Best Smartphone for Video Recording & Filmmaking

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What's the best smartphone for shooting video in 2023?
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[@SiHorrocks]

▶ Download my NEW Smartphone Buyer's Guide for video: geni.us/SmartphoneBuyersGuide ▶ Become a Video Creator Pro: geni.us/VideoCreatorPro ▶ Learn to shoot & edit smartphone videos like a pro.

[@roskapostit2609]

What camera (brand and model) was used for this video ?

[@josh3326]

An Apple fanboy, and Samsung S23 Ultra person, I left both devices for the Sony 1V and haven't looked back. I don't have a use for the Apple watch either. I use the Sony for a camera now instead of carying large gear while traveling. I love the headphone jack and DAC, the real lifelike looking photos that come out of this excellent phone. SD storage is a huge thing I really missed from the older Galaxy devices.

[@fractalawareness]

Can somebody please test if external telephoto lens like Apexel 2x or Ulanzi work with the main sensor on 1V or 5V? Is the quality better than from built-in 85mm tele which is considered quite outdated compared to other flagmans tele?

[@tronganh2255]

@@fractalawareness If you have a good lens, the image quality will be good. If you have an 85mm lens, it will be better than using a telephoto lens. I heard android 14 has improved the telephoto lens quality, however I haven't received it above 1 V in my area. I used ulanzi 75mm with main lens of xperia 1V. really amazing

[@shohabmsk]

Sony is the best! My old Z5 still outperformed today's mid range samsung.

[@miaya3898]

​@@shohabmskmy z3 and z4 can't hold a candle to my S6

[@shohabmsk]

@@miaya3898 most of SD 810 is defective, z4 and z5 has it. It reduces performance by 90 percentage when heats fast. Maybe that's why? Mine one has close AnTuTu and Geekbench as s6. And there are also sound quality and camera fastness, device experience etc in which I think it does for me.

[@typicalguitarist]

Bro your narration and video quality is so good. Damn! If possible make a video on how to record and edit a video please. U got yourself a subscriber.

[@FrederickDunn]

Thank you for this video! I select my cell phone based on cinema capabilities alone. Close-up work is also key for my work. Convenience is key, nothing is easier to carry than a cell phone. With the white balance lock, you can use a gray card for example? For perspective, an entire camera system that costs less than a single lens. Ok, Samsung S23 for me. Many thanks.

[@ravirebel]

Is it better than Pixel 8 Pro?

[@0rnery]

My first view of your work... DAMN! I have no words, other than Subscribed!

[@blackoctopus5182]

Xperia 1 V can also shot 4K 120fps with HDR, and also on all three main sensors (wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto)

[@LaTheroux]

Very detailed but also easy to understand, thanks for your review. Just windered if you had any opinions about the in built microphones & how they perform? No one really covers this 😔

[@caluquette1197]

Another great informative video @simonHorrocks. You're the man 👍🏾👍🏾

[@richardlopez4563]

Great comprehensive video. Timing is great too. I have to replace my LG V60 next week and have been going between the the 14 Pro and 23 Ultra..

[@mikedimond8816]

Let us know which you go with. Im curious how that works for you

[@bigdhav]

USB port gone?

[@jimthrowaway]

