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Best Manual Video Apps for a Professional Look 2023
Stunning cinematic content is just a download away, but how much should you pay for it? We tested 9 of the top manual camera apps in a quest for the best deal.

Table of Contents
Powerful iPhone option at a bargain
We were a bit skeptical of Mavis at first due to its comparatively low review count but after just a few minutes of use, it became clear this app is simply underrated.
Why we chose MAVIS:
- Free to download with a la carte add ons or a one-time fee of $17.99 to access it all. (A steal! Especially compared to the other apps)
- Some of the most stunning results for iPhone as far as image quality across all the apps tested
- Filming in low light or with tricky shadows is much better than with the native camera
- Robust features and settings, even with the free version
- Closest to a professional film camera, making this an excellent option for mobile filmmakers
If you're a complete DSLR or film newbie there's a pretty steep learning curve with this one, but once you know your stuff it's 100% worth it.
Read MAVIS' Full ReviewPowerful Android option at a bargain
You didn't think we'd leave you out of our Top Pick, did you, Android users? This app the perfect Google Play counterpart to MAVIS.
Why we chose mcpro24fps:
- Only $17.99 for an incredible set of features that was the most detailed of any app we used
- Insanely good quality, even on the old Galaxy S9 we were using to test
- Perfect for filmmakers and pros who know their stuff and need all the extra goods to keep their shoot day running efficiently
- Easy to navigate for anyone with manual experience
Honestly, the quality of the image was almost better than what we got on our iPhone 11. Mcpro24fps, do you want to make an iOS app?
Read mcpro24fps' Full ReviewFantastic for most people
Beginners and newbies, this is the app for you! Yes, it may look complicated at first, but trust us, this is the best deal for entry into this world with the pros.
Why we chose FiLMiC Pro:
- $30 total to unlock everything. That's $14.99 to get started and another $14.99 to purchase the Cinematographer's Kit. You probably won't need the kit right away, though.
- Tons of features that also have helpful, corresponding YouTube tutorials for you to learn how to use them
- Touted as the "Industry Standard" for mobile filmmaking
- Incredible footage that will immediately up your video content game
We've been using this one for awhile, and actually used it to film a lot of our AppGrooves YouTube videos last year, so we're no stranger to this app. Can confirm, it's a wonderful starting point!
Read FiLMiC Pro's Full ReviewUser-friendly and wallet-friendly
While this is iOS only, it is by far the best deal and very similar to FiLMiC but for a fraction of the price.
Why we chose Moment:
- Only a one-time fee of $4.99 for mostly all of the same features as FiLMiC, (which would be $30 total in comparison.) This is by far the best price for what you get!
- Great image quality and functionality compared to the native camera
- Manual camera features are included in the price, so you can take video and still photography.
- Tons of analytics tools to get the perfect shot such as focus peaking and light clipping
The image quality wasn't quite as good for us as the other top picks in this list, but this is no doubt a groovy option nonetheless.
Read Moment's Full ReviewBest blurred background
Okay, this isn't really a manual app. But, we had to include it because it takes a different approach to the blurred background/bokeh effect, and does it surprisingly well.
Why we chose Focos:
- $15 for a really fantastic-looking blurred background in your videos
- Achieves more blur than any of the manual apps since it does this through editing rather than depth of field
- Super user-friendly, you'll get bokeh videos in just a few taps
This is worth trying if all you want is that super blurry background look where you can't really even make out what is in the background at all. Until phone cameras continue to improve, it's hard to achieve this as well as a DSLR, but this comes closest to giving the same effect.
