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iPhone 16 Pro Max Camera problems: Blue smudges, lines, etc. [MERGED]

I like to take astronomy pics for my daughter and I noticed that when the Northern Lights were visible, I noticed the gravel in my shots had a blue tint to them. Seemed off and I stumbled across the video by Shayne Mostyn, just as other have here.

I took shots using the same conditions with my iPhone 16 Pro (received on launch day), my wife's iPhone 16 Pro (received two days ago), and my iPhone 15 Pro Max.

iPhone 15 Pro Max

D74C187D-0B89-45FC-8C31-76469475F169.jpg


iPhone 16 Pro

ED1FB18C-C9CC-4AB5-8F24-D5CE0084BBEB_4_5005_c.jpeg


Wife's iPhone 16 Pro

IMG_2513 W.jpg


My iPhone 16 Pro using Halide

HEIF Image-453F-8DE2-08-0.jpg


I reached out to  Support over their iOS app and the tier 1 help had me do a hard reboot, it didn't fix the issue. I also believe this is a hardware issue, can it be solved with software who knows? For reference the iPhone 15 Pro Max shot at ISO 10000, the iPhone 16 Pro shot at ISO 4000 (but have seen as high as ISO 6400 in testing). I didn't check my wife's ISO, but I'd have to assume it's either ISO 4000 or ISO 6400. The pic from Halide is ISO 12500 and while better, it is not black like the iPhone 15 Pro Max. iPhone 15 Pro Max is running iOS 18.0.1, my iPhone 16 Pro is running iOS 18.1 Beta 7, and my wife's iPhone 16 Pro is running iOS 18.0.1. From the video above and a thread found on Reddit, it appears Apple may be swapping these out and some people are finding that has fixed their issue. I was hoping with my wife having received her iPhone 16 Pro two days ago, after being ordered last week, a potential later build would show maybe initial batches had a faulty sensor.  Support is having me take the device into a Genius Bar, so need to find time to do that since I'm over an hour away from the closest  Store.

Thanks @Pandyone for pointing this thread out.
 
CNebs said:
I like to take astronomy pics for my daughter and I noticed that when the Northern Lights were visible, I noticed the gravel in my shots had a blue tint to them. Seemed off and I stumbled across the video by Shayne Mostyn, just as other have here.

I took shots using the same conditions with my iPhone 16 Pro (received on launch day), my wife's iPhone 16 Pro (received two days ago), and my iPhone 15 Pro Max.

iPhone 15 Pro Max

View attachment 2438117

iPhone 16 Pro

View attachment 2438118

Wife's iPhone 16 Pro

View attachment 2438119

My iPhone 16 Pro using Halide

View attachment 2438120

I reached out to  Support over their iOS app and the tier 1 help had me do a hard reboot, it didn't fix the issue. I also believe this is a hardware issue, can it be solved with software who knows? For reference the iPhone 15 Pro Max shot at ISO 10000, the iPhone 16 Pro shot at ISO 4000 (but have seen as high as ISO 6400 in testing). I didn't check my wife's ISO, but I'd have to assume it's either ISO 4000 or ISO 6400. The pic from Halide is ISO 12500 and while better, it is not black like the iPhone 15 Pro Max. iPhone 15 Pro Max is running iOS 18.0.1, my iPhone 16 Pro is running iOS 18.1 Beta 7, and my wife's iPhone 16 Pro is running iOS 18.0.1. From the video above and a thread found on Reddit, it appears Apple may be swapping these out and some people are finding that has fixed their issue. I was hoping with my wife having received her iPhone 16 Pro two days ago, after being ordered last week, a potential later build would show maybe initial batches had a faulty sensor.  Support is having me take the device into a Genius Bar, so need to find time to do that since I'm over an hour away from the closest  Store.

Thanks @Pandyone for pointing this thread out.
Click to expand...
I want to test mine, what are the camera settings I should made? Thank you.
 
nickelro said:
I want to test mine, what are the camera settings I should made? Thank you.
Click to expand...
I used a dark room, put my iPhone on my bed made sure it was flat and somewhat pressed in, then covered it with a gray weighted blanked and comforter, made sure night mode was showing 30s and then left enough of the iPhone bottom showing to press the shutter button.
 
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nickelro said:
I want to test mine, what are the camera settings I should made? Thank you.
Click to expand...

If you just want to test if there are any blue areas or lines, make sure you have night mode on (top left corner) and max out the exposure time (press arrow key in top middle to show slider and change exposure time to Max for night mode).
Put the phone on a mattress and cover most of the phone but camera shutter button is possible to press (or use Apple Watch remote shutter if you have one and completely cover the phone).

Important to consider; if there are no issues in actual photos a replacement/repair probably is not needed (but I think Apple should be aware through feedback or support ticket).


1729087356239.png
 
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This is the difference between a 30 second exposure with the default camera app and the ProCam app

I don’t know enough about cameras to say, but that makes me think it could be a software issue
 

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ReliableSource said:
This is the difference between a 30 second exposure with the default camera app and the ProCam app

I don’t know enough about cameras to say, but that makes me think it could be a software issue
Click to expand...
Interesting, didn't think about trying the ProCam app. Will give it a shot a little later.
 
