iPhone 12 back of the phone camera has stopped working

I have new iPhone 15 that just started having this issue. restarted several times then it worked for a day. After went out again, I updated to 17.2.1 and it started working again. Then went out the next day. After research, I noted that the flashlight does not work, but the back cam works if I try to scan a credit card to add to ApplePay.

UPDATE!!!! When I start the camera it defaults to 1.0 zoom. if I press the 1.0 it changes to 0.5 and the camera works. I can then pinch to zoom and change to any setting and take a picture. When I turn off the camera app, it defaults again to 1.0 and does not work. Press once for 0.5 and works again. This is obviously a software glitch!!!!

Remove any cases, accessories or films and test

Remove any cases, accessories or films that place a magnet near the camera or that may be blocking the camera or flash. Test the camera by trying to take a photo. Test the LED flash: Try the torch in Control Centre on your iPhone or Control Centre on your iPad.

If the camera or flash aren't working - Apple Support (IN)

My iPhone 12's camera also stopped working after iOS updates. Initially it has those vertical lines, flashing on the screen, then many days later completely black screen when in 1.0x mode. However, it works occasionally in Portrait mode or 0.5x, which made me believe it is a software issue rather than hardware issue. I tried all kinds of solutions found online including factory reset, none of them fix the 1.0x mode problem. Then I decided to not spend more time on this, so I purphased a new iphone15 and traded in the iPhone 12. However, Apple down-grade the trade-in value from $360 to $130, saying the camera is not functional. I appealed re-evaluation, arguing that the camera works under the portrait mode is an evidence of camera being functional. Customer should not be robbed for Apple's incompetence of fixing the software glitch. The Apple team went back to test the phone, now the camera does not even work under the Portrait Mode, so my old phone's trade-in value stays as $130. So even Apple's technical team cannot solve this.

I’m experiencing the same problem with my iPhone 12 PM and it started right after I updated to iOS 17.2.1. I can only access the photo camera on 0.5x or 2.5x. I know nothing is wrong with my camera, the update just ruined it.

I have iPhone 11 Pro Max and after the update 17.2.1 my camera when I want to select 0.5. It just doesn’t exist. It has only until five zoom. This is because of the update I am using my phone camera every day, so, it’s because of the update. If you see the release notes, you can clearly understand that this update has also patches for the camera. No Apple this is ridiculous and you guys inside this forum , are you serious? You are going to Apple point and you pay for service? Well, it’s a shame for Apple this situation that breaks probably older iPhones. This is my last product from Apple. I also have complaints about my MacBook Pro made 2010 it is also shame not to support older OS. and OK you don’t want to support it why you take out drivers from older models. why you are doing Apple this things? probably you are not interested for your customers the only interesting thing as I understand as a customer just profit from new models! So I am going to leave once and for all and many people whom I know here from Greece. It’s not everybody willing to throw their money in such a company. There are a lot of others out there. So I’m going back to the old school, PC, and Samsung telephones. Thanks for reading no more idiot customers miss Apple. And for you folks, please think after you buy and think what are you doing. I wish everybody in this forum happy new year.