Iphone 11 Pro Extreme lens flare

I recommend contacting Apple support. I called right away after I noticed it, was on the phone for 10 minutes, was offered 4 different options;

1. Run more diagnostics on my end to determine if it was software
2. Go to my local Apple store or Authorized repair to get my camera module replaced for free under my one year warranty for the product (not my Apple Care+)
3. Send it in via mail to get the phone repaired
4. Get a replacement device mailed to me through their mail in program for $99

I have a local Best Buy in town where I live, so I went in the next day and had them run through their procedures with diagnostic tools and checks, then proceed telling me I could either drive to an Apple store who had the part (2 hour drive) or wait a week for him to order the part. Week passed, got my phone in, took about an hour, presto, new camera setup, much better results.

If you can, definitely do #2 and get the new lens it is by far the best option. I wouldn't do #4 because you could get a refurbished one (which isn't acceptable for an investment like this to get a used item) that likely never had its lens replaced.

Best of Luck

Which you could have likely COMPLETELY eliminated by changing the angle of the phone relative to the scene. The flares had to be present when you took the photo. I can see flare on my iPhone before I take a photo, which means I know I need to change the angle of the phone. This is no different than what I have to do that with my $2,000 Nikon DSLR and $1500 Lens.

I'm not being critical of you specifically, but I believe many in this thread could benefit from a photography class. I've taken several.

Mine had the same problem. It is a manufacturing problem with the first batches of iPhone Pros. I'm thinking they were missing a coating or something.

I insisted the lens was defective and they swapped it out with a new one. Now it all is working as expected.

Just show them samples of the flare and then refer to examples of images in this discussion where it is clear that there is a problem with the lens. Like I said before, my impression was that there must have been a batch of the lenses get through without an anti glare coating. My rear camera unit was replaced and the problem is now solved. In addition, the new camera lenses seem like they want to be wiped off frequently.

I had the phone replaced with a refurbished phone and I still have an issue. I went back to the Apple Store today and they replace the lenses, I tested them tonight and they’re still having the same issue, this one’s even worse..

after testing, I decide to make A makeshift lens hood for the cameras, and this worked. The problem is the images are getting the reflection of the light on the lenses and causing the distortion. There’s no way to block the light from hitting the lenses.

maybe intake reflective lenses would be better, I don’t think there is anti-reflective coating and that’s why we’re having these issues.

This is not a manufacturing defect, but a design choice (i.e. cockup). I have seen iPhones from China, HK, and UK all with exactly the same flare problem. All display phone in UK Apple Store are also affected. Don't waste your time and try replacing/repairing your handsets as you will be repairing something that's not broken. It's working as designed, but the design is flawed.

If you are already the owner there are a few choices: either return it to Apple (if you are eligible) or learn to live with it, or switch to a different phone. Some say that all all comparable products have this issue. It's true, but the extent of the problem is nowhere near as bad as in iPhone. In Galaxy 10 series it's very subtle, while in iPhone 11 Pro it's **** obvious. You can see it yourself I the attached samples taken from exactly the same angle.

As for reducing the flare, there there isn't much you can do. Apple has officially confirmed to me that it's not a sensor issue and not a software issue, so don't wait for a magic fix. I was experimenting with manual settings and can report that different aperture and different ISO settings make no difference whatsoever.

My gut feeling is that they simply placed the protective glass too far from the camera. Would be interesting to see how it performs without the protective glass. Any volunteers?

In the mean time, we'll have to wait and hope that Apple will fix it in their next phone. One bit I really don't get: how could Apple engineers not notice it during the routine testing? Surely camera specialists should have put it through every possible scenario. Apple?

That kind of lens flare is almost always due to dirt or grease on the camera lens, either the outside or, somehow, the inside.

The replaced the cameras. I was the first one they did this on. My front camera was fine just the back ones. I think there was a defect in the manufacture and some were released without anti glare coatings on them.

