Kino, the professional-level video recording app for iPhone from the makers of Halide, is getting its first major update that includes more color grades, toggle-able tap-to-focus, and an overhauled new user experience that makes the app a lot easier to understand.
Earlier this year, the Halide team launched Kino as an attempt to create a video peer to the company’s excellent photography-focused app. The company wanted to “make great, cinematic video easy” while “still delivering an app that’s powerful enough for real pros,” which it does through a simple user interface that still packs complete manual control. It also, importantly, can leverage Apple’s Log profile.
“This is a real game changer with Apple Log: it lets you capture video with a lot less processing,” the developers said. “Some natural grain, beautiful highlight rolloff, it just looks gorgeously cinematic. Apple’s camera can shoot Log, but you have to edit it, and it is encoded in ProRes which results in giant files. In Instant Grade, Kino shoots in HEVC for an everyday video file size, and your chosen color preset is applied right to your recording.”
Today’s update brings three new features in addition to a better experience for new users. Firstly, Kino now has what it calls “pro white balance control,” which it says offers users precise manual or preset-based white balance control for pro-level video recording. It has a custom UI, which the company is particularly proud of.
The Kino team also adds toggle-able tap-to-focus which makes it easier for new users to understand but also integrates seamlessly with manual focus pulling workflows, which Kino says allows users to set a focus point and then drop right into manual focus. Kino also worked with content creators Tyler Stalman and Sebastiaan de With to provide three new color grades that are made for Apple Log.
Finally, Kino now has a “significantly expanded” the new user experience which walks them through getting a great cinematic-colored first shot with our Instant Grade feature. Beyond that, Kinio has created several new tutorial videos with 3D-rendered interfaces and elements that walk users through the entire app and all of its features.
These join other “features and enhancements” like new alternate icons and a “secret menu” in the settings, all of which can be seen in the company’s announcement blog post. As part of the update, Kino is being offered at half off for the next week. Kino is a one-time-purchase license and has no subscription.
Image credits: Kino