How to Optimize Your iPhone's Camera

As a photographer, videographer, and content creator, I know firsthand the importance of optimizing your iPhone's camera settings for the best possible experience on social media. While there are plenty of ways to make sure your content looks clean and crisp, I want to dive into how you can minimize the compression your content receives upon sharing to any social site. 

Here's my essential tips you must implement to optimize your iPhone for Instagram and TikTok!

*Please note: I shoot all of my reels with my trusty iPhone 14 pro max, which is why my tips are geared towards iPhone users. That being said, the core basics of these tips & tricks do apply across all phones and devices.

1: Switch Your Video Format from High Efficiency→ Most Compatible

On your iPhone, go to the Settings app, scroll down and select "Camera".

Then select "Formats"

In that tab, change your video format from "High Efficiency" to "Most Compatible". This will automatically turn off HDR and begin capturing all of your video in an .mp4 format. (Make sure you also have ProRAW and ProRes turned off unless you need them for something specific)

While filming in this format will increase the file sizes of your clips, it’s absolutely worth it. MP4 is the most accessible format across all social media platforms which is why it's referred to as "Most Compatible". "High Efficiency" is encoded into an .HEIC format. iPhones adopted this format many years ago to optimize storage space. Unfortunately, this means it doesn't play well with other apps and websites, hence the existence of this tutorial!

 2: Shoot in 4K at 30fps.

Instagram and TikTok will compress 4k footage to 1080p upon upload. If you're capturing 4k footage in an .MP4 format, they won’t reduce the quality nearly as much had you been shooting in .HEIC. If you shot footage at a higher fps than 30, you must compress your footage first before uploading. I always recommend just shooting at 30fps if you want to capture motion blur and give your videos a more timeless, natural look. Shoot in 60fps (or higher) if you want your movement to be insanely crisp and have a more modern look.

3: Shoot natively

Always shoot within your phone’s native camera app. I never use a 3rd party app to shoot photos or video. You’ll simply never get the same quality as if you have just done it directly in the camera app first.

 4: Stay Away from the Novelty Features

Don’t use portrait or cinematic modes unless you’re trying to achieve something specific with them. These features, while really cool, usually end up working against you when you’re not 100% certain how to use them to your advantage. If you’re shooting with the end result being Instagram or TikTok, you will rarely need either of these features.

5: Trial & Error

This is how I learned and continue to learn. I try my best to pass on the knowledge I acquire along my journey, but even I get it wrong time to time. If you give yourself the space to try different combinations and approaches to filming, you’ll eventually learn what works best for you!

 6: Turn on “High Quality Uploads”

Make sure you turn on “High Quality Uploads” in Instagram and TikTok if that feature is available to you. This feature should be currently available to the majority of all users, across both apps. If you're not seeing it, just know that some individuals still report an inability to access this and you might not have access to the feature yet.

 7: Move Slow & Steady

 Move very, VERY slowly while filming. I cannot stress this enough. The faster you record motion, the less the amount of frames will exist with your subject in it clearly. This will immediately contribute to your clip looking fuzzy or blurry.

 8: Wipe Your Lens

This last tip is simple enough, but often goes overlooked! Make sure your lens is clean, clear, and free of any debris. Sometimes that blurry corner is just a stray cat hair!