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Bicameral User Guide
Record video and capture photos using two cameras simultaneously. Front + rear or rear + rear with three layout modes and fully on-device processing.
Table of Contents
1
Getting Started
What is Bicameral?
Bicameral is an iPhone app that lets you record video and capture photos using two cameras at the same time. You can use the front and rear cameras together, or combine two rear lenses such as wide and ultra-wide. Everything is processed entirely on your device — nothing is uploaded to the cloud.
Which iPhones does Bicameral support?
Bicameral runs on iPhones with iOS 16.4 or later. Multi-camera features (using two cameras simultaneously) require hardware that supports AVCaptureMultiCamSession — most iPhones from iPhone XS and later. On older devices, Bicameral operates in single-camera mode.
Does Bicameral work on iPad?
Bicameral is designed for iPhone. It may run on iPad, but the interface and camera features are optimized for iPhone hardware.
Is an internet connection required?
No. All capture and processing happens entirely on your device. An internet connection is only needed for purchasing or restoring a Pro subscription and for syncing settings via iCloud.
What happens during first launch?
You will see a brief onboarding flow: a welcome overview, permission requests for camera and microphone access (both required), an optional analytics opt-in, and a device capability check that tells you which features are available on your hardware. After onboarding, you go directly to the camera screen.
2
Recording Video
How do I record a video?
Make sure VIDEO is selected in the mode picker at the bottom of the screen. Tap the large red circle button to start recording. A timer appears showing elapsed time. Tap the red square button to stop. Your video is saved automatically to your chosen destination.
What video formats and resolutions are supported?
HEVC (H.265) by default with hardware acceleration, or H.264 (changeable in Settings > Saving & Sharing > Photo Format). Free tier records at 1080p HD with standard bitrate (17 Mbps). Pro tier supports up to 4K Ultra HD at maximum bitrate.
Is there a recording time limit?
No. Bicameral does not impose a recording time limit. Duration is limited only by available storage space and device temperature.
My recording was discarded. What happened?
Very short recordings (under approximately 1 second / 30 frames) are automatically discarded to prevent accidental captures from double-taps or brief button presses.
What happens to orientation during recording?
Bicameral supports portrait and landscape. When you start recording, orientation locks automatically so the video composition stays consistent even if you rotate the device. After recording stops, orientation unlocks and the interface resumes responding to device rotation.
3
Capturing Photos
How do I take a photo?
Switch to PHOTO in the mode picker. Tap the white circle button. You will see a brief screen flash and hear a shutter sound. The photo is saved automatically. Both cameras are captured simultaneously and composited into a single image using the current layout mode.
What photo formats are supported?
HEIF by default, or JPEG (changeable in Settings > Saving & Sharing > Photo Format). Photos are captured at each camera's full native sensor resolution, and the composited output matches the primary camera's resolution.
4
Layout Modes
What layout modes are available?
Three layouts: Picture-in-Picture (PiP) where one camera fills the screen and the other appears as a smaller overlay; Vertical Split with both cameras side by side at 50/50; and Horizontal Split with both cameras stacked top and bottom at 50/50. Tap the layout picker button (between the mode selector and shutter button) to cycle through them.
How do I swap which camera is the main view?
Tap the swap button (bottom-right, arrow icon). In PiP mode, this swaps the main and overlay cameras. In split modes, it swaps left/right or top/bottom. The swap button is only active when your device supports multi-camera capture.
Can I use two rear cameras together?
Yes, with a Pro subscription. The camera selection screen (grid icon, top-right) shows available rear-camera combinations such as Wide + Ultra-wide, Wide + Telephoto, and Ultra-wide + Telephoto. Available combinations depend on your iPhone model.
Can I customize the Picture-in-Picture overlay?
Yes, with a Pro subscription. You can adjust PiP size (small 25% or large 37.5%), shape (rounded rectangle or circle), corner radius (none, small, medium, or large), border style and color, and toggle a drop shadow on the overlay.
5
Countdown Timer and Flash
How do I use the countdown timer?
In video mode, tap the timer icon (top-right area, below the camera selection button). Each tap cycles through: Off, 3 seconds, 5 seconds, 10 seconds, then back to Off. When active, an orange badge shows the selected duration. Start recording as normal and the countdown begins before recording starts. Tap the red Cancel button during the countdown to abort.
Does the countdown work in photo mode?
No. The countdown timer is only available in video mode.
How do I turn on the flash?
Tap the bolt icon in the controls area. A yellow bolt means the flash (torch) is on. The flash button only appears when the active rear camera has flash hardware — it is not available for the front camera.
6
Focus, Exposure, and Hardware Controls
How do I set the focus point?
Tap anywhere on the live preview. A focus indicator appears briefly at that location, and the camera adjusts focus and exposure for that area.
How do I lock focus and exposure?
This is a Pro feature. Enable "Tap to Focus & Lock" in Settings > Pro Features. Then long-press (about half a second) on the preview to lock auto-exposure and auto-focus at that point. A lock indicator appears. Tap elsewhere, swap cameras, or change layouts to clear the lock.
Can I use hardware buttons to capture?
Yes. Volume buttons press to capture a photo or toggle recording. Camera Control button (iPhone 16+), Action Button (iPhone 15 Pro+), and AirPods squeeze all trigger capture. In video mode they toggle recording on/off; in photo mode they take a photo.
7
Saving and Exporting
Where are my videos and photos saved?
