iFixit teardown finds iPhone 18 Pro variable aperture camera is a precision feat and a repair challenge

The mechanism is an adjustable mechanical iris that opens and closes magnetically, controlling how much light reaches the sensor. iFixit took apart both Pro models and published a video showing the six leaf-like blades. A side-by-side image taken with an Evident DSX2000 microscope illustrates the scale, according to The Verge. Cramming the mechanism into the same main camera footprint used by the iPhone 17 Pro series is impressive, and iFixit called the lens 'a feat of precision engineering.'

Repair is the problem. The Verge described the variable aperture lens as effectively unrepairable, while Engadget, citing iFixit, said repairing the mechanism is not impossible but 'is about as close as it gets.' iFixit said very few repair enthusiasts have the tools, techniques or knowledge to take the variable aperture mechanism apart in a way that allows it to go back together. 'The tolerances are tight, the glues are gummy,' iFixit said. If something breaks, users will likely have to replace the entire camera assembly, which is easy to access, according to The Verge.

Apple has not released components for its latest iPhone models yet. The iPhone 17 Pro camera assembly costs $249, so The Verge expects the variable aperture lens to increase the repair price for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. Samsung previously added an aperture mechanism to a smartphone with the 2018 Galaxy S9, but Engadget reported that the image-quality benefits did not make it worth keeping, and Samsung later dropped the feature.

Engadget said variable aperture can benefit portraits and low-light shots. The Verge said in its own iPhone 18 Pro review that the feature made a 'generally marginal' improvement on overall photography, meaning novice photographers may not notice a difference. iFixit noted there is no room for error in the mechanism, and its full teardown process is available on YouTube.