm going to shoot longer videos I break out the full feature camcorder or the more zoom limited but smaller Go-Pro (for their removable SD cards), if I can and it is practical.

 

[jwolf6589]

The OP's question is more about recording to smaller video files and you need the tools to play with recording resolution and compression for that. For small screens, resolution is probably more effective, but thats a subjective thing.

But yeah, recording at full resolution is the best practice now that storage is cheap. If these memories include family, you may, at some time in the future, want to put a high quality 4k video together to watch on a large screen TV or projector. You also may want some resolution head room for zoom and pan effects.

But if your audience is watching these memories on an iPhone, then even 540 resolution looks great. 540 is much more portable than 4k.

For me, my 256Gb iPhone is useful for short video clips, maybe a few minutes. If I'm going to shoot longer videos I break out the full feature camcorder or the more zoom limited but smaller Go-Pro (for their removable SD cards), if I can and it is practical.

Sadly the under $500 camcorder line is going away. Best Buy only sells one model and Canon has dropped out of this market. But there are plenty of options for $700 and more camcorders but my use won’t warrant one.

 

[jwolf6589]

The OP's question is more about recording to smaller video files and you need the tools to play with recording resolution and compression for that. For small screens, resolution is probably more effective, but thats a subjective thing.

But yeah, recording at full resolution is the best practice now that storage is cheap. If these memories include family, you may, at some time in the future, want to put a high quality 4k video together to watch on a large screen TV or projector. You also may want some resolution head room for zoom and pan effects.

But if your audience is watching these memories on an iPhone, then even 540 resolution looks great. 540 is much more portable than 4k.

For me, my 256Gb iPhone is useful for short video clips, maybe a few minutes. If I'm going to shoot longer videos I break out the full feature camcorder or the more zoom limited but smaller Go-Pro (for their removable SD cards), if I can and it is practical.

540 resolution what’s that? Are you taking 1080p or 720p?

 

[MacNut]

540 resolution what’s that? Are you taking 1080p or 720p?

Resolution Size Chart And Difference From Screen Size

Train your eyes without the strain of staring at poor-quality graphics by browsing this screen resolution size chart.

size-charts.com

 

[ColdCase]

In the iPhone camera settings you can choose to record as low as 720p at 30 fps. It also tells you the relative size of a minute of video recorded by the iphone for the available settings.

If you want to tweak the settings further, you need a third party app. Small file sizes are achieved mostly by reduced resolution and frame rates.

The FiLMiC app includes a 960x540 24fps setting.

 

[jwolf6589]

In the iPhone camera settings you can choose to record as low as 720p at 30 fps. It also tells you the relative size of a minute of video recorded by the iphone for the available settings.

If you want to tweak the settings further, you need a third party app. Small file sizes are achieved mostly by reduced resolution and frame rates.

The FiLMiC app includes a 960x540 24fps setting.

I dont want to use a third party app. I want the settings built into IOS. So since my Camcorder captures smaller video files for a minute of video I will use it primarily. These tend to text and email much faster. No reason to have to record in the highest resolution for around the house, recording of the dogs type videos.

Yeah if I was recording something really important like a graduation, a kid being born, etc then I would record in the highest res.

 

[MacNut]

I dont want to use a third party app. I want the settings built into IOS. So since my Camcorder captures smaller video files for a minute of video I will use it primarily. These tend to text and email much faster. No reason to have to record in the highest resolution for around the house, recording of the dogs type videos.

Yeah if I was recording something really important like a graduation, a kid being born, etc then I would record in the highest res.

Memories are memories, it doesn't matter the subject. Always use the highest quality.

 

[splifingate]

I just wonder do those with these 4K recordings on the iPhone Pro models upload the videos to iCloud because that would take years?

I shoot 4K60 on my 12 mini *cough* semi-Pro all the time (some easily in GB's), and vids sync in minutes (cellular and @home with 1Gig fibre) . . . most of that wait is pre-processing.

