iPhone 18 Pro's variable aperture gives photographers manual light control

Apple's iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max introduce a variable aperture system on their main cameras, allowing users to manually adjust light intake for the first time on an iPhone. This feature is positioned as the most significant camera upgrade. The main camera offers four aperture settings, from f/1.48 to f/4.0, using six laser-cut blades. This enables manual control over depth of field and motion capture, complementing a new 48MP sensor and Pro Controls for adjusting shutter speed and white balance. The feature aids low-light performance and creative effects like background blur, though it is limited to the main 24mm camera. Apple is not the first to use this technology, and computational photography remains essential for final image quality.