It's snowing inside my iPhone's 5 camera.

hamiltonDSi · May 26, 2013

Well...not literally.

I went to a concert last night and I was viewing some photos and videos I took with my iPhone 5 and I saw some ... "snowflakes".
As I was browsing the pictures I saw that the snowflakes appeared only in the pictures and videos in wich the bright light hit the camera.

What could they be ?
I don't think it's dust because :

a) I can't see any dust.
b) they are not in the same position.

First photo : normal light, no "snowflakes". (photo took while recording)
Second photo : bright light, "snowflakes"
Third photo : bright light, "snowflakes" in another spot.

Err ?

paulbennett95 · May 26, 2013

Looks like it has something to do with light refraction, as there seems to be a lot of light in your picture and the "snowflakes" are perfect geometric shapes.
Perhaps there's a tiny defect in the camera/lenses that is causing the heavy amount of light to refract?
Try taking a picture outside/in normal lighting conditions and see if it occurs again.

hamiltonDSi · May 26, 2013

paulbennett95 said:
Try taking a picture outside/in normal lighting conditions and see if it occurs again.

Here is a picture on a sunny day wich I took 3 or 4 weeks ago.
I can't see them...

paulbennett95 · May 26, 2013

hamiltonDSi said:
Here is a picture on a sunny day wich I took 3 or 4 weeks ago.
I can't see them...

So it probably had to do with the very bright lights and possibly "stuff" in the air

Or possibly a slight lenses defect or maybe oil or dust over the lenses that did it?

hamiltonDSi · May 26, 2013

paulbennett95 said:
Or possibly a slight lenses defect or maybe oil or dust over the lenses that did it?

I looked very carefully at the lens a couple of hours ago (with 3 LED Flashlights and a magnifying loupe) and I saw nothing wrong.

Maybe the sensor is busted, should I take it in ?
But the problem is that I can't reproduce the "snowflakes" in normal pics...maybe I should take the Genius with me at next concert lol

paulbennett95 · May 26, 2013

hamiltonDSi said:
I looked very carefully at the lens a couple of hours ago (with 3 LED Flashlights and a magnifying loupe) and I saw nothing wrong.

Maybe the sensor is busted, should I take it in ?
But the problem is that I can't reproduce the "snowflakes" in normal pics...maybe I should take the Genius with me at next concert lol

I wouldn't take it to the Apple Store, you'd only be wasting their time and your own time, because if you can't reproduce it, they won't replace it.

It may of simply been dust or something in the air that the bright light refracted off of, it doesn't necessarily have to be dust in the lenses.

hamiltonDSi · May 26, 2013

paulbennett95 said:
It may of simply been dust or something in the air that the bright light refracted off of, it doesn't necessarily have to be dust in the lenses.

Hope so...this is my second iPhone 5.

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Another question : I have a lot of dust in the microphone next to the iSight camera...could the dust enter in the camera from the microphone ?

Mrbobb · May 26, 2013

Is normal. Ur finding out the limitations of camaras especially on a cellphone.

hamiltonDSi · May 27, 2013

Mrbobb said:
Is normal. Ur finding out the limitations of camaras especially on a cellphone.

My friend who was along side has an iPhone 4S and his picture don't have this problem.

AFDoc · May 27, 2013

Get over it... you see those 2 very bright things in your picture? Those are called lights. Now do you think it's a coincidence that there are 2 lights and 2 snowflakes or maybe it's cause and affect.

Your friends 4s doesn't have the issue as he is shooting from a different angle and the lights are not likely affecting his shot.

hamiltonDSi said:
But the problem is that I can't reproduce the "snowflakes" in normal pics...maybe I should take the Genius with me at next concert lol

So it's a problem for you that you can only make this happen under a very restrictive set of circumstances? Yeah.... take it to apple, it's broken.

dictoresno · May 27, 2013

It sure looks like it was due to the way the spotlights were angled at your lens. I bet it was just coincidence.

Interstella5555 · May 28, 2013

I could be totally off base here, but it actually looks like there was a black light at the show and the "snowflakes" were a logo on the clothing...

psg2000 · May 28, 2013

I think you'll find there's a "rational" explanation
http://www.psychicinvestigators.net/html/orbs.html

digglesworth · May 28, 2013

It looks to me like it's part of the clothing the people were wearing.

hamiltonDSi · May 28, 2013

Interstella5555 said:
I could be totally off base here, but it actually looks like there was a black light at the show and the "snowflakes" were a logo on the clothing...

Nope. I have a video with the "snowflakes" in the air.
Also, the people in front are my best friends. They don't have clothing with snowflakes.

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digglesworth said:
It looks to me like it's part of the clothing the people were wearing.

Nope. I have a video with the "snowflakes" in the air.
Also, the people in front are my best friends. They don't have clothing with snowflakes.

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AFDoc said:
Get over it... you see those 2 very bright things in your picture? Those are called lights. Now do you think it's a coincidence that there are 2 lights and 2 snowflakes or maybe it's cause and affect.

Your friends 4s doesn't have the issue as he is shooting from a different angle and the lights are not likely affecting his shot.

