Portrait photographers, rejoice.
The iPhone 18 Pro’s biggest upgrade is less about a higher resolution, longer zoom, or a new Fusion computing system. This year, it’s a physical opening check. The new model can control the amount of light that enters the lens, opening the door to better low-light photos and greater control over depth of field. Variable aperture control brings the iPhone 18 Pro even closer to a truly “pro” camera.
A wider aperture lets in more light, which can improve details and colors in dark conditions. It can also create a shallower depth of field, helping to separate the subject from the background (like in a stark portrait). Reducing the aperture does the opposite, increasing depth of field or keeping more of the scene in focus.
The iPhone 18 Pro does this automatically, but you can also take manual control in the Camera app. At maximum, the iPhone 18 Pro reaches f/1.48.
The new iPhones aren’t the only ones to feature a variable aperture. Samsung’s Galaxy S9 and S10 used a dual aperture system that mechanically switched between f/1.5 and f/2.4. (However, Samsung dropped this feature starting with the S20 series.) Huawei and Xiaomi have offered cameras with variable aperture, including the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, which has a range of f/1.63 to f/4.0.
