iPhone 18 Pro Max Adds f/1.48-to-f/4 Camera Controls, Lasting 6 Hours of Heavy Travel Use
Updated
Updated · CNET · Nov 5
iPhone 18 Pro Max Adds f/1.48-to-f/4 Camera Controls, Lasting 6 Hours of Heavy Travel Use
3 articles · Updated · CNET · Nov 5
Summary
Two weeks of shooting across Japan pushed the iPhone 18 Pro Max’s new camera system beyond point-and-shoot use, with built-in manual focus, shutter speed, white balance and a variable aperture enabling effects like starbursts and motion blur.
The main camera’s f/1.48-to-f/4 range and adjustable shutter speeds let the reviewer capture shrine reflections and moving cars without third-party apps, while new Photographic Styles added film-like grain and color looks inside Apple’s Photos app.
The creative upgrades came with trade-offs: grain can look too aggressive in dim light, manual controls are awkwardly placed for one-handed use, and the Camera Control button cannot adjust the new pro settings.
Battery life was the clearest practical gain, with the 248-gram phone lasting about 6 hours a day of Maps, Music and Camera use on a single charge—an improvement over the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which needed two top-ups under similar travel use.
The review concludes the iPhone 18 Pro Max is Apple’s most engaging recent camera phone for creators, even if its heft, some software quirks and niche pro tools may matter less to casual users.