iPhone 6+ Camera "just black screen" advice welcomed please

[Rmonster]

Hi All

In October last year I purchased my daughter a 2nd hand 128GB 6+ in excellent condition and, until now, the phone has worked flawlessly.

In the last few days she has reported that the native camera and other apps that use the camera (primarily snapchat) are just showing a black preview screen and are not taking photos.

I have tried to search for solutions and have so far established the following:-

- Closing all apps and rebooting phone does not solve

- Forced re-set does not solve fully - front camera worked, but not rear

- Checked for ios update - phone running 10.2.1

- Checked appstore for snapchat update - last updated 17/3/17

- Neither front nor back facing camera worked in native camera app - after forced re-set both front and back facing cameras worked when she facetimed her sister. Not sure if facetime cameras were working before the re-set as didn't think to test


The fact the both cameras worked in facetime and one in snapchat suggests to me (maybe in blissful naivety) that it shouldn't be a hardware fault (I suspected logic board fault) but a software issue.

She has an inset day at school on Friday so we will be going to Lakeside, Thurrock (UK) Apple Store on Friday afternoon for a diagnostics check but I wondered if anyone here had any ideas as to potential issues causing this problem?

Many thanks,
Rich
[doublepost=1490043004][/doublepost]Sorry - just to clarify that the native camera app does not currently work in either front or rear facing mode

 

[Rmonster]

Sorry - I think I posted this in the wrong forum and should have posted in the iPhone "help" forum.

However, the fault has been resolved so updating in case it helps anyone else.

The phone passed a hardware diagnostics test which left the apple genius perplexed and he advised that the hardware diagnostic might not pick up all issues and gave us a quote to replace the both cameras which would also mean a new screen and I knew that the cost would not be viable relative to the value of the phone itself.

I suggested that I had read that similar issues had been caused by corrupt software or files. He agreed that this was a possibility and suggested an "erase all contents and settings" reset. The phone is backed up to iCloud so we agreed and proceeded.

This exercise resulted in the "selfie" camera working in the native camera app but the main camera still just resulted in showing a black screen and the phone seemed a little laggy (as it had done so before the reset but which I forgot to mention in the original post).

The genius was friendly enough and offered a possible trade in on the phone and a few options but when I said that I would have to give my options some thought he rushed off within a few seconds. He wasn't rude but as soon as he realised that I was going to take time to consider my options he couldn't have disappeared quicker.

Because the selfie camera issue was resolved, it just struck my mind that there was still a chance that the issue was software related, given that the diagnostics check had shown the all clear.

When we got home, I reset the phone again with the "erase all contents and settings" option and this time, when the phone re-booted, during the set up process I selected the option to restore the phone from iCloud.

After waiting the hour or so necessary, both cameras are currently working perfectly and there is no lag when using the camera app. I'll keep my fingers crossed that this is a permanent fix.

I'm a bit disappointed that we were given quotes to replace both cameras including screen without the matter being further considered in light of the phone passing all areas of the hardware diagnostics check and the fact that the initial reset fixed the selfie camera.

On the other hand, I am feeling somewhat satisfied that we appear to have fixed the phone ourselves at no cost.

 

[blairian89]

Well, I am glad that you were able to get everything functioning again.

If this problem occurs again in the future I would recommend doing a full restore in iTunes with a freshly downloaded copy of the current iOS for your device. Erase all content and settings works for a lot of things, but if there is something corrupted in the base iOS files that are loaded to your device I do not know if that would take care of those issues by itself.

 

[Rmonster]

Well, I am glad that you were able to get everything functioning again.

If this problem occurs again in the future I would recommend doing a full restore in iTunes with a freshly downloaded copy of the current iOS for your device. Erase all content and settings works for a lot of things, but if there is something corrupted in the base iOS files that are loaded to your device I do not know if that would take care of those issues by itself.

My sincere thanks for that tip. Disappointing that the Apple Store couldn't have given it more thought before recommending hardware repairs.

Enjoy your REDS

 

[blairian89]

My sincere thanks for that tip. Disappointing that the Apple Store couldn't have given it more thought before recommending hardware repairs.

Enjoy your REDS

No worries. I think and hope that if you have any issues in the future that will solve them for you.

Apple's days of having true Geniuses behind the bar has kind of gone - most of the guys there are decently capable - by and large they are just technicians who get paid to replace parts. Kind of like having a true car mechanic vs. a dealership technician.