*Which did you go with ?* I still love my LG V20 & V40 before I 5G upgraded to Samsung Note10+Ultra-5G then Note20 Ultra (the last of the Note-series, all features previously characteristic to "Note-Series" got consolidated into S20-Ultra Series, most noticeably including S-pen + more...) Currently still on S21 Ultra, and let me tell you I'm having a hard time convincing myself to even upgrade at all.... since the S21 Ultra still has expandable *internal* storage via that it *does have* a Micro_SD Card slot, something eventually abandoned in more recent Ultra-series Samsung phones, and most Ultra-series owners aren't at all pleased with it, me included.... Otherwise S21 Ultra has 12 GB RAM same as S24, a 102mp cam & 8K capable, more than enough than for my uses, all around it's still a powerful rock solid phone with instaneous lightning quick responsiveness. I have absolutely no complaints. It's a phone first before anything else. And even though I had to previous version (Note20 Ultra) the S21 Ultra has the best audio I've ever heard from any phone. --With other phones, once outside the volume & audio quality just evaporates into thin air, whereas with S21 Ultra-series phones a user only need just activate the speakerphone icon in the in-call keypad interface onscreen and instantly you can hear the other person without struggling to hear them or understand what they said. That's the main reason I might just get another one of these, I'm so hooked on it... I cling to it like a life preserver and feel nervous about straying away from it....truth be told...I'm that sold on it...no joke, totally for real...been real happy with it now for about a little over 2 years.... I still watch videos like this just to see what's going on in the cellphone tech scene and if any new major breakthroughs are on the horizon so to speak....that's all.... .............. it's been 11 months since ur post, but in case you even see this, was curious which one you settled on...and why if you have a moment to name a reason... -best 😎😎😎

[@MrOrtmeier]

Nicely balanced video with no bias. Great work, thank you. I think you summed up all the devices strengths nicely. For the average photo/video enthusiast the iPhone is very compelling as well as the Samsung if you don't want to be locked into Apple. For the totally average user who has no desire to learn photo/video skills the Pixel is the best choice - point, shoot, done. And if you a a pro or really want to get deep into pro photography and videography, absolutely nothing touches the Xperia's - best lenses and sensors giving non-processed, true to life colours paired with pro apps from their actual cameras means a pro project-based workflow and massive control over every aspect of the shot. But definitely not aimed at your average point and shoot consumer.

[@tariqulislam9707]

Sometimes, too much detail is boring to watch just to know the exact information that I'm looking for.

[@ChibindaChipawaStudios]

Exactly

[@ArraialHD]

Thank you for the video 👍 btw I've been looking for a multicam streaming software using only smartphones wifi capabilities then I found MEVO GO and MEVO MULTICAM. How about that? Thank you. Regards from Brazil 👍

[@andrey.003]

i stopped on s23 ultra with mcpro24fps as a regular video recorder. for better photos i use gcam mod. i'm happy.

[@JeffBourke]

This is great Simon but what about best budget camera for video?

[@ayadsabah3720]

Thank you mr for your video , and what about vivo x90 pro ?

[@VenomIIID]

It doesn't matter if you have the best camera body and the worst lens possible. iPhones are great only during the daytime. At night the lens flares and reflections make the video files look cheap. They should start to implement somekind of lens coating like T* from Zeiss. The only real PRO video smartphones so far is from Sony. Xperia 1V and Pro-i

[@TheCarLovingSwede]

This is a well produced video. But did you try the Sony Xperia 1 V? I got the impression that you only based that on specs, since you didn't show any of your own footage. And you spent a lot more time talking about the iPhone. I don't think this is a fair comparison if that's the case

[@Timperi.cinematic]

Yeah me to same impression. Like iPhone sponsor ahahah. Also iPhone its the most fare fron a real camera, becouse it has the big oversharpening in a smartphone world. I have xiaomi 13ultra and he has other problems, log and dolby vision only in the main sensor... White balnce no perfect, and inconstant result in video. I think i Will see Sony Xperia 1v... I think the most Power smartphone

[@anecro]

