iPhone X Portrait Mode - Move Further Away

Question

Level 1

17 points

iPhone X Portrait Mode - Move Further Away

Hi, I’ve seen a couple of posts about this issue and I am having the same problem. When trying to take a portrait picture using the rear camera I always get the message “move further away” Force closing the camera app, turning the phone off or force resetting it has NO effect. However, resetting all settings does bring the functionality back for a short period of time before the fault re-occurs. I have also performed a DFU reset of the phone, again, this restores functionality for a short time before it fails again. I would assume this is therefore a software bug, but it does not seem widespread enough - although there was a patch in a recent update to do with the telescopic focus... I’m wondering if this broke the feature for me? Either way, where do I go from here... I suspect the Genius Bar will say, reset again, but that gives me functionality for up to 1 week... this is not really acceptable for a £1000 phone. Any ideas? Cheers, Jon.

iPhone X, iOS 11.2.2

Posted on Jan 19, 2018 3:44 PM

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Answer 1

Jon Fitton Author

Level 1

17 points

Mar 20, 2018 12:59 AM in response to Nixle32

Yes, this is exactly the same issue I had, every detail including the low light etc. Multiple resets as I described above seem to have finally resolved the issue, it is still working and has been for several weeks now... can’t exactly say how or why other than what I have said in my previous comments... also, defo not hardware as another user had his phone replaced and the problem returned. Something in our settings perhaps? Very odd that this hasn’t been spotted and fixed properly by Apple.

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Answer 2

Jon Fitton Author

Level 1

17 points

Apr 15, 2018 6:03 AM in response to Jon Fitton

Hello again, the problem has reoccurred after a good while of working without issue. As I have said before I do not use a case when taking photos. The iPhone is bare. The lense is clean and un-damaged, of course the first time I want to use portrait for something other than seeing if it still works - it let me down. If this is a software issue, why has it not been fixed? The only option is that it is some sort of hardware issue - perhaps there are more than one supplier of camera modules or similar. Either way, it’s broke again, and I’m a bit fed up with this now...

Suppose I will have to go to the Apple store at my expense and have them tell me to reset, them I tell them it will come back as it always does, they say go away and test, I return a week later with the problem and around we go. The closet store is 30 miles away. Grrrrr.

Has anyone actually permanently resolved this issue or had Apple confirm if this is a known issue?

Cheers,

Jon.

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Answer 3

Jon Fitton Author

Level 1

17 points

Apr 17, 2018 11:00 AM in response to Nixle32

Sounds plausible in your *case* - however, my phone is not in a case when taking the photos, it is au Naturel! The case is a leather slip case, it has no batteries (as mentioned earlier, not sure what cases have batteries though!)

My camera also worked fine for a couple of months last time, prior to that it failed every week, it has now failed again after just a day.

Not good.

Jon.

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Answer 4

Cabair1

Level 1

9 points

Feb 14, 2018 11:07 AM in response to Jon Fitton

Hi Jon. New update regarding the portrait function not working. I went to my local Apple store yesterday and they changed the phone for a new one. Guess what. One day latter problem back again. When using portrait mode warning comes up saying move further away and it doesn’t work. It must be a software issue. Please, please please Apple sort it out or refund my £1140.00

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Answer 5

Jon Fitton Author

Level 1

17 points

Jan 31, 2018 10:03 AM in response to Jon Fitton

Would anyone from Apple care to respond - this is not an isolated incident, will the Genius Bar swap out our faulty phones without argument if we take them in to the Apple Store?

Furthermore, is this something Apple are aware of? (I would suspect so)

N.B. I have updated to the latest iOS release, currently 11.2.5, the fault has persisted through at least 3 releases so far.

Cheers,

Jon.

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Answer 6

Cabair1

Level 1

9 points

Feb 12, 2018 11:27 AM in response to Jon Fitton

Hi Jon. I am having the exact same problem. I’m totally fed up with the whole thing. Having spent £1149.00 of hard earned cash to buy it I’m very disappointed. So far I have been back to the Genius Bar 3 times. They have replaced the camera once and 3 times wiped the phone and got me to reload it back up. Each time I lose everything. Takes me hours to set it all up again only to find it works for a day then stops again. Last time they thought it was a problem with my stored back up and told me to set the phone up manually. This I did and as I say it took me hours and still the fault is there. I have another appointment Wednesday this week and what ever happens I want this phone replaced but having said that who knows what will happen as they don’t seem to be interested. Apple. Worst customer support I’ve ever experienced. This whole thing is so time consuming

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Answer 7

Feb 14, 2018 11:11 AM in response to Jon Fitton

Jon Fitton wrote:

Would anyone from Apple care to respond - this is not an isolated incident, will the Genius Bar swap out our faulty phones without argument if we take them in to the Apple Store?

