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.
Honestly, when people say they're not sure what they should do, I want to shout "RETURN IT!!!". But seriously, if I had realized how bad mine was within the return window, I absolutely would have returned it. It's crap, and now I'm stuck with it. I FaceTime with my husband when he's out of town, but normally use my iMac. I'd use my Air occasionally, and he'd comment on how bad the picture was, but frankly I figured it was his older iPad. Then I started having Zoom meetings and realized it was my MacBook. I'll continue to speak out about what a poorly manufactured product it is until they do something about it. Either way, whether you return it or keep it, be sure to go to apple.com/feedback and let them know what you think of it. You can also open a trouble ticket now, so that if they fix it in the future you have proof that you complained and they have to make it right, even if it's outside the warranty period.
yes, this is perfectly normal actually and i compared camera quality from my 2017 macbook pro to a 2009 imac we have in our house and found that actually this has BEEN a problem for years (and still is i presume considering apple is still using the same camera from 2017 macbook pros to the 2019's)
I have just bought a 2020 Macbook Pro. The camera is terrible. I'm the "grainy one" in my work related Zoom connections. This laptop costed me 1900 GBP, to replace my previous Macbook Pro bought five year ago which had an excellent camera. What happened? I don't really fell like having a 2020 laptop with a camera from 2010!
just upgraded my MacBook Air 2015 to new MacBook Air 2020, laptop is super fine but the camera in the new one is worst, I have never seen any web cam with such low quality image and grains by comparing the 2015 model I feel that its camera is actually better. should I replace it or is it like this with every MacBook 2020
I just bought a MacBook Air 2020 not even two months ago and the camera quality is HORRIBLE. I don't understand how Apple can get away with such horrible quality. This is definitely not a minor issue and it seems like all users have experienced this. I just spoke with Apple support and they said this is basically how the camera functions so in any type of light that is not super bright, don't expect any quality camera. Infuriating. APPLE! Yall gotta fix this. We know you can afford it and it is the right thing to do.
Apple support employees are unwilling/unable to simply admit the camera is unacceptable. I went to the store, had an appt. to ensure everything was working correctly, and the Apple folks told me it could be my WiFi. I told them my iPhone, iPad, and iMac all use the WiFi without the grainy, poor camera. It was embarrassing to see them unable to just say the camera is lousy. Poor show Apple. I am returning.
RETURN RETURN RETURN is the right thing to do!
I ventured into MacBook due to the good experience I had with iPhone over the last 10 years and the hype that surrounded M1. Terrible webcam. Who will buy an external camera for a laptop in this day and age? It is clunky and inconvenient.
Apple reserved a better webcam for its incremental upgrade next year! AMD Ryzen laptops seem way better than Apple laptops!
You should return the Air if you dislike the quality of the camera before the return period ends. Apple does not have a resolution for this problem. The only way to get Apple to resolve this issue is through your wallet and not accept poor quality products. If you search through YouTube, not many reviewers mentioned this problem either, which disappointed me because they knowingly misled their audiences for a corporation.
I agree that the reviewers misled us. My purchase happened because my son was going back to college and needed to upgrade his failing computer.
So I checked the reviews. It was never mentioned. I actually didn’t even think the camera would be an issue because I’ve owned two other MacBooks with no issues, and Apple is such a sold brand when it comes to innovation and technology.
Unfortunately it’s too late to return it. Because Apple has such a strong brand, I kept thinking I was the one doing something wrong. The only reason I now know that the problem is with the computer is because I finally started to google the issue and saw this forum. Now I know that it wasn’t me after all, it was an atrocious, expensive product.
I call it expensive because I paid more than it’s worth. We did not get what we paid for. Shame on you Apple.
The M1 has the same camera. It has the same problem because the Apple Store technician compared my Air with the M1, and it has the same grainy textures. Better yet, please do a real comparison between the 2017 models versus the M1, and you'll see the difference in camera quality. This thread has proof of it.
[Edited by Moderator]
Yes, I agree with that. When I went and sat in a room with a decent amount of sunlight coming, the quality of the camera was much better.
But the point is, if we have bought a new MacBook Air 2020 then why do we have to change places where there is light? The camera was expected to be good. And video calls are extremely necessary during this period.
Everything else is perfect, except the camera.
I am completely astounded! I was googling something else and came across this, which works! Now my zoom picture is perfectly clear on my new MacBookAir 2020 on Catalina.
Here's what I did: Open preferences, go to Security and Privacy, and then again to "Privacy" then scroll down to "Full Disk Access," unlock with your password, then choose zoom.us and check the little box to the left of it. You can do the same for other programs there too. Then lock it again. I have no idea why we wouldn't want full disk access to everything! Anyway, good luck.
Highly disappointed. My new purchase of MacBook Air M1 2020 in March 2021 has a blurry, hazy, grainy camera quality. Even the mic audio is weak. My old MacBook Air 2017, had a 10x sharper camera and audio. I understand this is serious issue in most new MacBooks and there is no fix to it. Apple Customer Care (my call today at 10:52 hours) regretted any resolution, and said the problem is genuine, Apple is looking onto but no resolution yet, and only the reseller can replace the device.
Reseller is APPLE dealer, and APPLE has full control on its dealers. If the reseller does not replace, APPLE should take full responsibility and replace, else there is no sanctity of a premium reseller, and they should be sacked. I am highly disappointed and want a resolution ASAP. Apple must make sure to replace the device. Sad. Sad. Sad.
I just bought a MacBook Air in April 2021. As other people have mentioned the FaceTime camera is horrible quality, it looks so grainy and whoever I talk to notices right away. I have tried cleaning the lens hoping that that was the problem, but that's not it also Internet connection is perfect. Very disappointed in the quality.
So the hardware on the intel 2020 and the M1 2020 MacBooks are the same. The difference is that the intel does not process the image and instead is giving you the raw image. The image in the M1 is vibrant, rich, but still a bit grainy. They are coming out with a MacBook this winter that will have a 1080P camera. The issue with the warranty is that they sold the product with a camera that doesn’t fulfill expectations and really advertising BUT the hardware has no issues. It really is a shame, but there isn’t anything they can do. Amazon fulfilled my request for a warranty return because Apple didn’t fulfill their part of the warranty.
Grainy Image on MacBook Air 2020
