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ATOMOS has announced the ATOMOS Ninja Phone, a unique accessory that turns your mobile phone into an ATOMOS Ninja monitor/recorder. If you already own an iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max and a mirrorless camera, this may be the cheapest way to get ProRes recordings from your camera with interchangeable lenses.
Because of the iPhone’s large screen, it makes sense to use it as a monitor for point-and-shoot cameras when shooting video. However, most of these compact mirrorless cameras use highly compressed formats when recording video. This makes it difficult to make necessary adjustments to the image in post-production. The ATOMOS Ninja Phone accessory aims to solve that problem.
ATOMOS announces Ninja Phone
The Ninja Phone attempts to bridge the gap between the iPhone 15 Pro and mirrorless cameras. The “coprocessor” unit clips onto the back of a custom iPhone case. Both the main unit and the case have locking mechanisms for the USB-C and HDMI cables that need to be connected between the two devices. The Ninja Phone is powered by a single Sony NP battery.
The Ninja Phone converts the video signal from the camera’s HDMI feed into a stream that goes into the iPhone’s USB-C port. The ATOMOS app records the video as ProRes and 10-bit H.265 simultaneously to your phone’s internal storage (we recommend choosing an iPhone with higher internal capacity). Additionally, you can stream your video feed to ATOMOS’ cloud services via 5G or Wi-Fi.
The app provided by the Ninja Phone gives shooters access to ATOMOS’ suite of tools. Users can select focus and exposure overlays, which could be a significant improvement over mirrorless camera tools.
ATOMOS also includes support for an external USB-C microphone via a jack on the back of the unit. Nina Phone matches your microphone’s sample rate and locks audio to video on the output.
Great iPhone screen
Some people may not realize it, but the iPhone screen is better than many standalone monitors. Apple has equipped the iPhone with an HDR OLED display that reaches a peak brightness of 1600nits. This makes it easier to see your phone even in broad daylight. iPhone’s 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio provides excellent contrast. The Super Retina XDR display boasts 460ppi specs. This means your iPhone’s display will be clearer when you zoom in.
Shoot vertical videos
ATOMOS includes a 9:16 feature that helps shooters compose shots for social media. The app will automatically adjust to the proper orientation.
Limitations: 1080p 60fps
It is very important to note that Ninja Phone’s performance is best at 1080p 60fps. Creators will have to weigh this limitation against their 4K options using more highly compressed codecs such as H.265, which are available on many cameras.
Click here for output specifications from Ninja Phone to iPhone
- ProRes HQ / ProRes 422 / ProRes LT / ProRes Proxy / H.265 Main 10 / H.265 8b / H.264 8b
- 1080p 60/59.94/50/30/29.97/25/24/23.98fps
- 720p 60/59.94/50fps
Is it practical?
It’s great to be able to record ProRes from a small mirrorless camera. However, the 1080p limitation can be a limiting factor for many people. The ability to easily stream from mirrorless cameras to major platforms may be the device’s biggest selling point. The iPhone screen is certainly good, but 1600nits is peak Brightness; therefore, your iPhone’s sustained brightness may seem just a little dimmer than its brightness in broad daylight.
On a recent corporate shoot, I was asked if I could stream the interview with a third party who could suggest questions. The third person was on the phone and the interviewer was holding her Airpod to her ear. We streamed audio, but there was no quick and easy way to stream video and audio together, requiring separate staff or additional equipment. The Ninja Phone would have been a great solution for this use case if it only had streaming capabilities.
Price and availability
The ATOMOS Ninja Phone costs $399 and is available for pre-order now.
For more information, please visit the ATOMOS website.
What do you think about using the ATOMOS Ninja Phone to use your iPhone as a monitor and recorder on set? Let us know in the comments below.
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