If you're serious about grading video shot on your phone, the codec you export in matters as much as the look you apply. ProRes 422 is the format professional editors and colorists rely on, and yes, your iPhone can produce it. Here's what ProRes is, when it's worth using, and how to export it from CreativePass.
What is ProRes 422?
ProRes is Apple's professional video codec, designed for editing and color work rather than just final delivery. Where formats like H.264 compress aggressively to keep files small, ProRes 422 keeps far more image data, which means cleaner grades, smoother gradients, and fewer compression artifacts when you push color. It's the standard in post-production for a reason.
ProRes vs H.264 vs HEVC
H.264 and HEVC are delivery codecs: small files, great for uploading and streaming, but they discard data that grading can expose as banding or blockiness. ProRes 422 is an intermediate/mastering codec: bigger files, but much more resilient when you grade, especially with log footage. A simple rule: grade and archive in ProRes, deliver to social in HEVC or H.264.
When you actually want ProRes
Reach for ProRes when you're doing meaningful color work, shooting in a log profile, planning to archive a master, or handing footage to another editor. For a quick clip going straight to Instagram, HEVC is fine. The tradeoff is file size and storage: ProRes files are large, so keep an eye on free space and consider exporting to an external drive.
How to export ProRes 422 in CreativePass
- Import or shoot your clip and apply your grade: LUTs, nodes, film emulation, grain, whatever your look calls for.
- Open the export options and choose a MOV container.
- Select the ProRes 422 codec from the codec list.
- Pick a resolution: Original, 4K, 1080p, or 720p depending on your delivery needs.
- Export. Your original audio track is preserved on passthrough, and you can save to the Camera Roll or out to external storage for the larger files.
Tips for smooth ProRes workflows
Because ProRes files are big, export to a fast external SSD or USB drive when you can, and clear space before a long export. If you're delivering multiple versions, master once in ProRes 422 and then transcode lighter HEVC copies for each platform. That way your highest-quality file stays intact for future re-edits.
Desktop-grade output, phone-sized convenience
Being able to grade and export ProRes 422 entirely on iPhone collapses the old "shoot on phone, finish on desktop" workflow into a single device. Shoot it, grade it, ship a mastering-quality file, all from your pocket.
Export ProRes from your iPhone with CreativePass: Download CreativePass on the App Store.