 

[ColdCase]

I dont want to use a third party app. I want the settings built into IOS.

Apple no longer supports your use case (which is rare so they don't care). I mean we look to third party apps all the time around here. When Apple doesn't provide what we want, we find a third party that will. No big deal. Don't take it personally, I was just offering suggestions to work around Apple's product limits. Perhaps the iPhone is just not the right phone for you? There may be other phones more suited to your use case.

 

[MacNut]

Just use iMovie.

 

[jwolf6589]

Apple no longer supports your use case (which is rare so they don't care). I mean we look to third party apps all the time around here. When Apple doesn't provide what we want, we find a third party that will. No big deal. Don't take it personally, I was just offering suggestions to work around Apple's product limits. Perhaps the iPhone is just not the right phone for you? There may be other phones more suited to your use case.

The Blackberries that I had from 2009-2011 were pathetic at video even for my standards. My Camcorder records much much much better even at its lowest resolution and yes I have exported videos to the finder and they are still sharp in comparison. I love my iPhone by the way.

I am not conformed by peer pressure so just because everyone else is doing it it wont change my mind. Yes I know we live in a day where very few use the type of Camcorder that I have and most just frown on it. But it does accomplish what I wish and does produce small video files that are still pretty sharp that can easily be texted or emailed. Having to go to iMovie every time to convert a video to me is a waste of time. Like I said before for special videos I would record in the highest resolution and convert but not for most of what I shoot.

Its a real shame there is no secret way to record in a email like format so maybe apple will release such a feature in a future IOS version. Dont they realize that their videos are still very large to email? I dont want everything I shoot on Youtube!!!!

But wait I have not used the iMovie version on IOS just the one for macOS. I wonder if it can convert files to a small format for emailing.

 

[jwolf6589]

Just use iMovie.

Just tried that on my Mac and I was confused as hell. Can you walk me thru the steps to import a movie from my photo library and export to a email format?

 

[MacNut]

Just tried that on my Mac and I was confused as hell. Can you walk me thru the steps to import a movie from my photo library and export to a email format?

There is no such thing as an email format. You need to compress the file. Or easier use a service that can upload full files to the cloud.

 

[NT1440]

There is no such thing as an email format. You need to compress the file. Or easier use a service that can upload full files to the cloud.

If you’re using iCloud it will already just generate a link for the receiver to download, like OneDrive or (I assume) DropBox.

 

[ColdCase]

I've been doing things like making video files as small as posible for decades.

I know how much you love third party solutions... but the MacOS Handbrake tool is free and has a bunch of presets, including email.

What I do is is use handbrake to find compression and size parameters I like. Take note of the settings and see if FCP or iMovie would export with those parameters. Otherwise, if the workflow is better, I use compressor and, from the video editor, send the file there for conversion. Others have set up a command line script to automate the workflow.

In the end I export from the editor at full resolution (uncompressed), then use handbrake to convert the video file to a format/size suitable for the audience.

Handbrake is easy to use. I don't think it is available on iOS, but video conversion/compression takes lots of CPU, lots of battery and the iphone would get toasty for longer videos. There are other compression apps for iOS.

 

[MacNut]

I've been doing things like making video files as small as posible for decades.

I know how much you love third party solutions... but the MacOS Handbrake tool is free and has a bunch of presets, including email.

What I do is is use handbrake to find compression and size parameters I like. Take note of the settings and see if FCP or iMovie would export with those parameters. Otherwise, if the workflow is better, I use compressor and, from the video editor, send the file there for conversion. Others have set up a command line script to automate the workflow.

In the end I export from the editor at full resolution (uncompressed), then use handbrake to convert the video file to a format/size suitable for the audience.

Handbrake is easy to use. I don't think it is available on iOS, but video conversion/compression takes lots of CPU, lots of battery and the iphone would get toasty for longer videos. There are other compression apps for iOS.

Don't make files too compressed or the start to look horrible. I try to make everything MP4 and under 1 gb.