Level 1

73 points

iPhone 11 Pro Max Camera issues

So my iPhone 11 Pro Max camera has an issue straight out of the box. The camera is blurry. It is so bad that my iPhone 6 could take better photos. Using the telephoto lense makes it even worse. It looks like you're watching standard cable. It's fuzzy. The ultrawide does the same thing. Leaving it at 1x helps but it still doesn't like right. Tapping to focus doesn't help. The photos my phone is taking are definitely not what I saw on the keynote. It looks terrible. Also, the interface is just bad. It's hard to use. Also, night mode reveals just how bad the camera is. For a Pro iPhone, I don't believe this deserves "Pro" in it's name. Or it's hefty price.

[Edited by Moderator]

Posted on Sep 21, 2019 5:07 AM

Top-ranking reply

frankxiv

Level 2

458 points

Posted on Sep 30, 2019 3:03 PM

Is this on every image? If so, is there anything on the lenses?

As to the secondary issue, this may not be an option for you, but if you have room on a credit card for them to place a hold for the amount of the phone they have an option where they will send you a replacement phone and a box to ship yours back to them. The hold will stay on your card until they receive your phone back. I have done this several times because I do not want to be without my phone while waiting for repairs either. They do not charge your card unless they do not receive your phone. I believe it is called an expedited repair and you have to ask for it.

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1,115 replies

Dogcow-Moof

Level 8

36,821 points

Nov 4, 2019 10:33 AM in response to Rohit apple

Have you bothered to contact Apple Support?

Contact - Official Apple Support

My iPhone 11 Pro Max has the best cameras I've ever used on a phone.

Dogcow-Moof

Level 8

36,821 points

Dec 4, 2019 9:10 PM in response to janos209

janos209 wrote:

Same pic from my Huawei:

The solution seems obvious: return or sell your iPhone 11 and keep your Huawei.

kironet

Level 1

11 points

Aug 1, 2020 9:33 PM in response to ashtyn98

Try to not move when using night mode.

Rhettster152 Author

Level 1

73 points

Sep 22, 2019 4:57 AM in response to frankxiv

I had tried that. It didn't help. It is occasionally taking real good photos so it's definitely software. I'll probably have to take this up to Apple support. Also, I hate that night mode automatically turns itself on. It turns on even when it is not needed. It to is extremely annoying. I've looked everywhere for an option to turn it off. There isn't any.

Sep 22, 2019 8:00 AM in response to Rhettster152

I’m having the same problem to. I have the 11 and the camera looks like it’s an android. i’m so confused. I still have my X and I took pics on both and my X takes better pictures. I hope it’s a big problem and now how the camera really is.

frankxiv

Level 2

458 points

Sep 22, 2019 3:25 PM in response to keskol

Try taking a photo of something that we might be able to compare it to. Go outside and take a picture of the landscape. Take a photo of a person. It is hard to judge with the kitchen/playroom and raw chicken.

frankxiv

Level 2

458 points

Sep 22, 2019 5:43 PM in response to Rhettster152

I need to ask which settings you have selected.

Which lens?
Are you turning off night mode or any other options?
If you are shooting in night mode, are you holding the camera still for the requisite number of seconds?
Any other information that might be helpful.

The reason I'm asking is that I don't see the issue with any of these except for maybe the last one. If that was taken using night mode, I might expect something slightly different. You started this by saying that night mode is bad. I have the exact opposite take on my end. I think that night mode demonstrates how amazing the camera system and the A13 processor is in these phones. This phone hands down takes the best images I have seen yet.

Since the photos you are including are not full resolution, it is hard to really see what you are seeing as wrong with them.

