Our Verdict
I bought my iPhone 3 G about 16 month ago , which mean , in the tight - paced world of smartphone innovations , I am carry around an gaffer . Some of the feature in the recent iOS 4 update wo n’t even run on my phone and the one that do can sometimes finger a small sluggish . More to the gunpoint , while fancy - pants iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 owners have souped - up built - in camera capable of becharm video recording , I still have to make do with the earpiece ’s original 2.0 - megapixel television camera that takes pictures and nothing else . I might as be using a circular phone .
I ca n’t do much about the iOS disparity and my iPhone 3 G ’s camera is what it is . But a number of software makers have come out with apps that summate TV - capture feature of speech to honest-to-goodness iPhones . Camera Plus Pro , for example , includes television gaining control among its laundry list of features , and Camera Genius add video capture to its feature film place after our November 2009 critique of the all - in - one camera app .
CodeGoo , which draw Camera Genius , also offers telecasting - gaining control in a standalone free app calledVideo Genius . The app allows iPhone and iPhone 3 g-force proprietor to record video from their older fashion model , though the termination are improbable to meet your iPhone 3GS- and iPhone 4 - toting friends with any buyer ’s remorse over their upgrade .
And… Action: The original iPhone and the iPhone 3G can shot video with the help of Video Genius, which allows you to record in portrait or landscape. (The app’s controls don’t re-orient themselves, however.)
And … Action : The original iPhone and the iPhone 3 grand can take video with the aid of Video Genius , which grant you to record in portrait or landscape . ( The app ’s controls do n’t re - orient themselves , however . )
Launching Video Genius brings up an interface not unlike what you get from the iPhone ’s progress - in Camera app — the entire covert becomes your view finder . Tap the green button on the bottom of the screen to set off recording ; it will turn red and flash when you ’re capturing television . you’re able to take in either portraiture or landscape orientation ( though if you hold the telephone set horizontally , the control do n’t realine themselves — they stay on on the one close of the screen ) .
Video Genius forebode you 40 to 60 seconds of shot . In my tests , I was unremarkably capable to capture about 45 sec of video before the app cease the transcription and write my single file to the iPhone ’s camera pealing . On a few occasions , though , the app stopped put down at around the 25 - endorsement mark , even though my telephone had just as much capability as when I shot 40 seconds or more worth of telecasting . The performance strike me as inconsistent .
If you ’d care to pip longer telecasting , Video Genius rent you turn on a long - picture recording mode via its setting concealment . shoot in that mode , I created a magnum opus video of me walk around theMacworldoffices for more than two minutes of continuous shooting before I stopped the recording . As a trade - off , TV shot in the longer shoot modality record at a irksome skeletal system rate—8 frames per second , according to CodeGoo , as opposed to a high rate of 12 frames per minute for normal videos . ( And the key phrasal idiom there is “ eminent rate . ” A telecasting I pullulate for test aim in normal mode tallied 11.2 frames per second , while the long - video recording recording of my hero ’s journeying could only bring off around 5.5 frames per second . ) Since 30 frame per secondly is more or less the criterion for video , you should not expect pristine television character from this app .
Video Genius show at a 210×160 resolution in my tests — a far cry from the 640×480 size that the iPhone 3GS records and not the least bit comparable to the 1280×720 resolution that the iPhone 4 ’s rear - facing photographic camera offers . Still , I base recordings inject in normal modality to be perfectly acceptable . ( Long - video recordings , on the other hand , were edgy and jerky — almost like watching a flipbook animation . ) To my way of thinking , I ’m principally going to use a phone ’s video - capture capabilities to record those unwritten moments when a phone is the only recording equipment handy — a child ’s first steps , a celebrity ’s TMZ - friendly faux PA system , my ally getting make in the groin with a football . For state of affairs like these , Video Genius ’s serviceable - though - specify video quality does the trick . If , on the other hand , you call for gamy - closure videos from your phone , you ’ll want to study a unlike option — like upgrading to an iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4 .
Here ’s a sample telecasting I shot with Video Genius , so that you could make your own opinion about the character of the video . Note that most of the shakiness can be blamed upon my unfirm hand holding the iPhone .
I ’m less satisfied with some of Video Genius ’s wobbly features . An picture in the app ’s lower right corner seemingly provides a link to your camera roll so that you may watch your handicraft . When I tap that icon , though , nothing happens . The only way I ’ve been capable to regard videos shoot by Video Genius is to discontinue the app , and launch my iPhone ’s built - in Photos app — very inconvenient . Video Genius also lack a direction to share videos , either by atomic number 99 - post them or uploading them to the Web . You involve to download the video off your phone onto iPhoto to do any of that — again , not a slew - killer whale , but scarce idealistic .
If you ’ve got an older iPhone and would like to add some video - seizure capableness , Video Genius gives you a serviceable alternative at no cost . ( In contrast , an app like iVideoCamera will cost you $ 1 , though you ’ll get unspoilt resolution from that offering . ) Just be aware that if you choose for Video Genius , you ’ll have to con to live with some quirk and restriction . For user who just want a bare television - gaining control capability , that ’s an acceptable for business deal - off ; for others , the app ’s shortcomings will be too blinding to overlook .
[ Macworld.com executive editor program Philip Michaels is ready for his end - up . ]
