I Tried the iPhone 18 Pro’s New Deluxe Camera and Shot Photos With Starbursts
Hands-on: At Apple’s Sept. 9 event, I tried the new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. The standout feature is the new variable aperture on the main camera.
During Apple's "Surprise and Shine" event at the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Park, the company unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. While the event was not ideal for photographic testing, the presenter had the opportunity to capture images and videos using the new variable aperture feature in a quieter setting. The variable aperture on the iPhone 18 Pro functions similarly to the human eye, adjusting to let more light in under bright conditions or reducing glare in sunlight.
This feature allows users to manually control the aperture, which determines the amount of light entering the camera lens, similar to f-stops on a dedicated camera. The iPhone 18 Pro offers four aperture settings: f/1.48, f/1.8, f/2.8, and f/4.0. While professional photographers and creative individuals are likely to appreciate this feature, it may not be a significant selling point for those primarily using their phones for social media.
The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199, with the Pro Max version priced at $1,299, marking a $100 price increase from last year's iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models. The larger battery capacities in the Pro models, as well as the new A20 Pro chip, were also highlighted during the presentation.
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