Apple Builds Custom iPhone Camera for Upcoming F1 Film
Designed for speed and precision, this custom iPhone rig captures cinematic POVs from real Formula One cars
A Cinematic Vision Meets Engineering Precision
- Apple’s F1 movie, directed by Joseph Kosinski of Top Gun: Maverick, demanded immersive, high-speed cockpit visuals.
- Existing F1 broadcast cameras lacked cinematic range, so Apple crafted a custom iPhone-based camera from the ground up.
- The result: first-person race footage with cinema-grade quality never seen before in motorsport films.
Inside the Custom iPhone Camera Rig
- Apple’s engineers based the camera on the iPhone 15 Pro’s 48MP main sensor and A17 Pro chip, optimized for dynamic shooting.
- Built to mimic F1’s standard broadcast camera dimensions, it fit seamlessly onto real race cars.
- It used an iPhone battery, a neutral density filter for daytime shots, and ran a custom iOS version that recorded in ProRes Log format.
Field-Ready and F1-Proof
- The compact rig passed F1’s extreme standards for heat, vibration, and impact.
- Controlled via a custom iPad app through USB-C, it allowed real-time tuning of frame rate, shutter angle, and white balance.
- Due to F1 regulations, the unit had no wireless radios, maintaining safety and compliance.
Bridging Hollywood and iPhone Tech
- While most scenes relied on Arri cinema cameras, the iPhone rig enabled immersive POVs that full-size rigs couldn’t match.
- The project directly influenced features in the iPhone 15 Pro, including Log video encoding and ACES color workflow.
- These upgrades now empower professional videographers and indie filmmakers using iPhones.
A Legacy of iPhone Filmmaking
- Apple has supported creative filmmaking since projects like Tangerine and 28 Years Later.
- The F1 film’s camera innovation continues that trend, showing what’s possible when hardware meets artistic ambition.
- It underscores Apple’s belief that great storytelling tools can fit in your pocket — even on an F1 track.
Apple’s custom camera is more than a filmmaking tool—it’s a technical leap that reshapes mobile cinematography, opening the door for new ways to capture speed, precision, and emotion.
