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My iPhone's camera is not working correctly and it looks blurred

I have a 14Pro with iOS 6.1.1 and every 3rd party app I have for scanning barcodes (including Amazon Shopping app) is having issues with focus/zoom view.


When the barcode is in the optimal scanning distance or about 2" away (compared to iPhone 12 or my Android phone), it is blurry and cannot be decoded by the 14Pro camera.


To get the barcode in focus, the phone needs to be about 5-6" away, but at that distance some of the high density codes (QR Code and Datamatrix) cannot be decoded as they are too far.


[Re-titled by Moderator]

iPhone 14 Pro, iOS 16

Posted on Nov 15, 2022 4:45 PM

Reply
50 replies

Nov 16, 2023 3:52 AM in response to Dogcow-Moof

Sorry Dogcow-Moof, you are in the wrong. If Apple introduced feature, that 3rd party developers need to implement switching to macro camera (and did not tell them), then this is epic fail from their side. 15 pro has is as well.


Try Revolut app and try to add a card using camera. You will not be able to, because this app forces you to fill the rectangle with the card and therefore dictates you how far away you should be. The same issue is with any app where you need to provide your ID card to verify identity. And please, dont tell me to contact Revolut myself to fix it. We pay to apple premium because "it just works". However, in this case it clearly does not.


So no thanks, your advices to be more far away from code are completely useless and the issue is major problem that Apple completely underestimated and you are bagatelising it all over again.


My previous SE 2020 (budget product line) works flawlessly, I regret upgrading to this "flagship".


I am attaching screenshot from forti client two factor authenticator. Even their devs are more aware of this issue than you are. So can you please get there any Apple representative to finally take a look at this?


Nov 17, 2022 2:53 PM in response to brocklame

Hello brocklame,


Is the camera working as expected in the Camera app? If it is, then we would suggest you work through these steps found at If an app on your iPhone or iPad stops responding, closes unexpectedly, or won’t open - Apple Support


1. Close and reopen the app
Force the app to close. Then open the app to see if it works as expected.
 
2. Restart your device
Restart your iPhone or restart your iPad. Then open the app to see if it works as expected.
 
3. Check for updates
To see if updates are available for the app, open the App Store, tap your profile icon, then scroll down to see if updates are available. If updates aren't available for the app, update the software on your iPhone or iPad.
 
4. Delete the app, then redownload it
Delete the app. When you do this, you might lose data that was stored in the app. Then redownload the app. Then check to see if the problem with the app is fixed.

 

If these steps do not resolve the issue, reaching out to the developer may help: How to contact an app developer - Apple Support


Have a good day.



Nov 17, 2022 5:47 PM in response to brocklame

They can be, but the app you are using needs to be updated to be able to do so.


Contact the maker of your third party app and ask them to update their app for newer devices and iOS 16.


At present there are multiple third party apps that can read bar codes and QR codes, including the apps for Amazon and Walmart.


A great demo is the Scandit app, which acts as a showcase for their technology.



Jan 1, 2023 6:52 AM in response to boomchikapowow

Because the camera system on the iPhone 14 has a longer minimum focus distance than on past iPhones.


To take close up photos you need to have a 14 Pro/Pro Max and use Macro mode.


Take macro photos and videos with your iPhone camera - Apple Support


Many third-party apps do not support Macro mode, so you may need to use Camera to take the photo.

Jun 6, 2023 1:23 AM in response to hjr208

They are incorrect.


I've yet to find a bar or QR code I can't scan.


Download and try the free Scandit app; it seems to be able to scan virtually anything.


Don't try and fill a box with a bar code, simply back up to where the bar code is in focus, it seriously works every time.


If you really regret switching, sell your iPhone 14 Pro Max - they retain their values well - and purchase an Android if that would make you happier.

Jun 7, 2023 11:04 PM in response to bebosoft

It does work, the app I mention is not the Camera app.


I have done extensive testing, scanning bar codes, QR codes, driver license bar codes, the bar codes on the back of customer loyalty cards, and the app can read them all.


The app is of course a demo app written by a company that specializes in reading codes, but if their app can do it, so can others.


The key is to have the code in focus, and to back away from the code until it is.


You may think the code is then too small for the device to read, but it's not; for both QR and bar codes my phone can easily scan them from 11" (roughly 28 cm) away.


The problem is trying to scan from 2" (5 cm) away; the minimum focus distance is around 3.5" (approx. 8.9 cm).

Jul 18, 2023 3:27 PM in response to hjr208

I never said or even hinted that I spoke for Apple, I said I've never found a bar code that didn't scan with Scandit.


When you can scan bar codes 100% of the time with a third-party app, that puts the blame squarely on whichever app can't read them and/or the technique being used to read them. As I said, if you are used to filling the box with the bar code, you cannot do that with the iPhone 14/Pro/Pro Max because newer phones have a greater minimum focus distance - you have to back off until the bar code is in focus, and then it will be read instantly, at least by Scandit; I've had the same experience with apps from Amazon, Walmart and others.


What has Asset Tiger said about the issue? Reviews on the App Store seem to indicate a fair number of people are having issues with the app itself.


If you feel there is an iPhone issue, contact Apple Support directly as they are the only ones who can get an issue looked at; we are all just fellow Apple users here giving the benefit of our experiences to help people solve issues.


Contact - Official Apple Support


Mar 2, 2023 2:46 AM in response to Dogcow-Moof

Here is a sample image taken with Code Reader that shows you the size of the QR code as it begins to focus on it and it is then interpreted and opened in Safari.


I've whited out most of the photo as this isn't intended to be an ad for the product, just to show how far away from the QR code you should be; the actual size of the QR code on the package (not including the white box around it) is approximately 5/8" square.


Jul 17, 2023 10:59 PM in response to hjr208

That's because they are likely trying to fill the camera image with the bar code rather than back off until the bar code is in proper focus, or the AssetTiger app needs to be updated.


I've yet to find any barcode my 14 Pro Max will not scan using standard tools.


Download and try the free "Scandit" app; if it can scan it, but AssetTiger cannot, that's purely AssetTiger's issue.


For example, Scandit scanned the sample bar code on the left from the AssetTiger website immediately as a "1D Industrial" bar code (AT-1008).





Jan 22, 2023 7:02 PM in response to voytec17

There's nothing to fix.


The ID verification programs you mention either need to be reworked to support macro mode like Apple's Camera app or they need to be able to deal with a smaller apparent ID area in a photo from further away.


The camera system has a longer minimum focus distance, that's a physical parameter of the larger sensor used in the iPhone 14.

My iPhone's camera is not working correctly and it looks blurred

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