All other smartphones put together, iPhones have pretty much the best video capability. Because of this, I rarely use my iPhone to take pictures but I do use it quite a bit to record movies. Although iPhones can record movies at frame rates of 24, 30, and 60 FPS, none of those are suitable for shooting in places like India with artificial lighting. Thankfully, it is now possible to capture videos on iPhones in the PAL format, which resolves this issue. So, using iOS 14.3, here’s how to record video in PAL format.
Record Video in PAL Format in iOS 14.3 on iPhone
We’ll talk about the PAL format first in this article. We’ll describe it to you and explain why you would want to use it. If you already know that information, you can skip to the tutorial using the table of contents below.
What is PAL Format in Videos?
You might be wondering what the PAL format even denotes, but first things first. Phase Alternating Line, or PAL, is a broadcast standard that is utilised in many nations throughout Europe and Asia, including India. On the other side, there are other formats as well, like SECAM, which is used in many nations, and NTSC, which is used in places like the USA.
Why Would You Want to Shoot in PAL?
Let me explain the fundamental justification for wanting to capture PAL videos without going into too much detail regarding frame rates and electrical grids. If you’re in the US and using an iPhone to record a video, you’ll probably choose a frame rate of 30 or 60. Due of the 60Hz frequency of the US electrical grid, this works well. Remember that you most likely read about this in class as well?
However, the electrical grid in India operates at a 50Hz frequency. This implies that you will see shimmering around the light sources if you record a movie under artificial light at 60 or even 30 frames per second. This is because the light source’s AC current only alternates 50 times per second while the video records 60 frames per second. That is incompatible, and the outcome is strange flickering problems.
You may record videos at 25 frames per second on the iPhone thanks to its support for PAL formats. With 50Hz light sources, there will be no longer be any flickering when recording video at 25 frames per second. As a result, shooting videos in artificial light is more effective.
If you don’t understand what I’m saying, watch the films below, which were captured on my iPhone XR at 1080p60 and 1080p25, respectively, using the same light source.
How to Record Videos in PAL Format in iPhone
- Go to Settings -> Camera -> Record Video
- Enable the Show PAL Formats toggle. You will now see two new recording options on your iPhone as shown below.
- Simply enable either one of them, and head over to the camera to shoot in PAL format on your iPhone.
- Obviously, you can also switch on the fly by tapping the frame rate counter within the camera app to switch resolutions and frame rates when you need to.
Record PAL Videos with Ease on Your iPhone
It’s fantastic that the PAL format will now be supported for people who reside in nations with 50Hz grids. Additionally, it’s helpful for everyone else, in case they decide to go to a nation that uses the PAL standard. Your vacation films won’t have flashing lights any longer thanks to PAL support on the iPhone, which is undoubtedly an improvement. So, are you going to start capturing videos on your iPhone in PAL formats? Please tell us in the comments.
