FaceTime Camera Images Look Poor on New Macbook Pro Retina Models

What I can't understand is how the iPhone 5 front facing camera is so good compared to this... I guess the rMBP screen is even thinner than the iPhone so must be a different camera module....

The rMBP camera is really bad unless you are in ideal lightiing situaitons (which is never when indoors!). Not really an acceptable solution for a top of the line manchine.

I went in the Apple store here in Seattle and showed the Geniuses the camera on the rMBP vs the other apple devices. They had no clue about this issue. They compared a few of their rMBP and same issue with the camera. Anyways they noted it in the system. I also called up Apple support on the phone and was able to get the tech to put in a ticket to the engineers. I don't if this will do much if anything but I believe if everyone calls in and does the same, word will spread fast!

Fyi, top that off none of the apple Geniuses or apple employees even look at these forums......

And last thought is I don't think it's hardware at all, I'm pretty sure it's software. I found out that when I Downloaded iglasses the iglasses window only was clear and sharp. Moreover the iglasses manual settings did not clear up the picture on FaceTime or any other Mac app. Still night and day difference between the other apple devices.

This is most probably a hardware issue, the kind of camera they have in our units is just BAD. Embarrasing compared to the same-priced PCs. Before I got my whole LCD replaced due to poor camera quality complain, they did a lot of tests (both software & hardware) and at one point, I even agreed to get my unit reformatted (I was hoping it's just a software problem back then) so they can do better troubleshooting. Nothing worked, newly installed camera that goes with the new LCD, is just as bad.

Laptops are usually used indoors, sensors should at least be good in normal indoor lighting and enough pixels should be there to even breathe.... "HD". Mac's internal camera shouldn't be just at par with an old Nokia brick cellphone camera :/

I hope one of the big tech blogs picks this issue up, get some heat on this. FUTURE BUYERS SHOULDN'T BE MISLEAD BY THIS FACETIME HD FALSE ADVERTISEMENT.

If it would take a long time for them to improve the camera based on their ads, I'd be happy if they would at least change the ads for now (anything that's not bragging of something that doesn't exist: HD? - NO, sharp? - NO, smile looks bright? - NO, sample shot of internal camera in laptop image? - NO) and send us complainants an external HD camera.

Anyone have any good news on this subject?

Since my last post was removed I'm going to try again 🙂

I just returned from the Apple Store at NorthPoint Mall in Alpharetta, GA and the Genius, after comparing the video from regular MacBook Pro's and models with Retina Display said that Retina models have low quality camera's built in. (That's not me ranting, that's what an Apple employee told me).

I'm not happy about that and will try another store.

my whole experience is documented on my blog, in case you're interested...

This wasn't a software issue, it's a hardware design issue. I have both a early 2013 15" rMBP and a late 2013 15" rMBP. The Late 2013 (Haswell) unit has a far better camera, along the lines of what you see for a front camera in the iPhone 5S or iMac (late 2012 or 2013) - much sharper and better in low light.

And although this was barely mentioned in all the reviews and press, Apple's new Macbook Pro pages point out the new camera, buried at the bottom of the Features page:

Make your point with greater clarity.

Centered just above the widescreen Retina display on MacBook Pro is an even better FaceTime HD camera. It features a new image sensor with increased low-light sensitivity. Which means colors are more accurate and image noise is significantly lower. The FaceTime HD camera also has a new image processor for sharper images and reduced motion blur. And a new face detection feature makes sure you always look your best because it automatically adjusts exposure and white balance to complement your face and skin tone — no matter what lighting is behind you.

That text definitely wasn't in the pages from earlier this year or when the laptop was introduced.

Same issue. One of the reasons I bought Macbook with Retina Display was Apple's claim of the HD camera and it's abiity to produce 720p video. Upon unboxing my newly minted laptop I immediately noticed that the video quality eminating from my camera was, well, crappy. More specifically, image was very grainy and dull. I started doing some research on the internet to see if anyone else was having problems. Given that the computer had just came out, there were nothing reporte on the web yet.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago - a friend had bought a brand new MacBook Pro with Retina. His video quality was amazing and truly HD. Upon seeing this, I finally took my laptop into the Apple store. They did all kinds of tests on it to see whether it was a software or a hardware problem Finally, I was told that it's the camera issue. But, because the warranty had expired, the cost of repairs would not be covered by Apple.

