iPad mini 7 Camera Quality Issues (iPadOS 18.3.1) – Software Bug?

Hey everyone,

I recently bought an iPad mini 7 and immediately noticed that the camera quality is worse than on my iPad mini 5. Since I also own a mini 5, I decided to investigate whether this is just my device or a general issue.

What’s wrong with the camera?

1. Severe blurriness (“soap image” effect), especially on the front camera.

2. Autofocus is inconsistent on both the front and rear cameras, especially in low light.

3. Mini 5 produces much sharper images with better exposure, even though it’s an older device.

What I’ve tested:

✅ Checked over 10 iPad mini 7 units in stores – all had the same issue.

✅ Tried third-party camera apps (e.g., BlackMagic Camera) – they produce slightly better images, suggesting a software issue.

✅ Contacted Apple Support – they ran a remote hardware diagnostic and confirmed no hardware defects, meaning this is likely a software problem.

What’s next?

I submitted feedback to Apple, but I’m curious – has anyone else noticed this issue? If you have a mini 7, check your photos and let me know if you see the same sharpness and autofocus problems.

If more people confirm this is widespread, Apple might fix it in a future iPadOS update.