@@Timperi.cinematic Iphones and Samsungs are beaten extremely easily by Chinese premium phones, even the tons of money Samsung throws in software develoment each year fall short when it comes to Xiaomi's attempts for example. It's hilarious but sad in the sense that people just refuse to move from their safe spaces and look at the bigger picture, they all swear by their favorite brands no matter what while refusing to look at documented examples or just try out new things. It's extremely ironic considering Samsungs are some of the most known and most bought premium android phones. They do have way more quirky AI features and apps than any other phone for sure but their processing is somehow horrendous, they're actually way more aggressive with oversharpening than Iphones and that's a feat. Saying this from personal experience with handling the newest models in stores and comparing. Also Iphones and Samsungs both completely miss in the color department. Sony is an unsung hero of mobile photography color, they NEVER miss and unlike the others all colors are properly saturated (both Galaxies and Iphones have severe white balance issues, especially Iphones and their green tints, but more importantly their rendering of the color red, arguably the hardest color to capture through a camera, is ATROCIOUS and almost always darker, desaturated and inaccurate in the hue scale). GSMArena has the largest and most detailed library of smartphone photo samples available to all, with the most well-controlled environments. Every time I bring it up and tell people to go look at the camera results themselves, not some ranking, straight up images zoomed in in various lighting levels, they always just disregard GSMArena's research and say they don't trust them, which is insane because their results have always aligned with the damn phones I myself have used throughout my life perfectly. When I looked at the S23 ultra the amount of sharpening they're using was so unbelievable it really put into perspective how valuable having a company like Sony is, because the 1 V's files are the most professional and accurate ones since Sony knows how to make actual cameras (even if some people apparently think the Xperia line's cameras are "unsharp", which is straight up false since their detail level matches literally any other phone. Obviously this stems from their exposure to the extreme conditioning to oversharpening from other brands).

[@bryans8653]

I used the Sony I v and iPhone 14 pro and I have to say the Sony is leagues ahead of the iPhone. It feels more natural as far as footage go. I absolutely love it.

[@FriendlyPCGamers]

You are correct but iphones are actually known for production quality videos.

[@paulneedham9885]

​@@FriendlyPCGamersthen production quality would be better if people started to use the better phones then.

[@siphonsnob]

The Xperia 1 Mk V has the fingerprint reader built into the power button, on the side of the camera, which poses a problem for fingerprint unlocking while mounted on a gimbal. There may also be gimbal clamps which do not stand off the side buttons.

[@paulneedham9885]

You can unlock without a finger if you want.

[@HeartsZone]

Just subscribed you from a very far country Bangladesh, very impressed

[@rebelK8241]

I use RAW video in 4k30 with Oppo Find X3 for later colorgrading with all 3 lenses Quite pleasing indoor, outdoor is bit dificult- @AnotherDay

[@SeptienPatterson]

I’ve heard that the Sony Xperia PRO-I is still an amazing option for video as well as the LG V60

[@armandoragusaucy96z.71]

Avoid at all costs - it's decent and I have one, but third party app interoperability is garbage Go 1 IV or V

[@anecro]

The Pro-I has the superior sensor but sadly it's an old phone by now, it doesn't offer the features something the 1 IV and 1 V offers, like 120fps HDR +/or HLG on all rear sensors etc. The 1 V also includes S-Cinetone for mobile which is HUGE, as a 5 III owner the only option I have is to record in HDR HLG and then edit the footage on my pc to make it look viewable every time.

[@burning_buddha]

My Sony Pro I was overheating in Video Mode so I sold it , now I have a LG v60, and it's perfect! ( Doesn't overheat while filming in 4k or 8k )

[@NancyWilliams-xn3hr]

Is v60 still worth it for 2024?

[@jimthrowaway]