By default, they are saved to your Photos library. You can change this in Settings > Saving & Sharing > Save To. Options are: Photos Library, Files App (saved to Bicameral's Documents folder accessible through the iOS Files app), or Ask Each Time (shows a share sheet for flexible export).
What is the file naming format?
Files are named Bicameral_YYYY-MM-DD_HHMMSS_mmm_type.ext — for example, Bicameral_2026-02-06_143022_456_composite.mov. The millisecond value prevents filename collisions when capturing rapidly.
Can I save each camera's output separately?
Yes, with a Pro subscription. Enable "Export Separate Streams" in Settings > Pro Features to save the composited video plus each camera's individual video as separate files. Similarly, "Export Separate Lens Photos" saves each camera's photo individually alongside the composite.
Can I include GPS location in my exports?
Yes. Enable "Include Location" in Settings > Saving & Sharing. Location permission is required and will be requested if not already granted.
8
Watermark
Why is there a watermark on my exports?
The free tier includes a subtle "Bicameral" text watermark on all exported videos and photos. Subscribe to Bicameral Pro to remove the watermark entirely or replace it with custom text.
How do I add a custom watermark?
With a Pro subscription, go to Settings > Pro Features > Custom Watermark. Toggle it on, tap "Text" to enter your text (up to 32 characters using letters, numbers, spaces, and common punctuation), and choose a position: Bottom Right, Bottom Left, Top Right, or Top Left.
9
Subscription and Pricing
What do I get with the free version?
The free tier includes unlimited recording duration, front + rear camera mode, all three layout modes, 1080p HD video at standard bitrate, full-resolution photo capture, HEVC/H.264 video and HEIF/JPEG photo formats, countdown timer, flash, orientation lock, full accessibility and haptic feedback, iCloud settings sync, and a subtle "Bicameral" watermark on exports.
What does Bicameral Pro include?
Pro unlocks watermark removal or custom watermarks, 4K video export, high and maximum bitrate encoding, separate stream export for video and photo, advanced rear-camera combinations, tap-to-focus lock, PiP customization (size, shape, corner radius, border, shadow), framing guides, audio level display, front camera mirroring control, and Control Center widget actions.
How do I subscribe, cancel, or restore purchases?
Subscribe: Tap Settings > Subscription > Upgrade to Pro and choose your plan. Cancel: Tap Settings > Subscription > Manage Subscription to open Apple's subscription management. Restore: Tap Settings > Subscription > Restore Purchases to re-sync your subscription status with the App Store.
What happens if my subscription expires?
All content you created and exported while subscribed is yours permanently. Exports saved to Photos or Files are not affected. Pro features become locked, and the free-tier watermark returns on new exports.
10
Control Center and Quick Actions
How do I add Bicameral to Control Center?
On iOS 18 or later, open Control Center, tap the "+" button to customize, search for "Bicameral," and add the desired control. Three controls are available: Open Bicameral, Quick Record (Pro), and Front + Rear (Pro). You can also assign these to the Action Button on iPhone 15 Pro and later.
What are the Home Screen Quick Actions?
Long-press the Bicameral app icon to see shortcuts: New Recording (opens the app and starts recording), Front + Rear (opens with dual-camera mode), and Settings (opens directly to the Settings screen).
11
Privacy and Accessibility
Does Bicameral upload my photos or videos?
No. All capture and processing happens entirely on your device. Nothing is uploaded to any server. iCloud is used only for syncing app settings via Key-Value Store. Optional analytics can be disabled in Settings > Privacy & Data.
What permissions does Bicameral need?
Camera (required for capture), Microphone (required for audio recording), Photo Library (required to save exports to Photos), and Location (optional, only if you enable "Include Location" in export settings).
What accessibility features are supported?
Full VoiceOver support with descriptive labels and state announcements, Dynamic Type scaling throughout the interface, 44pt minimum touch targets on all controls, Reduce Motion support, High Contrast support, and distinct haptic feedback patterns for different actions (can be disabled in Settings).
12
Performance and Thermal Management
Why did my video quality drop during recording?
Multi-camera capture is demanding. If your device gets warm, Bicameral automatically reduces quality in stages — lowering bitrate, then frame rate, then resolution — to keep recording stable rather than crashing. A toast notification appears when this happens. Quality is fully restored on the next recording session once the device cools down.
Why can't I start recording?
If the device is critically warm, Bicameral blocks recording until the temperature returns to a safe level. You will see an alert: "Device too warm to start recording. Please wait."
How can I reduce thermal issues?
Tips for extended recording sessions: remove your phone case to improve heat dissipation, avoid direct sunlight, use 1080p instead of 4K, use standard bitrate instead of maximum, and take short breaks between long recordings.
13
Troubleshooting
The app is stuck on the permission screen.
Bicameral requires camera and microphone access. If you previously denied permission, go to iOS Settings > Bicameral and enable Camera and Microphone.
The swap button is grayed out.
Your device does not support simultaneous multi-camera capture. Bicameral will operate in single-camera mode.
I subscribed to Pro but features are still locked.
Tap Settings > Subscription > Restore Purchases to re-sync your subscription status with the App Store.
My settings changed unexpectedly.
Settings sync via iCloud. If you use Bicameral on multiple devices, a change on one device will appear on the other. The most recent change always wins.
The app crashed during recording. Is my video lost?
Bicameral includes crash recovery. If a recording was in progress when the app closed unexpectedly, the app attempts to recover the partial recording on the next launch.
How do I reset the tutorial tips?
Go to Settings > Help & Support > Show Tips Again. This resets all tutorial tooltips so they appear the next time you use each feature.