Can you change aperture on iPhone? Unfortunately, you can’t, and this guide will help you understand why. I’ll also explain how to get around it.
Over the years, Apple has significantly improved the camera technology in iPhones.
The cameras come packing plenty of features and different modes, but the controls are still limited for pro photographers, especially when it comes to settings like depth of field and exposure settings.
I’ve tested nearly every feature on my iPhone’s camera, and I’ll help you get around the aperture issue without using third-party apps.
Can You Change Aperture on iPhone?
No, you can’t change aperture on an iPhone. Despite all the technological advancements that Apple applies yearly, its phones don’t have an adjustable aperture option.
Does this mean you can’t change the depth of field of your iPhone photos?
No. Luckily, you can still adjust it using different settings, but you first have to understand how the aperture controls the depth of field.
A wide aperture results in a shallow depth of field, which, in turn, means that your background is blurred, while the main subject is in focus—and vice versa.
This setting is easily adjustable in traditional cameras because you can change the aperture.
While you can’t do the same on your iPhone, you can adjust the depth of field using other settings like the f-stop or the portrait photo mode.
Are Aperture and F-Stop the Same Thing?
I just said that you can adjust the depth of field effect using the f-stop feature on your iPhone. Does this mean the aperture and f-stop are the same thing?
No, but they’re closely related. The f-stop is the indication of the aperture on your iPhone’s camera. It’s basically a measurement unit for the aperture—a ratio of the focal length divided by the lens opening size.
For a shallow depth of view, you need a wide aperture, so you’ll want a smaller f-stop ratio, and vice versa.
The good news is that you can change the f-stop for your iPhone photos after you shoot them, which gives plenty of space for creative control.
Can You Change the F-Stop on iPhone?
Yes, you can change the f-stop on your iPhone before or after you shoot your images. The best part? It’s pretty easy to do.
Here’s how to change it prior to shooting for the best depth control:
- Open the Camera application on your iPhone.
- Choose the Portrait Mode.
- An F icon will appear in the top right corner of the screen. Click on it.
- A slider will appear right above the shutter button.
- Slide it to adjust the depth of your photo according to your preference.
- The new f-stop ratio will appear. You can take your picture now.
If you’ve already taken your pictures and you want to edit their depth of field, here’s how to do it using the f-stop feature:
- Open the Photos application on your iPhone.
- Choose the image of your choice, but it has to be shot in Portrait Mode.
- Click on Edit—it’ll be in the top right corner.
- The f-stop icon will appear in the top left corner. Click on it, and the slider will appear below.
- Adjust the f-stop using the slider, then click on Done.
See how easy it is? There’s one last thing, though: to use this feature, the photo should be taken using your iPhone. If you took it using a different phone and Airdropped it, the f-stop icon won’t appear.
What Aperture Does the iPhone Use?
Since Apple doesn’t have an adjustable aperture feature, it uses the same aperture across all iPhone cameras.
The aperture iPhones use is f/1.8, which can be either good or not, depending on what you want to achieve.
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An f/1.8 aperture allows more light to reach the camera sensor in low-light conditions, which can come in handy if you don’t want to use artificial lighting.
On top of that, f/1.8 is a wide aperture, which creates a shallow depth of field. If you like close-up shots or portraits, you can make great use of this.
Despite all this, you need to understand that the concept of aperture in the iPhone camera is a bit different from what you’re used to.
The f/1.8 is merely a relative value. It doesn’t necessarily result in the same depth of field you’d get on a traditional DSLR camera with an f/1.8 aperture.
The tiny sensor of your iPhone camera doesn’t catch light like a sensor on expensive digital cameras.
So, comparing two photos taken at the same aperture, you’d find some differences in the quality.
Does iPhone Camera Have Aperture Priority?
The aperture priority, or AV as it’s commonly known, is a mode on many cameras that allows you to set the aperture value through manual control.
Then, the camera adjusts the shutter speed automatically to get the best result possible.
Because iPhones don’t have adjustable apertures, they also don’t have aperture priority mode.
The entire process is adjusted automatically without your interference, including the aperture value. You can only change the f-stop value as I’ve described earlier.
How to Get the Best Results Using the F-Stop Feature on iPhone
While using your iPhone camera, remember that a blurred background isn’t the answer to everything.
There’s a fine line between artistic photos and blurred photos.
Overusing the background blur effect can actually mess with the picture’s quality, and you can’t use it with all photos.
For example, if you’re shooting multiple items at varying distances from the camera, some items will be blurred if you choose a low f-stop value.
In a case like this, it’s better to take the photo using the iPhone’s regular camera mode without blurring the background.
Likewise, a beautiful photo with a monument in the background should have a sharp focus. So, if you’re using the Portrait Mode, make sure to increase the f-stop value before shooting.
That way, you can master the difference between high-quality photos and grainy photos.
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