Is my iPhone X camera acting up to specs?

Question

Level 4

1,388 points

Is my iPhone X camera acting up to specs?

I'm wondering if my iPhone X camera is normal or is maybe a "bit off" or not, and if there are any tests I can do to determine one way or the other.

It's not clear to me that there is anything wrong, per se. I'm coming from an iPhone 7 Plus, and unfortunately I don't have that iPhone anymore so I can't do side-by-side comparisons.

I know the camera specs are similar, but the iPhone X has stabilization for both lenses, and the iPhone 7 Plus only had it for one. And also the aperture on one of the lenses is larger, so it's supposed to be somewhat better for low light photos.

I'm not saying the photos I'm taking are bad. It's not obvious there is necessarily anything wrong. But they are also not obviously better than the ones I took with my 7 Plus. In fact, it's my impression that parts or all of many of the photos I take seem a bit blurry to me. I was anticipating sharper images because of the improved optical stabilization.

Here's a photo of my java sparrow for example. This is not in portrait mode. But the depth of field seems really shallow, so parts of Monta seems somewhat blurry, don't you think? His feet are especially blurry. But even his beak and eyes aren't very sharp. I did try to hold-and-touch to fix focus on this head.

I have other examples as well. Some seem sharper, but nothing to write home about. The 2nd photo was taken in my volunteer class yesterday, with good lighting. Again, it's not a bad picture, per se. But the subject doesn't seem extremely sharp and in focus to me. Am I expecting too much?

Also, if I look at the pictures larger on my iPhone they seem somewhat grainy.

Anyway, I was wondering several things:

(1) Is this basically normal, and everything is ok, or is my camera lens a "bit off"?

(2) These were Live Photos. Should I expect the same focus and quality with Live Photos that I do with Live Photos turned off?

(3) Are there additional manual settings I could explore with the standard Camera app?

(4) Are there other tests I can do to make sure everything is up to par?

Again, I'm not saying there is anything especially wrong. I just haven't been "wowed" yet.

The third and final photo was taken in my house entrance at night with no lights on in the entrance way. So it was actually quite dark, with just some light leaking in from the next room. This doesn't seem too bad I guess for such low light.

I did take a nice selfie in Portrait Mode and was pleased with that.

Opinions welcome.

Thanks,

doug

MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Late 2013), i5, 512 GB SSD, 16 GB RAM

Posted on Jan 7, 2018 10:46 PM

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Answer 1

Jan 21, 2018 11:46 PM in response to Doug Lerner2

That is most definitely not up to spec. My iPhone 7+ takes better photos than that. You need to schedule an appointment at a Genius store and get a replacement.

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Answer 2

Jan 15, 2018 7:42 AM in response to Marciiooo

If you feel your phone is not taking photos to the level you expected, schedule an appointment at your Apple Store Genius Bar and have your phone evaluated.

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Answer 3

qlhjxn

Level 1

4 points

Jan 14, 2018 11:25 AM in response to Doug Lerner2

In terms of image quality, your example pictures look exactly like the ones I have taken with my iPhone X. Mine are consistently not sharp, esp around faces. Very frustrating given the expense of this phone.

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Answer 4

Doug Lerner2 Author

Level 4

1,388 points

Jan 15, 2018 6:39 AM in response to Marciiooo

By neck and neck you mean your photos on the X are as sharp as the 6 Plus photos, but not better in any noticeable way?

While trying to diagnose this with Apple tech support, I spent 2.5 hours trying everything. Finally they wanted me to restore as a new iPhone (the solution of last resort?). Then my Apple chat got disconnected. Sigh. So I just restored everything from my last full backup.

It seems my photos after that are better. Some - like of my bird in a darkened cage - are fairly grainy. But here are some I took on the way back from my station yesterday - from 2 minutes after sunset to 28 minutes after sunset. So it was quite dark. And the images came out looking good, I think. I can't say for sure they look better than my iPhone 7 Plus photos, but they don't look grainy, considering how dark it actually was.

The photo with the red flower was intentionally "fix focused" on one flower.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/pmJFXZAgp3JhnELf2

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Answer 5

Jan 15, 2018 7:59 AM in response to lobsterghost1

It has been visually evaluated and the staff there agreed that something isn’t right however they cannot determine if it is hardware or software related as the standard diagnostic test that they perform cannot pick up grainy or blurry images... because the camera is “working” it’s not broken....it’s just not producing images up to spec....so their advice was to hold on for Apple to comment.

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Answer 6

Doug Lerner2 Author

Level 4

1,388 points

Jan 22, 2018 8:16 PM in response to Doug Lerner2

I was just looking over older photos of my bird that I took over the last couple of years with my iPhone 6 Plus and iPhone 7 Plus. They all look about the same to me. Sometimes I'll get a sharp one. Most of the time there will be slight places where they look a little out of focus. I just never paid attention before. So I can't say that this camera is worse than the iPhone 7 Plus. I just can say that for the front camera they don't especially look any better though.

