The iPhone 18 Pro records 4K Dolby Vision video at 24, 25, 30, 60, 100 or 120 frames per second, Cinematic mode up to 4K Dolby Vision at 60 fps, ProRes up to 4K at 120 fps with external recording, and spatial video at 1080p and 30 fps. Those are the headline video specs from Apple’s tech specs page for both the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
Apple’s press release covered the software side, including Cinematic effects up to 60 fps, 4K Dolby Vision HDR time-lapse and an enhanced Audio Mix with music isolation. The specs page adds the frame rates and formats. Our iPhone 18 Pro camera explainer covers stills; this one is about video.
iPhone 18 Pro video modes and frame rates
| Mode | Maximum resolution | Frame rates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dolby Vision HDR | 4K | 24, 25, 30, 60, 100, 120 fps | Standard video recording |
| Cinematic mode | 4K Dolby Vision | Up to 60 fps | Cinematic effects up to 60 fps per Apple’s release |
| ProRes | 4K | Up to 120 fps | Requires external recording at 4K120 |
| Spatial video | 1080p | 30 fps | For Apple Vision Pro style playback |
| Time-lapse | 4K Dolby Vision HDR | Not published | New this year per Apple’s release |
Every mode is identical on both sizes. Apple’s tech specs list the same video capabilities for the 6.3-inch Pro and the 6.9-inch Pro Max, so video is not a reason to pick one over the other.
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4K Dolby Vision at 100 and 120 fps
The two highest frame rates, 100 and 120 fps, sit alongside the standard 24, 25, 30 and 60 fps options. Apple’s tech specs list them as Dolby Vision recording rates, meaning HDR is retained at the highest frame rates rather than being limited to 60 fps.
Apple’s tech specs do not state a maximum frame rate above 120 fps or a slow-motion mode figure for the iPhone 18 Pro, so we are not quoting one.
ProRes 4K120 needs an external drive
ProRes recording goes up to 4K at 120 fps, but Apple’s tech specs attach a condition: external recording. At that resolution and frame rate the footage has to be written to a connected drive over USB-C rather than to internal storage.
That is where the port spec matters. Apple’s tech specs list USB-C with USB 3 at up to 10 Gb/s on the iPhone 18 Pro, which is the connection external ProRes recording relies on. Apple has not published which lower ProRes settings can record internally, so check the Camera app once the phone arrives.
- 4K ProRes at 120 fps: external recording only
- Port: USB-C, USB 3, up to 10 Gb/s
- In the box: 1 m USB-C cable; Apple has not published its data rate
- Internal storage options: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB
Cinematic mode and spatial video
Cinematic mode tops out at 4K Dolby Vision at 60 fps, up from the frame-rate limits of earlier generations that Apple referenced in its announcement. Apple’s press release lists Cinematic effects up to 60 fps as one of the new camera features.
Spatial video is listed at 1080p and 30 fps, the format for playback on Apple Vision Pro. Apple’s tech specs do not list a higher spatial video resolution for the iPhone 18 Pro.
Audio and the chip behind it
Apple’s press release adds an enhanced Audio Mix with music isolation, which separates a music track from other sound in a recording. Apple has not published further detail on how it works on the specs page.
All of this runs on the A20 Pro, Apple’s first 2-nanometer chip, which we cover in our A20 Pro explainer. Pre-orders open Saturday, September 12 at 5 a.m. PT, and the phones ship Friday, September 18. Apple has not published bitrate figures or file sizes for any of these modes.
