Testing the iPhone 18 Pro | Should you upgrade?
I've had the new iPhone 18 Pro Max for about 2 weeks now and I can confidently say it's a very good phone for filmmakers. But I can also confidently say, it's a very incremental upgrade from the 17 Pro.
If you have a 17 Pro I would not recommend an upgrade. For any phone before that though I think it's worth it - especially if you're on a 14 Pro or earlier, then it's a no-brainer (you'll get Apple Log and a slew of other great upgrades). If you're using a 16 Pro I'd say it's a good upgrade, but mainly because of what was in the 17 Pro (new telephoto cameras, ProRes RAW recording, etc.).
The highlights for the iPhone 18 Pro from a filmmaking perspective are really the new variable aperture (with a wider f/1.48 to smaller f/4 aperture), new main camera sensor, new battery (especially in the Pro Max), new vapor chamber for better heat control, and then of course the faster a20 chip that works well so far with iOS27.
I've made several videos testing out the phone and the first one is on the most talked about new feature... Variable aperture and using it with the Blackmagic Camera app:
Next I looked at how the 17 Pro compares to the 18 Pro - but not their cameras - their size and weight and whether or not cases & cages still work.
And then I took the lens tests further using the variable aperture controls in a film nerd way shooting charts to see how the smaller apertures affect lens sharpness (when using third-party add-ons) - and I was very surprised by the results. To best see the sharpness I recommend watching this video in 4K and on a large TV screen.
I'll have more videos coming soon exploring the 18 Pro Max, so be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel if you're not already.
I do think this is a great option for anyone wanting to shoot professional quality video with an iPhone.
Thanks for watching!
-BC
P.S. If you need LUT packs for color grading your Apple Log shot footage then you might consider the ones I offer here for both Everyday looks and Film Looks.
