Apple developed a custom camera system using iPhone components to capture high-speed footage from Formula 1 cars for its upcoming feature film "F1: The Movie," WIRED reports. The project involved the replacement of standard F1 broadcast cameras with a bespoke module engineered around an iPhone camera sensor and powered by an A-series chip.
Image via WIREDFilmmakers reportedly insisted on capturing authentic driver-perspective racing footage using real Formula 1 vehicles, but the constraints of F1 car design, such as aerodynamics, weight, and safety, made it impossible to mount a traditional Hollywood cinema camera. While standard onboard cameras used in live F1 race broadcasts are suitable for television, they are not designed to meet the visual standards required for film production.
As a result, Apple's engineering team was tasked with designing a new camera system that could meet the technical requirements of Formula 1 and the modern filmmaking needs. The ultimate module does not resemble an iPhone in any way, was engineered to fit into the exact same space as the official F1 broadcast camera modules, and designed to match their weight in order to comply with Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) regulations. The unit was also tested for resistance to shock, heat, and vibration, exceeding the durability specifications of standard F1 broadcast equipment.
The module uses the 48-megapixel image sensor from the iPhone 15 Pro, paired with an Apple A-series processor believed to be the A17 Pro. It is able to capture high-resolution video in ProRes Log format, providing the production team with significantly more control over dynamic range and color grading. Apple also integrated a physical neutral density (ND) filter into the lens system, enabling better exposure control in the variable and high-intensity lighting conditions typical of daytime races.
It runs a custom version of iOS with firmware built specifically for this use-case. Apple says that this firmware directly informed new features introduced in the iPhone 15 Pro, including the addition of Log encoding and support for the Academy Color Encoding System (ACES) workflow.
Because F1 regulations prohibit onboard radio transmitters or wireless systems, Apple also developed an iPad app to serve as a wired control interface for the camera. Filmmakers were able to connect the iPad to the module via USB-C and adjust recording parameters such as ISO, shutter angle, white balance, frame rate, and start/stop functions as required. The footage was recorded locally on the module and later extracted.
Apple's "F1: The Movie" opens internationally on June 25 and in U.S. theaters and IMAX on June 27.
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