Record videos in Cinematic mode with your iPhone camera
Cinematic mode applies a depth-of-field effect that keeps the subject of your video sharp while creating a beautifully blurred foreground and background. iPhone automatically identifies the subject of the video and keeps it in focus throughout the recording; if a new subject is identified, iPhone automatically transitions the point of focus. You can also manually adjust the point of focus while you record, or change it later in the Photos app.
Cinematic mode is available on supported models.
Open Camera, then select Cinematic mode.
On supported models, you can tap 3 next to 1x before recording to zoom in.
On iPhone 15 models, you can pinch the iPhone screen to zoom in and out.
To adjust the depth-of-field effect, tap
, then drag the slider left or right before recording.
Tap the Record button or press either volume button to start recording.
A yellow frame on the screen indicates the person in focus; a gray frame indicates a person is detected, but not in focus. Tap the gray box to change the focus; tap again to lock the focus on that person.
If there isn’t a person in the video, tap anywhere on the screen to set the focus point.
Touch and hold the screen to lock the focus at a single distance.
Tap the Record button or press either volume button to stop recording.
Tip: On iPhone 14 models and iPhone 15 models, you can use quick toggles at the top of the screen to change the video resolution and frame rate.
After you record a video in Cinematic mode, you can remove or change the cinematic effect. See Edit Cinematic mode videos on your iPhone.