How do I fix iPhone 15 Pro Max camera issues?

switepine wrote:

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Fast. Over exposed CONSTANTLY. BLURRY soft detail. Horrible color capture. Landscapes are good but soft. Tried resetting and everything and nothing works good.

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[Edited by Moderator]

Have you checked the Settings for the Camera, if you have accidentally enabled a photographic style? This can might be causing horrible colors.

Otherwise, this looks like a software problem, not the camera itself. The iPhone 15 Pro Max is using Deep Fusion to bring out color and detail, when it might improve the photo, but sometimes it is not appropriate and can cause blurry photos and very saturated colors.

On iOS 17 we can no longer turn off the smart HDR, or set the iPhone to keep the normal photos as well, like we could a few years ago. So we have to find other ways to prevent Photos from using automatic HDR. I am setting the iPhone to shoot RAW, when I do not want Deep Fusion.

Or use a different camera, that will not automatically fuse HDR images.

switepine wrote:

Omg. Halide is A M A Z I N G ! Thank you so much! First time a forum has worked! Shame on apple for not giving us this quality out of the box!

I'm glad that my recommendation for Halide was helpful. I hope you're able to take lots of great pictures!

switepine wrote:

I spent 20/50 years as a portrait/commercial photographer/jewelry designer and bought the 15 pro max to use for my promotional photos. It was amazing when I tried it in the store so ordered one. I liked it at first then it just got bad. Fast. Over exposed CONSTANTLY. BLURRY soft detail. Horrible color capture. Landscapes are good but soft. Basic. Tried resetting and everything and nothing works good. I think apple dumbs down this stuff and I hate this phone camera. What to do. Have had it about 6-7 months.

Have you tried using a different camera app? What you're describing sounds like you're having issues with the software.

[Edited by Moderator]

switepine wrote:

blurry? 🤓

For a cartoon, it's quite clear. For a picture of a person, well, it looks like a cartoon.

But seriously, rather than continue to try to convince us, test other software. If you're still unhappy, talk to Apple about servicing.

It looks like your iPhone recognized that there is a pet in the picture and automatically recorded the depth map and focussed on the cat and applied a bokeh effect. On supported iPhone 15 models the iPhone will automatically add depth control focus on a pet or human, if they are recognized in the picture, even if you are showing in Photo mode and not Portrait mode.

You may want to open your sample image in edit mode and check, if there is a depth control slider.

See: Take portraits with your iPhone camera - Apple Support (IL)

"On iPhone 15 models, you can apply the portrait effect and blur the background on photos taken in Photo mode.

1. Open Camera .
2. If your iPhone detects a person, dog, or cat,  automatically appears at the bottom of the view finder.
3. Note: Your iPhone captures depth information when  appears while taking photos in Photo mode, so if you decide not to apply the portrait effect when you take the shot, you can apply it later in the Photos app . See Apply the portrait effect to photos taken in Photo mode. "
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IdrisSeabright wrote:

Have you tried using a different camera app?

It will still be through the iPhone camera though..

Thank you, Idris! I second your suggestion of Halide as an alternate camera.

You are already past the refund timeframe, so you cannot return it now. I recommend if you are a commercial photographer, look into a higher quality camera for your work. The iPhones are built for everyday people who just want a good camera for their photos, not their commercial work.

Let Apple know your feedback ⇢ Feedback - iPhone - Apple

switepine wrote:

Here is her lightly edited shot. Blurry? You need glasses

And the detail in the cat's fur is still noticeably less than in yours. It's obvious that your phone is capable of very fine detail. Again, it has to do with what the camera software was emphasizing. The software identified the cat as more important than the television (cats are always more important!) and "decided" that the room was too dark.

It's the software. Use something different and see what happens.

The cat and the blanket have a lot more detail and color in the photo on the right but are blurry and dark in the photo on the left. Same with what I assume is a cat toy on the floor. The only thing that is not as clear is the television. Also, the photo of the left is very dark.

So, unless you meant that your photo is the one on the left, I'd have to say your phone is taking better photos. In my opinion.

The issue here doesn't appear to be a problem with the camera but rather with what the camera is focusing on. So, that definitely sounds like a software/preference issue. Try leonie's suggestions.

"I changed it to a non Live Photo and still won’t post."

I have found that live images look really bad when non-Live aware software convert them, like this one:

It has a painterly effect that was kind of nice, I guess, but not what I wanted.

Thanks for the compliment, I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t love Apple.