iPhone 11 Pro Max Camera issues

nah the standard camera app is bad. I had to buy the pro camera app to get way better pictures. My iphone x took better photos. The 11pro would whiten my photos for some reason. With the pro camera app it rivals dslr as i shoot my photos in raw. As far as stock camera app no way it rivals dslr.

But, in my opinion, there is something going on on the software side which is interesting enough to justify an attempt at quantifying it in order to better understand it and maybe better utilize it. Or even work around it so that one can avoid it. Since all digital cameras have to use some kind of software to deal with the inevitable noise, the quality of the image depends to a non-negligible part on the quality and nature of the software that is used. Different manufacturers use different algorithms. Apple apparently uses a different algorithm, or several different algorithms on the new camera. 

Back to my issue which I feel is shared by many: Looking at the grain in the images, I can't help but notice that there is obviously a different algorithm at work than in previous iPhones. When you zoom into an image, you notice a blob-like graininess which to my eye is less appreciable than the graininess that was produced by the software in previous iPhones. Interestingly enough, the algorithm seems to pick up on the predominant structure in the image. Grass-like blobs when there are grass leaves, round blobs when there are round blossoms.

Also (it might be the same "problem" though), I've noticed that the algorithm that is used specifically on parts in the image with fine detail seems to try for additional edge enhancement. The effect is almost psychedelic - it looks awesome on the iPhone screen, but you know that it wasn't THAT sharp originally. An unaltered image that I sent to my daughter caused her to exclaim: "Wow! Is this photoshopped? So beautiful!" while I was writhing in pain over the exaggerated blossom structure in the image. The same image taken by my iPhone 6s was much less "dynamic", but also less "awe-inspiring". However, its image was closer to the truth than the iPhone 11 Pro's. Which is enough for me to want to find out what's going on there.

The general behavior would hint at an edge-enhancement filter kicking in at a certain spatial-frequency range. Where there is no detail in the image of that spatial frequency, the effect of that filter is to generate a general softening with blob-like grain. 

Also, if you zoom in, you notice that a detail that "seems" to be there actually isn't there. This has been addressed as well in this thread. It feels like "See - not see", dependent on whether you're zooming in or just looking at the image in the photo app.

Therefore a second question might be: Is there something going on in the photo app simply for the enhanced image appeal when on display in the photo app? I read something about all images being optimized to the full dynamic range of the iPhone's display. 

In general I think it is a masterful process to make a potentially unfocused image appear focused on the iPhone screen (kudos to Apple) - but what if you don't want that assist? Is there a way around it? That might be where the Pro Camera and the Moment App come in for the desired result (or non-result).

Hello , I also had the same problem. My wife got the 11 pro max and I got the 11 pro . I compared it and looks like both has the same quality problem .

But I think I resolved the problem with the camera format in the settings , make sure that it is selected in the "most compatible" not the "high efficiency" one .

I hope it helps , I know this thread had been posted last year :)

13.1.2 has now landed including a bug fix of an issue where they camera may not work’

whatever that means...

Try updating your phone to 13.1.2 and see if it fixes it.

It sounds like you have a serious issue. However, I think it is unlikely that it is a hardware issue. Have you considered doing a complete wipe and install of the full software stack through iTunes?

I apologize for misunderstanding your take on night mode. You said, "Also, night mode reveals just how bad the camera is." I see now upon second read that what you meant was not that night mode was bad but that it was highlighting how bad of photos your phone is currently taking. That makes sense as night photos are always the least sharp, no matter how good night mode is.

I'm not sure I agree with your statement that night mode shouldn't turn on automatically. I have used every single iPhone since the 3G and I have NEVER been able to take good photos at night, even with the flash. In fact, the flash typically makes things so much worse that I began leaving it off by default a few years ago. To me night mode is hands down the best new feature of the iPhones 11.

Update:

I went to apple store today and I compared my phone with the phones they have for display and my cameras looked way different and even all the service genius their said the same thing and I had to change it with another new one, BUT here what happened. I got the new one from them I opened it in the store to make sure that the new one doesn’t have the same issue and!!!!! Of course it had the same exact issue camera is blurry and the color of the pictures is not true and so dark than the phones they have in the store. The representative made sure that the setting in the SECOND new phone that I got from them is the same as the one in the store and we compared it side by side and still looked different and they had to exchange it for a third time!!!!!! And finally on my third one is still not as perfect as the ones they have in store but at least a little better than the other two phones. The representative was like yes the ones in the store for customers to see are made special I am like do you guys make something for us to see and buy and sell something else!!!! This is really a big issue that is need to be solved it is really messed up!!!! Even with my third phone the cameras are not perfect my iPhone 8 Plus took way better pictures than this. Please guys if you will replace your phone with another one go to the store and compare it to the one they have make sure that the colors are the same too not just the blurring issue.

I was curious, from a photographer standpoint, the ultrawide is not sharp like the standard, and zoom. I have tried as others have said with focusing. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one. THE ONLY way it's tact sharp is sunny 16 rule, go outside middle day light when sun is the highest, take a shot, albeit not as sharp as the other three lens. This could be a compression issue, where the software is softening too much of the image (which all cameras and sensors) do this unfortunately.

[Edited by Moderator]

If it's a software issue, it will be addressed someday.

If it's not, it won't.

The key is you have 14 days from the date of purchase to decide which you think it is, and to return your phone if you can't wait to find out.

I'm having this same problem && it's extremely prominent if you're shooting video && use the zoom wheel to go under 1x , the quality drops drastically and the shift is extremely noticable even tho Apple claimed it should be seamless , the normal and telephoto lenses are tack sharp with extreme details yet as soon as the wide angle lens gets touched , no matter how perfect and optimal the lighting conditions are , it's grainy and the details are simply not there . && for the people saying that the wide angle is being used incorrectly etc the MAIN use of a wide angle is to show more of the environment , as you seen in the reveal keynote, NOT solely to get close to your subject as a couple of people are suggesting . in fact the close up shots make the lack of detail even more prominent . no matter what excuse you try to give the fact is for an apple device my pictures or videos shouldn't be coming out looking like an Android took em . and I'm a professional photographer so i know it's not user error that's causing this.

I would love to see a photo taken from your camera and a store camera of the same subject at the same time so that we can see this difference. If it is software, there is no way there is a difference in the store phones.

I think it must be a software issue. I noticed this issue after seeing all of my ultra wide photos come back blurry and took it into Apple. They thought the camera was defective and exchanged mine for a new one. The issue persists on the new device as well.

I don't think it's a hardware issue. It's very likely software.

Precisely.

Apple judges severity of issues from the amount of contacts they have directly from consumers about them.

Store staff is trained to deal with hardware swaps rather than software issues, and though support personnel sometimes read Apple Support Community threads, it is by no means a regular occurrence. This forum is intended for Apple users to help other Apple users, not to engage with Apple itself.

The best way to get action on a bug or misbehavior is to contact Apple Support directly:

Contact - How to Contact Us - Apple

Are you making sure to hold the phone still for the amount of time it tells you to when taking a night shot? I don’t want to sound like I think you don’t know why you’re doing. Just a lot of people don’t realize there’s a countdown you need to keep the phone still for when it snaps the shot.

moses13 wrote:

I’m having the same issue all my pictures are blurry does not matter what mode I’m in.

If all your photos are blurry, either you are taking them improperly or your phone is indeed broken.

The 1x and, in good light, 2x photos should be razor sharp.

Anything using digital zoom at all is a gamble and will be blurrier than native lens magnification photos.