If you’re getting pushback from Apple Support, take lots of pictures in varying circumstances showing all the lens flare. Go to an Apple Store and show them. If there isn’t one near you upload them to to your phone consultant that you’re dealing with. You’ll have to compress the files but have the support person send you a link for uploading the pics directly to them. As a result of me being persistent, I got a replacement phone. But still had the issue. Took more photos and went into the Apple Store. They insisted on wiping the phone to make sure it wasn’t a software issue. Fine. I did that. Took more pictures and came back to them. They looked at my photos and admitted it wasn’t normal. I even had side by side photos taken with two different generations of iPhones to show that it was a problem on the 11pro Max. So today they replaced the Rear Camera on my phone. I will let you know if this fixes my problem. I tell them that I’m a photographer and I know lens flare is to be expected, however not to this extreme. It happens too easily. Be persistent!

Unless you were seeing something more severe than the photos posted here, that degree of lens flare in those conditions is normal for the small iPhone lenses.

Cameras on other phones also have flare issues as higher pixel count and more complex lenses make it onto more phones.

If you find that degree of lens flare unacceptable to you, you would be best advised to return (if within 14 days) or trade-in your iPhone and purchase something else.

The issue then would be to find a phone with equal capabilities but with less lens flare, and right now that may not be possible.

Actually if you are going to use a phone as a camera, you will need to pay more attention to keeping the lens(es) clean.

You wouldn't expect a DSLR lens to work well with a big smudge in the middle of it, would you?

Given the size of the lenses for the iPhone, even a small smudge is a big deal.

Note that (and this is true of DSLR lenses as well), it is possible for a lens to be smudged internally during assembly, and that's something only replacement can address.

Both DigitalMonkey and I got our lenses swapped out, and saw improvements, but it still isn’t perfect, I haven’t been in conditions like I was in the mountains to test the difference. What I do notice is smearing happening a lot due to the lens being dirty, which I have to wipe off ever so often. If you’re able to get a lens swap, it could definitely help.

The 11 pro does have more ghosting and dot issues than current flagship phones, but with that said, you cannot defy physics, even high-end DSLR and Mirror-less cameras struggle with flaring, but professionals understand flaring enough to avoid it, whether with studio lighting, or just basic camera adjustments, they manage to make stunning shots, and you can see that with several commercials filmed with the 11 Pro.

Phone manufactures are able to accomplish the quality they produce because of the software and AI they use, where as a dedicated Camera relies 100% on the hardware they have. The lenses in 99% of phones is a fraction of a standard lens, and this can cause limitations that AI is not currently capable of handling.

If you have any fingerprints, dust, etc on any part of the lens, it will create blooming or flare spikes as examples have demonstrated. As DigitalMonkeys has stated, the lens gets dirty quickly, even after the replacement, which tells me this camera setup, whatever coating is used, attracts dust particles, and builds up FAST. Atleast for me, I just wipe the lens down with a micro-fiber cloth and afterwards I don't have any issues with bright lights

To avoid the green dots on the subject under the tree I have to change the angle of the lens to the subject slightly. In her case I would stand a little higher which would move the green dots to below her waistline.

Slight angle changes move the dots a great distance.

Yes it’s annoying. The Note 10+ does it too. Just not quite as bad. The Pro does have a bit more flare than I care to live with and I might return it and wait one more generation to see if they can reduce it some. Or I might just accept the limitations of the device and start practicing work arounds.

The software either updated or not has strictly nothing to do with this severe flare & ghosting issue.

The severe flare & ghosting issue is an optic problem linked with:

1) Lack of anti-reflective coating on the lenses covers.

2) Mirror like camera system square.

3) Mirror like lenses covers rings.

All these just exacerbate the flare & ghosting issue which by the way we can encounter with all optical / cameras systems depending on light sources, angles, number of optical elements even when all treated with anti-reflective coatings, etc... The iPhone 11 series cameras characteristics rather than control these, just exacerbate these phenomenons.