Tyler Stalman Praises iPhone 18 Pro Variable Aperture, Questions AI Edits and 4x Zoom Shift
Updated
Updated · 9to5Mac · Sep 16
Tyler Stalman Praises iPhone 18 Pro Variable Aperture, Questions AI Edits and 4x Zoom Shift
3 articles · Updated · 9to5Mac · Sep 16
Summary
Tyler Stalman’s iPhone 18 Pro review calls the new variable aperture the standout camera upgrade, saying the wider f/1.48 setting pushes the phone closer to being a “serious camera.”
That aperture lets more light hit the sensor, helping keep ISO lower in dim scenes and reducing reliance on Night mode; Stalman also highlights Apple’s unusual iris design above the primary lens element.
On image controls, he demos new texture styles from 0 to 100, praising Soft Skin’s subtle smoothing, Glow’s black-mist-like highlights, and Film’s grain and halation while wanting more grain control.
He is less sold on some other changes: the 4x zoom improves on the iPhone 16 Pro’s 5x reach, he says, but AI tools like Clean Up, Extend and Reframe can make photos feel less authentic.
The review arrived as the iPhone 18 Pro embargo lifted and also touches on Apple Reference Image, Cinematic mode and Apple Log 2, with comparisons against the iPhone 15 Pro.
Apple's new camera verifies authenticity yet introduces powerful AI editing tools. Can the iPhone 18 Pro truly balance reality with artificial perfection?
Apple finally gave creators manual camera controls, but why did they intentionally leave out the crucial manual ISO adjustment?
The iPhone 18 Pro removed the physical SIM tray for battery space, but what other hidden hardware compromises remain inside?