Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max introduce a significant upgrade in camera technology with a new 48MP Fusion main camera. Unlike its predecessor, the previous fixed f/1.78 lens has been replaced by a mechanical variable aperture, adjustable from f/1.48 to f/4. This development allows users to manually set the aperture, enhancing creative control over photography. In low-light conditions, Apple claims a 50 percent improvement in light gain at the wide end, further optimizing performance in challenging environments.
Four circles appear, reading left to right as f/1.48, f/1.8, f/2.8 and f/4. The control is not on the main camera screen, which is why plenty of people who bought the phone this week still haven’t found it. It takes two taps to reach and about ten seconds to understand, and once you know where it lives you can change it mid-shoot without leaving the viewfinder. Open the Camera app and tap the six-dot button at the bottom right. Select Lens Aperture from the control pane that slides up. Tap the one you want and it stays locked for the next shot. To go back to the phone choosing for you, tap Auto at the left of the same row.