I don't think that this is a faulty camera. I actually haven't seen any photos from anybody with an iPhone X that have blown me away. Does anybody have any really nice indoor photos taken with an iPhone X that are obviously really greater than taken with an iPhone 7 Plus to share?

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Answer 7

Jan 22, 2018 1:40 AM in response to Doug Lerner2

No, it’s the same quality. Atleast in my experience. Wait I’ll give a link to some of my photos (non-live)

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Answer 8

Jan 15, 2018 5:51 AM in response to qlhjxn

I am experiencing exactly the same thing !! I actually took my 6 plus and compared photos...my images from my 6 plus are neck and neck with my iPhone X !! I even asked the opinion of 10 work staff and they all agree ! Went into a I store and the feeling is that I am being ridiculous and unreasonable.

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Answer 9

Jan 15, 2018 6:41 AM in response to Marciiooo

You know....yes to some people it’s a phone...but I really enjoy apple...I upgraded from my 6 plus, it is a good phone, but it was time to upgrade and I was filled with excitement upon receiving this phone because I am enjoying what Tim is doing with the company. You look at keynotes and advertisements and the images are so beautiful...I wanted a bit of that...from a front facing 1.2mp on the 6 plus to the front facing on the iPhone X is a huge jump from megapixels and specs. From a single OIS lens in my 6 plus to a dual OIS 12mp with a faster aperture I wanted to experience what Apple had brought out for us now and I’m disappointed...from someone who stands by apple through thick and thin, going head to head with android users and even walking in as a customer into an Istore and making sales on behalf of sales consultants because I believe in the brand... I sit here today replying to this thread on my iPhone X disappointed...you know...this phone is expensive...and no one forced me to buy it but the excitement I had on the day I received it was immeasurable, the feeling that I had that evening when I TRIED to take a selfie with my girlfriend and I couldn’t...I hadn’t noticed it earlier because of all the hype... I was forced to take the photo on her P8 Lite....she wanted to see how it came out on my phone...I was actually embarrassed and blamed it on my hand trembling....I have a love for photography And recently bought the Fuji x-t20...I KNOW how to take photos even to the point where I actually adjust iso,aperture and shutter speed manually.

Apple, Mr Ive and Mr Cook the camera on the iPhone X has a problem I just pray that it is software related. Because when we send in our phones for factory defects there is no compensation for the end user for making do with the defect. Not even a sorry letter, even a general one, to the user thanking them for their time, understanding and patience with regards to the matter.

You should try and take delivery of a brand new vehicle that has a malfunction or needs rectification in its paint. Allow the dealer to send the vehicle in for repairs, at no cost to you and smile when you receive it. Knowing that you haven’t even ridden 100km with it and it’s already in for repairs.

To me, when I send my Apple items in for factory repairs: MacBook Pro retina screen replacement, iPhone 6 Plus camera replacement and now whatever the outcome is with regards to this iPhone X, I feel like I am getting a refurbished unit back. It’s starting to feel like every model released now has a factory repair program.

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Answer 10

Jan 15, 2018 6:44 AM in response to Doug Lerner2

I also spent 2 hours with tech support in the istore and they also wiped all content and did a fresh install it’s hardly better..... I noticed something slight but it’s not great....

It was as sharp as my 6 plus!!!

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Answer 11

Doug Lerner2 Author

Level 4

1,388 points

Jan 15, 2018 6:45 AM in response to Marciiooo

I can understand the feeling. I guess I also feel that the camera is not amazingly great, compared to what I was expecting with dual lens stabilization and a wider aperture for low-light photos. It's good - but not "knock your socks off" amazingly great.

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Answer 12

Doug Lerner2 Author

Level 4

1,388 points

Jan 15, 2018 6:51 AM in response to Marciiooo

Here are some more that I took over the last couple of days which look good. But I can't say they look any better than my 7 Plus photos. My bird is cute though.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/OuU8RNjucH0goIpl2

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Answer 13

Jan 15, 2018 6:57 AM in response to Doug Lerner2

That’s the thing....it’s not great...it’s fine to send over a WhatsApp or fb...I mean...the apply there own compression so the expectation isn’t high... I really I was one of the lucky ones that have great quality camera

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Answer 14

Doug Lerner2 Author

Level 4

1,388 points

Jan 15, 2018 2:41 PM in response to Marciiooo

Yes, that's why I posted here. To compare the technical quality with what other iPhone X users are experiencing. That would help me judge whether it makes sense to pursue this past the almost 3 hours I already spent with Apple tech support on this, or if it would just be a waste of time.

doug

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Answer 15

Jan 22, 2018 1:27 AM in response to Doug Lerner2

If you mean from an iPhone 7+, yes I can email them to you. And as for your other questions, Live Photo takes both a still and a short video. The still photo should be at the same quality as the rest of your photos. You can also only change video quality. I believe the ISP dynamically changes photo quality depending on the light available.

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