Give yourself a case of double vision with this cutting-edge camera app
Price: Free
Version: 1.0.2
Size: 12 MB
Developer: FiLMiC Inc
Platform: iPhone (XS/XR or newer) & iPad (Pro 2018 or newer)
We’re in proof-of-concept territory with DoubleTake, which draws on the raw power of modern iPhones to simultaneously record using two cameras. Depending on how you approach the app, it could be considered a gimmick or a vital addition to your iPhone videographer toolkit.
It’s straightforward to use. You kick things off by tapping the camera picker button at the bottom-left of the screen. You then choose your ‘A’ and ‘B’ lenses, the former being the primary one. Close the box and you can start recording.
Choose your cameras!
DoubleTake has three shooting modes you can switch between, the default being Discrete. This while recording shows the A camera’s view close to full screen, with the B camera overlaid as a thumbnail. Recordings are saved as separate videos, each of which can subsequently be edited independently in another app.
This is ideal if you’re, for example, recording an interview with someone, or shooting a video blog where you need to capture your surroundings and your reactions, but lack a two-camera set-up.
The other two modes are a literal picture-in-picture mode, which ‘burns’ a movable, overlaid B image on to the A camera footage, and split-screen. The latter’s arguably more fun, making it a cinch to capture two views, and end up with a video you don’t need to bother compositing in post-production.
That’s more or less where DoubleTake slams on the brakes. Unlike big brother Filmic Pro, there’s no in-app editing. File management feels clunky: the app does not automatically save videos to Photos; instead, you must access the app’s library, manually select items, and share them accordingly. Doing so feels fiddly, and a world away from the relative elegance of the rest of the app. You should also be mindful although your iPhone might shoot 4K, DoubleTake doesn’t — shots max out at 1080p.
The fab split-screen mode. And a Miniature Schnauzer.
Ultimately, DoubleTake borders on tech demo, and has plenty going for it. For a start, the app works, and it’s stable. It’s a fast, convenient way to shoot using two iPhone cameras at once, and you get three meaningfully distinct modes. Given the lack of a price tag, we’ll happily take this glimpse of the future — although anyone who uses their iPhone for serious video work will no doubt be impatiently waiting for this functionality to appear in Filmic Pro proper, as promised when the iPhone 11 line-up originally launched.