The buzz surrounding widely distributable cameras like those in the GoPro and new iPhone has been rising thanks to their stupendous quality in an easy to handle, transportable, and affordable package. Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple and a film aficionado who helped startup CGI giant Pixar, stated that using these platforms is the future of film. Is he a precog, or is he just looking at the facts?
The iPhone
As you might expect, the iPhone is not at its best for film-making right out of the box. Turning it into a proper videographer's tool requires the aid of specially designed applications, add-on lenses for the true 35mm feel, and peripherals like cases and handling devices that make using the phone as a camera more natural. None of these are a requirement to use the iPhone for your filming needs, but they turn the iPhone into a powerful movie camera.
Although the cost of purchasing all of the needed tools along with the new iPhone might run close in cost to purchasing a film quality camera, the add-ons themselves are cheaper than a full camera if you are happen to already own an iPhone. The overlap of functionality is likely to be a key driver in more filmmakers adopting its use out of necessity or pragmatism.
Going Pro
The GoPro line of cameras may cost you less than the base iPhone, but there is a noticeable advantage to it having a dedicated purpose rather than being a multifunctional tool that may have undergone some Frankstein-esque modifications. You'll get the same level of performance that you can get from the enhanced iPhone, and the overall cost is lower due to a provided application and better stock performance. You can still spend a pretty penny on accessories like tripods and better storage cards if you need to up the performance even further.
Back to the Present
Utilizing affordable platforms like the iPhone and GoPro are not the future of film; they are its present. Groundbreaking filmmakers are already incorporating the technology to create works of art on a budget less than that of a new car. The low cost will push entry level productions to use them, but the true future of film is that these cheap and mobile devices will offer alternatives instead of replacing their rivals entirely.
