IPhone 12 Pro Max Lens flare

This is actually just evidence that not all lens 'flares' are created equal. This is a typical, aesthetically pleasing flare on a light source that is reminiscent of film and SLR photography. The ghost reflections and multiple green dots all over the place are aberrations of a different character. That this is the type of lens flare you get on a M10 shows that it's not just 'physics' and that it's a lot to do with lens design, coatings etc. it would be nice if the iPhone hardware/camera implementation could be refined to produce this kind of smartphone photography result.

Yep I understand that each dot is a reflection of a specular highlight.

There are flares, and then there are FLARES. The iPhone module has particular characteristics that mean it flares in this particular way that is particularly problematic for photo and video.

other smart phones, while having flares, don't flare in this particular way and tend to have natural looking flares around the light source itself.

these flares are 'normal' to the iPhone (ie not individual phone defects) but are not 'normal' to other smartphones.

this particular green dot problem is an iPhone only problem, as far as I have seen.

[Edited by Moderator]

Good photographers know how to work around the limitations of their equipment, no matter what it is.

For example, DSLRs and mirrorless cameras often have different styles of autofocus systems, and each completely fails under certain circumstances; the key is knowing what they are and how to work around the issue.

For some professional cameras it's literally a matter of paying $5000 for a device that has issues focusing on someone wearing a striped shirt.

That's all nice.

Let me say this. The problem is even worse in video clips: because of the (very good) combined software-hardware stabilisations, the flares jump around in the image. So not that easy to fix in post.

Now you can say what you want, but i am a professional video editor for years, and i never met this problem in either high-end / prosumer DSLR cam material.

It seems a bit pointless to say that the responsibility lies within the photographer. I think the pro max has astonishing features and actual results, the dolby vision is a dream for video. So it's not a question of wanting to trash the phone. But this is a hardware problem, and I am doubting that I should accept this problem as it affects so much of my pictures and video.

Sir, we’re not talking about some slight chromatic aberration at f/5.6, soft edges on a wide angle or low power on a high speed sync flash here. This is not a small thing.

There are orbs and reflections on every single video and photo with a slight light source. Heck, even a slightly bright window is producing ghosting.

I don’t know what your stake in this is, or why people can’t simply admit that this is not acceptable. Either there is a manufacturing defect, a design error in the lens itself or Apple is just screwing us with sub par components on a 1K phone. If you’re fine with that, good for you, but don’t tell us to work around it or whatnot.

dany buts wrote:

That's all nice.

Let me say this. The problem is even worse in video clips: because of the (very good) combined software-hardware stabilisations, the flares jump around in the image. So not that easy to fix in post.

Now you can say what you want, but i am a professional video editor for years, and i never met this problem in either high-end / prosumer DSLR cam material.

It seems a bit pointless to say that the responsibility lies within the photographer. I think the pro max has astonishing features and actual results, the dolby vision is a dream for video. So it's not a question of wanting to trash the phone. But this is a hardware problem, and I am doubting that I should accept this problem as it affects so much of my pictures and video.

Then return your phone for a full refund.

These complaints are officially entering the realm of the ridiculous.

Gee, you don't see these artifacts from photographic devices costing 2-3x the price of the 12 Pro Max from your phone that happens to take video. Gosh.

Given your background, this is like saying "I'm just not seeing the quality from my 12 Pro Max that I get from my Red Komodo 6K with my 32mm Cooke 5/i."

I have opened a support case with Apple and they ask me to take the phone to an official repair site so they can see what happens themselves. I have shown them several photographs and they understand that this is not how it should work.

APPLE should explain to us in advance on their sales website that the IPHONE 12 PRO MAX has been accompanied by ghost flares. I wouldn't buy such an expensive one if it was written that way. And I rushed to the APPLE store twice and asked to help that, but the clerks just claimed that the camera was perfectly fine and gave me no support. What can i do to get solved?

I thought you might enjoy this video of a blind shootout between iPhone 12 Pro Max, Samsung and Pixel 5.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb6Qq-56LJQ

Spoiler alert: iPhone won! Photos all taken by a professional photographer. And judged by professionals, who all know how to frame subjects correctly.

There are two types of problems with the iPhone 12 (I do not know if the iPhone 11). One is the flares, which are common to all mobiles and objectives, to a greater or lesser extent.

Another problem are the spots and reflections that appear at certain times and that do not appear on other mobiles. I keep sending photos and videos to Apple with these cases and it seems like a difficult problem to solve, because it is a design flaw: the problem is in the protective glass. It is the one that creates the reflections. But it cannot be solved unless they are replaced.

One more thing: we cannot reproduce these reflections in the ultrawide camera, only in wide and telephoto cameras.

miguelfeal wrote:

Another problem are the spots and reflections that appear at certain times and that do not appear on other mobiles. I keep sending photos and videos to Apple with these cases and it seems like a difficult problem to solve, because it is a design flaw: the problem is in the protective glass. It is the one that creates the reflections. But it cannot be solved unless they are replaced.

You keep saying this, yet a simple search of this thread, let alone the Internet will turn up multiple photos taken from a wide variety of smartphones showing the exact same issue.

I've done Samsung and Huawei phones, so let's do the Google Pixel 3XL this time:

Ghosting:

Perhaps reflections of street lights:

This is a great video on this subject. It should be watched by EVERYONE all upset and bothered by this:

https://youtu.be/TTGn9LAZ_3M

It shows exactly what I've been suggesting which is to alter the angle of the camera. And it shows how to use Snapseed (a great app by the way) to fix them in post editing super easily.

As has been said over and over, the phone isn't defective and I have anointed nothing as the holy grail of anything. If I want to shoot the best photos possible, I use my expensive Nikon DSLR with lenses costing more than my iPhone. That video offers great insight into the flares. Either learn from it or keep complaining. Your choice.

In the meantime, you either should return your phone if you believe it's defective or learn to deal with the output. It's simple actually.

Complaining here on a user to user only forum, will get you absolutely nothing. If you think Apple is paying attention here, you'd be wrong.

it's not 'clearly' just this year's phone..

I got my 12 pro a week ago.. I still have my 11 pro as I'm waiting for the trade in kit to arrive.

I opened the camera apps on both and held them side by side, aimed em at the light in my kitchen. I get the spot on both phones and it's identically sized and placed.

you both made your point over and over, no one asks this.

I find it a bit condescending and misplaced that you believe to have the absolute truth that this is a use problem and not a device problem.

If first you would hold my phone, point yourself, see the number of pictures and clips with horrible results, EVEN WITH SILLY STREET LIGHTS OR OTHER MODERATE LIGHT SOURCES, then maybe you'd have the power to make these bold statements.

You made your point. It is clear more and more people find this forum topic because they clearly thought: Hey, this can't be normal anymore compared to my former iphone or other. So that alone confirms the problem.

The only thing i agree on: more than confirming you are not alone with the problem, this forum will not provide you solutions. I will also contact Apple and i advise you to do the same.