So is this a software issue or hardware? My 15PM does this but I haven't noticed an issue with photos. I'm surprised nobody has noticed this until now as it looks like phones from different generations seem to be effected by this
 
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Pandyone said:
If you just want to test if there are any blue areas or lines, make sure you have night mode on (top left corner) and max out the exposure time (press arrow key in top middle to show slider and change exposure time to Max for night mode).
Put the phone on a mattress and cover most of the phone but camera shutter button is possible to press (or use Apple Watch remote shutter if you have one and completely cover the phone).

Important to consider; if there are no issues in actual photos a replacement/repair probably is not needed (but I think Apple should be aware through feedback or support ticket).


View attachment 2438132
Click to expand...
Thank you - no issue for me. Pitch black photo @ ISO 5000 / exp time: 30 sec.
 
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I just checked the information on my photos and although the phone is taking a 30sec exposure, it's showing 10sec exposure and ISO is 10000. Regardless the blue banding is the same.
 
Pretty hard to believe it's a hardware issue, but a bummer anyway for the night photography aficionados.
 
Also have this issue on my 16PM when I tried it last night. Can't say that it'll really affect me, but a bummer nonetheless on a $1400 device. If it ends up being hardware I'll just use AC+.

*Edit- I experience the issue but strangely the higher ISO (8000 vs 3200) doesn't exhibit the issue. Pics posted below, both are taken in night mode with exposure set to 30 sec. The first photo was taken in a dark room with phone sitting on a dark gray flat surface, ISO 3200 and exhibits the blue streaks and dots. The second photo was taken on a black mousepad with black jacket covering everything, ISO 8000 and is pitch black. If this is hardware related, shouldn't the issue appear at higher ISO?

IMG_0045.jpgIMG_0046.jpg
 
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Harthag said:
Also have this issue on my 16PM when I tried it last night. Can't say that it'll really affect me, but a bummer nonetheless on a $1400 device. If it ends up being hardware I'll just use AC+.

*Edit- I experience the issue but strangely the higher ISO (8000 vs 3200) doesn't exhibit the issue. Pics posted below, both are taken in night mode with exposure set to 30 sec. The first photo was taken in a dark room with phone sitting on a dark gray flat surface, ISO 3200 and exhibits the blue streaks and dots. The second photo was taken on a black mousepad with black jacket covering everything, ISO 8000 and is pitch black. If this is hardware related, shouldn't the issue appear at higher ISO?

View attachment 2438604View attachment 2438603
Click to expand...
Personally I don’t think that the same thing.

To me the first looks like there been a bit of light leakage. Even if it seems pitch black it sometimes isn’t!

When I tried it on my iPhone 14 Pro it does need to be really dark. On one of my tests it registered ISO 12500. And no blue issue, just black with the occasional hot pixel.

My iPhone 16 pro has now arrived. I’ll soon see what mine is like!

The acid test is to see if any blue lines/marks appear in an actual Night Mode image. Like some have had.
 
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PeteS1963 said:
Personally I don’t think that the same thing.

To me the first looks like there been a bit of light leakage. Even if it seems pitch black it sometimes isn’t!

When I tried it on my iPhone 14 Pro it does need to be really dark. On one of my tests it registered ISO 12500. And no blue issue, just black with the occasional hot pixel.

My iPhone 16 pro has now arrived. I’ll soon see what mine is like!

The acid test is to see if any blue lines/marks appear in an actual Night Mode image. Like some have had.
Click to expand...
So how is your 16P like? Did you get a chance to check?
 
PeteS1963 said:
August 2024
Click to expand...
Wonder if the ones made in August are better, my 16pm was made in July and it does have some small blue dots when I did the test. I also tried taking a photo in my bathroom where it was completely dark, only the light coming from the phones screen was there, then I took a photo with 30 sec and with the camera pointing out in the room, and it had like a blueish glow to it. Thats not how it was with my 15 or 14pm. I would like to have mine replaced but I fear if the new one I get will have the same problem.
 
Here's mine. I see three hot pixels, but other than that it's black so I guess I'm OK. 30 sec, ISO 10000. My 16 Pro was made in July, 2024.

IMG_3682.jpeg
 
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having the same issue with my 16 PM.
(attached below)

I have my old 14 pro max to hand and it's completely black, I also noticed my 14pro max has an ISO of 12500 but the 16 pro max only goes up to 5000 for me, face down and covered by pillows (completely darkness with no light bleed) is this an issue that I can't get any higher than 5000?
IMG_9298.jpeg
 
Its weird. Maybe Contact Apple?

Does anybody here have case open with Apple on this problem?
 
Hoolay88 said:
having the same issue with my 16 PM.
(attached below)

I have my old 14 pro max to hand and it's completely black, I also noticed my 14pro max has an ISO of 12500 but the 16 pro max only goes up to 5000 for me, face down and covered by pillows (completely darkness with no light bleed) is this an issue that I can't get any higher than 5000?
View attachment 2439334
Click to expand...
That ISO figure is odd, although might be missing something. I just tried it again on my 16p, in my house, but with a little late afternoon natural sunlight. Phone face down on a black kitchen worktop. Nothing physically over the phone. And I still got an ISO of 10000
 
iPhone 16 Pro. Face down on a piece of black fabric. 30 second Night Mode exposure.

Fusion Camera - 24mm f1.78
12 MP - 3024 x 4032 2.3MB
ISO 5000 24 mm. 2.8 ev

IMG_7917.jpeg

Same test with my wife's iPhone 16 Pro turned out a solid black picture.


IMG_4414.jpeg
 
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