iphone 5 camera is grainy

Question

Level 1

2 points

iphone 5 camera is grainy

I just realized that the camera on my iPhone 5 is taking really horrible pictures. I kept thinking it was the lighting I was in, but after shooting pics in different lighting, they are all very grainy and blurry. I tried cleaning the lense and taking my case off and I still get bad pictures. Just for the fun of it, I took my old iPhone 3g and took some pictures to compare. It was doing a much better job. I also tested my 5 against my boss' 4s and his blew it out of the water. Is there an issue that I'm not aware of? Did an update mess up my camera? My phone is about 6 months old and it seemed to take good pictures before. I am partly asking this because my brother has the same problem with his brand new 5c. He bought it to replace an S3 and he is very disappointed with the 5c's camera. I was the one that talked him into switching to Apple. Please help. Thanks.

iPhone 5, iOS 7.0.4, 6 months old

Posted on Jan 9, 2014 2:22 PM

Reply

Answer 1

norm123

Community Specialist

Jan 11, 2014 2:38 PM in response to WillNoHo

Hello WillNoHo

Check out the quoted section below to troubleshoot issues with your camera on your iPhone. There are other options within the article if it does not resolve the issue for you.

iPhone: Hardware troubleshooting

http://support.apple.com/kb/ts2802

Camera isn't functioning or has undesired image quality

If the screen shows a closed lens or black image, force quit the Camera app.

If you do not see the Camera app on the Home screen, try searching for it in Spotlight. If the camera does not show up in the search, check to make sure that Restrictions are not turned on by tappingSettings > General > Restrictions.

Ensure the camera lens is clean and free from any obstructions. Use a microfiber polishing cloth to clean the lens.

Cases can interfere with the camera and the flash. Try gently cleaning the lens with a clean dry cloth or removing the case if you see image or color-quality issues with photos.

Try turning iPhone off and then back on.

Tap to focus the camera on the subject. The image may pulse or briefly go in and out of focus as it adjusts.

Try to remain steady while focusing:

Still images: Remain steady while taking the picture. If you move too far in any direction, the camera automatically refocuses to the center.  Note: If you take a picture with iPhone turned sideways, it is automatically saved in landscape orientation.

Video: Adjust focus before you begin recording. You can also tap to readjust focus while recording. Exiting the Camera application while recording will stop recording and will save the video to the Camera Roll.  Note: Video-recording features are not available on original iPhone or iPhone 3G.

If your iPhone has a front and rear camera, try switching between them to verify if the issue persists on both.

Regards,

-Norm G.

Reply

Answer 2

Aug 15, 2015 8:09 PM in response to norm123

I have the exact same problem on my 5s. I went through all steps above. None of the steps helped, but the front ("selfie") camera photos were definitely of better quality than the rear cameras, even though they were lower resolution.

Reply