How To Shoot Anamorphic On Your Phone

Shooting anamorphic footage on your phone can add a cinematic look to your videos. While there isn’t a way to A.I. your way to anamorphic footage through a paid app, manual tools like attachable phone lenses will do just the trick — like the Moment Anamorphic 1.33x Lens (available in either M-Series or T-Series depending on your device).

Anamorphic lenses squeeze the image horizontally, allowing you to capture a wider field of view than a traditional lens. While there are many options on the market, we pride ourselves on crafting the best, highest-quality lenses to attach to both Apple and Android devices. Once you de-squeeze the footage in post-production, it effortlessly gives you that classic, movie-like look.

To shoot anamorphic footage on your phone, follow our guide below.

1. Get An Anamorphic Lens for Your Phone

Various companies produce anamorphic smartphone lenses, including Moment (that’s us!), Sandmarc, and Moondog Labs. These lenses are high-quality and designed to attach to most smartphones easily.

Our Moment lenses are the brainchildren of experienced professionals and filmmakers in the industry. They have the insight to know what needs fine-tuning or enhancement. If you're interested in the technical details behind creating Moment Lenses and the latest Module 8 Tuners, check out our in-depth article here. The team's dedication to quality and detail truly sets our lenses apart.

But we offer more than just our classic best-selling 1.33x Blue Flare lens. We've expanded our range to include a Gold Flare 1.33x lens and a 1.55x Gold Flare lens, providing options for varying focal lengths and added warmth to your shots. If you're unsure which lens would be best for you, check out our detailed article on the differences between 1.33x and 1.55x ratios here.

2. Set Up Your Camera App

Numerous camera apps have a feature that allows shooting in an anamorphic format using your lens. If this feature isn't available in your current camera app, you may need to opt for a third-party application such as Filmic Pro. While adjusting camera settings according to your preferences, always maintain your shooting speed at 24 frames per second (fps). This ensures your video has a cinematic motion blur akin to professional film production.

Using Moment Camera Pro App (iOS Only)

After installing the Moment Pro Camera app, launch it. On the top right-hand corner is a circle icon - tap it. This action will bring up a menu with various lens options. From this list, select the Anamorphic Lens. This lets the app know which lens you're using and enables it to work effectively with your phone's camera. To return to the Camera screen, tap the circle icon once again.

An icon with rotating arrows inside the camera preview lets you toggle between the Rear and Front Selfie cameras. If you wish to switch between your smartphone's native Wide and Tele lenses, tap the “1x” icon below.

3. Shoot Your Video

You’re ready to start filming with your camera now correctly set up. Remember that anamorphic lenses compress the image, capturing a broader field of view. As a result, you may need to reevaluate and adjust your framing tactics.

If your standard camera app doesn't provide manual control for features like focus, exposure, white balance, and ISO, you might explore third-party apps such as the Moment Pro Camera app. These settings significantly influence your footage's overall quality and atmospheric tone.

Check out our comprehensive guide for extra expert tips on shooting mobile videos on your smartphone.

4. Desqueeze Your Anamorphic Footage

After filming your video, the next step is to 'de-squeeze' it during editing to achieve the correct aspect ratio. This adjustment is typically performed using video editing software. This means you will adjust the video's aspect ratio from its original ratio to around 2.40:1. However, this could vary depending on the specific squeeze factor of your anamorphic lens.

For users of our Moment Pro Camera App, we've simplified this process:

Using Moment Camera Pro App (iOS Only)

1. Open App
2. Select the “Anamorphic Lens Button” with the little “A” in the middle of the circle. (NOTE): Using the Anamorphic setting with your Moment Anamorphic Lens will only show what it’s like de-squeezed as a preview, but it WILL NOT save de-squeezed. You must continue to step three.
3. Click the “Settings” button (three lines).
4. Apply the "De-Squeezed file” button.
5. You’re all done, except… if you’re shooting 4K 60FPS or 1080p 240FPS, your phone will have difficulty processing that high amount of RAM power, resulting in dropped frames after production.

If you’re interested in using additional software or applications, check out our article showing other easy ways to de-squeeze anamorphic footage.

5. Edit and Color Grade

With your footage now 'de-squeezed', you can proceed to edit it in your usual manner. It's worth noting that anamorphic lenses often imbue the footage with a distinct color tone, allowing you to color grade your footage to achieve your desired aesthetic.

We have a wide array of presets and Look-Up Tables (LUTs) crafted by creators for filmmakers and cinematographers, offering a range of styles from vintage looks and cool tones to warm and ethereal moods.

Feel free to browse through our library and share your thoughts!

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