Read Focos' Full ReviewEverything We Recommend
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Our PickMAVIS is the ultimate pro filmmaking and broadcast camera for the iPhone. It provides professional level filming tools including focus peaking, waveform monitor, vectorscope, false color and zebras. It gives you audio controls, audio metering, custom resolutions, framerates and recordings formats. It also brings a natural interface to give you full flexible manual control while shooting. MAIN FEATURES: - Focus peaking and expanded focus for manual focus assist - Zebras and False Color exposure assist - Manual focus, exposure and color - HD, 2K and 4K* recording - High bitrate, HEVC and ProRes encoding* - Custom frame rates up to 240fps* - Digital Zoom in 1080p - Dual camera support* - Full screen mode - Custom audio inputs - Audio metering and manual audio gain control where available* - Real-time audio passthrough for monitoring in headphones* - Real-time full-scale vectorscope for color work - Real-time full-scale waveform monitor for exposure monitoring - Timecode - Support for UltraSync BLUE from Timecode Systems - Global Presets - Custom Function (FN) button - Multiple saving and sharing options - Apple Watch record start/stop remote - Support Docs SUPPORT FOR MULTIPLE RESOLUTIONS*: - 4K (UHD) - 4K (4:3) - record at maximum camera resolution without audio - 2K (4:3) - HD CUSTOM FRAME RATES: - Presets available include 23.98fps, 24fps, 25fps, 29.97fps, 30fps, 50fps, 60fps* - Select any frame rate from 3fps up to 240fps* - Record up to 240fps in 1080p* ADVANCED EXPOSURE CONTROLS - View shutter in angles and speed - Shutter lock (e.g. lock at 180°) - Separate target focus and exposure reticles FULL MANUAL CONTROLS FOR: - Focus - Exposure - ISO - Shutter - Color temperature SHOOTING ASSISTANTS: - Focus peaking and Expanded focus helps ensure your shots are always in focus - Waveform monitor helps you shoot with the optimum dynamic range - Vectorscope ensures your colors are consistent and your white balance is correct - Zebra overlay helps ensure your shots are never over exposed - False color support for Gradient and Ranges with full details about color representations - False color helps ensure your shots are never over/under exposed ENCODING BIT RATES: - 10Mbit/s (Make your storage last longer) - 20Mbit/s (Standard) - 30Mbit/s (High quality production) - 50Mbit/s (Great for post and color grading) - 100Mbit/s (Great for very high quality productions, color grades and visual effects)* AUDIO CONTOL: - Custom external inputs - Select external audio input from Lightning connector or analog input - Stereo audio from Lightning connected inputs - Internal mic selection and polar pattern - Manual gain control where available - Audio pass-through/monitoring with headphones* - VU metering VIEWFINDER SUPPORT: - Recording Tally - De-Squeeze support for Moondog Anamorphic Lens - Image flip support for DOF adaptors - Support for different aspect ratios in the viewfinder - Support for guide overlays in viewfinder THIRD PARTY SUPPORT - Support for Timecode Systems UltraSync BLUE *Device restrictions apply. See website for full details - shootmavis.com/specs MAVIS was developed by filmmakers for filmmakers and we hope you enjoy it as much as we do :-)CostF5.99In-App PurchasesF2.99 - Free per itemPerhaps the most powerful and advanced professional video camera app on Android! mcpro24fps will open up incredible cinematic possibilities in your phone, previously available only in professional camcorders. If you have a question, please contact us: info@mcpro24fps.com.
We created mcpro24fps cinema camera exclusively for Android and therefore we are confident that the application is able to get the most out of the technical capabilities of your phone. Thousands of videographers from all over the world are already using our video camera app for professional video filming of their festival films, music videos, live reports, commercials and anything else that needs advanced capabilities to realize the authors' bold ideas.
Here are just some of the features that will surprise even the most advanced videographer:
★ Shooting in 10-bit for a large number of devices. HLG / HDR10 HDR video
★ Recording video in Log without turning on the GPU, like it is on "big" cameras
★ Huge number of Log modes for any situation.