@@NancyWilliams-xn3hr if cost is a factor I'd say it is still worth it. I've had both V20 & V40 both excellent video, most under-rated brand, an absolute shame they discontinued phones a few years ago V60 last, but fortunately it's 5G, you can still find them in good condition, at far less than new flagships. I've even considered getting another V20 as a spare "burner" phone (up to 4G only) but it has amazing good color science video, strong features, and that phone in particular was the last in the V-series that still has interchangeable batteries and there are 2 or 3 3rd party brands of "expanded-capacity" batteries that are up to 2.5X regular swappable batteries, which is great since recording video especially 4K eats through battery like hot knife thru butter, those expanded-capacity batteries allow continuous recording a little over a full hour at full 4K and because at 4K continuous recording the phone is working so hard it inevitably heats up until literally noticeably hot and the phone will auto-discontinue video recording with an onscreen overheat warning message displayed. that's only in extreme cases. Personally, I rarely record more than 15-20 minutes continuously anything at any one uninterrupted span of time. Not with a phone, anyway. When LG V20 or and V-series video is also later exported into a PC video editor like say DaVinci Resolve let me tell you the straight out of the camera quality is so clean and good that when it's further edited with color grading and etc you can get some surprising excellent final results. The function controls in the phone's camera app are worth mention too. Each phone and certain 3rd party photo apps each have their own slight variation, but on the V20 I still to this day preferred that native camera app's function controls interface better than any other, it just seemed better laid out, easier to use, the most common functions appear onscreen in ways that fingertips can easily access & manipulate them like the way fingertips naturally just reach to keys within reach on a keyboard, with no awkwardly placed locations that make it inconvenient to use those functions because they would be hard to reach or obstruct view of screen etc etc ...the LG's camera app excelled in that way that everything was intuitively thought out, very easy to use...

[@Ozem-bl8hs]

Great video. Excellent narration

[@weekendhoppers]

iPhones are definitely the kings of videography but they only miss out in controlling the camera flares while pointing at the light sources

[@PatrickMastersProductions]

I dropped some coin on the Xperia 1 V today and got $300 off. I hope I am blown away. I think I will love the custom control of the camera but I suspect I will hate the overall Android OS since I have been an iPhone user since the 3rd one.

[@cosmicfxx]

Was hopeing you'd include the OPPO flagship .. love to know what you think of that ... considering an upgrade and we have limited options here by me

[@Criticalmaze]

Oppo ewww man I feel bad for you. Save up and get a better phone import it

[@trevorjones8969]

Couple of questions. How do you record external sound on an iphone, what with the having no regular jack input? My Poco phone records 4k at 30fps, but restricts each shoot to 8 minutes. Are they still doing that? And do any of the others you speak of? I like the Poco overall but never would have got it knowing I have to set it to record video every 8 minutes. Thanks for your lovely and informative work on this channel. Have subscribed. :)

[@elishamfinanga8744]

Many people dont like theit natural looks and dont want to spend a time to get good photo in a sony smartphone that why they crush it but good job broh,thanks for ur video. I love xperia for life and all of my electronic device i use till now are from sony brands

[@dangerm2156]

I bought a Xiaomi 13pro 2 weeks ago. In here (India) it costs 75,000₹ (823.38 Euros). The iphone 14 pro (128gb) costs 1,18,000₹ (1295.44 Euros) and the Samsung S23 ultra costs 1,25,000₹ (1372.42 Euros) So I think the Xiaomi 13 pro is a good choice in here. Also we don't have xiaomi 13 and 13 ultra over here.

[@brainysoccer]

Can you suggest me a phone with good quality in front selfie camera for low light (night) video recording

[@christophery8927]

What is the best phone for indoor video. Have both phones.

[@jakupmadsen490]

How about phones from Vivo, ZTE/Nubia, Oppo, Huawei, Honor, just to mention a few other...

[@garyedwards778]

Thank you for the Video. Question, which one would you recommend for 'Events Videography' in terms of 'capturing music, dancing, experiences between people and Editing it all after to create amazing music videos?' Would it be the Google Pixel, Iphone 15, latest Samsung or another smart phone? Look forward to your wisdom. Many thanks, Gary

[@SiHorrocks]

15 pro or pro max

[@devamahi3943]

Hi Simon, can I book a session with you for advice? Would you have even time today or tomorrow? Thank you!! Angela

[@geiers6013]

I'm very impressed with the video hdr quality coming out of my S23 ultra even in low light and different lenses. It looks fantastic on larger screens and almost professional. Even though I don't really like Apple their video quality also is very good and like you said editing is likely better there. I am just genuinely impressed what high end smartphones are able to output nowadays coming from an older device. Also the optical stabilisation is awesome.

