I have met many WAM film producers and a good percentage use iPhones to film! The quality is quite good, high resolution, super easy to use, very little editing is needed and to be honest most people who buy WAM video's don't care. However the video lacks depth of field, often over exposed, horrible shadows and generally I think lacking in quality. In the adult industry as a whole this in not the norm, iPhone's offer very little control over, colour correction, focus, depth of Field, aperture and automatically correct for lighting.

I am an old school film maker, I feel the need to control those things, I like to put of what I consider quality production. After all my films will probably out live me! And one day I would like to get industry recognition and win best fetish movie at AVN. I have had a recent epiphany in production however. I usually use Panasonic video cameras with a good lens, the big one is 12 years old, but it shoots excellent 2K video thru a brilliant Leica lens. The smaller video camera is also a Panasonic, Leica lens combo and is only 3 years old, shoots amazing 4K and is super easy to use.

I just bought a Sony A7III full frame mirrorless camera with a VOIGTLANDER 65MM F2 manual focus Lens. I was going to use it mostly for stills, but when I tried the video OMG! The footage was superb, 60 frames per second at 4K res. I was worried that it would be hard to keep in focus with a manual lens, but no probs. I am curious what other film makers use, let me know....

Phil

I'm not really a film maker, but I've done some (non-WAM) video editing, and I found an issue with video from mobile phones: it uses a variable frame rate rather than a constant frame rate. That caused problems for me when I wanted to use DaVinci Resolve (more specifically Fusion) for rotoscoping, so I had to transcode it in Handbrake, i.e. duplicate frames where necessary.

By contrast, I have a couple of "dedicated" cameras (10-15 years old) which both support constant frame rate. So, that seems like a better choice if you want to do green screen VFX etc.

Recently, I've been exposed to more photography (professional and hobbiests), and I've been really impressed with what a huge difference a good camera makes. Like you said the depth of field, and color correction make for some really great shots. However, getting a good camera+lens is a really big investment.

I've recently gotten a proper tripod that can be used with my phone, but also any camera should I ever get one in the future.

I didn't start off knowing anything about film or photography. I mostly just wanted to share my fetish and enjoyment first, and it's only really recently (probably due to offline interactions more than here), that I'm just now considering saving up for a good camera.

Generally my primary focus is as a still image creator, so most of my scenes are video documentaries of my photo shoots, but I do delve into narrative based content as well. It helps that the camera I use for video is a hybrid photo/video device. The Fujifilm X-T4 does a pretty great job of both functions. I still use an X-pro2 for capturing stills on set. I have a pretty wide variety of prime and zoom lenses I use from the Fujifilm x-mount ecosystem for both functions. For video, I most often use the 16-80mm zoom mounted to the x-t4 while for stills I find myself most often using 16mm, 35mm, and 56mm primes.

The other big plus for us Wammers is the Sony A7 III is sealed! So mess can't get inside and fuck up the camera.

Phil

I was into video long before I seriosuly considered shooting WAM, back in the 1990s I used a Panasonic sVHS video camcorder and VCRs to shoot and edit with, and got some great results, so I'm a long-term Panasonic user. For stills these days I use a Nikon D300s, for video, I always go for the top of the line Panasonic consumer camcorder, I've had my current 4K HC-VFX1 for about five years and it shoots superb video.

The thing with phone cameras is that while the tech is truly amazing, the lenses are the size of a pinhead, which is always going to impinge on quality to an extent. The much larger lenses in even just a good consumer-grade camcorder make a huge difference compared to a phone. And while I could never justify spending £10k on a camera, I can easily afford £600-£800 every five to ten years, which is what the top-line consumer camcorders usually retail for.

I believe that's a DSLR camera. Do you think you'll switch to mirrorless at some point? From what I can tell, the main difference is the viewfinder. I.e. a DSLR camera (optical viewfinder) shows you what's really there, whereas a mirrorless camera (electronic viewfinder) shows you what the camera sees based on the exposure settings etc.

Another major difference is flange distance between back of lens and sensor. This often allows for smaller optical formulas typically results in smaller lighter lenses but not always. Primary difference is the lack of a mirror this results in not only an electronic viewfinder but allows for use of electronic shutter which allows for silent operations.

Sony A7iv user here. I also use the Sony FX3 and Blackmagic Pyxis for video exclusively.

I been manually pulling focus for several years now and it is possibly the most creative and liberating way of shooting but there are advantages to AF, especially if you are a single shooter. Sony, hands down, has possibly the best AF in the biz. As long as your T stop (F stop for telephoto lenses) isn't wide open, your subject will always be in focus and focus depth should be spot on.

If you want to maximize control, several manufacturers make cages and rigs and look into a decent focus puller. I use Falcam and Tilta but Smallrig makes some good stuff, too. Practice racking focus to and from a nearby subject and further object back and forth in as smooth a motion as possible to get acquainted with the creative aspects of filming.

Also, depending on what I am shooting, for that "film look", on my Sony's I am running at Slog Cine or Cinetone for a color profile. Fps is 24 with a shutter speed of 1/50. You will get a MUCH higher dynamic range off Slog3 and you can comfortably set your native ISO a bit higher but you will need to color grade in post. It really depends on how many extra steps you want to do in post for your production

Bruh! My buddy shot a doc on his XT4 and it made me want to change my religious beliefs. I am team Sony but Fuji has definitely caught my attention

But they CAN overheat. Be careful at higher FPS and S&Q. They don't put fans in those cameras like they do the FX30/FX3.

Which is critical for weddings and events. Nothing like shooting a ceremony and all you hear is the shutter firing off LMAO!