★ Technical LUTs for seamless interpretation of Log in post-production
★ On-screen LUT for precise control of the frame when shooting
★ Deanamorphing and work with attached lenses
★ Programmable Focus and Zoom and how they work together
★ Focus Peaking and Expo Peaking for the complete frame control
★ Spectral and Zebra for easy exposure control
★ Setting up the white balance in Kelvins
★ Advanced work with metadata
★ The most flexible work with sound
★ Huge opportunities for the use of GPU resources
★ Responsive interface
★ Reliable automatic modes and the most convenient manual settings
Turn your phone into a video camera for creating cinematic masterpieces right now!
[Note]: It is important to understand that the functionality of the functions depends on the technical capabilities of your device. The Camera2 API at the Limited level or higher is required for the phone to work correctly.
Useful links:
1. If you have questions about the performance of some functions in your phone, you can ask them in the program chat in Telegram: https://t.me/mcpro24fps_en
2. Also it will be useful to read F.A.Q .: https://www.mcpro24fps.com/faq/
3. Download our free Technical LUTs for instant conversion of log footage in professional editing programs: https://www.mcpro24fps.com/technical-luts/
4. Official site: https://www.mcpro24fps.com/
The complete technical specification is very large and is published on the official website at the link above. Look at a part of them.
CAMERAS
• Multiple cameras support (where it is possible)
• Settings for each of the cameras are saved separately
VIDEO
• Recording in 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, 60 fps etc.*
• Support for all resolutions specified in the Camera2 API
• Two codecs support: AVC (h264) and HEVC (h265)
• Recording up to 500 Mb/s *
• Optical and digital video image stabilization*
• Setting up Log profiles through a tone curve *
• Tone curve adjustment via GPU
• Image adjustment through additional GPU filters
• Settings for hardware noise reduction, hardware sharpness, hardware correction of hot pixels
• Additional noise reduction through the GPU
• Configuring GOP
• Different modes of white balance
• Manual exposure mode and automatic exposure mode
• Adjustment of automatic exposure correction
• Three focus modes: automatic continuous, automatic on touch, manual focus
• Three perfect modes of crop-zoom function
• Variable bitrate mode and experimental constant bitrate mode
• Adjustment of distortion correction
SOUND
• Support for different sound sources
• Support for different sampling rates, AAC (up to 510 kb/s) and WAV
• Ability to integrate WAV into MP4
* depends on the capabilities of the device and approvals from the manufacturer for 3rd party applications.
Film your best cinematic works on mcpro24fps!Cost$17.99In-App Purchases$0.99 - $5.49 per item -
Runner Up
Filmic Pro: Mobile Cine Camera
2.0 Ratings 17K+ Reviews 100K+ Downloads*Download our free Filmic Pro Evaluator to view which app capabilities are supported by your device*
Filmic Pro v7 transforms your mobile device into a professional cinema camera, allowing you to capture the highest video quality possible on a smartphone or tablet, with the most intuitive capture experience — ever.
Filmic Pro has been used in more high profile video projects by award winning directors than any other app:
• A Good Night - John Legend music video
• Unsane & High Flying Bird - Steven Soderbergh
• Tangerine - Sean Baker
• Lose You to Love Me - Selena Gomez
• Stupid Love - Lady Gaga
Redesigned from the ground up, Filmic Pro v7 provides filmmakers, newscasters, teachers, vloggers, and social media content creators with the most powerful and intuitive camera experience available, with a full suite of advanced yet easy to use features.
| — V7 New Features — |
• Dedicated Focus/Exposure Mode selector, comprising three intuitive focus and exposure modes.
• Redesigned Manual Sliders for improved focus and exposure control:
— New Exposure/Zoom Slider provides discrete control over LV; ISO; shutter speed; and zoom.
— Improved pull points for automated rack focus and zoom moves.
• Quick Action Modals (QAMs) put key functionality at your fingertips front and center in the main interface, eliminating the need to dive into settings.
• Action Slider can be revealed to provide a real-time readout and control over key capture settings including ISO, shutter speed, white balance, and gamma curve. Tap a value to interact with its associated QAM for unrivaled control.
• Custom Function (Fn) Button now allows you to map one of dozens of available custom functions to the main UI, so your most used feature is only ever a tap away.