To say that I am extremely frustrated would be an understatement. I was sold a machine with the defective camera and there is nothing I can do about it now (short of paying for the repairs). I called Apple a couple of times but they refused to cover the costs of repairs citing expired warranty.

Moral of the story - if you notice ANYTHING wrong with your machine, report it immediately. This way Apple has a record of it. Also, if you have video quality issues and your machine is from Mid 2012, chances are the camera is deffective. You can verify it by taking your machine into the Apple store.

Wow, seeing someone actually posting about finding a better camera in a brand new rMBP is great. I bought mine in September though it was built in early 2013. Gotta check out the cameras in rMBP's at an Apple Store here in London tomorrow and I'm SO signing in for a Genius appointment if what you wrote here turnes out to be true!

Please let us know how you get on and all the details!!

The camera in my origional retina *****!

Hello everyone,

I hapened to stumble upon this post when I was just passing time, I am an apple Geniuse and the first thing I want to do is to apologize to everyone on behalf of apple for all those that has recieved incorrect information about this camera issue from the apple store (all of you have). I too have a MBPr Haswell Processor, and I have the same NORMAL issue that you are all experiencing. Before I explain why the image quality is the way it is, I ask that after reading this post you inform others, because I'm too busy( aka lazy ) to go to other forum post like this and inform other customers so if you guys could spread the word that will be great, now lets get to the thing on everyones mind, "Why are the retnia display modle cameras' crappy when it states it is 720p HD camera."

REASON: There is nothing wrong with the camera, it is a 720p HD camera, the image quality is actually due to the retnia display. Because of the ultra high definition of the retina display (2880-by-1800 resolution on the 15‑inch MacBook Pro) you actualy see the pixlation of the image, because the camera is only 720p HD, the resolution of the camera is not high enough to match with your display. For example if you have a high definition tv and you are watching a SD tv show, the tv show will not look nearly as good as it does on the HD tv then if you watch it on a SD tv. If you using facetime on your retina people on the other side if they do not have a retnia will see you in 720p, b/c the camera is 720P, you on the other hand will see them in 2880 by 1800 resolution (15inch model) which will cause you to see the pixalation b/c there camera resolution is not high enough. So there is nothing wrong with the camera or your computer, and there is nothing apple can do until someone invents a retina camera lol which is imposible (but once they implement a 1080p camera the image will look slightly better since it is closer to the retina's resolution) If you guys are confused and need me to break it down further I will just ask.

iamsly_: That's a nice explanation but unfortunately it's wrong for the following reasons:

• I asked my FaceTime partner to send me a screenshot from his computer to see how the quality is on his non-retina machine and it was just as bad (and now it was not due to poor network connectivty)
• I compared the 2012 rMBP and late-2013 rMBP and there is a significant difference in video quality
• Apple admitted that the sensor of the previous generation rMBP's is of low quality and replaced my rMBP with a brand-new one

It's not about the fact that one can see more pixels on a retina screen, it's about white balance, exposure etc...all of which are really bad on the previous generation rMBP's.

You can see the difference in video quality between the old and new rMBP on my post at http://www.michaelkummer.com/2013/09/12/poor-picture-quality-of-facetime-camera- and-apples-response/

Cheers

Michael

I'm sorry mkummer82 it seems you had a different issue. I have a mbpr and a Alienware 15r2 and when I oovoo myself using a fake profile name the camera on my mbpr video is fine when I'm viewing it on my Alienware.

*just found out I'm not allowed to comment on the forums :( will be removing my post in 24hr gonna give chance for others to read it*

I'm sorry but the retina screen is not the issue. The camera quaility is not only bad on the rMBP it's also bad on the device that is getting the signal, ie iPad, iPhone.

If this is an explanation from an Apple "Geniuse", then I am Mikhail Baryshnikov (and I am not exactly fleet footed). It is 100% WRONG. It's not a retina screen issue.

This looks to be one of two things:

1. Huge factory defect.

2. False advertising

There is no way that the camera on my rMBP (Mid 2012) is "High Def". Compared to the newer models, it's absolute crap. I am going back to the Apple store to demand either they fix it or replace my machine outright. The fact that our machines (or, most of them, anyway) are out of waranty should not matter. At the store, ask them to compare your computer to any Mid 2012 model and you will see that their camera produces the same crappy video. Which leads me to believe that either all cameras are of poor quality and that they should NOT have been advertised as High Def.

If anyone does take their computer back to the store, I would appreaciate an update here. I will do the same (most likely tomorrow or within next couple of days)