Apple just announced the iPhone 18 Pro, and the big camera news is a variable aperture. It’s a genuinely new feature for the company — a moving iris that lets the lens change how much light gets in. It’s also a minor improvement, and the company’s own review makes that case throughout.
The headline promises small gains, and the phone delivers exactly that. The aperture moves between f/1.48 and f/4, with stops at f/1.8, f/2.8, and f/4. The Verge’s review calls the differences “marginal.” That is the whole story.
The New Aperture
The iPhone 18 Pro’s main camera now has a variable aperture. Instead of a fixed opening, the lens can change how much light passes through. Apple describes it as a moving aperture, and it’s a first for the company’s flagship phones.
Most phone cameras have fixed apertures. Their sensors and lenses are too small for the depth-of-field effects that matter on bigger cameras. But there are edge cases where a narrower aperture helps, and Apple seems to have decided to cover both bases. The aperture can open to f/1.48 or close to f/4, with stops at f/1.8, f/2.8, and f/4.
The review explains the logic clearly. In bright light, a wider aperture gathers more light, which helps keep noise down. In low light, a wider aperture is better for capturing detail. The variable aperture gives Apple both options in one lens.
What the Numbers Mean
The aperture numbers are the key to understanding the trade-off. The iPhone 18 Pro’s maximum aperture is f/1.48, which is bigger than the previous model’s f/1.8. That means more light can enter the lens.
But the smaller apertures are where the practical gains sit. The review notes that f/4 extends depth of field and keeps more of a scene in focus, especially when the subject is close to the camera. A close-up of a statue, for example, might show the back part soft at f/1.48 or f/1.8, but stopping down to f/4 sharpens it up.
The review also points out that the iPhone’s new f/1.48 maximum aperture equates to about f/5 on full-frame terms. That means the depth of field is already generous, so most scenes are in focus anyway. The variable aperture is a solution to a problem that mostly doesn’t exist.
The Automatic Default
For anyone who doesn’t know f-stops, the camera handles everything automatically. The aperture adjusts based on lighting conditions, and it stays at f/1.8 most of the time in good light. It opens to f/1.48 in dim light and closes to f/4 for group photos with subjects standing further back.
The review notes that it consistently dropped to f/4 when taking close-up text. That’s the system doing its job, not the user making a choice. The automatic mode is the default, and it works without needing to understand the underlying math.
Low Light Gains Are Small
The low light gains are the clearest example of the marginal improvements. More light in the lens should mean better photos, and the review acknowledges that. But the gains look minor.
If you look closely at a shot taken at f/1.48 versus f/1.8, you can see a difference. It’s just subtle. The review says maybe because phones are already so good at coping with low light through computational methods, the gains in the 18 Pro look pretty minor.
Night Mode is the one area where the bigger aperture helps noticeably. At f/1.48, the system can use a slightly shorter capture time. That’s less time you have to hold the phone steady, and less noise the system needs to process out.
Depth of Field Limits
Depth of field is where the variable aperture shows its limits. The iPhone’s new f/1.48 maximum aperture equates to about f/5 on full-frame terms. That already puts a lot of the stuff in front of and behind the subject in focus.
Unless you’re really close to your subject, most things are in focus or close enough when you photograph them with a smartphone camera. The variable aperture extends that depth of field further, but the review calls the benefits “on the margins.”
The small lens and sensor on a smartphone camera don’t allow the same kind of soft background blur you get from a bigger camera system. Most things are in focus most of the time at the old f/1.8, and going to f/1.48 doesn’t make a huge difference.
Price and Storage
The iPhone 18 Pro costs $100 more than last year’s model. The review notes that higher storage tiers are also quite pricey. For a phone that looks nearly identical to the iPhone 17 Pro — it can even use the same cases — that price increase is notable.
There is no hugely compelling reason to pick an 18 Pro over a 17 Pro if you can find one on sale. The 18 Pro is excellent and utterly iterative, according to the review. Unless you’re a truly committed smartphone photographer, the difference isn’t worth the cost.
The Foldable Stole the Show
The iPhone 18 Pro isn’t the flagship Apple launched this year. The foldable iPhone Duo stole that spotlight at the launch event. But the Duo isn’t arriving until next month, so the 18 Pro is the phone shipping now.
The 18 Pro and Pro Max are in the unusual position of being the second-most interesting iPhones Apple is launching this year. They are familiar, and they are expensive. The review’s verdict is that the gains are real but small.
| Feature | iPhone 17 Pro | iPhone 18 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Aperture | Fixed f/1.8 | Variable, f/1.48–f/4 |
| Price | — | $100 more than last year |
| Cases | — | Same as 17 Pro |
| Autofocus | — | Automatic adjustment |
The iPhone 18 Pro is a good phone. It’s just not a leap forward. The variable aperture is a clever trick, but it’s a small one. The price increase, the lack of surprises, and the automatic defaults all point to the same conclusion: the 18 Pro is an excellent, utterly iterative device.
For casual users, the differences are invisible. The phone works the same way as the last one, and the camera produces photos that are barely distinguishable. The review’s advice is simple: if you can find a 17 Pro on sale, grab it. The 18 Pro is a $100 premium for a feature you’ll barely notice.
The foldable Duo is the phone to watch. But until it arrives, the 18 Pro is the phone to live with. It’s competent, it’s familiar, and it’s slightly better than before.
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