We're still punching our way through our iPhone 5s review process and, as part of that, I've been trying out the new slow motion camera. Accessing it is easy, just swipe down from PHOTO to VIDEO, and then again to SLO MO. Then start recording.
Instead of the usual 1080p 30fps, you get 720p 120fps. That's 4x speed, meaning crystal clear 4x slow motion. It would be nice if there was an option for 1080p 60fps as well, but I won't be overly greedy. Yet.
Once you're done, iOS 7 gives you an excellent, intuitive interface to not only clip, but to set slow motion in and out points. Once set, you can save and share it via the usual sheet.
Importing it onto your computer is more of a challenge. The slow motion is metadata and non-destructive, so if you just pull off the raw video it'll still be 120fps but you'll lose the in and out points you set on iOS. OS X Mavericks will likely address that later this fall, perhaps by keeping and letting you use the iOS metadata. Until then, you can import them into apps like Final Cut Pro X and reset the in and out points using standard tools
Overall it's incredibly easy to use, and a lot of fun. I imagine we'll see a ton of jumping pets, colliding kids, and Reservoir Dogs reenactments, and perhaps some clever bullet time too.
If you've given iPhone 5s slow motion mode a try, let me know how it worked for you. And if you have a clip you'd like to show off, please add it to our official iPhone 5s forum slow motion video thread.
Reader comments
iPhone 5s slow motion video test
"Punching", you say...
[bows respectfully]
First thing I did was capture a slo-mo video of my dog running. Hilarity ensued. I still laugh every single time I play the video!
Can you upload a SlowMo to Facebook? and would it lose the in and out points?
I was able to upload video I took to facebook without a problem. Slow mo effect work perfectly on there also. So far, I have also sent to other phones via messages and the slow mo also worked there as well. If a non iOS user, they had to save the video to the photo or video app on some devices though. The only problem I have had was getting the video onto my Mac Mini and maintaining the slow mo points, but that was mentioned above.
I'm going to film me high on SloMo and film me splashing in the water using my iPhone 5S on Slow-Mo.
I love the slo-mo. This was my first video with it. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151820693726597&l=262130408791395...
Go IP Man!
I'm waiting for my 5s. But is there any option to set multiple in and out points? Or only one in point and one out point?
Only one right now. Me and a buddy were thinking the same thing, that it would awesome for them to add more.
lol, what in the hell?......
Someone know a work around upload it to Instagram? Even with their iOS7 update it still removes the slow motion points.
It was cool until I realized I can't export it.
nice slow mo kung fu thingy
slo mo sports videos are much more effective
bad video.
HTC one has the slow motion feature. I fail to see what's so new and great about it. I own a HTC. Left iPhone when I realised they were just copying what's already out there except in a closed and restricted environment.
I just looked up how to do slow motion on the HTC one. Finding the right setting is so much harder than the iPhone. Also the One does not ability to mix slow motion with regular like the iPhone does.
It is these touches that make special easy on the iPhone and a pain on other phones. True android might let you do "very special" that you just can't do on an iPhone but many people don't want to take the time.