The Tool Desk
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What do “10-bit,” “Log,” and “standard video” mean?
10-bit is bit depth
Bit depth describes how precisely a video file can represent image values. It does not tell you whether the footage is Log or ready to watch. A recording’s bit depth, codec, transfer curve, color space, and camera-app support are separate properties; check the combination your phone actually records.
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Log is a transfer curve
Log maps scene brightness into recorded values using a logarithmic curve. It captures a flatter, less saturated-looking image intended for color grading, offering more flexibility over highlight and shadow detail than standard video. Log is not automatically 10-bit, and 10-bit does not automatically mean Log.
Standard video can be SDR or HDR
Standard video is processed in camera, with color and contrast applied so it is ready to view. “Standard” does not necessarily mean SDR: standard video can also be HDR. The choice is not simply Log versus standard; it can be standard SDR, standard HDR, or Log, depending on the phone and app.
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Which recording mode should you choose?
| Situation | Starting choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Personal clips, immediate sharing, or minimal editing | Standard SDR | It is ready to view, broadly compatible, and requires no grading. |
| Same-day event or news coverage | Standard SDR | It avoids making color grading a required step before delivery. |
| A deliberate color grade or specific creative look | Log | Its flat capture is intended for post-production adjustment. |
| High-contrast or changing light, with time to grade | Log | It gives more flexibility over highlight and shadow detail, provided exposure is handled well. |
| HDR-first delivery and an HDR viewing setup | Standard HDR | It is ready-to-view HDR without an extensive grading workflow. |
| You are unsure whether your phone or app supports the workflow | Check the exact model and app first | Support varies. In Apple’s Final Cut Camera, Log requires iPhone 15 Pro or later. |
What you gain and give up with each option
Standard SDR: fast, straightforward results
The camera applies color and contrast, so the file is usually ready to watch and share. Apple describes SDR as the fastest workflow, typically with smaller, more manageable files than Log or RAW and broad display and platform compatibility. The trade-off is less dynamic range and less room to correct exposure mistakes later. It is a practical choice for everyday memories, quick social clips, run-and-gun reporting, and fast-turnaround event footage.
Standard HDR: ready-to-view footage for HDR delivery
Standard HDR is processed for viewing without extensive grading. Compared with SDR, it can show brighter highlights and more detailed shadows. Proper presentation requires an HDR-capable display, and Apple notes that HDR offers less post-production flexibility than Log or RAW. Choose it when HDR is the intended destination and you can manage the viewing and export workflow.
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Log: more grading control, more work
Log footage looks flat and desaturated because it is meant to be finished in post-production. You will need a LUT or manual color correction to make it look finished. That extra work can pay off for documentary, branded, or independent projects where you want a tailored look and have the time and skill to grade. Log is not automatically a better-looking result straight out of the camera.
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RAW is a separate, more demanding option
RAW is not another name for Log. Apple describes RAW as retaining more sensor image information and offering greater post-production flexibility, but with very large files and more demanding storage needs. For most phone-video decisions, the practical comparison is standard SDR, standard HDR, and Log.
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Check compatibility and storage before recording
Recording support depends on the phone and camera app, so verify both rather than assuming a feature works across a device brand or operating system. For example, Apple’s Final Cut Camera supports Log on iPhone 15 Pro or later, with HEVC or Apple ProRes. That is an app-specific compatibility detail, not a universal rule for every phone or app.
Codec choice can change storage needs substantially. Apple says ProRes files can be up to 30 times larger than HEVC files. For a supported ProRes or RAW workflow, an external USB-C SSD may be useful; do not assume an SSD is necessary for every 10-bit or Log recording. Before relying on a drive, check your exact phone model, connector, sustained write performance, resolution and frame-rate limits, and app compatibility. Apple also documents external storage for ProRes on supported iPhone models and says external storage is required for ProRes RAW recording in Final Cut Camera.
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Exposure and viewing still matter
Log can preserve more highlight and shadow detail for grading, but the label cannot rescue clipped highlights or badly underexposed shadows. Exposure and the phone’s implementation still matter. Likewise, choose HDR only if the viewing and export chain can present HDR as intended; otherwise, a ready-to-view SDR file may be the more predictable result.
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