FaceTime Camera Images Look Poor on New Macbook Pro Retina Models

I visited my local store in the UK and compared to instore machines..

All staff agreed the camera looked rubbish and swapped out the display. After this it still looked really bad.

They kept it in and I got a call from the manager saying yes because its a 2012 model the new 2013 models will have better cameras and they will not be taking any further action so basically I'm stuck with it.

Not happy at all.

not sure I understand your message. the "new" 2013 models have been around for like 8 months now, and the problem is the same even on those. when did you buy your Macbook Pro?

not sure if what they meant was that the problem might be solved with the next gen of MBP retina, who might be out in 1 year or so...

certainly there's nothing you can do with the latest model

just to clarify, when I say 2013, I mean LATE 2013 - I bought mine in December

Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013 have a new FaceTime camera and sensor and do NOT experience any quality issues. 2012 and Early 2013 models had that issue.

Apple replaced my 2012 rMBP with a Late 2013 and the issue was fixed.

See http://www.michaelkummer.com/2013/09/12/poor-picture-quality-of-facetime-camera- and-apples-response/ for the difference in picture quality...

Message was edited by: mkummer82

mkummer I beg to differ, as do plenty of other customers of late '13 retina MBPs.

the quality of the camera on these MBPs doesn't compare with that of the recent MacBook Air, for example, or even iPad mini retinas. - the quality of the image is decent at best.

I will stress it for the last time: go into an Apple store, and compare your image on a camera between a retina MBP and a MacBook Air and see for yourself....

I live with it, but please let's stop saying that the image is that same. It is not

I'm saying that there is a significant improvement between 2012 and early 2013 rMBP's and Late 2013 rMBP's.

I don't doubt that newer hardware, especially if relased after the Late 2013 rMBP came out has an even better camera.

Nowhere in my posts have I claimed that the Late 2013 rMBP camera is better than the one built into an iPad Mini with Retina Display or a new MBA - so I can't "stop saying that" 😉

sure my comment was more a general invite. sadly the camera on the 13 MBPs is quite a disappointment but then again, opinions vary.

I know I am not happy, but because it's such a great machine, I move on...

I don't think you should expect an Ipad mini to outclass a top of the range laptop....

I don't think the Macbook Air should have a better performing camera than the MBP....

just sayin...

I had a mid 2012 rMBP and was not happy with the atrocious camera so I took it to my local Apple store early this year. The genius did a test running another computer through my screen and determined the problem was not software related. He then replaced the screen to see if it was a faulty camera. It was not. As a last resort he then replaced the logic board on the machine. All up, this took 4 trips to the store and 2-3 weeks, yet the problem was still not resolved. After this, the case was escalated to the higher ups at the store who decided to replace my computer with a late 2013 model. The store manager confirmed with me 100% that the 2012 rMBP camera is low quality. He said they were replacing it as a good will gesture as I had gone through all of the attempts to fix it, when apparently the genius should not have attempted to fix something that was not broken. The manager and the genius also both confirmed that the late 2013 has a completely different camera. While the new camera is not perfect, it's a huge step up.

Moral of the story... if the genius had declined to resolve my complaint I would have taken it to consumer affairs. It is not reasonable to believe that a $2,600 computer could have a camera with a lower quality than the front facing iPhone 4 camera. Especially when the adverts hype it up saying "the all new HD 720p FaceTime Camera" bla bla bla. If you have a rMBP with the old camera (and it's still within Apple Care) take it to an Apple store, let them try to fix it, and when they can't they will have to replace it with a later model computer. If they decline to do so, have them write you a letter of decline and take it to consumer affairs. Make sure the store manager writes their name on it. Good luck to anyone who spent a lot of money on this great computer with an absolutely shoddy camera.

Exactly what I did, albeit in less steps...

I teach piano by Face Time to many long distance students, and just now one of them transitioned from iPad retina to Mac Book Pro (newest one). The image is awful on Mac Book Pro like watching an old movie, and there were some motion, sound synch issues too. The student then re-hooked up her iPad retina, and fine visual and audio clarity was restored. I have another Online student who just bought the Mac Air.. and the image and sound are outstanding. If I compare the Mac Air visual and sound to Mac Book Pro, the Mac Air wins!

How did you get Apple to replace your Macbook with a newer model? My early 2013 rMBP is still under AppleCare so if there's an opportunity to address tis issue I'd like to know how.

I asked for a manager, explained the situation and had them compare the camera to a regular MacBook Pro, which costs significantly less. I also showed them how much money I had spent on Apple products so far and I'm a Joint Venture (Business) customer.

Good luck!

you know the funny part I have a brand new MBP Retina and the camera quality is horrendous at best

I got them to replace mine about 11 months after I bought my 15" MacBook Pro. It took two futile attempts to get the BBB and the California Consumer Protection Bureau involved as well as several visits and calls to Apple. Apple refused to do anything. The initial 'Apple Geniuses' claimed that the image quality was fine and did nothing to confirm my suspicion. All Apple personnel up until this point blamed everything but the hardware as being faulty. At the end when they couldn't figure it out, they refused to do anything.

That all changed when I bought a second 13" MacBook Pro as a gift. Upon testing the 13" laptop I found a perceptible difference in image quality and I scheduled another appointment with my closest Apple Store. This time I had proof. One photo from the 15" and one photo from the 13" inch. I asked to speak to a manager and I pulled out both laptops and showed them the differences in Facetime image quality between the two computers.

The manager agreed that my laptop was faulty only after several months of trying to fight Apple to replace it to no avail. The manager swapped my MacBook Pro for a newer model with a better camera. He did the right thing, but I feel they only fixed the issue because they realised I was a serious customer (showing up with two newish MacBook Pros I suppose convinced them that I was a customer that meant something).

This was one of the most infuriatingly frustrating experiences with Apple I have ever had. Apple has lost a large chunk of my confidence and I remain weary of Apple to this day even though I am irrevocably tied into the Apple eco-system for the time being.