[@miaya3898]

my S6 edge is still my best camera phone lol. granted my most advanced phone is an lg g5 and g6 that died. I just ordered an xperia xz3 for very cheap. we'll see how it'll stack. I really don't care about still photography i'm more into video zoom

[@Criticalmaze]

⁠@@miaya3898ive kept all my smartphones from back in the day. I have alot of galaxy, iphones, pixel, and one sony phone. Surprisingly the Sony and pixel phones are the only ones that still work but my xperia xz2 is a fckin tank. They don’t build phones that way anymore

[@Sambo111]

I have the xiomi 13 ultra. it has serious limitations such as LOG mode available only for main camera and only for 30p. also low light performance is not consistance. default video quality witout LOG mode is too cooked and colors not acurate and too contrasty. but the using LOG mode from main camera you get stunning dynamic range daytime. At night better to grab a mirorless camera. another lomitation that photo mode choose crazy high iso so you need to set the iso manually at much lower value. I like the phone i have china ROM

[@maybelive765]

What about Red Magic 7S pro/ 8s pro?

[@user-ix9xs3js2y]

Help me choose :( Pixel 6 pro/ pixel 7 pro Has more range in telephoto but doesn't have manual settings if u want to capture video or pic manually Sony xperia 1 iii Have manual settings for everything but they say the camera are not very good for tht price range 😢

[@ravicholachagudda5912]

Which phone has good edge detection Samsung or iPhone ?

[@werdhawangsa]

what anamorphic lens ?..

[@fireballfireball7573]

is the S21 ultra any good?

[@djsherz]

I just wish manufacturers would remember that not everybody lives in a 60Hz mains power region. If a device is capable of filming at 30 and 60fps, would it really be so difficult to include options for 25 and 50fps?

[@yourtv2711]

Is there a video to make feature film on smartphone with aspect ratio settings to match the screen on cinema..and care needed to maintain aspect ratio while shooting...anybody provide link please

[@SiHorrocks]

films have different aspect ratios and cinema screens can show films with 4:3 or 2.35:1 or 2.66:1 and so on. Unsane was shot on iPhone 7 and has an aspect ratio of 1.56 : 1 It's a creative choice, not a 1 size fits all

[@gorcyopelturbo5001]

Best smartphone for videorecording& filmmaking is Xperia 1V no doubt..

[@reginald8656]

Nice review. Very professional. But I'll go with Xiaomi anyday

[@fitnessaddict154]

Brilliant video simon

[@SiHorrocks]

thank you 🙏🏼

[@user-kx2ln4gk1y]

Name a mid budget mobile with best 4K 60fps video?People who make video with mobile and edit+rendering with mobile and post video to KZbin channel, so rendering is very fast, posting to KZbin channel is very fast, some mobile post to editing rendering is very slow and some mobile . time delay Name a best mobile for all youtubers with medium budget and make a video for them,,,battery backup should be good.

[@user-zb8yx9ir1z]

Tried to get into the members link but it doesn't work .. says ( this site can't be reached ) . Is there some banned countries ?!!

[@SiHorrocks]

try this one: www.patreon.com/SilentEye

[@Rammbock]

Fthe only worry I have with the Sony is low light filming, where apparently, iphone 14 is better

[@pdcorlis]

Very through review but I think that any review of devices that doesn’t take into account the OS behind them is lacking.

[@Halloffame-es8cp]

SONY XPERIA taking competitions to another level.

[@bazlur-Vancouver]

Xiaomi-how to pronounce it in Chinese google it. most people do pronounce it wrongly. it should be . X is Sh or Si like Xi Jinping. Shi zing ping. Xiaomi- will Shiao-mi=Shiaomi.

[@lovemademan]

Xperia can bring amazing quality in regard to their weight. The others are stupid bricks. In any way, for great video it's needed great editing. So Sony 1V wins hands down!

