Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Speck of dust inside my rear camera lens (iPhone 5)

S

Scott-n-Houston

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Apr 27, 2008
1,021
333
Houston (duh)
Can it be removed/cleaned? It's at about the 2 o'clock spot. I haven't noticed anything in pictures yet, but I really haven't taken a lot of pictures yet either.

It's a large white speck.

The rest of my phone rocks. I love the screen (no yellow issues, etc), and my battery life rocks. I have none of the common complaints with the iPhone 5.

If it can be fixed by disassembly at the Apple Store, I'm going to do it, but I don't think I'll ask for a replacement unless or until I can see the speck in pictures.

Does anyone know? Can the phone be disassembled to that point?
 
mikeydeezy

mikeydeezy

macrumors 6502a
Jun 15, 2010
617
71
MN, USA
Scott-n-Houston said:
Can it be removed/cleaned? It's at about the 2 o'clock spot. I haven't noticed anything in pictures yet, but I really haven't taken a lot of pictures yet either.

It's a large white speck.

The rest of my phone rocks. I love the screen (no yellow issues, etc), and my battery life rocks. I have none of the common complaints with the iPhone 5.

If it can be fixed by disassembly at the Apple Store, I'm going to do it, but I don't think I'll ask for a replacement unless or until I can see the speck in pictures.

Does anyone know? Can the phone be disassembled to that point?
Click to expand...


I don't think they will. I had the same issue & got my phone replaced with a POS.

If it doesn't interfere with your camera ignore it my friend.
 
S

ScottJ

macrumors regular
Mar 23, 2011
102
0
SoCal
I had the same problem, in about the same position (2 o'clock), just outside the focal area. I was worried that it was going to shift over time, and took it in to the Genius at my local Apple store. They were able to take it to the back and remove the offending speck. (To me, it looked a bit like a curved plastic shaving...)

The Genius that did the repair explained that the iPhone 5 is much easier to open than previous models, and they're better able to do in-store repairs like this...
 
C

Charadis

macrumors 65816
Jul 3, 2010
1,003
209
This is weird, mine is about the 2 o'clock position, too. And it's a white speck, but the camera seems fine with taking clean photos. Perhaps, is this really a dust speck?? Sent from my iPhone 5.
 
thadoggfather

thadoggfather

macrumors P6
Oct 1, 2007
15,545
16,277
mikeydeezy said:
If it doesn't interfere with your camera ignore it my friend.
Click to expand...

I'd go with this.

If everything else works great, including photos, just avoid it. There are far worse issues out there QC-wise.

Think of it as your golden ticket to replace the phone on the last day of the included warranty if you so please.
 
S

Scott-n-Houston

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Apr 27, 2008
1,021
333
Houston (duh)
Good advice. And weird that others have it too... either coincidence or something else.

At this point, I'm going to leave it alone unless I notice it in pictures.
I like the 'golden ticket' concept too! ;)
 
M

msaftw

macrumors member
Jun 18, 2010
53
0
Houston, Tx
Scott-n-Houston said:
Good advice. And weird that others have it too... either coincidence or something else.

At this point, I'm going to leave it alone unless I notice it in pictures.
I like the 'golden ticket' concept too! ;)
Click to expand...

I don't have a speck but a small circular dot in the same 2 o'clock position, doesn't affect photos...yet at least. Also in Houston.
 
B

bt1988

macrumors member
Jul 12, 2007
51
0
Mine has gotten an excessive amount of dust but I'm not sure if it really affects image quality. Just haven't had time to go in and get it looked at. Anyone know if they open up the phone or just replace the whole thing?

http://i.imgur.com/g2ySi.jpg
 
R

RichardC300

macrumors 65816
Sep 27, 2012
1,240
103
bt1988 said:
Mine has gotten an excessive amount of dust but I'm not sure if it really affects image quality. Just haven't had time to go in and get it looked at. Anyone know if they open up the phone or just replace the whole thing?

http://i.imgur.com/g2ySi.jpg
Click to expand...

Wow... That is excessive! Bring that in asap!

I have one speck between the 4 and 5 position. No problems so far.
 
B

bt1988

macrumors member
Jul 12, 2007
51
0
I took it in today and the Genius didn't offer to have it cleaned or replaced. He went to the back for a while and came back and stated that if it didn't affect photo quality, then he couldn't replace it. :( Looks like I'll be headed back after a while or I'll request an advanced replacement from Apple since I have AppleCare+.

I don't know that I can ever get the camera to show the specks directly in the view, but I did feel like the camera on my 4S was sharper. This is probably why, but I didn't mention it.
 
M

Merkie

macrumors 68020
Oct 23, 2008
2,119
734
Blowing compressed air into the microphone next to the camera might help a little.
 
dictoresno

dictoresno

macrumors 601
Apr 30, 2012
4,495
631
NJ
funny you mentioned this, i also have a white speck at the 3 o'clock position in my lens. im gonna make an appointment as well. it is outside of focal length and doesnt effect pics. and it was never there before, appeared two weeks ago.
 
dictoresno

dictoresno

macrumors 601
Apr 30, 2012
4,495
631
NJ
spoke to a friend of mine who works at an apple store, and he said hes seen this issue before. apparently apple stores will replace the phone and not clean it out. so im gonna stop by on thursday. the speck isnt effecting pic quality as of now, but may dislodge in the future, which is what im concerned about. he said they would/should happily replace with new.
 
BENJMNS

BENJMNS

macrumors 6502
Dec 28, 2005
449
0
Looks it is one of those inevitable things. There is dust everywhere. Both my brand new iPhones had dust inside the lens. So long as it doesn't show on pics you're fine

It's like buying new white Adidas kicks and expecting them to stay fresh out of box white even when you wear them out.
 
dictoresno

dictoresno

macrumors 601
Apr 30, 2012
4,495
631
NJ
just got back from a Genius Bar appointment. the guy took the phone in the back and came out in 5 mins after he removed the speck of dust. he said it happens sometimes from the manufacturing process. anyone with this white or other kind of dust, just bring it in. its a 5 minute fix which they can remove for you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom