iPad: Dust Under Facetime Camera - Return?

[teknikal90]

Hi,

I found a bit of debris on my facetime lens of my iPad 4
I think it's been there since the beginning (doesn't look like lint)
I'm just wondering if I should return it. What's the chances I'll get a dud? Will I be getting a refurb unit or a brand new unit? Other than this, my iPad is perfect. Perfect screen and everything.
I don't know if it affects the picture or not...I've never seen it without the debris.
it's underneath the glass, on the lens itself. I tried to flick it to try to dislodge it but it wouldn't move.
it's not directly on top of the lens, rather, it's on the outer edge of the lens (it's a strand of white particle).

Thoughts?

[jfyrfytr25]

Originally Posted by teknikal90

Hi,

I found a bit of debris on my facetime lens of my iPad 4
I think it's been there since the beginning (doesn't look like lint)
I'm just wondering if I should return it. What's the chances I'll get a dud? Will I be getting a refurb unit or a brand new unit? Other than this, my iPad is perfect. Perfect screen and everything.
I don't know if it affects the picture or not...I've never seen it without the debris.
it's underneath the glass, on the lens itself. I tried to flick it to try to dislodge it but it wouldn't move.
it's not directly on top of the lens, rather, it's on the outer edge of the lens (it's a strand of white particle).

Thoughts?

Seriously??? You're thinking of returning it for something that you are not even sure is a Problem? That is just ridiculous. Insane return reasons like this is why the Genius' have become ignorant, dealing with this garbage.

If the image from the camera does not look bad, hen don't make a big deal out of it. Not to mention your replacement will probably have a piss colored screen.

[lianlua]

Originally Posted by teknikal90

I don't know if it affects the picture or not...I've never seen it without the debris.

You would know if it were actually blocking part of the lens. If you're really in doubt, post a picture taken with that camera. If there's anything to be seen, someone will point it out to you.

What you describe actually sounds like a small blemish on the lens ring, not dust. Regardless, it is not worth an exchange, because even if you're the one person on earth who uses the front camera every day, it's not affecting the performance, operation, or build of the iPad in any way.

[teknikal90]

Originally Posted by jfyrfytr25

Seriously??? You're thinking of returning it for something that you are not even sure is a Problem? That is just ridiculous. Insane return reasons like this is why the Genius' have become ignorant, dealing with this garbage.

If the image from the camera does not look bad, hen don't make a big deal out of it. Not to mention your replacement will probably have a piss colored screen.

Just needed to hear it (some sanity) from someone. lol thanks, I won't return it

[RevTEG]

Wait... You're willing to spend hard earned money and pay full retail price and be "ok" with a product that has dust under the FaceTime camera? Sorry, but when I pay full price I expect to get a product that is built as it was intended or as close to full price worthy as possible.

I would at least take it to Apple for them to look at.

You and Apple can decide if it needs returned. It's your money. Don't let forum posters tell you to just live with it.

[lianlua]

Originally Posted by RevTEG

Wait... You're willing to spend hard earned money and pay full retail price and be "ok" with a product that has dust under the FaceTime camera? Sorry, but when I pay full price I expect to get a product that is built as it was intended or as close to full price worthy as possible.

Every mass-produced item is going to have some level of imperfection. Every single one. If you look for something, you will find it, guaranteed. If you are perfectly happy with an item except for on pinhead-sized mark in one corner rarely seen or examined, you'd have to be off your meds to pack it up, take it in, and exchange it, because odds are you turn into a lunatic who goes through 14 units and eventually gives up and has nothing or gives in and lives with some imperfection, real or perceived. Either way, a colossal waste of time and effort.

I just bought an expensive set of glassware from a high-end importer. One of the glasses has a tiny bubble in the base. Do I go all the way back, spending 50 minutes roundtrip in the car, time and effort to demand a replacement over it? That would be insane. The replacement would have some equally insignificant aberration somewhere.

Don't let forum posters tell you to just live with it.

That was the whole point of asking the forum. If you're happy with a product and it performs perfectly, what do you stand to gain? What do you stand to lose? That's the question he can decide for himself.

