Granular Aperture Control
One of the limitations of the iPhone 18 Pro’s main camera with a variable aperture is that you are restricted to just four settings in the native iOS camera app in manual mode: f/1.48, f/1.8, f/2.8, and f/4. These same limits apply when the app adjusts the iris in Auto aperture mode, but this is not a strict limitation of the hardware. Apple’s SDK allows third-party camera apps to implement more granular control of the aperture.
Third-Party Options Expand Settings
Moment Pro Camera II and Blackmagic Camera do not limit users to just four aperture settings like the default iOS camera application.
Blackmagic and Moment Integration
Blackmagic Design’s free Blackmagic Camera app for iOS was one of the first third-party options to introduce support for the iPhone 18 Pro’s adjustable aperture. Instead of four stops, the app offers 10 presets with additional options in-between. Version 3.5 was noted to have bugs during testing, but the app has since been updated to version 3.5.1 with general performance and stability improvements.
Moment Pro Camera II Updates
Moment also updated its $12.99 Moment Pro Camera II app to support the iPhone 18 Pro’s variable aperture. Users can adjust the aperture from f/1.48 to f/4.0 in 1/3 stop increments, providing 10 presets similar to the approach taken by most digital cameras. Given the small sensor size of the phone, users might find it difficult to see a noticeable difference in background blur and focus depth between f-stops separated by just 1/3 of a stop, but the added control offers more flexibility for mobile photographers.