So it's a problem for you that you can only make this happen under a very restrictive set of circumstances? Yeah.... take it to apple, it's broken.

No need to be a smart*ss.

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psg2000 said:
I think you'll find there's a "rational" explanation
http://www.psychicinvestigators.net/html/orbs.html

Seems legit

hafr · May 28, 2013

Are you certain it wasn't something on the outside of the lens?

hamiltonDSi · Jun 9, 2013

hafr said:
Are you certain it wasn't something on the outside of the lens?

I really don't know.

dictoresno · Jun 9, 2013

you can tell by their RBG coloration that they are refracted light likely caused by the bright spotlights, not dust or dirt on the lens. if the problem is no longer present, i would continue to say as i did in my original assessment, that its just a coincidence and there is no problem with the phone.

0000757 · Jun 9, 2013

AFDoc said:
Get over it... you see those 2 very bright things in your picture? Those are called lights. Now do you think it's a coincidence that there are 2 lights and 2 snowflakes or maybe it's cause and affect.

Your friends 4s doesn't have the issue as he is shooting from a different angle and the lights are not likely affecting his shot.

So it's a problem for you that you can only make this happen under a very restrictive set of circumstances? Yeah.... take it to apple, it's broken.

Wow, someone needs to go to anger management. He was just asking. I'd be annoyed if I had snowflakes in my photos and this is a legitimate concern for someone, so back off.

For OP, due to the fact that they're perfectly geometric, it's evidence that it's simple a weird way the light refracts. I haven't had snowflake shapes, but I've taken photos where the lighting glitched and something like dirt on the lens or something in the air reflected. Especially since you haven't been able to reproduce it, I think it's safe to say you're phone is fine and it was just nature playing a joke on you.

hamiltonDSi · Jun 10, 2013

chrf097 said:
Wow, someone needs to go to anger management. He was just asking. I'd be annoyed if I had snowflakes in my photos and this is a legitimate concern for someone, so back off.

Thanks for having my back !

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chrf097 said:
For OP, due to the fact that they're perfectly geometric, it's evidence that it's simple a weird way the light refracts. I haven't had snowflake shapes, but I've taken photos where the lighting glitched and something like dirt on the lens or something in the air reflected. Especially since you haven't been able to reproduce it, I think it's safe to say you're phone is fine and it was just nature playing a joke on you.

Friday I am going to another concert to the same club and I will take some photos again.
I am curios if the snowflakes will appear again.

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dictoresno said:
you can tell by their RBG coloration that they are refracted light likely caused by the bright spotlights, not dust or dirt on the lens.

Yup, I have no dust in my lens.
Btw, friday I am going to another concert in the same place, I will take some photos and we will see.

AFDoc · Jun 10, 2013

chrf097 said:
Wow, someone needs to go to anger management. He was just asking. I'd be annoyed if I had snowflakes in my photos and this is a legitimate concern for someone, so back off.

If you were silly enough (like OP) to point your camera at 2 very bright stage lights (only time OP said he could produce this issue) and then complained about it and said you should take your phone back to apple because it's "broken" then you should be annoyed at your own ability to take good pictures (show me a photo course/book/instruction pamphlet that tells you to take pictures while aiming directly at a very bright light), not your phone or apple. So don't take my harsh realty of pointing out photo taking 101 as anger. I was no more angry writing that last post than I would be with my 7 year old when she asks a silly question or complains about something she obviously doesn't understand.

PLUS OP was told several times that it was most likely a lighting issue yet continued to feel the need to go on and on about how he took X picture in the sunlight with no issues (not even close to representing the original picture conditions) and how something must be broken. Sometimes you need to say things so people can understand them, obviously OP is one of those people.

ArizonaKid · Jun 11, 2013

AFDoc said:
If you were silly enough (like OP) to point your camera at 2 very bright stage lights (only time OP said he could produce this issue) and then complained about it and said you should take your phone back to apple because it's "broken" then you should be annoyed at your own ability to take good pictures (show me a photo course/book/instruction pamphlet that tells you to take pictures while aiming directly at a very bright light), not your phone or apple. So don't take my harsh realty of pointing out photo taking 101 as anger. I was no more angry writing that last post than I would be with my 7 year old when she asks a silly question or complains about something she obviously doesn't understand.

PLUS OP was told several times that it was most likely a lighting issue yet continued to feel the need to go on and on about how he took X picture in the sunlight with no issues (not even close to representing the original picture conditions) and how something must be broken. Sometimes you need to say things so people can understand them, obviously OP is one of those people.

Dude, don't be a jerk.

AFDoc · Jun 11, 2013

ArizonaKid said:
Dude, don't be a jerk.

Not sure why you feel I'm being a jerk but ok.

AeroUK · Jun 11, 2013

I had the same on my iPhone 5. Only shows up in light pictures (white walls etc.) on mine.

Took it to the store and the genius gave me a new phone and said dust had gotten inside it through the microphone hole on the top of the phone.

Hopefully your phone is still under warranty or you have AppleCare.

It's snowing inside my iPhone's 5 camera.

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