iPhone 17 Dolby Vision and Spatial Video: The Complete Beginner Guide for 2025
- Webmaster
- Sep 15
- 4 min read
iPhone 17 Dolby Vision: Why creators should care
Dolby Vision on the iPhone 17 captures a wider range of highlights and color compared with standard video, which means brighter skies, shiny cars, and skin tones hold detail instead of clipping. Spatial Video records two views that your viewer’s device can combine for a 3D effect, great for product b-roll, travel memories, or behind-the-scenes clips. With a few habits and a simple rig you can make footage that looks premium, not just “shot on a phone.”
Quick setup, step by step
Enable Dolby Vision
Open Camera, tap the arrow at the top, choose Video, set HDR on. Choose 4K and 24 fps or 30 fps.
Enable Spatial Video
In Settings, Camera, turn on Spatial Video. Record in landscape and hold the phone level.
Lock exposure and focus
Long press to set AE/AF lock, then slide exposure slightly down to protect highlights.
Stabilize the phone
Use a small tripod, a cage, or a grippy handle. If you must walk, keep elbows tucked and take shorter steps.
Capture clean audio
A compact on-camera mic or a lav mic into a lightning or USB-C interface will outperform the built-in mics in noisy spaces.
Best settings cheat sheet
Resolution and frame rate: 4K, 24 fps for cinematic motion, 30 fps for general content, 60 fps for action or slow-downs.
Lens: Use 1x for the cleanest noise and dynamic range.
Exposure: Lock AE/AF, bias exposure down by about one third of a stop when you see bright highlights.
White balance: Keep the scene under one light type when you can, avoid mixing daylight with warm lamps.
Stabilization: Leave in-camera stabilization on for handheld shots, turn it off only when the phone is rigidly mounted.
Spatial Video tips: Keep subjects between 0.5 and 2.5 meters, avoid quick pans, keep the phone horizontal and level, and do not block the lenses with a case or finger.
How Dolby Vision works on the iPhone, in plain language
Standard video stores a narrow brightness range. Dolby Vision stores more highlight and shadow information, then uses metadata to adapt playback to each screen. On an HDR display the image pops with bright specular detail, on an SDR display the phone or app tone-maps the image so it still looks good. This flexibility is why your highlight roll-off looks more natural.
Creator takeaway: protect highlights while recording, and keep your edit in HDR until the final export unless your delivery platform only supports SDR.
A clean capture workflow
Scout the light: turn the phone toward the brightest part of the frame and set your exposure there.
Lock it: long press to lock AE/AF, then adjust exposure a touch darker.
Frame and move: compose, count “one-two” to settle, then roll for at least five seconds per shot.
Repeat for coverage: record a wide, a medium, and a close-up of every action.
Label on ingest: rename clips by scene and take so you can find things later.
Audio that does not sound like a phone
Dialogue: lav mic clipped 6–8 inches from the mouth. If you cannot mic the talent, use a small shotgun 12–24 inches from the speaker.
Monitoring: wear earphones while checking levels. Keep peaks below the red, aim for dialogue around the middle of the meter.
Rooms: hard rooms add echo. Hang a blanket off-frame, record closer, or step outside.
Editing and color: HDR or SDR
HDR delivery (for YouTube, modern TVs, recent phones):
Create an HDR timeline that matches your footage.
Balance exposure first, then white balance, then saturation.
Add a gentle contrast curve only if needed. Preview on an HDR-capable device before publishing.
SDR delivery (for older phones or specific social platforms):
Convert your clips to an SDR Rec.709 timeline using a tone-map or transform.
After the transform, adjust contrast and saturation so skin tones look natural.
Export a high-bit-rate file to avoid banding.
Spatial Video editing: keep clips together as pairs, do not crop aggressively, and avoid speed ramps or heavy stabilization that desynchronizes the views. Export to a supported 3D container when the platform allows, otherwise deliver as standard 2D with careful framing.
Sharing to platforms
YouTube: supports HDR. Upload, wait for processing, then check the “HDR” label on the player. Thumbnails are SDR, so design them separately.
Instagram and TikTok: some accounts see HDR previews, others are tone-mapped to SDR. Test a private post first. If colors look off, export an SDR version from your edit.
AirDrop or cloud: keep originals when transferring so HDR metadata stays intact.
Simple mobile rig that works
Cage or grip, adds cold shoes for a mic and light.
Compact LED with diffusion for interviews and product shots.
On-camera shotgun for run and gun, lav mic for talking heads.
Mini tripod that converts to a handheld grip.
Extra power so the light and mic do not die mid-shoot.
Common mistakes to avoid
Letting auto exposure pump while panning, fix with AE/AF lock.
Mixing color temperatures, pick one and stick to it.
Digital zoom that softens the image, move your feet instead.
Over-stabilization artifacts, especially in Spatial Video, keep movements gentle.
Forgetting backups, keep two copies of the best takes.
FAQ
Does Dolby Vision help in low light?
It protects highlights and color better than SDR, but noise still increases when light is low. Add light or raise exposure during capture rather than fixing everything later.
Can I shoot Spatial and Dolby Vision at the same time?
Spatial clips record in HDR, but follow the Spatial framing and movement rules for the best result.
Which frame rate looks most cinematic?
24 fps gives the classic look, 30 fps is more neutral and matches most phone content, 60 fps is best for action and slow motion.
Conclusion
With a few habits and a simple rig, iPhone 17 Dolby Vision and Spatial Video can look polished and professional. Nail exposure, stabilize, record clean audio, and decide early whether your project will stay in HDR or convert to SDR. Consistency beats gear lists.
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