Samsung and Apple are putting the variable aperture on the wrong camera
Source: Android Authority
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
Rumors are circulating that Apple and Samsung could bring variable‑aperture main cameras to their future smartphones. These claims come almost a decade after the Samsung Galaxy S9 series first debuted a dual‑aperture system, allowing the rear camera to switch between two distinct aperture sizes.
Apple and Samsung would join Xiaomi, HONOR, and other manufacturers that have already offered phones with variable‑aperture main cameras in recent years. However, I strongly feel that this technology is a better fit for telephoto lenses than for the primary lens. Here’s why.
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What Is a Variable Aperture Anyway?
![HONOR Magic 7 Pro camera]
Robert Triggs / Android Authority
The vast majority of smartphones have cameras with a fixed aperture. An aperture is the opening that lets light hit the camera sensor. A few phones—most notably the HONOR Magic 7 Pro and the Xiaomi 14 Ultra—feature a variable aperture on their main cameras, allowing users to adjust the size of the opening and thereby change the photographic results.
How Aperture Affects Your Shots
| Aperture | Effect |
|---|---|
| Wide (e.g., f/1.6) | • Shallow depth of field → subject stays sharp while the background blurs. • More light reaches the sensor → brighter, cleaner images in low‑ or mixed lighting. |
| Narrow (e.g., f/4.0) | • Greater depth of field → more of the scene stays in focus. • Useful for landscapes, group photos, or macro work where you don’t want excessive background blur. |
Why Variable Aperture Matters for Large Sensors
One‑inch primary sensors arrived a few years ago, but they were initially paired with wide, fixed apertures. This combination often produced an extremely shallow depth of field, making precise focusing difficult. In my review of the vivo X90 Pro, I frequently captured subjects that were partially out of focus because the tiny focus area couldn’t cover the whole subject.
A variable aperture solves this problem. The Xiaomi 14 Ultra pairs a one‑inch sensor with a variable aperture, giving it the ability to:
- Focus on close‑up subjects while still controlling depth of field.
- Create creative effects—Xiaomi even uses the aperture blades to render star‑shaped light sources in night scenes.
For a deeper dive, see the article on variable apertures with one‑inch sensors.
Why I Want a Variable‑Aperture Telephoto Camera
![OnePlus 13 telephoto camera module]
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
Smartphone makers have stalled somewhat in adopting one‑inch main cameras. Samsung, Apple, and Google all use smaller main sensors and aren’t likely to switch to one‑inch units anytime soon. Consequently, a variable aperture on the Galaxy S27 Ultra or iPhone 18 Pro main camera would be nice, but it isn’t a pressing need—today’s smaller sensors don’t suffer the same focusing issues as larger ones.
A telephoto camera with a variable aperture, however, opens up several interesting possibilities.
What the Difference Looks Like
Colleague Rob Triggs points out that aperture changes are far more noticeable on a telephoto lens than on a typical 24 mm‑equivalent main camera. In his comparison (20 mm vs. 70 mm shots at various apertures), the bokeh in the background becomes dramatically more pronounced because of the longer focal length and natural background compression.
Why a Variable Aperture on Telephoto Matters
- Better Portraits – Telephoto lenses already provide flattering facial compression. Pairing that with a wide aperture yields a naturally shallow depth‑of‑field, reducing reliance on software‑generated background blur that can suffer from depth errors.
- More “3‑D” Feel – A telephoto sensor that’s decently sized and fast can produce images that feel less flat than zoom lenses on small sensors with narrow apertures.
- Low‑Light Performance – Secondary cameras typically struggle in dim environments. A variable aperture that can open wider than current telephoto lenses narrows the gap with the primary camera’s low‑light capability.
- Macro Flexibility – Switching to a narrower aperture lets you get closer to tiny subjects, making the telephoto lens useful for macro photography.
- Greater Depth of Field When Needed – A small aperture keeps more of the scene in focus, which is ideal for landscape shots or group photos where uniform sharpness is desired.
Bottom Line
From more pleasing portraits to versatile macro work, a variable‑aperture telephoto camera would be a valuable addition to future flagship smartphones. It would combine the optical benefits of a longer focal length with the creative control that only a true, hardware‑based aperture can provide.
References
- Best Camera Phones – Android Authority
- One Thing to See in Google Pixel 11 Pro Cameras – Android Authority
A Major Challenge, but (Probably) Not Impossible
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
There is one significant challenge standing in the way of telephoto cameras with variable‑aperture lenses. Telephoto and periscope camera modules are already complex and take up a lot of space compared to a main‑camera module. Adding a variable‑aperture mechanism to an already intricate system would be a substantial engineering hurdle, and the combined bulk would likely result in a noticeable camera bump at launch.
Nevertheless, we’ve already seen smartphones with:
- Variable optical‑zoom cameras
- Dual‑periscope lenses
- 10× zoom cameras
- One‑inch main sensors
and other groundbreaking photographic innovations. This track record suggests that a variable‑aperture telephoto camera might not be an insurmountable challenge. Hopefully, Google, Samsung, Xiaomi, and other manufacturers can clear this hurdle and deliver an unmatched zoom‑camera experience.
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