Rhettster152 Author

Level 1

73 points

Sep 22, 2019 6:55 PM in response to frankxiv

This happens regardless of any of the settings. I didn't say night mode was bad. The photos taken with each of the lenses is bad. Regardless of settings. My iPhone 6 takes sharper photos. The interface is also very bad and unusable. Even for a tech savvy guy like me. And the fact that others are having the issue should tell you immediately that this is a recurring issue. Also, night night mode shouldn't turn on automatically all the time. So much for taking shots that are happening fast in the dark. Also, so much for being able to shoot 4k video when the picture is still blurry. Both of those top two photos would've turned out way sharper on even a 6. That's sad considering the 6 is from 2014.

keskol

Level 1

13 points

Sep 23, 2019 2:59 PM in response to frankxiv

It obviously is. Check out the trees in the upper left corner and in the back. They look like they were airbrushed. Just not the quality one would expect from an iPhone, I’m seriously thinking of going back to my 8 Plus. It had much better camera. Whoever said “like android snapchat camera” was totally right. The photos look horrible, if the camera cannot focus. If its a flat or really detailed surface, it will just blur it

Rhettster152 Author

Level 1

73 points

Sep 23, 2019 3:11 PM in response to frankxiv

There are many instances where you do not want nightmode to automatically come on. For example, something really fast-paced happens, you want a true dark photo, or the fact that it shouldn't come on even in bright environments. Because at that point, it just adds noise and destroys accuracy. There should be an option to turn it off so that it can be manually turned on. The same with the audio zoom feature. I often record my Hifi gear and although the stereo microphones make this great, I don't want the audio to change. At this point, the camera app should have a "preferences" menu. A true pro camera needs software to fully utilize for the many units this breakthrough hardware is capable of. I hope you understand this more from someone who has unique uses for this camera setup. As for the blurriness, there's obviously something wrong. It might be software or hardware. But only a proper diagnosis is capable of solving this. Many people are having the same issue. The phone is barely into it's first week after launch.

Rhettster152 Author

Level 1

73 points

Sep 23, 2019 3:14 PM in response to Rhettster152

Update:

I had gotten in touch with Apple Support on the issue. It appears that I will be exchanging phones. A bummer since I have to send this one out, wait for another one. But hopefully they will figure out whether it's hardware or software related. But as of now, we're all going to have to wait. I'll be popping my sim card back in my 8 Plus and sending the 11 Pro Max in. Hopefully the new one is good.

Eustis9

Level 1

65 points

Sep 23, 2019 3:20 PM in response to frankxiv

Well considering I’ve spoken to support and reps looked at it remotely and also said there’s something wrong. I will say though, the image on here looks better than it does on my phone itself. So I’m hoping it may be software related to the phone itself.

Sep 25, 2019 11:24 AM in response to Rhettster152

Hi, I’m actually having the same issue for photos and videos. Mainly on the ultra-wide lense. But periodically on the other two depending on light and setting.

I have three photos below:

1. Is how blurry my photos are in a regular setting. This was taken day one - out the box.

2.My XsMAX photo of my CarPlay at night Vs

3.Same angle but on My 11ProMax. This is a photo of my CarPlay at night!

You are not alone, its definitely an issue :(

[Image Edited by Moderator]

Rhettster152 Author

Level 1

73 points

Sep 24, 2019 2:26 PM in response to MariaRezk

That’s crazy. I won’t be sending mine in now. It’s starting to sound hardware related. I doubt they make “special” ones. But I do think that the ones on display are not from the same mass-produced ones. Something probably happened during manufacturing. Apple did release these phones awfully early. I would wait to exchange until a month later. When the non rushed phones get shipped.

Dogcow-Moof

Level 8

36,821 points

Sep 27, 2019 8:22 AM in response to Grumpylicous

Grumpylicous wrote:

Straight out of the box I had an issue with my camera. When there was a strong light source in the background (sunlight) it was reflect that image onto another part of the phone (looked like a double exposure photo).

That's lens flare, not a defect; as the lenses on iPhones get more complex, the more this will occur. I've attached a photo showing the effect from the third-party site I link to below; note the flare resulting in the false image of the marquee to the upper right of the actual theater marquee:

This is a great third-party review of the iPhone 11's lenses, what you need to watch out for and some of the issues they bring:

The iPhone 11 Pro camera is amazing, but it has a few notable issues

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iPhone 11 Pro Max Camera issues