This is the English edition of a review from my Japanese YouTube channel, iestaLife. I review gadgets from my home studio in Japan, so product links go to Amazon Japan.
Quick take
Two small iOS 18 changes make shooting video on an iPhone noticeably easier: on the iPhone 16 lineup, a light half-press of Camera Control now locks focus and exposure (iOS 18.2), and you can pause a video recording and resume it in the same clip (iOS 18).
What I tested
- iPhone 16 Pro on iOS 18.2
- AE/AF lock with a half-press of Camera Control
- Pausing and resuming a video recording, including while changing zoom
What I found
Half-press AE/AF lock. You could always lock focus by long-pressing the screen, but now you can do it with the button. It stays locked only while you hold the half-press; let go and it unlocks. Without a lock, a hand passing in front of the lens pulls focus or flips the camera into macro mode. With it, focus stays where it was, all with one hand.
Pause while recording. A pause button now appears during video recording. Tap it to pause, tap again to resume, as many times as you like. It all stays one file. Before, stopping created a separate clip each time, so many people just kept rolling.
One catch: if you go back to the Home Screen while paused, the recording ends. Keep the Camera app open.
My favorite use is with zoom. Jumping from 0.5x to 5x mid-shot can cause an awkward lens switch and push the subject off-center. Instead, start wide, pause, change the zoom and reframe, then resume. The cut looks much cleaner on playback. It doesn’t work while you’re following a moving subject or talking to camera.
| Feature | Since | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Half-press AE/AF lock | iOS 18.2, iPhone 16 lineup (Camera Control) | Lock focus and exposure one-handed |
| Pause during video | iOS 18 | Skip unwanted moments without starting a new file |
Who it’s for
- iPhone 16 owners who only use Camera Control as a shutter button
- Anyone who has had focus jump to a passer-by mid-video
- People who trim lots of dead time in editing
Watch the video
The video is in Japanese. Useful timestamps: 0:30 half-press lock, 3:55 pause during recording, 5:25 combining pause with zoom.
Limitations
The half-press lock requires Camera Control, so it only applies to iPhones that have the button. I tested on an iPhone 16 Pro only.
Products
I used an iPhone 16 Pro. New units are hard to find now, so I haven’t added a product link.
More reviews in English
All Phones (10) →Browse all English reviews →
This review is also available in Japanese.