Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
So the camera is flawed? [purple halo/haze] [merged]
- Thread starter CharlieBrandt09
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
It's not a defect, every camera suffers this to some extent. It is easily avoided, just pay attention to the screen when you are composing the picture, the purple shows in the live preview. Move the camera slightly so the light angle changes and it disappears.
It is a defect. $10 disposable cameras do not have this issue. That said it's not a big deal. Phone cameras have too many limitations to take them too serious anyways.
After reading this thread I'm curious as to why when taking the same exact picture of something, the 5 has the purple haze issue while my 4S doesn't. Granted, I am trying to replicate the purple haze issue when taking a photo but I was doing so to see if I could replicate it on my 4S. Don't really think the issue will affect my everyday use of the camera and isn't a dealbreaker imo but again just curious why people are saying this is normal behavior yet I can't replicate it on my 4S when taking the exact same shot?
Actually yeah they do. ANY camera with multiple pieces of glass in the lens assembly can exhibit this.
Why do I have to use Lightroom/post-process pictures that should have come out fine?
Show me a single camera that doesn't suffer from lens flare....
While the purple fringing is worse on the iPhone 5, saying it should "come out fine" is pretty much impossible. But then again, I see pictures in 2 ways, pictures I don't care enough to process and therefore don't care about the purple fringing or pictures I care about enough to process.
----------
Hush up and go vandalize an AT&T store somewhere.
----------
LOL...Prince holds a very deep place in my heart/past. The song Darling Nikki in particular.
You might want to look at these comparisons first:
http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/26/lumia-920-low-light-shootout/
http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/25/iphone-5-lumia-920-image-stabilization-face-off/
The Lumia 920 is the best of all in terms of cameras, but the iPhone 5 quite handily beats the Galaxy S3.
----------
There are some differences between the 4S and 5 cameras. The 5 is thinner, which in itself makes it more difficult to take good pictures. Apple was able to improve low light response, but they obviously still can't repeal the laws of physics. In some situations the 4S will have a better camera. In other situations, the 5 will have a better camera.
Give credit where the credit is due. It's not Apple, it's Sony that improved sensor sensitivity. And then Apple screwed up the lens (while trying to make the thinnest phone in the World).
Actually many cameras have this problem. Is the main reason why many photographers run around with lens hoods when shooting in bright light, or in areas with multiple light sources. Looks like a good time for case manufacturers to make cases with a built in lens hood.
Now I see what they call the "reality distortion field". Hoods are useful but they are used for different purposes. Here is a picture that explains it all:
Link to original article.
In the end, The only distortion I am seeing is extreme glare on all 3 images, and flare on the Nikon image. I am well aware a problem exists, and am well versed in what lens hoods have contributed to my photography work.
Besides killing flare, hoods also help reduce the light that enters the edge of the lens glass (or in this case sapphire). When light enters a lens like this, it essentially illuminates that element from the camera sensor's point of view (causing glare) . Why the 5 exhibits purple glare (as opposed to white) at times is beyond me, I can only guess it has to do with the sapphire element becoming edge lit, and filtering out all colors excluding violet before bouncing into the sensor.
I have run into the purple glare a few times when testing my iPhone 5 camera in bright sunlight. I have yet to point it at the sun like that, however when my light source was near the edge of my shot, or directly above, the simple act of cupping my hand around the phone killed the glare in most cases.
My iPhone 4 has had it's fair share of images with glare ( I honestly didn't mean to make that sound like a poem) in them too. I have always thought Apple made a mistake using a highly reflective and shallow metal ring around their outer lens element on these phones.
Hopefully the next iPhone has a camera with optical zoom, and the ability to attach external filters and hoods
.
iPhone 5 users report 'purple halo' camera glitch ?
iPhone 5 (left) vs iPhone 4S (Image credit: Mashable)
Following days of reports centred around misfiring Maps, scratched aluminium and leaking light, the iPhone 5's iSight camera is apparently next in line for a roasting.
Users on the AnandTech forums are reporting that a purple halo, haze or flare is appearing on photos taken with the 8-megapixel snapper, when a bright light source (natural or unnatural) is just out of shot.
According to multiple user submissions, the unwanted tint appears on screen when taking the shot, as well as on the subsequent photo itself.
Not all iPhone 5 owners are experiencing the problem, while one user posted a video showing evidence of the issue when recording video as well as stills.
Sapphire to blame?
One view is that the issue is caused by the new sapphire crystal lens cover.
However, CultOfMac points out that sapphire comes in a range of colours and thus the problem might be a result of light refracting through only the purple coloured lens covers.
Mashable also examined the claims with its own tests, including the photo that accompanies this story, which seems to confirm beyond reasonable doubt that the problem does indeed exist.
However, in certain circumstances it found the purple haze to be more evident in photos taken on the iPhone 4S than on the iPhone 5, so this may be a pre-existing issue.
Apple is well aware of the problem, according to one forum user who called the company's tech support team. That individual was allegedly told that the issue was widespread and under investigation.
TechRadar has reached out to Apple and will update this story should a response be forthcoming.
Ups and downs
Amid a litany of complaints that the aluminium coating can be chipped, scuffed and scratched too easily, Apple has also had to deal with accusations that the iPhone 5 leaks light from the top of the device.