Wow NEP I love your rig, is that an extra battery on the back? I saw the 24 frames option, I have not even tried it out yet, is that the way to go? Can you list the equipment you have there please?

Phil

Thanks! I used to use the Blackmagic 6K Pro but I fell in love with yet another expensive career path: Photography and the Sony A7iv offered much more in terms as an all around hybrid shooter for both photos and video (although my continued correspondence with Messyhot keeps making me look at Fuji as my next purchase lol).

Yes, that's my V-mount battery. 99w. Has taps for USB and Dtap connections for accessories. It's now feeding my monitor, camera, Follow focus and servo and it makes swaps pretty seamless during shooting but so far I have yet to need to swap my Vmount battery during shooting. They can go pretty far without charging


Gear list for my Sony rig would be this:

-Sony A7iv
-Portkeys LH7P monitor with Nitze Cage/shroud
-Falcam V2 Quick Release Cage for the Sony A7iv
-Falcam Quick release Side handle
-Falcam quick release top handle
-Falcam Quick release monitor mount
-Falcam Quick release baseplate
- (x2) Falcam Carbon Fiber 15mm Rods
-Tilta Nucleus Nano Follow focus (for my cine lenses
-PolarPro Basecamp 2 stage matte box with too many filters to mention lol
-Smallrig, Core and Neewer 99wh V-Mount Batteries
-lenses are both photo and cine. I use Meike Cine lenses for film and Viltrox 85 1.8, Sony GM 24-70 2.8, Sony GM 50mm 1.4, Sigma 70-200mm 2.8 and Sigma 35mm 1.4 for photo but my photo lenses work great for events and videography stuff. The more intimate you get with the AF on the Sonys the more you can kinda manipulate the AF to behave in a similar manner as a focus puller. My 24-70 Sony GM lens is my main lens for a lot of this and can switch to manual operation if I wanna get fancy

I also am now using the DJI Ronin RS4 Pro for a gimbal along with Proaim Flycam support and using Falcom quick releases to make gimbal to handheld swaps a snap.

As for frame rates, 24fps all depends on what I am shooting. Like Weddings and corporate events, 30fps is fine unless they specifically ask for cinematic but 30 fps is typically the standard for most viewers. The shutter speed I typically run about 2 times the frame rate for a more natural looking image but you can get really creative with using slower or faster shutter speeds when filming to create jitter or motion blur in camera. 24fps (or 23.98) comes in for when I am filming more cinematic content. Typically for boudoir shoots or moving portrait stuff or my own content.

There are advantages and disadvantages to all frame rates and shutter speeds. There is no definitive good, better, best solution. It just depends on what you're shooting and how you intend on shooting. Much like photography, no lighting set up or exposure settings is going on to be great for everything. Some people do tons of slowmo stuff, others do more events and some people lean towards cinematography and music videos. Play around with all the features and get familiar with the shortcuts and how to program them for quick access to your settings you will change the most. The A7iii is a great camera and one I previously considered before buying my A7iv. The image stabilization and AF is amazing and Slog3 is still one of my fave color profiles to shoot at next to RAW by RED digital and Nikon. You're in for a LOT of fun with that camera

Also, be prepared to have a toxic relationship with B&H and Adorarama LMAO!

That must be super important for wanting especially if your use to using iPhone or android

It's important to note that Sony Alpha series are weather sealed but not water tight. There is a difference. It reduces the likelihood of something catastrophic in the case that you get caught in a small rain shower or similar situation. It's not gonna survive constant soakings of mud, gunge and other elements. It's why when shooting my scenes, I still use a matte box even if all I am using is the polarizer. I would rather have to clean a matte box or replace a filter than to risk anything getting on my camera or lens.

Anyone got a clue about what these camera nerds are going on about above? Seriously, I am delighted to see that the art and craft of film making is not dead and the very expertise that took so many years to perfect hasn't had its heart ripped out. I come from a world of sound and audio. In that world so many recording studios have shut down and the engineering expertise lost to consumer products designed to cast professionals to the scrap heap.

L x

I've only attempted a little video, and it's been on the phone... but I couldn't imagine posting any of that trash, let alone asking for money for it!

I take some gorgeous landscape and natural photos, but when it comes to WAM, I'm juggling a phone, using front or back cameras to attempt to frame a shot I can't really see in the hopes I can tell a story the way I want - while I'm trying to pose and wam myself and hang on to a phone that *might* be getting slippery!

I don't expect I'll go full camera nerd again (although that may change if I find the boxes of my dad's Nikon SLR stuff), but I think maybe at some point I'd replace the whole selfie phone thing with a camera geek who can do the kinda thing I want, except better, and freeing up my hands for other entertaining things!

Not entirely true. I will take a King API over any Apollo thunderbolt interface any day

We are still out there. Just sadly we have went from the days of plate reverb to Waves plugins. Lol. Even today's consumer audio products can't teach the nuances of live or studio sound and no matter how great and how far digital has come, nothing will beat the tone of a good analog preamp hence why they are still in production and sought after today.

It's possible to get really great video off your phone depending on how far down the rabbit hole you are willing to go. They make tons of accessories specifically with that goal in mind and have used them and while sure, it's limited, it's MILES better than any point and shoot. We live in a creators world so the time hasn't been better to get into it so hoping you revitalize a lil bit of that camera nerd

It's possible for single shooters to video themselves as long as you have a monitor to reference throughout the scene so you are not drifting out of frame. Additionally, Many cameras offer wireless/remote shooting from your phone so it really a matter of setting everything up to get the most out of your time.

I shot some cool video from my NH trip and a good chunk was shot off my phone using an anamorphic adapter for my iPhone 14 max. If you ever need some general direction equipment wise. I am happy to help!