How to shoot 3D ‘spatial videos’ on iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max

The latest iOS update unlocks the iPhone 15 Pro's ability to record immersive spatial videos, viewable in 3D on Apple Vision Pro.

iPhone 15 Pro Max stands out with its premium build, brand value, and camera performance (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)

Apple Vision Pro allows users to consume 3D content from platforms like Apple TV+ and Disney+. Cupertino also introduced the ability to shoot 3D or spatial videos on the iPhone 15 Pro series with the iOS 17.2 update, and with the iOS 17.4 beta, the company is promoting the same within the camera app, encouraging users to record and play their own 3D content.

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Users who have installed the latest iOS 17.4 beta are getting an option to set up spatial video recording within the camera app. Do note that one minute of regular SDR (standard dynamic range) 1080p 30fps video on an iPhone 15 Pro takes 65 MB, while a 1080p 30fps spatial video will take 130 MB. One needs an Apple Vision Pro to watch these in 3D, and one can also playback these in 2D format on the iPhone.

Spatial video recording option on iPhone 15 Pro Max (Express Photo)

How to record spatial videos on iPhone 15 Pro?

To record a 3D or spatial video on an iPhone 15 Pro or the iPhone 15 Pro Max, follow these procedures. Make sure that your iPhone is running on iOS 17.2 or a newer version, as this feature is not available on previous versions of iOS. Note that you can shoot spatial videos only in landscape orientation.

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Open the camera app > select video mode > rotate your smartphone to landscape orientation > tap on the Vision Pro icon to start recording 3D videos on your iPhone.

While recording a spatial video on your iPhone, make sure that the iPhone is steady and you can only record a spatial video when the distance between the iPhone and the subject is between 1 and 2.5 meters. To record spatial videos with a lot of details, record them in well-lit conditions. Once recorded, these videos can be shared with the Vision Pro using AirDrop or one can also upload them to iCloud and access the same via Vision Pro.

Apple uses image both the primary camera and the ultra-wide angle lens to capture data and depth to create a true 3D video. It uses two vertically aligned videos to shoot the same. This is said to be the reason why spatial video recording is not available on the base iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Plus, as these phones have diagonally aligned cameras.