Add those alleged hardware flaws to the continued furore surrounding the Maps app, and one could be forgiven for thinking that a black cloud hangs over the launch of Apple's sixth-generation smartphone.
Naturally, however, it's the most successful iPhone launch in the company's history with 5 million handsets sold during the first weekend. Go figure.
http://www.techradar.com/news/phone...sers-report-purple-halo-camera-glitch-1100101
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2272535
http://mashable.com/2012/09/26/iphone-5-purple-haze/
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57520702-37/iphone-5-camera-users-reporting-purple-halo-on-certain-photos/
iPhone 5 (left) vs iPhone 4S (Image credit: Mashable)
Following days of reports centred around misfiring Maps, scratched aluminium and leaking light, the iPhone 5's iSight camera is apparently next in line for a roasting.
Users on the AnandTech forums are reporting that a purple halo, haze or flare is appearing on photos taken with the 8-megapixel snapper, when a bright light source (natural or unnatural) is just out of shot.
According to multiple user submissions, the unwanted tint appears on screen when taking the shot, as well as on the subsequent photo itself.
Not all iPhone 5 owners are experiencing the problem, while one user posted a video showing evidence of the issue when recording video as well as stills.
Sapphire to blame?
One view is that the issue is caused by the new sapphire crystal lens cover.
However, CultOfMac points out that sapphire comes in a range of colours and thus the problem might be a result of light refracting through only the purple coloured lens covers.
Mashable also examined the claims with its own tests, including the photo that accompanies this story, which seems to confirm beyond reasonable doubt that the problem does indeed exist.
However, in certain circumstances it found the purple haze to be more evident in photos taken on the iPhone 4S than on the iPhone 5, so this may be a pre-existing issue.
Apple is well aware of the problem, according to one forum user who called the company's tech support team. That individual was allegedly told that the issue was widespread and under investigation.
TechRadar has reached out to Apple and will update this story should a response be forthcoming.
Ups and downs
Amid a litany of complaints that the aluminium coating can be chipped, scuffed and scratched too easily, Apple has also had to deal with accusations that the iPhone 5 leaks light from the top of the device.
Add those alleged hardware flaws to the continued furore surrounding the Maps app, and one could be forgiven for thinking that a black cloud hangs over the launch of Apple's sixth-generation smartphone.
Naturally, however, it's the most successful iPhone launch in the company's history with 5 million handsets sold during the first weekend. Go figure.
http://www.techradar.com/news/phone...sers-report-purple-halo-camera-glitch-1100101
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2272535
http://mashable.com/2012/09/26/iphone-5-purple-haze/
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57520702-37/iphone-5-camera-users-reporting-purple-halo-on-certain-photos/
Last edited:
I did not read the whole thread, but I just tested on my phone to see what you guys are talking about.
Clearly you get a purpleish hue from taking a picture if too close to a light source.
I do not really see an issue with this. Just pull your shot down from the light a little and problem solved with getting light feedback.
Clearly you get a purpleish hue from taking a picture if too close to a light source.
I do not really see an issue with this. Just pull your shot down from the light a little and problem solved with getting light feedback.
So which picture is more acceptable to your, the one with the purple haze or the one with the white Haze. Would you show off your phone camera with these pics or delete them and reshoot at an angle where the sun is not on the edge? Common Sense
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-5...sers-reporting-purple-halo-on-certain-photos/
Below mentioned in article .....
"One user contacted Apple support and was reportedly told that this is a widespread issue, which the company is currently researching. Another person who spoke with Apple support was reportedly told that there have been a lot of calls about this problem."
Below mentioned in article .....
"One user contacted Apple support and was reportedly told that this is a widespread issue, which the company is currently researching. Another person who spoke with Apple support was reportedly told that there have been a lot of calls about this problem."
One "fix" might be a software update that edits out purple, but that could have side effects. The purple glare effect is more noticeable than on the 4S, but any camera, particularly a phone camera, results in compromises so if they resolve this, don't be surprised if something else comes up.
I'm trying like hell to recreate the issue, but no luck. I'm even pointing right into light sources. Did I just get a good copy or something?? I know many problems are overblown on Internet threads because only the ones with issues report on it, but they're making this sound like its an issue with every phone by the way the camera was designed.
Customer: Hello
Apple Support: How may I assist you today
Customer: I think the iPhone 5 Camera is faulty, its showing a purple haze in shots where the light source is on the edge of the shot
Apple Support: Yes we have been getting a lot of calls about it.
Customer: Is this a widespread issue? is there a flaw in the camera?
Apple Support: Do you want the haze to be white?
Customer: I don't understand
Apple Support: Do you want the haze to be white instead of purple like all other phones?
........disconnected
Apple Support: How may I assist you today
Customer: I think the iPhone 5 Camera is faulty, its showing a purple haze in shots where the light source is on the edge of the shot
Apple Support: Yes we have been getting a lot of calls about it.
Customer: Is this a widespread issue? is there a flaw in the camera?
Apple Support: Do you want the haze to be white?
Customer: I don't understand
Apple Support: Do you want the haze to be white instead of purple like all other phones?
........disconnected
This issue seems to be possible to fix or at least minimize with a software update. The reason I say this is that it seems to only appear if you initially point the photo at the light source and then move it off screen. Just pointing it at the light source does not produce the purple flare.