The "wow" feature of the iPhone 13 is definitely the cinematic mode, available on all four new iPhones. In my iPhone 13 review, I enjoyed playing with this new video mode in the camera.

However, Cinematic Mode is more than just a video mode, the equivalent of portrait mode in photography. It would not be possible without the advanced A15 Bionic processor (so says Apple).

Here's what you need to know about the iPhone 13's cinematic mode, and its pros and cons based on my testing.

Cinematic mode is designed to bring a depth-of-field effect to iPhone 13 video by utilizing the A15 Bionic chip and advanced computational algorithms. Cinematic mode can automatically change focus when there are multiple subjects in the frame. iPhone 13 is even smart enough to switch from one subject to another if, for example, one person turns toward another.

The purpose of the cinematic mode is to make iPhone 13 videos more immersive and dynamic. While the iPhone 13 can automatically switch focus between subjects, you can also tap on a subject while shooting to indicate where you want the focus to be. In addition, the depth-of-field effect and bokeh can be fine-tuned in editing after the shot is taken.

Getting started with Cinematic mode on the iPhone 13 is actually quite easy. Simply open the Camera app and slide to the spot on the left where it says Cinematic. From there, simply press "Record."

Before you start shooting, we recommend placing the iPhone 13 camera in front of your subject to see the blur effect. moving the iPhone 13 will give you a live preview of what the Cinematic mode image will look like.

Overall, the cinematic mode footage is quite convincing in terms of depth-of-field effects, and the speed with which the iPhone 13 processes scenes of moving subjects in real time is quite impressive. In one clip of me walking through a park, my face and green shirt in the foreground really come to life, while the trees in the background are artistically blurred.

In another clip of two dogs, the iPhone 13 was smart enough to focus first on the puppy in the foreground as I approached. I also liked that I could change the focus point on the fly by simply tapping the display.

The only major drawback to Cinematic mode is that you cannot get 4K quality in this mode, as the video is capped at 1080p. However, since most social networks output in full HD, I don't think this is a major issue in terms of sharing your work.

The iPhone 13 responds fairly quickly when the subject enters or exits the frame, although it does stumble in terms of focus.

Often, when you get a new iPhone, you first want to play with the standout features. Cinematic Mode is such a feature, and I think it's a lot of fun. It's not perfect in terms of execution, but overall it is a remarkable demonstration of the power of the A15 Bionic in the iPhone 13.