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A hands-on test compared the iPhone 18 Pro's new variable aperture lens at f/1.8 versus its widened f/1.48 setting for Night mode photography. Switching to the wider aperture cut exposure duration in one test shot from 2.1 seconds to 1.7 seconds, with similar modest reductions seen in other shots. The lens can also be manually stopped down to f/4 to deliberately lengthen exposures, such as for smoothing moving water.
A tech writer who has used the iPhone 18 Pro for a month reports strong satisfaction with three features: battery life that often leaves 60% charge at day's end, a variable-aperture Main camera that consistently produces sharp Auto-mode photos, and a new vapor chamber cooling system that keeps the phone responsive in hot, sunny conditions. The reviewer contrasts this year's Main camera upgrade with recent years, when Apple focused more on Telephoto, Ultra Wide, and Front camera improvements.
Retailers have cut the price of Arlo's Essential 3rd Gen 2K outdoor security camera by 26% off its recommended retail price, bringing it down to $52. The sale price marks the lowest price point the device has reached since its release.
Alibaba has introduced the Qwen Glasses N1, a smart glasses product that the company says offers longer battery life and a higher-resolution camera sensor than Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses. The announcement positions Alibaba among a growing list of Chinese manufacturers releasing smart glasses hardware that rivals Meta's specs on paper.
CNET's Andrew Lanxon received an early Oppo Find X10 Pro unit under embargo and shared test photos taken with its main and ultrawide rear cameras around Edinburgh. He is barred from disclosing camera specs such as resolution or sensor technology until Oppo's official unveiling later this month, when a full review and comparisons to rivals like the Leica Leitzphone will follow.
Fujifilm has announced the Instax Square 2, a square-format instant camera that adds a mood filter switch letting users slide a warm or cool colored filter in front of the lens. The camera will launch later this month for $119.95 in slate blue, brick red, and misty white, alongside a new Soft Haze film variety priced at $18.99 for 10 exposures that produces reduced saturation and contrast with warm, diffused shadows.
Apple released a chaotic three-minute commercial for its new HomeView smart display, showing a family of five navigating a frantic morning with spilled food, lost keys, thermostat squabbles, and a security-camera reveal of a daughter's secret boyfriend. The ad departs from Apple's usual polished aesthetic, and reactions have split sharply between confusion and recognition. Parents of teenagers, including several tech journalists on Threads, say the scene closely mirrors their actual mornings.
Apple's iPhone Duo foldable has two 48-megapixel rear cameras, a main and an ultrawide, but lacks the dedicated telephoto camera found on the iPhone 18 Pro. Both phones can crop into their 48MP sensors for 2x zoom, but only the 18 Pro offers up to 8x 'optical quality' zoom via its 4x telephoto lens. The Duo also omits variable aperture, another headline feature of the 18 Pro, relying instead on a fixed aperture like earlier iPhones.
Meta has released two new camera-free Ray-Ban smart glasses models, the Clubmaster and Burbank, priced between $349 and $429 for frames alone depending on lens options. Removing the camera makes the glasses lighter (43-47 grams versus over 50 grams for camera models) and improves battery life, but they remain pricier than Meta's existing $249 camera-equipped glasses.
Backup cameras activate only when a vehicle shifts into reverse, giving a wide-angle view behind the car to help with parking and avoiding obstacles. Since May 2018 the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has required these on new vehicles, with a similar EU rule starting in 2022. Rearview cameras, by contrast, run continuously and use a narrower lens closer to normal vision, and are not required by either mandate.
A photography guide explains several ways iPhone users can reduce blurry photos, including raising video/photo resolution in Settings > Camera, using tap-and-hold AE/AF Lock to fix focus, and enabling Night Mode on iPhone 11 and later for low-light shots. It also recommends third-party apps like Camera+ for manual shutter speed and ISO control, plus using a tripod to minimize camera shake.
Apple has explained that its iPhone cameras rely on magnet-sensitive sensors for optical image stabilization and closed-loop autofocus, which help keep photos and videos sharp. Strong magnetic fields placed near the camera, such as those from certain third-party accessories, can interfere with these sensors, reducing motion-sensing accuracy and limiting lens range. Apple specifically cautions against accessories like magnetic latch folio cases and car mounts.