iPhone 18 Pro Could Gain DSLR Camera-Style Aperture Control

[MacRumors]

Apple intends to equip next year's iPhone 18 Pro models with a variable aperture lens, according to a Chinese leaker with information allegedly sourced from Apple's supply chain.

According to the Weibo account Digital Chat Station, the main rear camera – what Apple calls the 48-megapixel Fusion camera – on both iPhone 18 Pro models will offer variable aperture, which would be a first for the iPhone. The leaker also claims that the devices' main and telephoto lenses will feature a larger aperture.

A variable-aperture system physically adjusts the lens opening, letting more light in for low-light shots or narrowing the opening for brighter scenes and deeper depth of field.

The main cameras on the iPhone 15 Pro, 16 Pro, and 17 Pro all use a fixed ƒ/1.78 aperture, where the lens is permanently set to its widest setting. With a variable lens, the iPhone 18 Pro would allow users to manually shift the aperture, similar to on a DSLR camera. This would mean more control over depth of field, enabling sharper focus on subjects or smoother background blur.

It isn't the first time we've heard rumors of Apple planning to bring variable aperture to the iPhone. Industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in November 2024 that Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models will get the feature.

Variable aperture was rumored for at least one iPhone 17 model, but it failed to materialize. iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to launch in September 2026.

Digital Chat Station has a decent track record for Apple rumors. They accurately revealed that the ‌iPhone‌ 15 and ‌iPhone‌ 15 Plus would feature a slightly smaller 48-megapixel sensor than the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro Max, as well as the display panel design of the ‌iPhone‌ 12 back in 2020.

Article Link: iPhone 18 Pro Could Gain DSLR Camera-Style Aperture Control

 

[Mr_Ed]

I wonder how much bigger the camera bump will get. It already reminds me of a cartoon character.

 

[Apple-achian]

I wonder how much bigger the camera bump will get. It already reminds me of a cartoon character.

View attachment 2572933

It should be restricted to the Pro Max to encourage upsells and maintain a smaller Pro.

 

[bradman83]

Opening and closing down the aperture would be of somewhat limited use on a smartphone, since you're not really going to get a huge depth of field change on such a small lens and sensor (and background bokeh gets rendered by software). I would question whether this would even be a user facing adjustment rather than something software controlled based on the exposure type. There are a few use cases for this though, especially for video in bright lighting conditions, or to help correct for lens flare or chromatic aberrations.

 

[deuxani]

Didn’t the Samsung S9 have variable aperture back in 2018 and some other Android phones too in the past couple of years? It was a nice addition back then, but it didn’t have that much impact on such a small lens / sensor combination. Sensors and lenses are bigger now, but still tiny in comparison to the real deal. Lets hope they can add it without adding bulk.

 

[ThisIsMike]

Is it weird of me that I don’t want this in a phone? I kind of wish this was its own separate category, but I get that it’s probably just me.

 

[Mr_Ed]

Is it weird of me that I don’t want this in a phone? I kind of wish this was its own separate category, but I get that it’s probably just me.

Not just you. I’d be willing to give up a lot of the phone camera features added in recent years if it meant no camera bump.

 

[yanksfan114]

Not just you. I’d be willing to give up a lot of the phone camera features added in recent years if it meant no camera bump.

You’d have to give up a lot for no camera bump. Last one without it was the iPhone 5S. It’s not just the features but the physical camera sensor is bigger for better overall photos.

 

[Mr_Ed]

You’d have to give up a lot for no camera bump. Last one without it was the iPhone 5S. It’s not just the features but the physical camera sensor is bigger for better overall photos.

I’d be ok with that. I had a 6s and while technically I guess you could say it had a bump, it was limited to the frame around the lens itself, and protruded maybe 1mm at most, IIRC. Not bothered by that.

 

[840quadra]

I feel like the industry could start to change terminology to Mirrorless cameras now that they have taken over for most DSLR models in the professional arena now.

 

[syklee26]

No matter what phone camera cannot physically have equal quality as dslr or mirrorless.

 

[digimc]

Is it weird of me that I don’t want this in a phone? I kind of wish this was its own separate category, but I get that it’s probably just me.

Your point is valid. I think this is a feature that sounds great on paper, but its real use practicality does seem limited. Professional photographers and videographers are still investing in larger DSLR type cameras as they have come down in price in recent years.

You can get a really good full frame DSLR for under $1000 and that wasn’t the case that long ago.

Unfortunately as the iPhone and smart phone in general have matured to the state they are at now, big changes are fewer and further between. The camera system has been one area that Apple can focus innovation on and see increased demand year after year. So I do suspect that this rumor will end up being true for at least one of the 18 models.

 

[tridley68]

This is great news good job Apple

 

[Mr_Ed]

I feel like the industry could start to change terminology to Mirrorless cameras now that they have taken over for most DSLR models in the professional arena now.

I get your point, but I’m not sure it’s an “industry” thing. Variable aperture isn’t limited to mirrorless and DSLR so why refer to a camera type at all? These articles could just say the iPhone is getting “variable aperture” and leave it that.

 

[culex]

Perhaps to achieve longer shutter speeds when filming? When it comes to photography, I can think of few useful applications. Depth of field is already high at open aperture with these sensor sizes.

 

[abatabia]

Just make an apple camera already sheesh.

 

[EllZ89]

You’d have to give up a lot for no camera bump. Last one without it was the iPhone 5S. It’s not just the features but the physical camera sensor is bigger for better overall photos.

instead of removing the bump by making the lens smaller, id much rather they remove the bump by making the body of the phone thicker to make it in line with the bump so the whole phone is whatever the size needs to be. will allow for a bigger battery that way, as wwell as actually being able to sit flat again on a surface.

 

[freezelighter]

Give it 1 inch sensor instead of pretending to have any kind of DSLR controls.

By the way, there are no mode DSLRs since years, everything is mirrorless now.

Yet every self-proclaimed photographer on TikTok uses that word to describe the incredible, innovative capabilities of their smartphone — as does Timmy when introducing the new iPhone Pro models.

 

[scrapesleon]

Still focusing on the camera for a smart phone why not just get a Nikon for pictures because a phone will never reach dslr level

 

[Ctrlos]

Samsung tried it for one generation then gave up (S9). Apple might have a reason to do it for video but on a smartphone the only real reason is an even wider aperture to get better night shots with a quicker shutter.

 

[N0ughtsAndCr0sses]

No matter what phone camera cannot physically have equal quality as dslr or mirrorless.

For now!!

You cannot speak for the future! 🤘🏻

 

[rymc02]

Opening and closing down the aperture would be of somewhat limited use on a smartphone, since you're not really going to get a huge depth of field change on such a small lens and sensor (and background bokeh gets rendered by software). I would question whether this would even be a user facing adjustment rather than something software controlled based on the exposure type. There are a few use cases for this though, especially for video in bright lighting conditions, or to help correct for lens flare or chromatic aberrations.

I always thought an internal ND filter would be far more advantageous on a smartphone than a variable aperture. Samsung has one and it seems to work really well.

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

It should be restricted to the Pro Max to encourage upsells and maintain a smaller Pro.

High concept parody account, gentlemen. The finest.

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

This is great news good job Apple

It's not news. It's a rumor and Apple hasn't officially announced anything to deserve a pat on the back.

 

[Grebg]

Yes,
Very probably for video and avoiding ND filters