How Apple made an iPhone-powered camera to film real F1 races for its new movie

Khaleej Times

6 hours ago

Capturing the velocity and intensity of Formula One racing from the driver's point of view is no easy feat. But that's exactly the challenge Apple embraced in its upcoming F1 Apple Original film, directed by Top Gun: Maverick 's Joseph Kosinski and lensed by Oscar-winning cinematographer Claudio Miranda.
The filmmakers weren't satisfied with traditional F1 broadcast angles—those familiar shots from just behind the cockpit, with the top of the driver's helmet occasionally bobbing into view. While functional for live TV, those cameras record in lower resolutions and limited colour formats, making the footage ill-suited for the immersive, cinematic vision Kosinski and Miranda had in mind. So Apple built something entirely new, according to Wired.
Revealed at WWDC last week beside a real F1 car, Apple's solution is a custom camera module that externally mirrors the standard broadcast camera used in races—but internally, it's a Frankenstein of iPhone parts tailored for Hollywood. Designed to be indistinguishable in size, weight, and balance to avoid compromising the car's aerodynamics or regulations, this stealthy module contains an iPhone camera sensor, an A-series chip (likely the A17 Pro), a battery, and a neutral density (ND) filter to tame exposure in the blinding sun of a racetrack.
The module also runs iOS with a custom firmware, allowing it to capture cinematic ProRes footage in log format—a flat, desaturated look ideal for post-production color grading. In fact, this behind-the-scenes work inspired two pro-grade features in the iPhone 15 Pro: log video recording and support for the industry-standard ACES (Academy Color Encoding System) color pipeline.
Given the unforgiving environment of an F1 race—screaming engines, brutal G-forces, and scorching temperatures—Apple's engineering team couldn't simply drop in phone parts and hope for the best. The camera module was put through rigorous tests to ensure it could withstand intense vibrations, shocks, and heat. By all accounts, it not only passed but exceeded Formula One's requirements.
Since there are no built-in radios, the only way to control the camera was through a custom iPad app. Once plugged in via USB-C, the app let filmmakers tweak shutter angles, white balance, frame rates, and more. They could also start and stop recordings remotely—essential for capturing fleeting on-track moments.
The result? Authentic POV footage from real F1 cars, filmed during the 2023 and 2024 seasons, that seamlessly blends into the film's wider visual language.
Apple's foray into filmmaking hardware isn't entirely new. The iPhone has slowly carved out a space in the industry ever since Sean Baker's Tangerine (2015) gained critical acclaim for being shot entirely on an iPhone 5s. More recently, Danny Boyle's 28 Years Later and now F1 continue that trend—with Apple backing both projects.
But while it's tempting to celebrate these as 'shot on iPhone' milestones, it's important to understand the context. Film sets are meticulously lit. Third-party lenses are often bolted onto the phone. Stabilisation rigs are involved.
Still, the power and flexibility of smartphone cameras have come a long way. They've opened the gates for emerging filmmakers who don't have access to big-budget equipment. They've also allowed even the most seasoned directors to think outside the conventional lens—sometimes quite literally.
F1 stars Brad Pitt, Javier Bardem, and Damson Idris, and is set to release on June 26 in the UAE.