Manual camera controls for photos is something we’re used to seeing on Android devices, but manual camera controls for video capture is something that is just a little different and can be found far less. Luckily there’s an app for nearly everything you can think of and this includes manual video controls. An app called FiLMic Pro has just landed on the Play Store which brings in tons of features that any creationist should be excited to have at their fingertips, from the ability to sync audio frame rates to downsampling. The app also boasts a wide popularity on iOS, having been used by many individuals including the people who shot a popular film for the Sundance film festival entirely on their device.
If granular video controls and more features is something you’re looking for in mobile video, FiLMic Pro can give that to you, so long as you’re willing to pay $9.99 for the app. That’s a bit pricey but also not the most expensive app that can be downloaded on Android, as many top-end games can be picked up at almost one and half times or twice the cost. Compatibility is reported to be hit or miss, and this is likely due to the requirement for Android 5.0 Lollipop and above as well as the Android camera 2 API. Since not all phones support the new camera API it’s unfortunately less useable, and on top of all of this it’s noted that not all features are supported on all devices which makes this even more limiting.
If you have a supported device however, you’re opening up your mobile video to a world of options in addition to the couple listed above. FiLMic Pro comes with full manual controls for temperature, tint, ISO, exposure, focus, shutter speed, and pulling focus. This allows for things like slow and fast motion FX options, and an action slioder for live shooting adjustments. You’ll also be able to utilize different encoding options and multiple ways to share and save anything you record using the app. With the smaller number of devices that are capable of installing FiLMic Pro and the cost being what it is, it’s likely not to be as popular on Android but not for lack of offerings, rather because there aren’t as many people can take advantage of what it brings to the table.
