The variable aperture lens of the iPhone 18 Pro goes almost one stop wider than its predecessor: up from f/1.78 in the iPhone 17 Pro to f/1.48. In principle, this allows for slightly shallower depth of field, enabling greater separation between subject and background – although it’s a relatively small difference. But there are four ways to achieve shallow depth of field (DOF) with much older iPhones.

Portrait mode is the most obvious method, using computational photography to identify the subject and blur the background. Early versions were crude, but it’s become remarkably good. Macro mode automatically engages when you get extremely close, selecting the wide-angle camera; only a few centimetres will be in focus. You’ll know it’s active when you see the yellow flower symbol.

Getting close to the subject with the standard camera also works. Just tap on the object or person you want in focus before taking the photo. Telephoto shots: the longer the focal length, the shallower the DOF, so using the telephoto lens can blur the background.

Combining three methods works best: select the telephoto lens, get your subject as far away from the background as possible, and get as close as possible to your subject. This is especially effective with the iPhone 15 Pro and later due to longer focal lengths. The wider aperture is only one new camera feature, so you may still want to upgrade if photography is key. But if background blur is your goal, there are other ways.