One of the cameras widely known and used in the filmmaking industry is RED’s series of cameras which can shoot in incredibly high-resolution, going up to 8K in certain models. So the question is, how does a $50,000 RED Weapon camera fare against the iPhone 7 Plus which costs a fraction of the price?
Turns out it holds up surprisingly well. In a recent video, filmmaker Parker Walbeck compares footage shot on the iPhone 7 Plus against the RED Weapon and found that for the most part, you wouldn’t really be able to tell the difference. However Walbeck notes that this is largely because of videos being compressed when uploaded to platforms like Facebook and YouTube, so don’t expect filmmakers to start shooting on iPhones just yet.
As transcribed by PetaPixel, Walbeck says, “Now, before I get an ear-full from all of you RED enthusiasts, I understand the difference between the two cameras and recognize the RED Weapon is a much nicer camera. The point I’m trying to make is that 90% of the video content we watch is on compressed players like Facebook and YouTube, and usually from our teeny mobile devices; therefore, the difference between the two is not super noticeable IF you know how to utilize the camera to its fullest potential.”
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen smartphone cameras pitted against professional equipment. In fact recently a Moto Z with a Hasselblad Moto Mod attachment was used to shoot the cover of the latest issue of Sports Illustrated. In any case if you are curious about the comparisons, check out the video above.