Blackmagic Design has released version 3.1.2 of its Blackmagic Camera app for iOS. The update focuses on reliability and workflow refinements while adding one notable new recording format: 1920×1440 Open-Gate with Apple Log. Version 3.1.2 also corrects several issues introduced in the previous 3.1 update, improving stability and usability in production environments.

The official changelog lists several targeted fixes. Image stabilisation can now be properly disabled when required, addressing reports that the toggle was ignored in earlier builds. A bug that prevented Look-Up Tables (LUTs) from becoming immediately usable after import has been resolved. The update also corrects orientation problems seen in ProRes RAW clips when orientation lock was active, and eliminates certain recording failures encountered on iOS 26. In addition to these fixes, general performance and stability have been improved.

1920×1440 Open-Gate with Apple Log

The new 1920×1440 Open-Gate format captures in a roughly 4:3 aspect ratio, using more of the iPhone sensor’s vertical area. This allows greater flexibility for reframing between landscape and portrait outputs and enables higher-quality cropping in post. Combined with Apple Log recording, it gives cinematographers a more friendly base image.

However, early community testing indicates that this mode is not universally available across all colour-space configurations. Some users report that Open-Gate is disabled when using certain colour spaces such as Apple Log or Rec.2020. Others note that activating Open-Gate may automatically disable stabilisation. These behaviours suggest that the new mode depends on specific sensor and processing settings, and may vary by device or capture configuration.

Context and background

Version 3.1 of the app, released earlier, introduced major features including Apple Log 2, ProRes RAW recording, Open-Gate capture, and multi-device sync capabilities. It also brought a refreshed user interface and expanded monitoring tools. The newly released 3.1.2 serves as a corrective maintenance release for those features, focusing on stabilising their implementation and addressing initial usability issues such as LUT management and orientation behaviour.

In practical terms, this means the app should now be more dependable in day-to-day shooting conditions. Professionals relying on iPhone footage for pre-viz, dailies, or hybrid shoots with Blackmagic cameras should find the update a safer choice for critical use.

Outlook

While 3.1.2 is not a feature-heavy release, it solidifies the iOS camera app’s role in a growing professional ecosystem. The addition of a 1920×1440 Open-Gate recording mode bridges the gap between mobile and full-sensor capture, giving users a more flexible image to work with in post. It also confirms Blackmagic’s continued commitment to aligning mobile recording tools with professional grading pipelines.

As always, new features should be tested in controlled conditions before use in production workflows, particularly where sensor modes, LUT management, or ProRes RAW integration are involved.

The post Blackmagic Camera app 3.1.2 adds 1920×1440 Open-Gate first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

Apple has updated its smartphone filming companion, Final Cut Camera, to version 2.0. The free expansion unlocks advanced recording capabilities on the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, including ProRes RAW recording, genlock, open-gate capture, Apple Log 2, expanded timecode options, and full integration with Live Multicam in Final Cut Pro for iPad and Mac.

ProRes RAW on a Phone

The iPhone 17 Pro models are the first smartphones to support ProRes RAW. This format preserves unprocessed sensor data, providing extended dynamic range and grading flexibility. ProRes RAW files benefit from Apple’s Media Engine for export acceleration and storage efficiency.

Genlock: Frame-Sync for Multicam

Final Cut Camera 2.0 introduces genlock, allowing iPhones to synchronise with other cameras via a reference signal. This ensures frame-accurate alignment and removes the need for manual syncing.

Apple has also released a genlock API, already supported by Blackmagic Design’s Camera ProDock. The feature enables professional-grade techniques such as bullet-time rigs with multiple iPhones shooting in perfect sync.

Support for open-gate capture allows use of the iPhone’s full sensor area, beyond the standard 16:9 or DCI 4K crop. This offers flexibility for reframing, stabilisation and creative aspect ratios in post without quality loss.

Apple Log 2 and Timecode

Final Cut Camera 2.0 adds Apple Log 2, a flatter capture profile available in ProRes and HEVC, with extended colour representation and compatibility with LUT workflows. Timecode handling now includes Time of Day, Record Run, and external timecode input, offering professional clip management and multicam reliability.

The update adds manual controls for the new Center Stage front camera on the iPhone 17 line, including the iPhone Air. The square sensor records in both portrait and landscape orientation without rotating the device, a practical option for vloggers and journalists. Final Cut Camera now supports recording from the 200 mm Telephoto lens on iPhone 17 Pro at ProRes up to 4K60 fps. This extends creative framing options directly from the handset.

Rollout and Requirements

Final Cut Camera 2.0 will be available as a free App Store download later in September 2025. The app runs on iPhone Xs or newer with iOS 18.6 or later, though ProRes RAW and genlock require iOS 26 and an iPhone 17 Pro model. Parallel updates to Final Cut Pro 11.2 (Mac) and Final Cut Pro 2.3 (iPad) are planned to support these workflows, but Apple has not confirmed release dates.

For production teams, this update significantly broadens the iPhone’s potential. Still, as with any new recording format or feature, these workflows should be tested under production conditions before deployment.

The post iPhones Go “Pro” with Final Cut Camera 2.0 first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.