Understanding the Cause of Blurry Videos on iPhone
It’s never fun to capture a moment on your iPhone and then later realize that the video is blurry. Blurred videos can be incredibly frustrating, but what exactly causes them? There are several different factors that could contribute to a blurry video on your iPhone.
Firstly, it could be that the iPhone camera lens is dirty. If there is dirt or a smudge on the lens, it can cause the video to appear blurry. Additionally, if there is too much light or not enough light in the environment, this can cause the video to look blurry. Another factor could be camera shake. This occurs when you are moving the phone while recording and can cause the video to look shaky and blurry.
Another common cause of blurry videos on iPhone is low-quality recording. If the video is recorded at a low quality, it can cause pixelation and blurriness. Similarly, if you try to zoom in too much on a subject while recording, the video can appear blurry.
It’s important to understand the possible causes of blurry videos on iPhone to determine the best course of action to fix the issue. By identifying the root cause, you can take the necessary steps to ensure your videos are clear and crisp.
Adjusting Camera Settings for Clearer Videos
Most of us nowadays take videos with our smartphones rather than using a proper camera with adjustable settings. While smartphones have come a long way with their cameras, there are still ways to improve video quality by adjusting camera settings. Here are some tips on how to do that:
1. Change the Resolution and Frame Rate
The resolution and frame rate are two important camera settings that affect video quality. Make sure to set the resolution to the highest available option on your phone. This will result in a crisper, clearer image. The frame rate is also important, as it determines how many frames are captured per second. A higher frame rate results in smoother motion, so choose the highest frame rate your phone allows.
2. Adjust the Exposure
The exposure setting controls the brightness and darkness of your video. If your video is too dark or too bright, adjusting the exposure can help. It’s important to balance the exposure to get the optimal lighting for the scene. This can be done manually or automatically. To adjust manually, tap and hold on the area of the screen where you want to focus, which will bring up a yellow square. Then, swipe up or down to adjust the exposure. If you prefer automatic exposure, simply tap on your subject and let the camera adjust the exposure for you.
Professional photographers and videographers often use the technique called ‘exposure bracketing’. It involves capturing several shots and each with different exposures. It’s helpful when you’re not quite sure which exposure setting will give you the best output. Smartphone cameras may not have a native exposure bracketing function, but you can download third-party apps to do the job.
3. Enable Optical Image Stabilisation
Optical image stabilisation (OIS) is a technology used to minimise camera shake when recording a video. It works by physically adjusting the camera sensor to compensate for movement. OIS is particularly useful when recording video while walking or moving, as it helps to keep the video stable. To enable OIS on an iPhone, go to Settings > Camera and turn on ‘Optical Image Stabilisation’. The option may be called ‘Auto Stabilisation’ on some Android models.
4. Use the Rule of Thirds
The Rule of Thirds is a photography principle that can help improve video composition. It involves dividing the frame into thirds both horizontally and vertically, resulting in a grid of nine squares. To use the rule of thirds, place your subject at one of the four points where the lines intersect. This will make the video more visually appealing and help draw the viewer’s eye to the subject. Many smartphone cameras have a grid feature that can help you achieve this.
5. Clean the Camera Lens
Lastly, make sure to clean your camera lens before recording. It may seem like a small thing, but a dirty lens can greatly affect video quality. Dirt, fingerprints, and smudges can blur the image and make it appear hazy or unclear. Use a microfiber cloth or a lens-cleaning solution to clean the lens.
In conclusion, these are some simple steps you can take to adjust camera settings and improve the quality of your videos. Remember that a small tweak can make a big difference, so take your time to experiment and find what works best for you.
Using Video Stabilization to Fix Shaky Footage
When recording videos on your iPhone, it’s natural to get shaky footage since most people don’t have steady hands. Shaky footage can make a video look unprofessional and, in some cases, unreadable.
Thankfully, Apple understands this and has included a video stabilization feature in their iPhones. This function helps to stabilize your footage by using the built-in gyroscope in your device to detect movements and smoothen them, resulting in smoother footage.
Here are the steps to use video stabilization on your iPhone:
- Open your camera app on your iPhone.
- Tap ‘Video’ to switch to video mode.
- At the bottom right corner of your screen, you’ll find a small ‘lock’ icon, which you can tap to enable the video stabilization feature. The camera app will adjust for any movements of the phone and minimize shakiness.
- Press the red ‘Record’ button to start recording your video.
- When you’re done recording, simply tap the ‘Stop’ button to end your video.
It’s essential to note that video stabilization has its limitations, and it can’t fix every shaky footage. For example, if the camera moves too much or shakes too hard, video stabilization will not make up for it.
Another thing to be mindful of is that using video stabilization may cause your video to crop or slightly zoom in, resulting in a slightly smaller frame size. In some cases, this may not be noticeable, but it’s something to keep in mind.
