Summary
- Blackmagic Camera app for Android offers professional video controls for advanced users.
- The app supports up to 8K video recording with complete control over settings and a customizable viewfinder.
- Works best with Samsung and Google phones, seamlessly integrates with DaVinci Resolve for convenience.
As a photographer, you can find plenty of Android apps to up your editing game. But your options are limited if you want a third-party camera app to replace your phone’s built-in app. There’s a reason why third-party camera apps are so bad on Android. In April this year, Blackmagic — known for its high-quality digital film cameras and DaVinci Resolve — previewed the Blackmagic Camera for Android at NAB Las Vegas, promising to bring professional video controls to the best Android phones. Two months later, the app is now live on the Play Store.
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If you have used a professional camera or know your way around advanced video controls, you will be delighted by the options available in the Blackmagic Camera app. From histograms to audio meters to focus assist to frame guides, there’s almost every possible tool you can ask for. The best part is the app has a highly customizable viewfinder, so you can only have relevant controls show up on the screen.
The app supports up to 8K video recording on compatible devices and will work with all camera sensors on your phone. You can record videos using the H.265 codec and choose between the Rec.709 and HLG10 colorspace. Other options include complete control over the shutter speed, ISO, white balance, tint, and support for 3D LUTs.
Do note that the app cannot bypass the hardware restrictions of your phone. So, while I could record 8K footage using the Blackmagic Camera app on the Galaxy S23 Ultra, the video recording resolution available on the Pixel 8 Pro topped out at 4K.
Blackmagic Camera only works with Samsung and Google phones
Admittedly, many of the advanced controls are already available in the Pro mode of some Android phones, especially those from Samsung and Xiaomi. But if you are a Pixel user, the Blackmagic Camera app will provide more powerful controls than the Pixel Camera app.
If you are a DaVinci Resolve user, you can log into your Blackmagic account and directly have all recorded footage uploaded to a specific project you are working on. The Blackmagic Camera app is available for free from the Play Store. It works with limited Samsung and Google devices, with support limited to recent flagship models. In our testing, the app worked flawlessly on the Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 7, Galaxy S23 Ultra, and Galaxy S24.