[@anonymousl6300]

Xperia 1 V (pronounced as Mark five) Do not pronounce as 1 ve

[@ashkaraoke8942]

In iPhone you cannot even pause a video while recording, it's a bummer

[@jaypunzalan6999]

When it comes to photography its debatable which phone is best but when it comes to video iphone is always on top hands down

[@anecro]

Ah yes, I love it when my video has no highlight or shadow depth at all due to an aggressive implementation of hdr which disregards other areas of videography and I do love my eternally warm and piss yellow white balance, even in cold environments. The green tint they haven't fixed for a thousand years now is also present, an old friend. Oh also, I appreciate the complete inaccuracy of colors close to red, I should continue supporting a company with a color science that destroys parts of the color spectrum and then tries to recover them by oversaturating. And obviously, le obvious oversharpening comment. Listen, if being a social media influencer with no knowledge of color altogether or just no knowledge on color in videography / photography is what you are, maybe it's a good choice. I get they're extremely stable with their OS and Apple does stay consistent with their support and such, but man would it be golden if you went out of your way to compare an Iphone's video quality to that of a modern affordable camera, just for the colors alone, not even mentioning detail. Corridor Digital here on KZbin mixed Iphone footage with actual camera footage once and since then I haven't been able to unsee how laughable Apple's approach to video is, when Sony with their Xperias is straight up matching that camera's look because their color science does basic things right, like color balance actually having white whites instead of yellow and not throwing AIs on its detail to add sharpening halos it then has to minimize (or not). Compare the latest Iphone to the latest Google Pixel, a majorly less expensive device, especially in night photography. They're horrendous once you lay your eyes upon the competition but nobody wants to let go. Hell, no one in the entire market is capable of reaching the features of the 1 IV/ 5 IV or the newer 1 V. 120fps HDR HLG on all rear lenses. 20/30fps burst mode, HDR too. Animal + human eye tracking, I just don't get why people hold on so tightly aside from "Apple enables me to press 1 button and I can record my piss video without having to check video settings".

[@paulneedham9885]

It wins hands down for anyone who just point and shoots. Anyone else who knows how to use a camera, the the xperias is well ahead on that, closely followed by the Xiaomi.

[@chaggawarrior]

What if you're on a very very small budget, what kind of phone can i get to have more or less the same desired results with flagship devices??

[@axel4370]

iPhone SE 2020. You can probably find it under 200$/e

[@marasion0862]

A Google Pixel 7 a or last year's 6 a are valid options

[@anecro]

Check out second hand devices. I scooped a 5 III half a year ago for 400$, officially it went for 1k at the time (still does technically).

[@marasion0862]

@@anecro Good deal

[@anecro]

@@marasion0862 very. The guy I got it from was another Xperia fan and he was upgrading to the 5 IV. Really lucky situation

[@proplayerpak619]

You look like witcher 🎉

[@RiseUpToYourAbility]

I dont think the front camera needs 4k video.

[@AhsanSiraj]

Sony Xperia is best in video recording

[@bastian.michel]

I would prefer it if you just talk about phones which you have tested yourself. It looks thats not the case for some of the phones.

[@alishah6016]

Simple expanation : Sony is a hardware based whereas iphone/samsung are nothing but a software manipulation..

[@abrdun]

iphone is the only one not having pause button during recording. I am having now no 13, this is first and last apple in my life. hope it dies fast, then Sony here I come!

[@Chasemovement]

has anyone had any experience using the NOTHING smartphone????

[@king6463]

Yes , the camera can hold its own in today's market but for some reason I've not been able to use Filmic pro as it constantly crashes on startup

[@anecro]

@@king6463 Use different versions, not all versions of a mobile app work. Maybe there's something that broke it on that phone with the latest update. These rarely get fixed, pretty much only if it's a relevant device.

[@rf-media-production]

Strange review. Empty. Where are the tests? Where are the comparisons?

[@coder1453]

Mae hater