Is the iPhone 17 Pro is the Vlog Camera Killer? Why I'll Be Shooting More with My Phone

iPhone 17 Is Here

On the cusp of iPhone season, the 17 series has creators and gear nerds buzzing. Apple is once again doing the Apple thing by owning the story and setting the pace for the rest of the industry. Debate me all you want, I’m still siding with Cupertino.

This year feels different. Lighter, a little more fun. The spec sheet isn’t a huge revolution compared to the iPhone 16, but the gains in real-world battery life that last a full shoot day, a next-gen chip with vapor-chamber cooling that keeps frames steady when you’re constantly rolling, and a sick new orange Pro that finally feels bold next to last year’s washed-out neutrals.

Apple keynotes often boast that this year is the best ever for camera technology, with the highest lens resolution they’ve ever seen, and the longest battery life ever in an iPhone (all self-described). And they’re not wrong. The iPhone 17 Pro series seems to genuinely make itself the most advanced system I’ve ever seen in a handheld device, with its supposed 8-lens camera system and upgraded resolution made for the creator in mind.

iPhone vs. Vlog Camera

Vlogging has become the neighborhood sport, and beginner filmmaking is having a moment.

Every kid wants to be the next YouTube legend or the neighborhood Scorsese, and I can’t blame them. You get to tell stories with your friends in the backyard, work your way up doing what you love, and maybe even get paid for it.

And I’m no daily vlogger or filmmaker myself, but I love capturing the cinematic moments of my everyday life: the way the morning sun hits the garden, steam rising off a cappuccino in a new city, and small glances that stitch a day together like a novel...

I keep two non-phone cameras on hand: my Super 8 and a Sony ZV-1. Both are great for bottling a moment — one wrapped in nostalgia, the other in convenience. The Super 8 is typically reserved for special occasions or as a wedding package add-on since the processing is pricey. The ZV-1 is my go-to camera when I want to keep my iPhone in my pocket. Last month in New York, Eunice and I recorded dumb, wonderful selfie monologues on the ZV-1 through subway platforms, late-night sidewalks — precisely because we didn’t want to invite Instagram into the conversation.

But the irony of it all is that when I review those clips, they don’t look meaningfully different from what the iPhone can produce these days. With Apple Log, proper bit depth, and manual controls in the Moment Pro Camera app, the phone is more than passable —and dare I say, cinematic— on demand. And that “distraction-free” argument eventually becomes a tidy excuse for another gear purchase. When you hit record with intention, no matter the camrea, the iPhone behaves like a real rig if you know how to put it to use.

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So what’s left is the math. On one side: a ~$1,000 device that shoots stabilized, edit-ready footage, color grades cleanly, and also happens to text your mom. On the other hand, a $6,000 pro rig like the Sony FX3 that absolutely sings in low light and offers true lens character for the pros, but demands extra lenses, batteries, cages, and a day bag to carry it.

For most creators & everyday people who simply want a solid camera, the iPhone now blurs that line enough that the choice isn’t about image quality, but more so about workflow, weight, and what you actually want to carry when the light gets good.

My Inspiration

Sam Youkillis’s quick cuts of daily life rewired how I think about iPhone video. His sweet, simply square frames of an Italian nonna working through a cup of gelato or a dog trotting past a deli stop the half-baked scroll session. Half of it looks crunchy off the 5× lens, and none of that matters. What carries is his eye for a single, human beat. Whether it’s a ZV-1, a Super 8, or a phone, the camera honestly becomes incidental. No surprise that his work exploded, and you can see echoes of that approach trickling into bigger creators’ feeds, including Joe Greer's.

I also came across Kirk Mihelakos on Threads, shwoing snippets of this short film he made on the iPhone 16 Pro and audibly gasped.

Trying it myself has been a reset. Filming small, ordinary moments on the iPhone is a practice in using what’s already in my pocket. IG Reels and TikToks have a way of humbling my gear choices anyway. I’m not at Sam’s effortless pace yet, but I’m less distracted and more present. The phone is muscle memory — I can operate it with my eyes closed — while a Sony still requires menu diving. And when I want more control, I shoot with Apple Log and grade using a favorite iPhone LUT, or open the Moment Pro Camera app to adjust shutter, ISO, and white balance. At that point, the story is doing the heavy lifting, which is where the heart of good filmmaking lives.

Imagine what I could shoot if I knew how to really use my iPhone to its fullest potential?!

Using Accessories

I’ve worked at Moment for more than eight years and only recently let the iPhone fully win me over. I’m usually a couple of beats late to any trend, but I’ve fallen hard for what Cook’s team has built for photographers and creators.

The turning point came this summer at Saguaro Lake Ranch. I snapped a Moment QuickLock VND onto my phone before a kayak run to grab a shot of my husband down the Salt River. The thing is wafer-thin, so compact it disappears in a pocket, and installation is a single-click payoff. That crunchy, over-sharpened phone look smooths out, skin tones relax, and the crazy iOS highlights stop being over the top. I was shocked by how fun it felt. It reminded me that the phone isn’t a compromise, but a genuinely competitive camera. I didn’t miss my camera once.

QuickLock filters originated as a smarter, lower-profile alternative to the standard 67mm filter mount ecosystem and have quietly revolutionized mobile workflow. Perhaps the revolution isn’t the filter itself, but the fast, tactile, and invisible presentation once mounted. The same lesson applies to “vlogging cameras,” which are great until menus, batteries, and rigs get in the way of the shot.

Moment

VND (2-7 Stop) QuickLock Filter - iPhone 15/16 Pro & Pro Max

$85

The QuickLock Variable ND Filter (2–7 stops) gives you precise exposure control on your phone — letting you shoot wide open in bright light or add motion blur with a simple twist. Unlike most mobile VNDs, ours delivers a clean, neutral look with no color shift, even in tough lighting. The low-profile Control Dial makes fine adjustments fast and tactile, while built-in stops prevent cross-polarization for a smoother, more cinematic result.

It mounts instantly with our QuickLock™ system — a press-and-lock design that securely attaches to your Moment Case with no threads or tools. Housed in a lightweight AeroFrame™ aluminum body, it’s built for speed and durability. Developed with our proprietary Filter Formula, this VND uses premium Schott B270 glass, optical coatings, and mechanical precision to give you pro-level control, right from your phone.

Note: You’ll need a Moment Case (sold separately) for these filters to work! 

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At the end of the day, the iPhone is the path of least resistance. The tool that will help you get the shot that you want. You can reach for a ZV-1, a Sony FX3, or even the beloved A7IV, and there are days when you should. But for most everyday creators, the iPhone is totally and fully capable, consistent, and already in your hand.