Grainy Image on MacBook Air 2020

It's really weird that in this time of video conferencing, an important component is so bad. Actually, it's a technical step backwards. If I didn't hear constant comments at Zoom conferences ("You need to set your camera to HD" or "You're so hard to see"), I wouldn't really care. But unfortunately, you come out a bit old-fashioned and unprofessional. And buying an additional camera - no way! That's more than ridiculous. I am already annoyed by the many adapters, hubs and various other external devices that I now need.

I've been a Mac user for 25 years, and I'm seriously considering breaking my "loyalty" to Apple this time and trying another brand.

I have a 2019 macbook pro 16inch and a 2017 macbook pro 13inch and the camera quality on the 2017 macbook pro 13inch is WAY BETTER

my 2019 macbook pro 16inch has a grainy camera!!!!

this sucks..... all this money, for this?!!!

Same issue here. 2020 MacBook Air i5 512GB / 8GB, I am returning it to the store this week. Not only is the camera abysmal but the fan seems to come on all the time, especially during any web conferencing such as Zoom or Google Meets. My 2015 MacBook Air performs better on all fronts. This is truly pathetic that the newest laptop is actually a downgrade to one 5 model years before it.

Unfortunately none of those simple solutions solve the problem. The camera quality is bad, period. Very disappointing that this is even a recommended answer from Apple. Are you going to do something about this shameful camera, Apple?

I am convinced it's hardware at this point. I returned a macbook air in the summer and now have a macbook pro 16 inch and its the exact same problem. This is definitely a massive recall issue. What a brutal item on a computer to have this type of issue with. This computer is so perfect otherwise I want to keep it and just use my 2015 air for zoom meetings. That's how annoying it is to have to return another 99% perfect computer. How does something like this happen. I literally have to return it tomorrow and wait again to hopefully get a fixed one? This is so weird. @apple fix this!

After I returned my first MacBook saying the camera was defective, I took a look at all the display models. They all had the same very bad camera quality. An Apple Engineer is supposed to contact me Thursday and tell me what the problem is. I had sent my Mac data to Apple. If it's software, I'll keep it. If it's hardware, I'll return my 2nd MacBook this month. It's not worth having an awful camera for the next 3-4 years.

An update since my earlier post:

Amac (the store I bought my Macbook Pro M1 from), checked with other models in the store and it showed no difference. Apparently, at the moment it is supposed to look this way. They stated that it might get better after an update from Big Sur (but this post shows that this is an issue that was prevalent even before Big Sur). In any case, it is mind-boggling that I get a better camera picture on a similar model (base MBP) which is 5 years older. I really hope that Apple will resolve this issue one way or another. I've already sent in a complaint.

For those of you who cannot return their laptops because they really need a new one now (or were too late in returning it), I have found (to my mind) an acceptable solution: the app 'EpocCam'. It allows you to use your phone as a webcam and you can do this either over a cable or through Wi-Fi (which is not an unnecessary luxury considering we only have 2 ports now). While it is of course not ideal, it does give me a very clear picture while Zooming or Teaming (the irony is that it doesn't work with FaceTime...). The 'pro' version is 9€, which is considerable less expensive than a new separate webcam. As I saw that some people are resorting to using their older laptops for when they need a clearer webcam picture, this might be a more convenient solution.

Of course, it is insane that I have to resort to using a phone camera (in my case from the same brand) as my webcam rather than having an acceptable quality webcam built in already (and that in 2020..). But, alas, this seems to be the case and we have to make do. I would still suggest for everyone to send in a complaint regarding this issue and hopefully we will get a proper solution.

yes, and there is nothing we can do to fix it. I went through the lengthy process of explaining the whole

issue and how I love Apple, etc. They are going to send me some ear buds. No recall. The company

needs a recall. These cameras are horrible. So unprofessional . The only option for us is to, and

the technician told me this in so many indirect words, is 1. buy an external camera 2. write a letter

to management, and 3. be more careful next time about buying Apple products.

I sent my computer info to Apple. Now they want me to send them pictures of the camera in different light settings with different apps. It's like they don't believe me. All those Apple techs have to do is look at their own product and see how awful the camera quality is!

I have the same problem. My 2011 MacBook Pro has finally bitten the dust for the last time. The camera on it was superb. I just opened up and set up my new MacBook Pro today and took a FaceTime call and the image quality is horrendous! This is not acceptable. Not anywhere in any of the specs did it warn that the loss of image quality was expected in lower light conditions. If it had done so I could have decided if this laptop was for me. So disappointing to have to return this laptop. I will probably buy a second hand older model.

I traded out my 2015 MacBookAir for a 2020 and immediately received complaints that the FaceTime image was grainy. After some experimentation, I found a fix that works during my easy chair social visits. I placed a bright floor lamp a few feet in front of me and aimed it at my face. Great improvement in the picture was reported. Of course, that might not work for business meetings conducted from a desk. I've found with both MacBook and iPhone that a light source from behind me interferes with the picture quality.

haha ..good joke! The whole discussion is about poor webcam quality and you are talking about checking internet issues as if it is happening to just a few users. Please read the thread and ask yourself if what you are posting is relevant, then post!

I bought 13in MBP 2020 yesterday (5th Jan2021) in India. Very very disappointed in the camera quality. I have been using mac for nearly 9 years and very disappointed in the camera quality.

Asking apple to do something about it.

:(

Exactly man! Like I got the latest macbook air 2020 and it’s webcam is so so grainy and poor. I just cant see myself in the camera. My friend got a 2017 model and her camera works so well idk what apple is doing with it. I gets so angry about this.

Just returned the 2020 MacBook Air! Horrible product. What is apple doing? Why sleep on the camera? The picture quality is laughable!! I took a video and it was glitching as well. For the price, it’s just disappointing.