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iPhone 5 Dust Under Camera Lens

silverbullet361

silverbullet361

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 7, 2010
20
0
Chicago
My launch day 32GB iPhone 5 has dust under the camera lens. It does not affect image quality or clarity, and the phone came this way out of the box. As I travel for a living, I have not had time to go to the store to replace the phone.

With all the reports of scuffs, etc. , I am hesitant to return the phone since it is nearly perfect and has provided outstanding battery life (8HR+).

Is there any way to clean this? If not, can I return the phone for a brand new phone in retail box, or must it be an exchange at the genius bar?
 
F

FieldingMellish

Suspended
Jun 20, 2010
2,440
3,108
Dust under lens usually does not affect picture quality, but could be a hassle to the owner just knowing it's there. Depending upon a future sale of the device years down the road, you might have a buyer who will feel the way you do about the dust spot. I don't know if it can be removed. Odds are that more or different dust can be introduced while trying seeing as how it won't be performed in a clean room environment. DLSR photographers deal with the same thing when getting a new lens and usually return the lens if dust is discovered.
 
extraextra

extraextra

macrumors 68000
Jun 29, 2006
1,758
0
California
I had this too. And I could see mine in photos. Two things I did:

Hold the phone at an angle and lightly tap the phone to see if you can dislodge the dust speck. I did it a little forcefully against the edge of my bed because I had a big dust speck.

Use a can of compressed air. I aimed it at the power button and also at the camera (doubt that did anything though).

When I checked my phone after those two things, the dust speck was gone! So try those first... I'm not sure which one got rid of the speck but either way I don't have to deal with it or the Apple store now.
 
silverbullet361

silverbullet361

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 7, 2010
20
0
Chicago
extraextra said:
I had this too. And I could see mine in photos. Two things I did:

Hold the phone at an angle and lightly tap the phone to see if you can dislodge the dust speck. I did it a little forcefully against the edge of my bed because I had a big dust speck.

Use a can of compressed air. I aimed it at the power button and also at the camera (doubt that did anything though).

When I checked my phone after those two things, the dust speck was gone! So try those first... I'm not sure which one got rid of the speck but either way I don't have to deal with it or the Apple store now.
Click to expand...

Tried these things, I just cannot get the darn dust particle to knock loose.
 
O

olsiris

macrumors newbie
Jun 25, 2010
6
0
I thought there was dust under the lens of my iPhone 5, took it to the genius bar and they attempted to clean it with no luck, turned out to be a tiny scratch on the underside of the lens.
 
R

ronaldcastillo

macrumors 6502a
Oct 25, 2009
619
36
olsiris said:
I thought there was dust under the lens of my iPhone 5, took it to the genius bar and they attempted to clean it with no luck, turned out to be a tiny scratch on the underside of the lens.
Click to expand...

I have a tiny white dust speck inside the lens also. I'm not sure if I remember where, but it seemed like it moved around a bit. Will the Genius Bar be able to open the back case and just dust it out? I don't want a replacement phone as mines is in really good condition.
 
E

ericxd

macrumors regular
Nov 29, 2008
171
0
I had this problem. Took it to Apple and I guess they open it because they were able to get rid of the dust behind the camera lens. So I doubt Apple will give you a new phone if they can fix this.
 
I

instaFROST

macrumors newbie
Apr 8, 2013
1
0
I have a 64GB iPhone 5 and noticed big purple specks in all of my photos. In videos, they would wiggle around as the phone was moved. I made a Genius Bar appointment (in Oregon) and showed them the problem. They said that they had never seen this before and immediately gave me a brand new replacement phone.

I was satisfied, but now there is dust under the lens again. I keep the phone in a rubber Speck case and in my pocket (I don't work in a dusty place or anything). I've had every new iPhone since the 3G and haven't ever had this problem.

I really don't want to keep having to get my phone replaced, but I take a lot of photos and video and those purple spots ruin them...
 
Ajones330

Ajones330

macrumors 6502a
Jul 9, 2008
563
16
SEC Country
It will still have to be a genius bar appointment. I have a 64g 5 and had it replaced because of my lock button. I believe mine was brand new because it functioned better than the original but highly unlikely. I'm sure they will replace it with a device in perfect condition. Sucks having to change your the original because we become attached knowing that we are the only ones to have used the device.
 
timshundo

timshundo

macrumors regular
Jun 17, 2009
211
183
San Francisco, CA
Dust on the lens definitely affects photo quality. I had a crap-ton of dust behind the camera glass and all of my photos had an ugly, smokey glow to them. I have a pentalobe screwdriver so I opened up my iPhone 5 and cleaned it with compressed air and the glow is gone.

I'm afraid there is dust in the actual image sensor though which causes big spots on all of my photos but there's nothing I can do about that except try and get the phone replaced or buy and install a new, factory camera sensor.
 
M

mattangeles

macrumors newbie
Apr 27, 2013
1
0
Same problem

instaFROST said:
I have a 64GB iPhone 5 and noticed big purple specks in all of my photos. In videos, they would wiggle around as the phone was moved. I made a Genius Bar appointment (in Oregon) and showed them the problem. They said that they had never seen this before and immediately gave me a brand new replacement phone.

I was satisfied, but now there is dust under the lens again. I keep the phone in a rubber Speck case and in my pocket (I don't work in a dusty place or anything). I've had every new iPhone since the 3G and haven't ever had this problem.

I really don't want to keep having to get my phone replaced, but I take a lot of photos and video and those purple spots ruin them...
Click to expand...

I have had the same problem as well. It is really annoying me. Did you get the phone with the Apple Care warranty because I can't do that. I dont have the applecare. will they still replace the phone?
 
dictoresno

dictoresno

macrumors 601
Apr 30, 2012
4,495
631
NJ
mattangeles said:
I have had the same problem as well. It is really annoying me. Did you get the phone with the Apple Care warranty because I can't do that. I dont have the applecare. will they still replace the phone?
Click to expand...

as stated in the million other threads, they will either clean the lens out or more likely replace it under factory 1 yr warranty. no need for applecare, as the warranty covers it.
 
X

xolan99

macrumors regular
Oct 21, 2007
232
2
My launch day 32gb white iPhone had a lot of dust in the camera lens where there were 6 noticeable specs in each photo. Took it to the genius bar, they took it to the back to open it up but determined there was nothing they could do because it was deep in the lens so they gave me a new one. In and out in 15 min.
 
dictoresno

dictoresno

macrumors 601
Apr 30, 2012
4,495
631
NJ
xolan99 said:
My launch day 32gb white iPhone had a lot of dust in the camera lens where there were 6 noticeable specs in each photo. Took it to the genius bar, they took it to the back to open it up but determined there was nothing they could do because it was deep in the lens so they gave me a new one. In and out in 15 min.
Click to expand...

thats what they did for me. the dust i has was on the inside of the outer lens so they cleaned it out. if its too deep in the module itself, they will replace the phone.
 
TyPod

TyPod

macrumors 68000
Nov 2, 2006
1,745
18
Minneapolis, MN
I used to be able to see a tiny dust speck in my lens and since it doesn't affect any of my pictures I never bothered trying to get the speck dislodged. Now after about two weeks I noticed that the speck is gone after normal use.
 
sunking101

sunking101

macrumors 604
Sep 19, 2013
7,416
2,656
All my iPhones have had dust under the lens cap out of the box. It seems that they are assembled on the cheap. I just live with it because it doesn't seem to affect photo quality, and it's not a DSLR.
 
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