iPhone 13 camera not focusing when capturing a photo 8-10 cm away

I'm quite sure your iPhone 13 takes in general far better pictures than an iPhone 8. Just think of Night Mode, something unfathomable on an iPhone 8. Your phone however, cannot take close-ups as closely. But as I demonstrated, iPhone 13 Pro can and does miraculously well. I own a Nikon DSLR and to be able to take close-up photos on it, I had to buy a very expensive Macro lens. In iPhone 13 Pro, it can take close-ups as well as my DSLR with a Macro lens and the iPhone itself, cost a lot less than my DSLR with the multiple lenses I need to take photos as well as I can with an iPhone.

Hi everyone who’s facing this issue , I’ve a fix . I own an iPhone 7 and 6s and was at Apple showroom comparing the 13 models . I tried exactly same thing - taking close up shots of labels and realised 13 Models just didn’t focus While iPhone 7 and iPhone 6s managed to get a closeup shot .

So I went to “Photo” mode in all iPhone 13 models and selected 0.5 x instead of the default 1x. And then I was able to capture close up shots just like iPhone 6s and 7!

I managed to find this trick at the store since I couldn’t believe a new phone would be less capable ! I really hope this resolves it for you iPhone 13 owners! Please keep me updated ! I’m yet to buy the 13 though

Hey samirre i also facing the same problem my iphone 13 doesn’t focus on close object and you know what even my other iphone 12 can do better than my iphone 13 in closeup shots from my prospective it is software glitch samarjeddah.

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Hello,

Thank you for suggesting a solution for this focusing issue on iPhone 13 (mini), BUT it does NOT do the trick.

Please try to make a picture - let's say - of the backside of your driving license. You will not be able to make a focused close-up of it by either setting...

I was wondering about the same. I use a 13 min which has the same specifications as regular iPhone 13. What I would like to know is if this is a defect in my phone or this is how the phone was built.

Reading most comments here, it seems that many have misinterpreted this question and compared to the macro mode of the pro models. I did a quick comparison with an iPhone 11 and found out that that the iPhone 11 can take sharp pictures roughly about 5-6 cm( 1.7-2.4inch) away from the object. However, iPhone13 has to be moved at least about 10 cm ( 3.9inch) away to get the camera to focus. So obviously you cannot take a good picture with iPhone 13 as close range as at least iPhone 11.

To be clear as possible, it is not a defect in the 13 or 13 Mini as it cannot focus as closely as 5-6 cm from a subject. Whether you want to call it Close-up or Macro makes no difference in relation to this discussion. iPhone 13 simply cannot focus as close as people expect it to and that is by design. Instead, they built in what is called "Macro Mode" to the 13 Pro models, which can capture in focus photos much closer than iPhone 13. There is a completely different camera in iPhone 13 versus iPhone 11 or earlier iPhones.

Hi sammire, even I m facing same issue in iPhone 13. I was using iPhone 7 and I was able to take stunning photos from it. I checked on iPhone 11 and 12 also and I came to know that problems is only with 13 series. Even I m not getting proper support on this issue.

What I wanted to find out is that if this is an issue only on a single device( mine). Now that its clear that this is not a "defect" but it is by design, the point is, what can be done in a earlier generation phones cannot be done with the new. The expectation of the newer generation device should be being able to to do what it's predecessors did and more. That fact that pro versions can do macro shots is irrelevant.

I understand what the expectation is here. But Apple chose this year to include close-up or macro focusing on the Pro models exclusively. Your comment the pro version can do macro shots is irrelevant, is actually NOT irrelevant. The pro models can focus closer than the 13 and that's totally relevant. The focal length on the 13 cannot me made to focus closer than it can.

Hi

The setting i shared worked on all 3 models in showroom . Please do try in better lighting maybe ? My benchmark is against iPhone 7 and 6s. With the setting I shared - Photo mode - 0.5x I was able to get close up as close as I get them on my iPhone 7 and 6s :) . Thats about it

I upgraded from 12mini to a 13mini. If you want to compare the cameras is not about specifications and the fact that on paper the 13mini’s camera might be beter in general like Dogcow-moof has said. Its that my day to day use for the camera on the phone. For example I take pictures of patient hospital stickers, 12mini no problem nice and easy closeup filling the frame and the 13mini I have to push back so much that more than 200-300% of the frame is filled with surround background. Thus causing me to crop and edit, wasting valuable time.

In my case the change of the focal length form 12mini to 13mini due to my day to day use case is an absolute downgrade in the camera. I am a wildlife Photographer hobbyist. Own Dslr and multiple lenses. I am disappointed in the changes of the iphone 13mini camera compared 12mini that affects me personally. Luckily I kept my 12mini and will sell the 13mini due to this change that has made the camera on my day to day use an complete frustration.

I think some people will never know about it cause they never use there phone camera in this manner but to upgrade to a new model and get something that can’t perform the same as previous generation is a utter shame in the company change in direction and I really hope this was a fluke of some kind.

Please understand that I have owned Iphones ever since 3G, many Imacs, macbooks, ipads, and all apple products. Just a shame.

I gotta tell you, my iPhone 7 took better, sharper, cleaner shots than my iPhone 13. I’m not a photographer by any means but I know the difference between a clear picture and a crappy picture. This iPhone 13 has been a huge letdown.

The pro models can focus closer, but the detail is not as good, nor the bokeh and you get the characteristic distortion of the ultra wide lens (at least compared to an iPhone X in my case). That means that the whole 13 lineup (including the Pros) are a downgrade when trying to take close-ups that are not actually those super close 2cm macros.

So yes, while it’s technically true what you’re saying, people should not expect the same results if they come from previous iPhones even if they get the Pros.

I don't personally see it as a downgrade in any sense of the word. The macro capability on the 13 pro is about as good as it gets and from a cell phone camera, remarkable. Far better than my iPhone X, 11 Pro Max or 12 Pro Max.

I have the same problem with my new iPhone 13 Mini. It does not focus on objects closer than 10cm. Taking macro shots is impossible. I thought it was a problem with my device but from what I see it is not. I think it is due to the larger sensor size than the older models. Macros have never been a problem on my iPhone XS.

I would like to know from Apple what is the minimum focus distance of the new iPhone 13/Mini (non pro) just to know if it's normal.