Have just purchased a new MacBook Air (2020 model). Have bought to use for home working (Zoom meetings, etc) and the image is really grainy when using Zoom or FaceTime. Is this normal with Macs?
MacBook Air 13", macOS 10.15
Basically what it means is that they are very very aware of this issue.
Their process is to classify issues as either expected or unexpected. If it's expected it means it's "our fault" for not knowing the camera image quality is impacted by poor design not allowing for enough light to enter the lens. That they have no recourse to fix it. It is hardware and it's a design flaw. It actually has nothing to do with the camera quality. Not something they are currently able to fix. I said its false advertising and they said prove it. That's why your camera quality is better on older models. More light coming into the camera. Its beyond stupid they let this happen. haha Someone got fired for sure I imagine.
I have a Macbook pro 2019 I just purchased in Dec for 5500.
Its way better in natural light.
Who the **** has access to natural light in their office lol. I am lucky to have some and can see the clear difference, but at night it is unusable.
When I bought my computer for the Macbook pro this was still not classified expected behaviour. It became expected as I was negotiating with them.
This is why they sent me free accessories.
Now, they have changed the classification to "expected." This means you have no recourse whatsoever with Apple other than complain and hope they offer something in the future who those who did.
All you can do is return it and buy something else or wait for their next release otherwise.
Yes, you and all of these other people have fallen through the cracks. (As of Feb 25.) If "Apple cares" they would immediately fix this issue. They just pretend too like the others. Not a special company lol.
So, I just got a new 2020 Macbook Air and was setting it up today. Out of curiosity, after setting everything up, I wanted to check the camera since we've been doing some much Zoom this last year. I turned on facetime and was immediately confused why I looked so grainy. So, then I created a Zoom call to see if it was the platform. Nope. Still grainy. I'm pretty critical of how I look so I was willing to accept that maybe today I just looked like garbage.
So, I opened my Macbook Air from 2015 that I've been using up to now. I have actually loved that camera and how it has made me look on Zoom this last year. I now have both laptops open side by side with the cameras on. I'm the same person in both views with the same light on the same internet connection. The new computer (2020) looks shockingly bad: grainy and dark. The 2015 looks great!
Like I said, this new laptop is brand new, out of the box, never been used. The internet connection is spotless (I did multiple tests to double check) and the camera is also spotless because like I said, it's brand new, never been used.
So, I'd love to know why they stopped using quality cameras?!?
i have the same issue. this is the worst laptop camera I've ever have!! I just bought MBA 2020 a couple days ago and I still mad about the camera that is really blurry and grainy. it's more like 360p not 720p. my 2017 MBA way MORE better. apple please fix this!! we've paid a lot of money for buying your products yet it turns out not like what we've expected.
Well, I just had my first Zoom meeting with the MacBook Air 2020 and I was devastated. I wiped the camera lens several times and that didn't change anything. I too have a MacBook Air 2015 and planned on giving it to my niece, but now I'm hesitating because I work from home (pre and post pandemic) and use video conferencing platforms all day. I need to look my best. This grainy video is not working for me. How can the color and images on the actual computer be so dynamic but the video (even with FaceTime) is HORRIBLE. Apple definitely didn't bring its "A game" in this situation. So, what are my options? What is the fix, Apple?
I just received my 2020 Macbook Air, 3 days ago and the facetime quality and photo booth is so trash. I thought it was my settings or screen protector but now that i'm going through this comments I see thats it just a overall issue. Very disappointing, my 2017 Air camera quality is way better. Really don't want to return but will because its so grainy and ashy
This is very fantastic product indeed. I am also using this MacBook, but I have no such issues. I think you need to fix your internet connection. this happens often when your internet connection shows weak signal.
This is not normal and I have noticed the exact same thing in both Photo Booth and FaceTime. In fact, in setting up my MacBook Air 2020 I imported my Photo Booth pictures from my *2013* MacBook Air and the quality of those images are far superior -- it's almost laughable. In reading the replies, I am glad to see I am not alone. What is going on here? Can we report it somehow?
There are 28 pages of complaints on this. I think we should take this to social media as Apple doesn't seem to bothered on this. They should recall this product and replace it without giving excuses. My old iPhone and the 2013 MacBook Air has a better camera for video conferencing than this.
I can post this on Twitter. Do comment on this
I have the same problem on MacBook Air 2018 so it's not just the 2020 version. I've only had MacBook Pros prior to getting this computer. Have a Pro for my work computer and it isn't grainy like this.
Distressed at the grainy and hazy camera quality of my new MacBook Air M1 purchased March 2021. No response from Apple, their customer care admits a genuine issue, but no fix from Apple yet. Hope the next patch update addresses this issue
I bought this new Mac Book Air (2020) model too. The camera is really lousy, low quality, blurry. Can't imagine why such a High Tech company would allow such low-grade quality camera appears on its product. I compare it with other older version of MacBook Air, all the other cameras are superb. This new Mac Book Air camera is the worst worst worst amongst all other very very cheap notebook cameras.
I have brought my Mac to Apple authorized service twice, and still unable to fix.
Really don't know what should we do. Anyone can help to suggest?
Yes, thank you for your advice. We have a lot of group photos of Zoom meetings, class and work. Me in every photo from different people is the same, blurry. I even checked having a meeting myself with my two different Zoom accounts using Mac 2020 and Mac 2014 . Me in 2014 camera is way better and clear in both Macs. It's the same blurry picture in both Macs by 2020 camera.
Well, thank you, Apple, for ignoring us!
Exactly that’s what the Apple customer care guys told me here. There’s nothing they can do about it, unless they get instructions from Apple on next steps. Apple has cut corners at the cost of their reputation and quality. Taken off the basic ports, the Apple logo light, taken off the extra plug & extension wire adapter, and made us to pay for the extras. Sad.
Please help with this case by signing the petition. Search for "call for apple to recall macbook 2020 change org". It will be the first hit. This situation is just not acceptable. The camera problem is in both 2020 en 2021 model MacBooks.
I have this same issue on my 2019 Mac Air laptop. The quality of the built-in camera is so grainy, far blurrier and grainier than the camera was on my 2014 Mac Air laptop. I am so confused, especially since everyone else seems to have this problem. People have actually pointed the poor quality of my camera out to me. The laptop is otherwise great but I am disappointed in the quality of the camera.
But I am sure being an apple.com web portal, the content is well read by Apple. So what are they doing about it. The India customer care assure me that Apple is aware of the issue and working on it, maybe the next update could fix the issue. Its weird and all you guys must also check, that the Photo Booth video recording does not auto flip, despite the feature being enabled under the edit tab. This is just ridiculous. I hope we guys are not daydreaming that Apple would come to us with a magic wand and say, here you go, the problem is fixed...lol
But seriously, its becoming more and more frustrating, its nearly 4 months I bought this blooming MBA 2020 with a so called M1, my MBA 2017 was 10x better. Very sad.
Grainy Image on MacBook Air 2020