Furthermore, is this something Apple are aware of? (I would suspect so)

N.B. I have updated to the latest iOS release, currently 11.2.5, the fault has persisted through at least 3 releases so far.

Cheers,

Jon.

This is a user to user support forum and Apple will not respond here. Just other users. Use the Contact Support button at the top right of this page, or call Apple directly (if in the US) at 1-800-MY-APPLE

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Answer 8

Jon Fitton Author

Level 1

17 points

Feb 14, 2018 12:46 PM in response to Cabair1

Hi, thanks very much for all the feedback.

I have repeated the DFU restore to 11.2.5 (previously this hasn’t helped)

I restored from a backup and then reset my settings.

I have done this exact thing several times before, but this time it seems to be sticking (I’m not holding my breath though)

Maybe try the DFU again - though previously I have done this without restoring from a backup and the problem remained - it really doesn’t make any sense.

But agreed, it’s likely to be a software issue, just strange how it’s persisted for some of us for so long!? Odd.

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Answer 9

Helloson

Level 1

8 points

Feb 21, 2018 3:00 AM in response to Jon Fitton

Just out of interest, what type of case or cover do you have on your phone? I noticed that the portrait mode had stopped working on my iPhone X. I contacted Apple support and they asked me to reset the settings and that fixed the issue for about 24 hours. To cut a long story short, I’ve reset settings, backed up and restored using iTunes and set it up as a new phone. Every time it worked for about 24 hours. I then noticed that if I tapped on the camera I sometimes got the yellow focus square back. I’d been using a sleeve case that covers the whole phone. I decided to try using a wallet style case that doesn’t cover the rear camera. I reset my phone and it’s now been 7 days and it still works. It may just be a coincidence but it would be interesting to know if his is linked to cases that cover the rear facing camera.

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Answer 10

Jon Fitton Author

Level 1

17 points

Feb 21, 2018 3:26 AM in response to Helloson

Thanks for the input, possibly coincidence unless you had a different problem with a similar outcome. I don’t use a case when taking photos. I have a slip case and the iPhone is bare when actually using it! Like you though, it appears to have resolved itself for now (after all the same symptoms - reset 24hrs ok, break - repeat repeat etc)

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Answer 11

Mar 6, 2018 3:47 PM in response to Jon Fitton

I just got my iPhone X a couple days ago and noticed the same problem (hence how I ended up here). Someone mentioned the case and so took mine off and it solved the problem. My case doesn’t even cover the camera lense but for whatever reason it works fine with the case on and not at all with it on.

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Answer 12

Nixle32

Level 1

22 points

Mar 19, 2018 7:24 PM in response to Jon Fitton

I have this issue too and i’m on iOS 11.3 beta 6, resetting settings or restoring bring back the feature for a short period of time, after that it keep saying move further away, I noticed that when trying to use it in low light it works, in day light I also noticed that when approaching my finger near the top lense the effect kicks in (yellow square). Bokeh effect works fine when using an app like focos so it does not seem to be an hardware issue.

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Answer 13

Nixle32

Level 1

22 points

Mar 20, 2018 9:59 AM in response to Jon Fitton

Just did 2 resets and the feature is working beautifully again, I also ditched my old wallet case that was using magnets to close front flap and also in the back when folded for the Apple walled case that does not use any those (apart for the smart feature), we'll see.

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Answer 14

Nixle32

Level 1

22 points

Apr 17, 2018 10:02 AM in response to Jon Fitton

Portrait mode is still working as of march 23, since it's in the Apple Folio leather case instead of my cheap magnetic folio case, the 3rd party case I had with my iPhone 8 Plus was the same brand than my X one and had an issue with the camera not focusing, out of the case it worked, apple later fixed it, but simply an example that case can have an impact on the camera system with the camera app.

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Answer 15

Jon Fitton Author

Level 1

17 points

Apr 17, 2018 10:56 AM in response to austinfromhartford

Hi Austin,

My phone is only in a slip case, it is removed from the case when taking photos. The case is made of leather - I’m not convinced a leather case would have any affect on the camera!? But thanks for your suggestion - it may be that in *some* cases (if you’ll pardon the pun!?)

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