— — Headline Features — —
• Log and Flat gamma curves*
• Realtime Film Looks for cinematic results without the need for grading*
• Live Analytic suite including Zebras, False Color, Focus Peaking*
• Support for 10-bit HDR, and 8-bit HEVC and H264*
• Clean HDMI Out transforms your device into a pro level web cam
• Frame.io Camera to Cloud (C2C) support*
• Advanced Audio Controls for manual input gain
• CMS for industry standard clip naming conventions.
— Foundation Features —
• Manual control over every capture parameter
• Vertical and landscape support
• Sync audio frame rates of 24/25/30/48/50/60 fps*
• High speed frame rates of 60/120/240fps*
• Slow and fast motion FX
• Time lapse mode
• Histogram and waveform
• Downsample to lower resolutions
• Capture presets synced to the cloud
• Framing guide overlays
• Image stabilization*
• Support for FiLMiC Remote. Remote allows you to control an Android device running Filmic Pro with a second device running Remote.
• 8 aspect ratios including Widescreen (16:9); Ultra Panavision (2.76:1); Square (1:1).
• 5 encoding options for H264/HEVC to balance quality and file size:
— FiLMiC Ultra*
— FiLMiC Extreme
— FiLMiC Quality
— Standard
— Economy
• 3rd Party Hardware Support
— 1.33x and 1.55x anamorphic desqueeze
— 35mm lens adapters
— Horizontal flip
• Supported Gimbals
— Zhiyun Smooth 4/5/5s/Q3/Q4
— DJI OSMO Mobile 1/2/3/4/5
—Movi Cinema Robot
• Advanced Audio Features:
— Headphone monitoring
— manual input gain control
* Note: Not all features available on all devices. Use our free Filmic Evaluator to check what your device supports.
SUBSCRIPTION INFO
• Subscription length: weekly, yearly
• Payment will be charged as soon as you confirm your purchase
• Your subscription will renew automatically, unless you turn off auto-renew at least 24 hours before the end of the current period
• When canceling a subscription, your subscription will stay active until the end of the period. Auto-renewal will be disabled, but the current subscription will not be refunded.
• Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when purchasing a subscription.CostFreeFreeIn-App Purchases$0.99 - $49.99 per item$1.99 - $49.99 per item -
Also GroovyWe are @moment and Pro Camera is the app we’ve always wanted. Manual controls, better video, long exposure and quick access to the settings we need. It gives us the features of a DSLR but in a fast, easy to use camera app. For Filmmakers - the features you need, not the ones you don’t. Color profiles, bitrates, dual-channel audio meters, real-time waveforms, and fast access to frame rates. For Photographers - easier than shooting on your DSLR. Shoot in RAW (even in BURST), split focus / exposure, and manually control everything (exposure, iso, shutter speed, white balance and focus). For Everyone Else - inspired by the pro’s we made the interface simple, fast, and easy to use. We provide getting started tips, video tutorials, and full time customer service to get you setup. We love hearing from you. If you have any features, ideas, or feedback please email us at hello@shopmoment.com or DM us on Instagram @moment. ## Premium Features + NEW Timelapse mode - capture stunning time-lapse videos. + Slow Shutter mode - long exposure shots with motion blur and light trails. ## Photography Features + Focus peaking - the green edges will help you dial in your focus. + Zebra stripes - We overlay stripes onto the over and underexposed areas in the viewfinder. + RAW and TIFF - Shoot photos in RAW format for better editing, or TIFF for high-quality printing. + Split Focus and Exposure - Take control of tricky lighting scenarios. + Full Manual - Control shutter speed, iso, exposure, focus, and white balance with easy to use sliders and double taps to reset. + Burst mode - Capture burst shots in RAW format. This is big as now you can capture action with burst but at the uncompressed quality pros want with RAW. + HEIF and HEVC - Seamless support for the latest Apple file formats across photos and videos. ## Filmmaker Features + Focus peaking - the yellow edge glow will help you find dial in the focus. + Zebra stripes - We overlay stripes onto the over and underexposed areas in the viewfinder. + Color Profiles - Select from default, flat, or log color profiles to get the most out of your files in post-processing. + Video Bitrates - Get precise control over video quality with standard, medium, and high bitrates to choose from. + RGB Histogram: