Phone cameras are good enough for YouTube, church livestreams, business adverts and event videos. What separates good video from poor video is almost never the phone. It is light, steadiness and sound.
Before you press record
- Wipe the lens. Phone lenses are covered in fingerprints, which make everything hazy. This one habit improves more videos than any other.
- Use the back camera when you can. It is better than the selfie camera on almost every phone.
- Turn on Do not disturb so a call does not stop the recording.
- Check your storage. One minute of 1080p video uses around 100 to 150MB. See phone storage full.
Light
- Face the light. A window in front of you, or to the side, gives soft, flattering light for free.
- Never film with a bright window behind the person. The phone exposes for the window and the face goes dark.
- Midday sun outdoors is harsh; shade or the early morning and late afternoon look far better.
- Indoors at night, a cheap LED panel or ring light makes a large difference.
Steadiness
- Use a tripod, or rest the phone on something solid.
- Handheld, hold it with two hands, elbows tucked into your body, and move slowly.
- Most phones have stabilisation in the camera settings; turn it on for walking shots.
Framing
- Landscape (sideways) for YouTube and TV. Vertical for TikTok, Reels, Shorts and WhatsApp status. Decide before you start.
- Put the person's eyes about a third of the way down the frame, not in the centre.
- Leave a little space above the head, and do not cut people off at the joints (knees, elbows).
- Clear the background. A messy room or a bright object behind someone pulls the eye.
Settings
- 1080p at 30 frames per second is right for most uses and keeps files manageable. Use 4K only if you have the storage and a reason.
- Tap on the person's face to focus, then hold your finger to lock focus and exposure so it does not change mid-shot.
- Avoid digital zoom. Walk closer instead.
Sound
People will watch average-looking video with clear sound, but not good video with bad sound. Get the phone or a microphone close to the speaker, and away from fans and generators. See recording clear sound on a phone.
After filming
Back the footage up before you delete anything from the phone, then edit. See editing video on a phone.
Tools that help with this
Free, and they work inside your browser without uploading anything.