In their new collaboration, Atomos and Mavis have announced a new integration that brings the fully featured Mavis Camera app’s support to the Atomos Ninja Phone accessory. The move allows content creators to connect professional cameras and lenses via HDMI to a much wider range of iPhones and iPads.
In practice, this combination unlocks a flexible camera-to-cloud workflow. The main camera records high-quality video while the iPhone simultaneously captures and uploads a proxy file. It also enables direct streaming from any DSLR or mirrorless camera to popular social media platforms or to custom RTMP/SRT destinations. The update also adds the long-requested external record trigger feature, meaning the Mavis app’s recorder can be started or stopped by the camera’s own record button to automatically generate an H.265 or H.264 proxy clip for social media or cloud upload.
External trigger and camera-to-cloud workflows
The Atomos Ninja Phone (which dropped to $199 earlier this year) acts as a 10-bit HDMI video bridge, turning an iPhone into a 4K HDR monitor-recorder for cameras (yes, it’s not a 4K screen, but it can record in 4K). With the new Mavis integration, filmmakers can record proxy footage on the phone and use it as a high-quality on-camera monitor while the main camera records internally.
The Mavis Camera app, fresh off its version 7 update earlier this year, offers a host of pro filmmaking features such as assist tools including focus peaking, false colour, zebras, waveform and vectorscope, as well as direct streaming, Frame.io Camera-to-Cloud support, a comprehensive audio system and more. Now, with Ninja Phone support added, creators can fully leverage those tools in tandem with their dedicated cameras. “With this latest update, Ninja Phone now works seamlessly with the Mavis Camera app, giving creators complete flexibility,” said Peter Barber, Atomos CEO. “You can record directly on your iPhone and use it as a high-quality monitor for your professional camera.”
The Ninja Phone and Mavis combination effectively serves as a camera-to-cloud pipeline. For example, a video shooter can film in high resolution on a mirrorless camera while the attached iPhone, via Ninja Phone, records a proxy in H.265 or H.264 and instantly sends it to cloud platforms. According to Atomos, this setup is “the perfect camera-to-cloud package – recording hi-resolution video on the camera while the phone records and sends the proxy file.” Alternatively, the iPhone can act as a wireless video hub. They also note that the Ninja Phone and Mavis combo “can be used to stream from any DSLR directly to all popular social media platforms or, for professional live productions, to custom RTMP or SRT.” In other words, users can live stream the output of virtually any HDMI-equipped camera via the iPhone’s 5G or Wi-Fi connection, which sounds like a straightforward way to get a live stream going.
The new external record trigger syncs the phone’s recording with the camera, so hitting record on the camera can automatically trigger the Mavis app to capture a proxy clip. According to the companies, this was a much-requested feature that should simplify post-production workflows, especially when using Frame.io Camera-to-Cloud. Mavis offers built-in Frame.io cloud integration as an optional add-on, enabling proxies to upload to the cloud in near real time.
Expanded compatibility to older iPhones and iPads
When the Atomos Ninja Phone was first introduced at NAB 2024, it was geared toward Apple’s latest devices, clipping onto an iPhone 15 or 16 Pro via USB-C to turn it into a 10-bit HDR monitor, recorder and streamer. Now, Atomos has extended compatibility to all iOS 18 devices, significantly broadening its user base. “By extending compatibility to all iOS 18 devices, the Ninja Phone is no longer limited to the latest Pro models. Now older iPhones and iPads can be put to work as part of a professional workflow. Giving older gear a longer life is a win for sustainability too, which has always been part of Atomos’ philosophy,” Barber noted.
In practical terms, this means that even an older iPhone or iPad updated to iOS 18 can serve as a companion monitor-recorder via Ninja Phone. The Ninja Phone itself is a compact video co-processor module that mounts to the back of the phone and provides an HDMI input and additional power. It converts the camera’s HDMI feed into high-quality video formats, up to ProRes, H.265 or H.264, which the phone can then record or stream. By pairing it with Mavis’s advanced app interface and monitoring tools, users gain a versatile, hybrid workflow that combines the connectivity and usability of iPhones with the imaging capabilities of dedicated cameras.
Pricing and availability
The Mavis Camera app is available now as a free download on the App Store, with optional in-app purchases such as Adobe Frame.io Camera-to-Cloud integration, advanced audio mixing tools and multitrack audio recording to unlock additional functionality. The Atomos Ninja Phone hardware is currently priced at USD $199 / EUR €199 excluding local taxes. According to Atomos, existing Ninja Phone owners can start using the new integration right away at no additional cost by simply downloading the updated Mavis Camera app from the App Store.
What’s your take on the integration of the Mavis app with Atomos Ninja Phone? Let us know in the comments below.