Your storage size could cap your iPhone 14 Pro camera features

Unfortunately, the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max are inheriting one of the iPhone 13 Pro’s shortcomings.

If you want to shoot video in 4K ProRes, you will need to buy an iPhone 14 Pro or Pro Max with at least 256GB of storage. Otherwise, you will be capped at 1080p HD video at 30FPS. This information was buried as a footnote in an Apple (opens in new tab) press release for the new high-end iPhones.

Admittedly, this should not come as a major shock to Apple fans. Apple capped ProRes video recording at the exact same levels as the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max and set the exact same storage requirements. So while it is disappointing to see the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max did not get an upgrade, at least this is not a downgrade compared to the previous generation. 

What is ProRes video? 

ProRes video is an advanced video codec developed by Apple that allows for incredibly high-quality video capture. It is commonly used in professional settings from commercials to feature films. While the format has been around since 2007, it was only possible to shoot ProRes video starting with last year’s iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max.

So the good news is, for a lot of people this won’t have a practical impact. While it is nice to be able to shoot professional-quality video, the average iPhone user won’t need to shoot in ProRes or even miss the capability. 

If you are a budding cinematographer interested in shooting ProRes video, make sure to check out our guide on how to record ProRes video on an iPhone 13 Pro. Presumably, this guide will still be applicable to the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, even with the shift from iOS 15 to iOS 16. 

What iPhones can shoot ProRes video? 

Currently, the only iPhones that can shoot ProRes video are the two most recent generations of the Pro and Pro Max. That means the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max and the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max.

If you are looking to get an iPhone 13 Pro or Pro Max though, you better hurry. These two models are among the four iPhones discontinued by Apple following the launch of the iPhone 14. You can still buy them at third-party retailers like Amazon or Best Buy — you can even get them at a discount at physical Apple Store locations while supplies last. But they are no longer available on Apple’s website.

That means most people will need to grab the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. Make sure to check out our iPhone 14 preorders page for all the latest offers to preorder the latest iPhones so you don’t accidentally spend more than you need to. Some retailers are offering up to $1,000 in trade-in value, so this could be a great time to upgrade.