Dial in your video color, balance, and exposure with a live RGB histogram. + Waveform monitor - Evaluate video brightness and exposure across your image in real time. + Audio meters - Get just the right sound levels with real-time, precise, dual-channel (when available) audio levels. + Live Histogram - Get your exposure right every time. + Video Stabilization - Make your videos buttery smooth. + Precise Video - Change your resolution and frame rate on screen, without digging into a settings menu. + Anamorphic - Use the Moment Anamorphic lens to shoot amazing, letterbox style photos and videos. ## Works With + Triple/Dual Lens Control - Manually control which side of the triple/dual lens you want to shoot with so you can use Moment lenses over either one. + Moment Lens - select which lens you are shooting with. + Moment Battery Case - Works with the DSLR-like shutter button on our photography cases for half-press and full-press capture. Take better photos, faster. + Apple Watch - Use your watch as a remote to shoot photos or record videos. + Siri Shortcuts - Quick access to capture a photo or start a video RAW and 3D shutter require an iPhone 6S or later (6S, 7, 8, X, XS, XR, SE)Cost$6.99In-App Purchases$2.99 - $4.99 per itemFocos is a big step into the future of computational photography and light-field camera, bringing DSLR-like photography to your iPhone and iPad Pro, with beautiful bokeh effects usually achievable only with professional large aperture cameras. With the technology of computational photography, you can make unlimited changes to your photos, focus after the fact, change the aperture repeatedly, and add multiple lights in 3D space, exceeding the limits of any editing tools you’ve known before. The creative potential unleashed by Focos is endless. The Verge, "Focos has long been one of the most ambitious photo-editing apps on iOS, turning any photo into a 'portrait mode'-style image with fully adjustable depth of field, no matter what kind of camera you took it with." MAIN FEATURES - Take photos with shallow depth of field, without manually painting or making selections. - The AI engine can calculate depth of field automatically for all photos. - True 3D imaging. - Simulate large apertures to create real bokeh effects normally only possible with DSLR cameras and expensive lenses. - Import all existing photos and customize the bokeh effect. - Re-focus portrait photos that have already been taken, with a simple tap. - Choose from various simulated aperture diaphragms to generate different bokeh spot effects. - Professional options to simulate lens characteristics, such as creamy, bilinear, swirly, and reflex effects, and more. - Visualize the depth of areas within your portrait photos in a 3D view, and intuitively add depth filters. - Add multiple lights in a 3D space, and adjust the color, brightness and so on for each light. - Check the portrait picture in the real world with augmented reality technique. - It is possible to patch the depth map precisely on iPad with Apple Pencil. - Intuitive and easy to use, with built-in video tutorials. - An essential tool for all iPhones and iPads. Do you have questions or suggestions? Contact us via support @ focos . me.CostFreeIn-App Purchases$1.99 - $12.99 per item
The 411 from our Appventurer
How we tested?
I've used most of these apps already from recording YouTube videos for the AppGrooves channel as well as my own personal content projects. I set out to retest these apps in direct comparison with the new apps that I found through my research of the top manual camera apps for both iPhone and Android.
I looked at a variety of criteria, most important being cost-effectiveness in relation to the set of features included. I also considered user-friendliness and navigation of controls and the similarity to a real DSLR or film camera.
As a graduate from USC with a film minor and as a person who has directed and starred in many independent projects, I know my way around a manual camera pretty well. So in this test I really wanted to see which apps stood out with their professional, high-quality film potential. This is not to say you have to be a filmmaker to use these; again, I use many of these for my own social media content. The professional, short depth of field look with cinematic coloring stands out among more amateur-looking content, so it's worth it to have this quality no matter what video projects you are working on.
