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
yes. I had purchased exact same 2020 MacBook Air model and it had worse camera than 2015 MacBook Pro. After a lot of research I figured out that since 2018 Apple changed the MacBook design and made the lid slimmer and put in the same camera they’ve used on older macbooks but made the camera hole much smaller. If you compare both camera holes side by side and look at the size you’ll see the new MacBook has small tiny camera hole which leads to less light and all photos and videos look grainy in low light thus your new MacBook has grainy and low quality camera. It doesn’t actually have a worse camera but due to this flaw in the design the camera sensors get less light and makes it blurry. The only fix is to add more brightness with better lighting but it doesn’t help much or to pay for an app and download it to enhance your webcam to apply filters over it and increase the brightness of the image. There doesn’t seem to be any other fix. Just return the MacBook if you aren’t satisfied and wait for new one or buy an external wireless camera or use your phone as the camera or iPad. A lot of users on here have this issue but on reddit and other places most people have ignored this issue and instead blamed the users for not knowing how to use the MacBook properly and not doing their “research” for calling this a downgrade in camera quality. They’re ignorant of the fact that in 2018 this design change happened. The brand new users who don’t complain are either upgrading from latest macbooks or those who never bothered paying attention to camera quality or don’t care or new MacBook users. Only people with older macbooks like 2015 or 2012 are the ones complaining and if you google 2018 MacBook camera issues or 2018 MacBook low quality grainy camera you’ll find tons of posts and stories and even YouTube videos and some general advice or fixes. That’s the best advice I can give you. Google that maybe you’ll find something there. That’s how I found out about this whole issue. You can even google check my webcam resolution and I compared the resolution and sensor of 2015 MacBook and 2020 MacBook side by side and the 2020 has same exact model of camera same exact resolution just worse contrast and brightness due to low light. But do the experiments to find yourself. Good luck!
So far, after almost a year, they haven't taken any steps. So I'd say it's unlikely they'll start now. Since you're still within the 14 days return window, you should seriously consider if this is something you're willing to live with. If not, return it and get something better. I wish I had.
Yup exactly. Its ALL computers as well Ive realized.
I bought a 5300 dollar macbook pro 16 inch after returning the macbook air for this reason.
Same exact issue!
They told me its not expected behaviour until I was past 14 days... and now they say it is!!!
Apple is literally scamming customers right now.
I don't know whether to laugh or cry.
I own 3 businesses and am on Zoom all day looking like I'm on mars.
Apple has seemingly overnight turned into a complete joke of a company.
I'm not one to give power to first world issues, but c'mon my macbook air 2015 camera beside my brand new macbook pro 16inch is better!
Its simply unacceptable they should be sending us all webcams or fixing it.
Everything in my home is apple and this will be my last purchase for sure if they don't solve this.
the camera been wiped and tried fixing it on settings but is still the same...the settings or wiping the camera won’t fix it. Is an apple issue they should upgrade the camera display to Atleast 1080p 2020-2021 is the year that we need a computer with a good camera quality because of quarantine. I have the MacBook Air 2020 and I believe it only has a 720p around there.
I agree. It is an awful camera.
I am surprised that Apple decided to use this poor quality camera in one of their devices. I am so embarrassed of how cheap/unprofessional it looks when I use my 2019 MacBook Air that I decided to use my iPad Pro instead for videoconferences.
All these details are really key to make a product special. It seems that none is paying attention to these things anymore (awful keyboards, terrible cameras, poor battery performance when using Chrome, etc.) :-(
No matter where you sit, or how you try to maneuver the lighting - you will get the grainy image problem. The problem is not with us, the consumer, the problem is with the poorly designed Apple Computer. It's ridiculous and inexcusable that Apple put a low resolution camera in their latest edition, highly-priced, computer. My son's $400 PC has a much better camera.
If you can, take it back. Today! As you read through this tremendously long section you'll see that Apple doesn't care that it installed a terrible camera for its Air 2020, and you have a short window of time before you can't return the laptop.
I bought a MacBook Pro 2020 M1 and had the same problem. I tried to make a call via WhatsApp->it solved my problem! Video quality was as it should be. When I tried to make a call via FaceTime again everything was fine. I have no idea why that helped but it did, and I hope it helps you too! Good luck. :)
Let's try to better understand the problem. In Zoom or any Google Meet calls, the picture you see of yourself is one of the worst grainy and blurry, but on the other end, my folks say they see me crystal clear. Now this is confusing. Meaning, camera is good and doing its job well, but the path transmitting the image from camera to your own screen is corrupted. Can anyone check from your folks if its true n your case as well? I maybe wrong too, so lets stand corrected and be on the same page, thanks,
I bought the macbook air 2020 as soon as it came out and when I went to check the camera quality it was so much worse than my macbook 2017! I went ot the apple store and they told me to wait a few months to see if it improves which is dumb because then my warranty would've worn of but I did what he said and it didn't improve at all. I came to the conclusion that I probably just picked up a faulty macbook but when I went to do some research I shockingly found it was the macbook itself. I am beyond disappointed because I spent my life savings saving up for a new computer only to be disappointed. I'm afraid to put my camera on in online classes just because i am so ashamed of this camera quality. This is absurd and I hope that everyone who has made the exact purchase as me and got let down all gets their money back or a new computer.
do you also see this problem when taking a picture with photo booth?
Buy a web cam: it is unfortunately the only solution. Idk why apple doesn’t issue a web cam to everyone who purchases it as it’s obviously a huge issue.
Yup the new Macbooks have a smaller camera hole for the slimmer lid so less light goes in and it looks grainy af. You can add more light with brightness and fix it but it costs money to get an app that does that. I’m returning all new Macbooks and waiting for the next one.
Same with me. I contacted support and they said they are aware that the camera performs “less” than previous macbook air. And they are saying that they “expected” it.
they should have placed in their site that “Camera is 720 HD as previous models, but performs less compared to older models on low light”
Really disappointed, when you see that specs is same, you will expect that functionality is same/slightly better. But never WORSE .
I changed my MacBook Air 13' 2017 and upgraded to a MacBook Air 13' 2020*. I think I made a huge mistake! They have changed the camera quality abruptly! I compared both and my 2017 MacBook had a truly HD camera whereas the 2020* Mac Book air's camera is noisy, grainy and horrible! How can apple deceive me in this way? Unbelievable! My love and loyalty for apple is gone! So disappointed!
Of course this answer is "Apple Recommended". It doesn't hold them accountable for the terrible quality of their camera. I appreciate that you're trying to be helpful, but in looking at all of the complaints here it's obvious the problem is with the camera itself, and this being the Apple supported answer, just gives people a false sense that the problem is on their end. EVERYONE: apple.com/feedback and leave your complaints. I also suggest opening as trouble ticket with Apple. That way if they do someday decide to rectify the problem, you have a record of your complaint. If you don't complain, and it's outside of your warranty, they may not honor the repair.
Grainy Image on MacBook Air 2020