[RevTEG]

Originally Posted by lianlua

Every mass-produced item is going to have some level of imperfection. Every single one. If you look for something, you will find it, guaranteed. If you are perfectly happy with an item except for on pinhead-sized mark in one corner rarely seen or examined, you'd have to be off your meds to pack it up, take it in, and exchange it, because odds are you turn into a lunatic who goes through 14 units and eventually gives up and has nothing or gives in and lives with some imperfection, real or perceived. Either way, a colossal waste of time and effort.

I just bought an expensive set of glassware from a high-end importer. One of the glasses has a tiny bubble in the base. Do I go all the way back, spending 50 minutes roundtrip in the car, time and effort to demand a replacement over it? That would be insane. The replacement would have some equally insignificant aberration somewhere.

That was the whole point of asking the forum. If you're happy with a product and it performs perfectly, what do you stand to gain? What do you stand to lose? That's the question he can decide for himself.

I understand your point. Nothing is perfect. But if you can clearly see dust under a lens then you know that was not intended to be that way. Even Apple wouldn't want you to have that. They've built their reputation on quality. That's why we pay top dollar.

[lianlua]

Originally Posted by RevTEG

I understand your point. Nothing is perfect. But if you can clearly see dust under a lens then you know that was not intended to be that way.

Of course it's not intended to be there, but it's expected. That's what manufacturing tolerances are all about.

Even Apple wouldn't want you to have that. They've built their reputation on quality. That's why we pay top dollar.

You don't pay for perfection or anything remotely close to it. Apple would love to sell you a guaranteed perfect device at ten times the price, but you wouldn't buy it.

One utterly inconsequential mark just isn't worth it when the replacement is going to have a streak in the glass, a wobbly volume button, a slightly crooked headphone jack, some minor backlight bleed, or any one of a thousand possible aberrations that you might or might not be able to see.

Yes, there are times when something is wrong and you should exchange it, but a tiny mark that affects nothing and is basically invisible until you hold the camera lens up to your eye is just not one of those times.

[bimmerboii]

Originally Posted by RevTEG

Wait... You're willing to spend hard earned money and pay full retail price and be "ok" with a product that has dust under the FaceTime camera? Sorry, but when I pay full price I expect to get a product that is built as it was intended or as close to full price worthy as possible.

I would at least take it to Apple for them to look at.

You and Apple can decide if it needs returned. It's your money. Don't let forum posters tell you to just live with it.

I will have to agree with you here. I expect my device to be perfect, and if am not happy or bothered with it, i will try to get it replaced. I had a similar experience with my android phone and even if the dust didnt affect my photos, but the fact that it was there, they replaced my device.

Good example is the iphone 5 "scuffgate". People had theirs exchanged like 4 - 5 times to get a perfect device. Your ipad is no different.

[RevTEG]

Originally Posted by lianlua

Of course it's not intended to be there, but it's expected. That's what manufacturing tolerances are all about.

You don't pay for perfection or anything remotely close to it. Apple would love to sell you a guaranteed perfect device at ten times the price, but you wouldn't buy it.

One utterly inconsequential mark just isn't worth it when the replacement is going to have a streak in the glass, a wobbly volume button, a slightly crooked headphone jack, some minor backlight bleed, or any one of a thousand possible aberrations that you might or might not be able to see.

Yes, there are times when something is wrong and you should exchange it, but a tiny mark that affects nothing and is basically invisible until you hold the camera lens up to your eye is just not one of those times.

You should "expect" it? Ok with that in mind when I buy my new company trucks ill just expect the new trucks to come with a few barely noticeable dents.

[teknikal90]

I just weighed the option.
Keep returning it, restoring and rerestoring and driving to the apple store back and forth or keep the one i have and not risk having one with a dud screen and just use it. I think im getting old cause i picked the latter

[lianlua]

Originally Posted by RevTEG

You should "expect" it? Ok with that in mind when I buy my new company trucks ill just expect the new trucks to come with a few barely noticeable dents.

Exactly. They will. Every single body panel on every single truck will be less than perfect in some way.

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Originally Posted by bimmerboii

Good example is the iphone 5 "scuffgate". People had theirs exchanged like 4 - 5 times to get a perfect device.

No, they exchanged it 4-5 times to get an imperfect device where they didn't notice or care about the imperfections anymore.

There is no perfect unit out there. It is utterly ridiculous to tell people that they should go through six boxes to fix something that's not broken just because a few neurotic people might feel the need to do so. It's the very definition of overblown unless you're a local newscaster short one story for the evening news.