Apple‘s iPhone 18 Pro has a variable-aperture camera, but Apple’s Camera app gives photographers just four aperture presets. Halide is now opening up the rest of the range.

Halide 3.2 adds fully variable aperture control for the iPhone 18 Pro, letting users select any f-number from ƒ/1.48 to ƒ/4.0 instead of choosing between Apple’s four presets. The update also introduces a new Aperture Priority mode and full manual controls, including ISO.

So yes, if you specifically want to shoot at ƒ/2.1 or ƒ/3.89, Halide will happily let you do it.

Halide unlocks the full aperture range

The iPhone 18 Pro’s adjustable aperture is designed to give photographers more control over how much light enters the camera and how the lens renders a scene. Apple’s default Camera app currently exposes that capability through four selectable aperture settings.

Halide 3.2 takes a much more granular approach.

Users can select any f-number between ƒ/1.48 and ƒ/4.0. That makes it possible to choose intermediate aperture values instead of jumping between Apple’s preset options.

Halide offers two ways to use the new control.

Aperture Priority lets photographers choose their desired f-number while Halide automatically selects the appropriate shutter speed and ISO. It’s the simpler option for anyone who wants direct control over aperture without manually balancing the rest of the exposure.

For more experienced photographers, Halide’s full manual mode provides control over aperture, shutter speed and ISO. Lux says this gives Halide an additional manual control that Apple’s Camera app currently lacks.

Why continuous aperture control matters

Having more aperture settings isn’t just about collecting extra numbers.

A wider aperture allows more light into the camera, while a narrower aperture reduces the amount of light and changes the depth-of-field characteristics of the shot. Being able to select intermediate values gives photographers more precise control over that trade-off.

That’s particularly relevant for people who want to deliberately control the look of a photograph rather than simply rely on automatic camera processing.

The interesting part is that Halide isn’t adding a new camera feature to the iPhone 18 Pro. The adjustable-aperture hardware is already there. Halide is giving photographers access to a larger portion of what that hardware can do.

Halide 3.2 also adds two new Looks

The aperture controls aren’t the only addition in Halide 3.2.

The update introduces two new photographic Looks: Dawn and Quicksilver.

Dawn uses film-inspired warmth in the midtones and highlights, with gentler shadows and complementary cooler colors. Quicksilver takes a more contrasting approach, with muted colors designed to simulate a silver-retention alternative photographic process.

Unlike the new aperture controls, these Looks aren’t exclusive to Apple’s latest Pro iPhones. Lux says its film simulations are available across supported devices.

Halide Mark III is available on the App Store as a free download with in-app purchases. The app includes manual exposure controls, RAW support, focus tools and other photography features.

For iPhone 18 Pro photographers, though, the biggest change in Halide 3.2 is straightforward: Apple’s four aperture choices are no longer the only option.

If the hardware gives you the entire range, why stop at four numbers?