Blurry pics on iPhone 14 Pro Max (iOS 16.0.2)

I just got the new phone few days ago (for the better cameras compared to 13 Pro Max), and surprisingly the pics quality is blurry!

If I use the main camera when choosing 'vivid' mode, after the pic is taken , it takes 3-4 more seconds to do the post-processing! You can see the pic changing contrast, light etc in 2-3 times during that time interval of 3-4 seconds. The result at the end is not as good as I had with 13 Pro Max - which did the processing WHILE taking the pics and not after...


If I chose the 'standard' mode, the pics are better than in vivid mode, but still if you zoom just a little the details get lost! If you dont zoom, some areas of the pic seem clear and others blurry!


I did everything I could do from my side, cleaned the lens, updated to 16.0.2 as I mention in the title and I dont know what else to do :/


Any help on this please?

iPhone 14 Pro Max, iOS 16

Posted on Oct 7, 2022 12:37 AM

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Posted on Oct 15, 2022 11:48 PM

I am having the same issue! I’m upset I spent money to get a better camera and the image result is horrible. The iPhone 12 Pro camera captures much better images. Comparing the photos taken with an iPhone 12 Pro, OnePlus 8 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro, the image of the iPhone 14 Pro is horribly blurry, grainy and unusable compared to the other phone images. The iPhone 14 Pro camera appears like it was technology from 5-8 years ago. Apple please fix this camera!

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Oct 15, 2022 11:48 PM in response to Gesi22

I am having the same issue! I’m upset I spent money to get a better camera and the image result is horrible. The iPhone 12 Pro camera captures much better images. Comparing the photos taken with an iPhone 12 Pro, OnePlus 8 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro, the image of the iPhone 14 Pro is horribly blurry, grainy and unusable compared to the other phone images. The iPhone 14 Pro camera appears like it was technology from 5-8 years ago. Apple please fix this camera!

Dec 28, 2022 6:38 AM in response to Gesi22

FIXED IT! (Sort of…)


Basically, two things are at play here:


1) Apples Image Processing (and the QUAD PIXEL sensor technology is mostly at fault.)


2) The way the camera’s are programmed by default.


The first issue is the main root of the problem. The quad pixel sensor technology reduces the amount of resolution depending on how much light is needed on the image. Basically: Low light, sensor clusters pixels together to capture as much light as possible, you end up with at 7MP RAW image from the main camera, as opposed to the 48MP expected resolution (happened to me several times now.)


Here is an example of this issue:



The second issue at fault is that , specially for subjects that are closer than 1ft or so, the native camera app at 1x zoom switches from the main camera, to the ultrawide camera because the main camera can focus that close. It’s not too much of a big deal, since most people shoot subjects further away than 1ft. But it’s good to be aware of that.


To fix it (sort of) you unfortunately have to use a 3rd party app like HALIDE to override the software on the camera module and prevent it from doing the QUAD Pixel rubbish that makes a 48MP sensor output a blurry 7MP image. Even in low light, from my experience, HALIDE still provides better looking pictures, that are actually 48MP.

Dec 18, 2022 10:31 AM in response to Gesi22

Having the same issue, called Apple support. They’re apparently aware of the issue and the software team is notified and “working on the issue”. They also said they’re unable to tell me how long the “fix” software release will be, could be 1 months. Could be 6 months…


also offered me a phone swap but my phone passed all hardware issues so swapping the phone won’t really solve the issue.


Feb 11, 2023 6:20 AM in response to craigy3

Agreed! Halide 2 proves its software, not hardware. You can literally see the iOS software changing the image. It’s beyond silly!


Resetting your phone, exchanging your phone for another, having them try putting in a new camera. None of that has worked for anyone in this thread. It is a software based issue 100%


As OP stated. The best thing any of us can do is continue to report it via this feedback link in his original post or calling them and opening up tickets. If you’re all upset about it, get upset enough to take the extra steps to report.


Link:

Feedback - iPhone - Apple


Apr 9, 2023 6:44 PM in response to Lurcher97

Feedback - iPhone - Apple


if we all keeping reporting about the photo quality- even if we’ve already done so, perhaps if all of us maybe finally Apple will make a software fix? I just updated to the new software yesterday and sadly the photos are as muddy and grainy as ever. Has anyone been able to successfully downgrade? I really want my iPhone 11 back.

Apr 19, 2023 10:21 AM in response to Gesi22

Hello all - just wondering if anyone has had any recent success or answers from Apple support/ Genius Bar? I am still waiting to hear back from Apple Engineering from my hours long call with them last week. I emailed them again yesterday as it has been 8 days now to let them know I am once again having to use my mother's iPhone 12 to get useable photos of my products for my online stores.... no response yet. Just wondering if anyone has heard anything helpful?

Oct 9, 2022 4:06 AM in response to Erickger

Update: I called Apple support and they did a remote check and confirmed everything looked fine (HW and SW). They said that I can swap the phone for a new one (which i can do even without having an issue since i got it only 4 days ago) . I went to an Apple store at the Genius Bar and the result was the same, they dont see an issue! I even showed the pics I took some weeks ago with my 13 Pro Max, which are stunning and make the ones taken with 14 Pro Max look like a joke!


Anyway, I tested on the store with two other iPhones that they have on display, I put the settings same as mine and took a pic by holding them side to side. The result? In both phones you can see the post processing happening 3-4 seconds after taking the pic (the Apple 'genius' confirmed it too when he saw it). So basically what I mentioned above, you can see the image changing light and contrast and then some shaking of the image until you get the final one which looks blurry. If you double tap on the image you can immediately see the blurriness all around the pic!


Taking pics in RAW 48 Mpxl or even 12 Mpxl is not a solution since it takes a lot of space!


After doing more tests, I noticed that if you take the pics on 'Standard' mode and press on the screen where you want the focus to be, the end result is better (still far from the good quality of 13 Pro Max though).


I do assume its a problem with Autofocus. Some parts of the pic are ok-ish and the rest are blurry...


What you can do @ericger is to raise a ticket to Apple Support and follow the case with them.


I hope its a general SW issue and Apple will solve it. Otherwise it makes the iPhone 14 Pro Max takes pics of a quality of my Android phone of 7 years ago :/


Blurry pics on iPhone 14 Pro Max (iOS 16.0.2)

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