Why get the app?
Of course, these apps can't completely replace a $3,000-$5,000 (or more) camera. But since our phones are always on us and since pretty much all of us have them, it makes sense to use them. They are much easier and more user-friendly than many professional cameras, and honestly, they can give surprisingly good picture quality. In fact, there are plenty of feature films and independent films shot completely on mobile phones.
If you want to start your own projects, now is the time! If you have a phone in your pocket, you already have all the tools you need. (Well, after you download one of these apps.)
More About MAVIS: Our Pick
Again, as a long-time user of FiLMiC Pro now, I was not expecting to have MAVIS as my top pick. But this app is undoubtedly great, and it's hard to overlook the fact that it's almost half the cost of the full version of FiLMiC but with essentially all the same features.
That being said, I can't stress enough that FiLMiC is easier to learn for a beginner. I have a fair amount of manual camera and film camera experience, not to mention quite a bit of experience with mobile phone manual apps like FiLMiC and Moment, and I still found myself taking awhile to figure out all the controls here.
The best thing about this app is once you do figure it out it's really easy to lock in your settings and navigate between presets, which will save you a ton of time. And the picture quality was totally comparable to FiLMiC.
I did find myself missing the big viewfinder screen of FiLMiC (MAVIS is much smaller, even when minimizing the extra settings!) but my biggest frustration with FiLMiC is that it's easy to accidentally erase all your settings by tapping the wrong part of the screen when you're trying to hit record. It's nice that this is not as much of a fear with MAVIS.
I do think that FiLMiC has a bit more robust coloring tools as well as the ability to film in log, though there is a bit of an argument amongst the iPhone filmmaking scene that it's technically not possible to truly film in log on an iPhone. Either way, the coloring features are perfectly good in MAVIS, and I appreciate just how easy it is to set white balance (just one quick tap.)
At the end of the day, we're in the game of saving money, and $13 is about the cost of my Chipotle order, so I would be okay with saving that by choosing this app over FiLMiC as someone who more or less knows what they are doing already.
Snags but not drags:
The biggest snag with MAVIS is simply that it's not very beginner-friendly. This is not to say that a beginner cannot figure it out eventually, but someone without any DSLR, film, or general manual camera experience will struggle to get going without proper how-to guidance. This is where an app like our runner-up, Filmic Pro, might be a better option.
However, if you already know your stuff, even if you don't know it all, you should be able to pick things up on MAVIS pretty quickly. The controls are generally easy to figure out if you're used to manual settings; it just takes an hour two of messing around with things to feel comfortable enough to start filming.
More About mcpro24fps: Our Pick
Similarly to MAVIS, I was very pleasantly surprised at how great this app is. It's also at the same price point of $17 for full feature access, so it's the perfect direct comparison if you're not Team iPhone.
I was shocked at just how nice the image quality was here. I'm not an Android user myself, but I have to admit the camera is always better than I expect it to be, and even more so with this app.
The features here are the real winner of just about every app I tried with all the usual analytics tools, focus peaking and false color, as well as coloring tools and lots of recording settings as well as the ability to film in log. I think this one is the absolute closest you can get to a real cinematic film camera experience on a mobile phone.
As mentioned, the learning curve is a bit steep. Part of that for me may just be because I'm not used to Android controls anyway. But it seems like there are enough tutorials from independent YouTubers and help on the app's website and FAQ sections to figure things out.
Snags but not drags:
Similar to MAVIS, the drawback here is the learning curve. This was probably the trickiest app that I tried out, and I have a good amount of camera experience. But again, if you have any experience with DSLR or manual, you'll be fine. This just isn't the best place to start if you're going straight from your normal native app to trying to learn the pro settings.
If you're new to all of this, it's probably better to start with FiLMiC Pro unless you're okay with giving yourself plenty of time to learn.