In addition, video stabilization works better for handheld shots compared to shots with a steadying device since the software needs a level of motions to detect and correct.
Therefore, if you intend to take professional videos or use stabilizing devices such as a tripod or a gimbal, it would be best to disable video stabilization and use one of these devices instead.
If you’ve already recorded your video and need to use video stabilization to fix shaky footage, you can still do so using iMovie or other video editing apps. These apps come with video stabilization features you can use to reduce shakiness, although it might not be as effective as using video stabilization during recording.
Ultimately, video stabilization is an excellent tool for those taking casual videos on the iPhone. It can minimize shakiness to a degree and make your footage look smoother and professional.
But if you’re taking professional videos or using steadying devices, you might want to consider turning off video stabilization since it might not work as well in these cases.
Editing with Video Enhancement Tools
If the previous ways didn’t work and your video still appears to be blurry, don’t worry as there are applications available on the app store that you can use to make fine adjustments to your videos by enhancing their quality. Here are some of the best tools available that you can use to fix your blurry video:
1. Video-Grade: This is a video editing app that allows you to color grade your videos. It has a wide range of features and tools that can be used to make your videos look more professional. Some of these features include brightness, saturation, contrast, and many more.
2. iMovie: This is a video editing app that comes pre-installed on all iPhones. It’s a powerful tool that can be used to enhance your videos. With this app, you can crop, rotate, and add filters to your videos, which will significantly improve their overall quality.
3. Adobe Premiere Rush: This is a cross-platform video editing app that’s available on mobile and desktop devices. It’s a high-end tool that has a range of advanced features such as color grading, audio editing, and many more. It’s an excellent tool for those who want more control over their videos and who want to create professional-looking content.
4. InShot: This is another video editing app that’s available on both iOS and Android devices. It’s a simple tool that can be used to make quick adjustments to your videos. With this app, you can crop, trim, and add filters to your videos, which will significantly improve their quality.
5. FilmoraGo: This is a simple yet powerful video editing app that’s available on iOS and Android devices. It has a range of features such as crop, trim, filters, and many more. It’s an excellent tool for those who want a simple and easy-to-use video editor.
6. PowerDirector: This is a high-end video editing app that’s available on iOS and Android devices. It has a range of advanced features such as color grading, audio editing, and many more. It’s an excellent tool for those who want to create professional-looking videos.
All of these apps have different features and tools that you can use to enhance the quality of your videos. Some of them are free, while others require a subscription or a one-time purchase. Choose the one that best suits your needs and budget and get started on making your videos look fantastic.
Utilizing Third-Party Apps for Video Restoration
If the steps mentioned above do not provide a satisfactory result, then you can always try out third-party apps that specialize in video restoration. These apps use advanced AI algorithms to clear up the blur and other anomalies from your videos. Here are some of the best options:
1. VideoProc
VideoProc is an all-in-one video editing tool that can help you fix almost any video related issue, including blurriness. It has a unique feature called ‘Enhance Video’ that enhances video quality and removes imperfections with a single click.
The app is available for both Windows and Mac and supports a wide range of video formats, including 4K and 1080p. It also comes with a set of basic editing tools like cut, crop, merge, and effects to help you further customize your videos.
2. Wondershare UniConverter
Previously known as Wondershare Video Converter Ultimate, Wondershare UniConverter is a powerful video converter that can convert, compress, and edit videos. It also has an excellent video restoration feature that can fix blurry and shaky videos easily.
The app is available for both Windows and Mac and supports more than 1000 video formats. You can use it to compress large video files, extract audio from videos, and even burn videos to DVDs.
3. Deshaker
Deshaker is a free plugin for video editors like VirtualDub that uses advanced algorithms to remove camera shake and fixation issues. It’s an excellent tool for fixing blurry videos shot from unstable cameras, like smartphones or handheld cameras.
It analyzes the video’s motion and creates an inverse motion that reduces camera movements and shakes. Deshaker works best on videos with a low frame rate and is best-suited for quick fixes.
4. Blurity
Blurity is a dedicated app for fixing blurry photos and videos. It uses a unique deconvolution technique that removes the blur and restores the video’s crispness and clarity. The app has a straightforward interface that is easy to use, even for non-technical users.
The app is available for Windows and Mac and supports a wide range of video formats, including popular ones like MP4, AVI, and MOV.
5. FixMyMovie
If you’re looking for a simple and easy-to-use tool to fix blurry videos, then check out FixMyMovie. It’s an online tool that doesn’t require any downloads or installations and can fix your videos in a few simple steps.
The app uses advanced algorithms to stabilize and enhance your videos and make them look their best. It also has an auto-adjust feature that automatically adjusts the brightness, color, and contrast levels of your videos for optimal viewing.
Using third-party apps are effective if you want to fix blurry videos quickly and efficiently. These apps range from free plugins to dedicated video editing tools and can help you restore your videos’ clarity in no time.
