Ios 17.0.1 creating weird shadows on my 14 pro max photos

I’m having the exact same issue on an iPhone 15 pro max. It just started after an update for me too. It’s not lighting, settings etc. It was a brilliant camera before this, and nothings changed. Did you ever figure this out? It’s driving me crazy

If I figure anything out I will, glad we are getting so much support from the company that made our $1000 phones😂

Brand new iPhone 15pro with the same issue

I just updated to 17.4.1 on an Iphone 14 pro that has been plagued with one issue after another!!

and it is literally putting a long black shadow on stuff i cant get it to focus. Its like the camera’s are seeing through binoculars with astigmatism. I am posting with the camera turned on way then the other. I wAved my hand around there is nothing in real life there!

Hi Mhiphone14promax,

We'd love to help you sort the issue out. Looking at the photos you've shared, it appears that the lighting may be the issue as the shadows seem to show up different in both. We'd like to provide some links that will help you get the best possible photos in any lighting so that your photos turn out fantastic. Please take a look at the links we've provided below.

1. Adjust HDR camera settings on iPhone
2. Take great photos and videos
3. iPhone camera basics
4. Use iPhone camera tools to set up your shot
5. Change advanced camera settings on iPhone

If the issue remains in other lighting situations, or continues to happen in every photo, you may want to reach out to Apple Support directly for additional help.

Contact Apple Support

All the best!

Thanks for checking back in. It's something to do with LED lighting, and the way the phone software handles it. When I first frame the shot, it looks perfect, then the software tries to "improve" it, and it gets all under exposed, contrasty, and the bars come on. I have dimmers on the LEDs in my studio and if I slide the dimmer, at some settings, the grey bars crawl up the screen if I hold the phone steady. Blaming the lighting is an excuse. I had an iPhone 11 the I shot with in this studio for months, and never had this issue. This the first time in over thirty years that I truly regret an apple purchase--I'm thinking of trying to buy a used iPhone 11.

Got my phone warranty replaced, this one does it too. Same problem so it has to be in the software/firmware.

My Wife has the same problem on her IPhone 12 Mini, IOS 17.5.1 reading the comments it seams to be with LED lights but maybe more. What I believe it is, is the blink of the LED lights are matching up with the rolling shutter of the camera. Think how sometimes in videos of helicopters the propellers seem to stop. That’s because Everytime the shutter goes it’s in that spot. The Sensors refresh top to bottom and left to right. So just like reading text. The blink of the LED light is matching up when the rolling shutter is at that spot on the “page”. The ones that have multiple streaks have faster blinking lights so it blinks 2 times per row.

This would make sense that it coincides to a new software update if they tweaked the rolling shutter speed. I assume changing camera settings would change this rolling shutter speed.

I haven’t resolved this. It’s not the lighting, but rather the way the algorithms in the camera are handling the lighting. When I first frame the shot it looks good, and then it switches to the version with the grey bars. The issue seems for me to be specific to photographing rectangular objects on white walls. I’m annartist, so this is a huge headache for me. I’ve been to the support desk at my local Apple Store, but they didn’t have much, except to reach out to a higher level of tech support by phone.

Here are some steps you can try to address the shadow problem on your photos:

1. Check Camera Settings: Go to your Camera app settings and ensure that any additional settings or effects that might be causing these shadows are turned off. Sometimes, updates can reset certain settings.

2. Reset Display Settings: Occasionally, display-related issues can affect how photos appear. Try adjusting the display settings or resetting them to default to see if that resolves the problem.

3. Update to the Latest Version: Keep an eye out for any new iOS updates. Apple often releases updates to address bugs and issues reported by users. Updating to the latest version might fix the problem you're facing.

4. Check Photo Editing Apps: If you use any third-party photo editing apps, they might be causing the shadows. Try editing a photo directly from the native Photos app to see if the issue persists.

5. Reset All Settings: This step should be handled with caution as it resets all settings on your device. Go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset All Settings. This won't delete your data but will reset preferences like network settings, display settings, etc.

6. Contact Apple Support: If none of the above steps resolve the issue, consider reaching out to Apple Support. They can offer more personalized assistance or direct you to a solution specific to your device.

I think LED lighting has something to do with it too, but it’s not just that. As you say, something in software. The shadow stripe can be either vertical or horizontal—once the phone decides it’s there, it rotates with the phone. Please post back if you learn anything more.

Ended up going through 3 iPhone 15 pros, all with the same issue. Just went back to my 13 pro max and will wait for the 16 I guess.

I am having this exact problem with my 15 Pro. I had so many problems with lighting that the camera kept adjusting that I purchased a light box with a ring light and diffuser. It keeps putting vertical "shadows" where I try to focus that go the length of the image. I never had problems before I got this phone (which I chose for the better camera).

Yeah it’s really frustrating, for me it’s anywhere there is LED lighting. I’m going to go into the T-Mobile store to see if there is anything they can do. It seems to be all the firmware that is doing it.