More About FiLMiC Pro: Runner Up
As mentioned, FiLMiC has been my long-time go-to camera app for everything from YouTube videos to TikToks. It's a great app, despite being the most expensive of the bunch overall. Especially as more of a beginner, it's an excellent choice for anyone.
Do make sure to watch the YouTube tutorials; they helped me get up to speed with this really quickly. This app is so user-friendly and the interface and controls are really hard to beat (other than the mishaps I've had with erasing my settings on accident when trying to hit the small record button.)
The screen is big and easy to see, and with the analytics tools like false color and focus peaking you won't run into too many disappointments in post due to trying to work with a tiny smartphone-sized viewfinder. Whether or not it is actually possible to film in log, the log settings do help if you like to do more color correcting on the editing side.
You really can't go wrong with FiLMiC, even if you are more experienced. This is the industry favorite and the developers seem committed to continuing to make their product great, so it's a very worthy investment of $30 and the quality of your videos will pay for itself.
More About Moment: Also Groovy
Moment has been another favorite of mine along with FiLMiC Pro. It operates very similarly but has an absolutely spectacular price given the features. I seriously can't believe this app is only $4.99.
More About Focos: Also Groovy
I just had to include this one because honestly the first time I tried it out I did it out of sheer curiosity but was not expecting actually good results. I was pretty shocked at how well it worked to blur out the background behind me in a video!
I believe this is more of an effect, kind of like Instagram or TikTok effects that find your face and body it finds this in the foreground and then simply blurs out the background manually. But in the end, it does look pretty convincingly like you have used a DSLR camera, especially if you have a nicer, newer iPhone.
Best results are obtained from not moving around a bunch (this throws off the background effect sometimes,) but it's a nice effect that easy enough for literally anyone to use without any learning or studying required.
It's $15 which is maybe a bit steep, but you do get tons of other effects and recording tools along with it. It could be worth it if you just really want that shallow depth of field look. Until newer phone cameras come out, this is an effect that still only achievable on your trusty Canon EOS.
Other Apps Considered
ProMovie is definitely okay for the cost, but only okay. It doesn't really touch the competition as far as video quality on iPhone, but it does give you more controls than the native camera app, so it's not a bad option if you want something that's only $2.99. But since Moment is only $2 more, we think that's the better way to go.
This app was half price at the time of testing, which is nice, but we just weren't a big fan of the controls or the look of the final image. The top picks outperformed for Android for sure, so we recommend going with those.
This is honestly a pretty solid app, and an okay price all things considered. It's not the worst option, but the other Android apps just worked for us better as far as user interface and ultimate ending quality. Also this is more focused on photography rather than video, though video is possible.
If you're going to go with Manual Camera, definitely spring for the $4.99 pro version rather than this Lite version. There isn't very much to do on the Lite version and the camera quality is kind of meh.
Aubrey Rinehart
I’ve been hooked on apps ever since my first download of Tap Tap Revenge on my 2nd generation iPod Touch. Now I rely heavily on a wide variety of apps for all of my day to day functions. As a type one diabetic, I depend on many of them to manage my health, and some of them quite literally save my life. I most frequently use apps that help keep me organized, especially as far as my schedule and finances, but for fun I also enjoy my apps for social media, games and other entertainment.
I really am happiest when I get to be creative, which is why I love to write. Since graduating with my bachelor’s degree, I’ve written for blogs, created website copy, and composed various informational content. I love the opportunity to use writing as a tool to effectively communicate my ideas and opinions, and to express my experiences and research. I’m happy to use my skills to help others discover their new favorite apps!
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No doubt it's more cost-effective to make your smartphone videos look more professional with an app than it is to buy a $3,000 DSLR. These apps can get pretty pricey on their own, though, so we tested the front runners to see which one is the best for your buck. After hours of testing "on set," we recommend Mavis and mcpro24fps for the more serious filmmakers. Read on to see our top picks for manual beginners so you can get all the "Camera quality better than my eyesight" comments on TikTok.