Apple said to debut camera with variable aperture lens in iPhone 18 Pro

iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max feature a 48MP Fusion camera, a 48MP Ultra Wide camera, and the 5x Telephoto camera, now available on both models.
TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says Apple plans to upgrade the wide-angle lens in the iPhone 18 Pro with a variable aperture camera.
Ming-Chi Kuo via Medium:
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One major upgrade for the 2026 high-end iPhone 18 is the wide-camera lens upgrading to a variable aperture camera, significantly enhancing the user photography experience. My latest industry survey indicates Sunny Optical will be the primary shutter supplier (with Luxshare as secondary) and the second variable aperture lens supplier (after Largan Precision).

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MacDailyNews Take: Apple’s Pro iPhones currently use a fixed aperture lens of f/1.78 on the main camera, meaning the lens opening remains constant. A variable aperture lens, on the other hand, can dynamically adjust its opening to control the amount of light entering the camera. This offers several advantages:
• Improved Low-Light Performance: In dim lighting conditions, a wider aperture allows more light to reach the sensor, resulting in brighter and less noisy photos.
• Enhanced Depth of Field Control: A variable aperture enables photographers to adjust the depth of field, allowing them to isolate subjects or create a greater depth of field for landscapes, for example.
• Better Exposure Control: By dynamically adjusting the aperture, the camera can optimize exposure in various lighting scenarios, leading to more balanced and accurate images.
A variable aperture lens could significantly enhance the already remarkable capabilities of Apple’s iPhone Pro models.
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The post Apple said to debut camera with variable aperture lens in iPhone 18 Pro appeared first on MacDailyNews.