Photographer Tyler Stalman released his annual iPhone camera review, focusing on the iPhone 18 Pro’s most notable upgrade: a variable‑aperture system. Alongside the new 2nm A20 Pro chip, a vapor‑chamber cooling design and a smaller Dynamic Island, the variable aperture stands out as the primary hardware change for photographers.
Variable aperture and low‑light performance
Stalman describes the variable aperture as a “step along the way to making the iPhone a serious camera.” The main lens now opens to f/1.48, allowing more light to reach the sensor. According to Stalman, this wider opening can keep ISO levels lower in dim environments and may reduce reliance on Night mode. He also highlights Apple’s unconventional design, noting that the aperture blades sit above the primary lens element rather than deeper within the lens assembly, a departure from traditional camera construction.
Zoom, styles and AI editing
The review notes that the iPhone 18 Pro retains a 4× optical zoom, an improvement over the iPhone 16 Pro’s 5× zoom, which Stalman felt could be overly tight. Expanded Photographic Styles now include texture controls such as Soft Skin, Glow and Film, each adjustable from 0 to 100 intensity. Stalman observes that Soft Skin subtly reduces skin detail without blurring, Glow adds a diffused highlight reminiscent of a black‑mist filter, and the Film effect provides grain and halation, though he wishes Apple offered finer grain control.
Apple’s AI‑powered editing tools—Clean Up, Extend and Reframe—are also examined. While Stalman acknowledges their technical impressiveness, he cautions that the changes they make can sometimes render the final image feeling less authentic to the original capture.
Practical tips and comparative testing
In discussing color choices for the device, Stalman mentions that his previous iPhone 17 Pro in Cosmic Orange tended to cast reflections when shooting through windows. He recommends Burgundy or Black finishes for professional use, as they are less likely to introduce unwanted color casts.
The review compares the iPhone 18 Pro’s camera output directly with the iPhone 15 Pro, while the video itself was recorded largely on an iPhone 17 Pro. Stalman includes side‑by‑side photo and video comparisons, highlighting improvements in dynamic range and low‑light handling.
Additional software updates include refinements to Cinematic mode, the introduction of Apple Log 2 and continued support for Apple Log for truly cinematic footage, as well as an Apple Reference Image feature that aids color consistency across devices.
Stalman concludes that the variable aperture, combined with the new texture options and AI tools, moves the iPhone 18 Pro closer to a dedicated photography device, though he notes that some software features still need finer control to satisfy professional expectations.
Readers interested in further analysis can also watch 9to5Mac’s review, which offers additional photo comparisons between the iPhone 18 Pro and the iPhone 17 Pro.
Mitchell Landsberg is a Senior Technology Correspondent at News Raise. He covers consumer electronics, artificial intelligence, software developments, and digital privacy trends.
