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iPhone 12 Pro iPhone 12 Pro camera cannot focus up close
- Thread starter jin1212
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You guys need to stop comparing your iPhone 12 to your older phones because they have completely different camera systems with completely different lenses and it doesn’t matter if your old iPhones focused closer. The LiDAR sensor is the differenc, especially in lower light. There is nothing wrong with your iPhone 12. Stop whining.
You need to stop trolling. There are vids posted showing what people are talking about.
And I already posted 4 videos proving my point. Not to mention that dozens of pro photographers, as well as DXO, who's job it is to inspect and test every single aspect of a camera, mentioned nothing about this. Actually, the autofocus on the 12 Pro Max set an all time high for DXO scoring. If there were truly an issue with the autofocus, you can bet they would have found it.
The minimum focusing distance on the iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max are different than older iPhones because of the LiDAR sensor. The minimum focussing distance is 3 inches give or take. Don’t like it? Go return your iPhone 12, get an older iPhone and stop crying.
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So is it a phone issue or not? I’m not happy it doesn’t focus like the 11 did up close since I take some very close up pics of items for work. I just want to know if it’s a phone issue.
No one is saying it’s all iPhone 12 devices that are affected. Some people are having issues. I don’t know how that is so hard for you to understand. Just because *your* device doesn’t have the issue doesn’t mean others work fine.
Look thru the thread. I tested two different 12 Pro's at two different stores and now my Pro Max, with no issues. Not a single professional photographer/videographer has mentioned it in any review, nor has DXO, who's job it is to find those kinds of issues. There is no issue, its user error.
That’s like owners of AirPod pros complaining about an issue you saying it doesn’t exist because you checked three.
Not a single professional photographer/videographer has mentioned it in any review, nor has DXO, who's job it is to find those kinds of issues. Why? Because unlike a few randoms, they understand minimum focussing distance and how to use a camera properly. There is no issue, its user error.
Then these couple people with issues need to return their phones. They are making it sound like this is an issue with the 12 Pro camera. This is not an issue with the iPhone 12 camera system. If its not user error and they are outside the minimum focussing distance of about 3 inches, they have a defective phone. Return it.
Have you seen my video? Notice I mention that it’s not always reproducible but the issue is there and it’s significant.
Also keep in mind your testing happened in a store which has good lighting, but my test was done in low light which is when supossedly the LIDAR sensor is used.
Just to re-iterate, the focus issue doesn’t happen all the time, so it’s not easy to check whether you have it or not.
I have the 11 Pro Max and the 12 Pro Max side by side. I used the Halide app to focus manually with focus peaking to rule out any potential autofocus issues. The 12PM definitely cannot focus as close as the 11PM. See the attached pictures.
I suppose that the new lens array in company with the larger sensor doesn't allow to focus as close as the 11PM lens array which is a huge bummer for me. I think I will return the 12PM as I like doing closeups of plants, insects, etc. which was a pleasure with the 11PM. I had hopes of the 12PM even improving on this due to the new camera system. So the 12PM has to go back, as good as it is otherwise.
I suppose that the new lens array in company with the larger sensor doesn't allow to focus as close as the 11PM lens array which is a huge bummer for me. I think I will return the 12PM as I like doing closeups of plants, insects, etc. which was a pleasure with the 11PM. I had hopes of the 12PM even improving on this due to the new camera system. So the 12PM has to go back, as good as it is otherwise.
Attachments
Alternatively, if you want to get super close to a subject, you can always switch to your telephoto and zoom in. Even made a little video. No idea why some people are expecting their iPhone 12 to focus while they are on top of their subject just because their older one did, that's irrelevant to this camera system. Keep the subject 3 inches or more from your phone or use your telephoto and zoom in.
So DexBell, are you saying that the new lens set-up (which includes Lidar) means that the iPhone 12 Pro can't focus on something when closer than 3"? If this is the case then it would seem to me that there will never be a hardware or software 'fix', because it's just the way that the physics of this new lens system works.
Or... are you saying to the people on this thread who can't focus their iPhone 12 Pro on something closer than 3", that their phones might be faulty? (in which case things CAN be fixed, by returning their phone for a new one, that focuses properly).
I'm getting mixed messages.
Or... are you saying to the people on this thread who can't focus their iPhone 12 Pro on something closer than 3", that their phones might be faulty? (in which case things CAN be fixed, by returning their phone for a new one, that focuses properly).
I'm getting mixed messages.
The first part is right. Its the lens in combination with the LiDAR sensor in lower light. Every lens is like this and you cant focus super close with ANY lens, unless its a macro lens that's designed for it. It seems to be right about 3 inches for minimum focus distance. I have no idea why someone would need to put their iPhone an inch or two from the subject anyhow. If you need to get that close, you can always switch to the telephoto and zoom in.
Okay, I get it. It's physics; lenses are limited. But I also understand why some people have been surprised, and disappointed by this news about the iPhone 12 Pro. Previous iPhones could get tighter close-ups (which you want to get if you're taking photos of insects or flowers or whatnot), and for the latest/greatest iPhone to be not as good at these shots without switching to the telephoto lens (which, to me anyway, seems a little counterintuitive—isn't a telephoto lens meant to be for taking photos of things that are far away?) is, well, a bit of a disappointment.
I know you say it's just a fact of the lens set-up in the Pro (that includes the Lidar sensor), but isn't Apple smart enough to tweak the software, so that the Lidar can be ignored if the subject is less than 3" away?
Why do you need to put your iPhone on top of your subject? How close do you need to get to take a photo? an inch away? lol Telephoto lenses are meant to bring your subject close and used for zooming to get close to subjects.
The problem is that the physical telephoto lens has limited close-up capabilities only. It can only focus close to about 25 cm (10 inches). Try any closer than that and the phone switches to the main (wide angle) lens and digitally blows up the center of the frame. You can verify this by covering the telephoto lens with your finger while being zoomed in in close up situations. You will see that the viewfinder continues to show a picture anyway. So the fact is that the 12 Pro Max cannot focus as close as the 11 Pro Max with the main lens. The telephoto lens is of no use for close-ups anyway and the ultra-wide-angle is fixed focus and anything closer than 25 cm is blurry. Conclusion: The 12PM has worse macro capabilities than the 11PM. If you have no problem with this: Great. The 12 PM is a terrific phone otherwise and is slightly better than the 11 in most areas.
