When Instagram added the ability to create and share 15 second videos earlier this year, the functionality was, by default, limited to videos that were taken with the Instagram app, just like Vine. Today, however, Instagram has released an update that allows users to choose from videos they’ve already taken and saved to their Camera Roll.
This is a tremendously convenient option, as now you can take video with your normal Camera app, and then decide later if any part of it would make for a great Instagram video. Just as before, videos can be no more than 15 seconds, and there is a minimum length as well.
To start creating and sharing great video on Instagram, simply open the Instagram app and tap the Camera icon, then tap the picture image in the lower left corner to access your Camera Roll. You will see your video(s) listed, along with their length superimposed. Select the video you wish to start with and then edit it. And, just as before, you can clip multiple video segments together, but now that capability is greatly expanded. Choose an existing video to edit, add some new footage, or pull in clips from other videos you have.
Use the slider to select the clip of video you want to use initially, then tap Next. You can now take new video footage, or tap the image icon in the lower right to grab a second video clip from your Camera Roll. You can choose the same video you used before, or a different one. And if you choose the same video, you can clip it the same or differently than you did before, resulting in a lot of options. Repeat twice to create a new video with three segments, and then save and share.
Additionally, whenever you take a picture with the Instagram app, Instagram will automatically and instantly straighten those images. You will still have the option to straighten images imported from your Camera Roll.
Check out these updates in today’s Instagram release.