iPhone 3Gs camera not working, screen frozen gray, photos blank, any ideas?

Same issue here. Just started three or so days ago. I launch the camera app and the shutter remains closed. I just updated to iOS 4.2.1 today, and no change. Camera still isn't functioning. I have used the RESET and the RESTORE functions to no avail. BUMMER!

Would really appreciate any information on how to fix this issue and will certainly post if I find a solution.

Grasping at straws: Could this problem be the result of a software conflict with some app that we've all downloaded? For example, I have the Hipstamatic app and the camera isn't working there either.

p.s.
APPLE, please help. It's the holidays for Pete's sake. We need our cameras.
j.j.

just curious, did you download the Hipstamatic app 3 days ago when this started? and this occurred before you updated?

Oh let me join the list!
my camera has been freezing and stuck in 'closed shutter' position MANY MANY times. sometimes it opens after some minutes, only to freeze on the image it sees. I'm tired of resetting the phone.

I guess I might take this back to store! Its obviously nothing I've done, going by all the posts on the subject here!

Camera will not open. This started after upgrading to 4.1. spoke with apple cut service not very helpful they told me to go to store and have them check it out. Genius told me he could upgrade me for 199 to a new phone. I said no thanks I just want the phone fixed after you told me to upgrade software and now I have this problem. He then spoke with the manager and told me he could do it for 99 if I go for a new 2 year contract. Great cust. service. I recently upgraded to the 4.2 and still the same problem. Please help me

Guys... I dont know if this will solve your problems its kind of weird. There was a guy on Page 6 that said try taking a picture by holding the power & home buttons... last time I did that it just helped me quite the program.

Today just 30 seconds ago after readin your responses here I hit the Power Button and the shutter opened up... what the eff? Ok but its still working... :-D

Hopefully thats all you have to do is "Power Up" the camera? I dunno... Try it

This problem has set me back since early September, I was going to exchange my phone but held my hopes up that Apple would fix it in an update because it did seem to me like a software issue... and especially it does now after this incident...

Message was edited by: rrosario35

FYI the camera shutter is staying closed again and not opening... not opening when I hit the power button either... So effin strange...
I strongly believe this happens because of the "Location Services" for some reason its messing with the camera. its the first thing that pops up whenever the camera decides to work. This *****!

I'm amazed that this problem has persisted over a year and from os 3 all the way to 4.2. I'm certainly not impressed. In any case, I've had the same flavor of problem but perhaps a bit different. I have an essentially stock 3G 8GB that currently is used only as a device (no cel service). Since upgrading to 4.0.1 I've noticed this camera problem. I've left it at 4.0.2 since I noticed that along with the camera problem, most everything on the phone is slower than it used to be (perhaps a more demanding os?).

The camera problem for me is the same in that sometimes (only about 1 incident in every ~10-15 shots) the lens graphic stays closed for about 30sec and doesn't take a picture (it doesn't freeze any longer than 30sec). I used to reset it to try to fix it, but lately I've noticed that mine doesn't seem to need to be reset. Often I'll just keep taking pictures until it actually captures one and goes back to normal functionality or I might just exit and try later. This sounds much less severe than most all of the accounts I've read so far. I haven't tried restoring since it's a bother and a number of users said it didn't work for them anyway. The frequency of this glitch seems to have increased only a little since it started happening in aug 2010. I've taken something like 600-700 pics with this iphone since inherited it in june 2010 from family.

Another thing I noticed since a couple people mentioned potential links between a glitchy camera and battery problems - my iphone usually lasts about 4 to 5 days before getting to around 20% battery, however, on occasion the usage will indicate that it's been used for the same amount of time that it's been on standby (ex: 46hrs for both). This drains the battery to dead in only about two days. Perhaps this is the same as another person indicated about the glitchy camera getting stuck on and using power all the time.

Has anyone heard of this problem with the iphone 4? I hope apple has better customer service than letting this common problem slide just because it's on older models.

holy cow hats! I did some searching and found tons of forums that are talking about this bug - AND on the iphone 4. I'm now really amazed (and really unimpressed) that apple has let this go on for over a year and right onto their current iphone with tons of people complaining about it. Well if i actually had a contract with att/apple, I'd drop it and go get a different smart phone or something.

You know this is crazy, I always think its a location services problem... Anywho i was just reading the new responses... I opened the camera app & the problem persisted. I shook my phone and the camera lens open... try it see if it works. weird... lol hopefully that solves it all the time

I think yinz may be on to something. I tried turning Location Services off for another camera app that I have installed on my phone (Darkroom). It didn't seem to make things any better, but a few minutes later, when I was trying Apple's Camera app, the shutter opened! The app asked me if I wanted to allow Location Services to do it's thing and I said no. It's only been a few minutes and a couple of tries, but I seem to have my camera back! Yay! I hope it lasts. 😉

Well, it has been nearly 2 weeks since I updated 16 MB 3GS to iOS 4.2.1 and exactly 2 weeks since every camera app stopped working. For two weeks I have surfed the internet trying to find just the right solution to this problem to no avail. I even wrote one of the camera app developers and all they could tell me was that Apple is supposedly aware of this problem and are supposedly working on a fix. I finally broke down today and did a full restore, both from a back up and a new phone. Still no working cameras - stuck in shutter image. Apple, please do the right thing and offer a solution to this ASAP, it has been going on too long. Forget the next iPhone and put the resources to fix your present problems.

Did not work for me. will continue down the list, trying other suggestions. ugh!

I am having the same problem with my 3GS since I installed iOS 4.2.1... I've tried both restore options but the problem persists and I'm not sure what to try next.

Hey guys,

I'm currently doing some research on this issue for an article I'm writing on various fixes, just wanted to add a few which are commonly coming up as being effective for the shutter freezing up.

:: Adjust the volume via the button on the side of the iPhone whilst in the camera app, this seems to work for the majority of those who have tried it.
:: Close all background applications (iPhone 4) and restart the iPhone.
:: Attempt a hard reset by holding down Sleep / Wake button and home button simultaneously for 10 seconds or until you see the Apple logo, this will remain for about 60 seconds and your iPhone will come back on.

Adjusting the volume seems to work for a few people on another thread but recently Apple have been doing exchanges for those who push the issue.

Good Luck!

I had the same problem and have now fixed my phone. It turned out to be a loose connection between the phone mainboard and the camera connection.

I very carefully removed the mainboard from the phone and then the camera. Then instead of trying to fit the mainboard to the camera, I reconnected the mainboard and camera then fitted both back into the phone. Hey presto my camera now works again.

This is not a fix for the faint hearted, you will need a very small philips screwdriver and nerves of steel as you prise the screen out.

I take no repsonsibility for this advice but it worked for me. Please show your appreciation by viewing snaptease.com

Good luck