Apple builds custom iPhone camera for F1 movie, blending smartphone tech with big-screen cinema

In a world increasingly driven by high-tech innovations, Apple has reportedly engineered custom-built iPhone cameras specifically for the production of the upcoming Formula 1 movie. This move marks a significant mix of cutting-edge consumer tech and professional filmmaking. 

The camera that was used in the film shooting doesn’t really look like an iPhone externally since it had to be fitted within the existing Aerofoil-shaped camera housing that they need to attach to the side of the car. It’s a fully professional, race‑ready camera leveraging smartphone tech to capture immersive point‑of‑view F1 footage in ways traditional cinema cameras couldn’t.

So, how did an iPhone capture high quality, cinema-grade video?

To capture fully immersive, high-resolution point of view shots of Brad Pitt and Damson Idris racing at breakneck speeds for the race, Apple’s engineers developed a custom camera module that replicated the original broadcast housing and weight — ensuring seamless integration into the F1 cars.

Apple has explained that its specially designed iPhone camera for the Formula 1 movie required a direct USB-C connection to an iPad for full control. Through this setup, filmmakers could adjust critical settings such as frame rate, exposure gain, shutter angle, and white balance — along with start/stop functionality—since the custom module lacked wireless capabilities or onboard chips.

This is proof that movie making doesn’t really require all the professional set-ups and rigs, but a story in mind and a suitable camera that is good to go. The right lighting, stabilization and a tripod, these are all you need to make a professional-grade cinema. 

While Apple has no plans to release its custom F1 camera to the public, the technology behind it may offer a glimpse into the company’s rumored smart home security camera — hinting at future innovations in compact yet high-performance imaging.