Yes, the 2018 MacBook Air's FaceTime HD Camera is Awful

[thobie]

I'll just leave this here...


Video comparison of Apple MacBook Air 2018 vs. Microsoft Surface Laptop 2

Linus Tech Tips - MacBook Air 2018 – A PC Guy's Perspective
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfrQ1_X6gS4&feature=youtu.be&t=400

(The quality difference is much more apparent in the video than in still images)

 

[341328]

No web cam could help Dan. Actually VGA might work better than HD. Hahahaha. Deleted post for sure. Comeon MR, take a joke.

 

[latweek]

Just awful. The comments were so much better here in 2015.

 

[cocoua]

apple wants a screen thin as paper, so they are that close to delete the webcam, but you could buy the new bluetooth iSigth for just 149USD

 

[MarkyR]

Agree with the comments. Rather than throw the Macbook on the skip - I purchased iGlasses - a really useful app that has really improved my webcam experience.

You can trial it for free at: https://www.ecamm.com/mac/iglasses/

 

[spitcoff]

Awful may be a bit strong here it does not look that bad to me

 

[selfmachine]

Why are there so few bicycle lanes in most cities? Because politicians don't ride bicycles.

Why are Macs design snobbery and underspec'ed? Because Apple's board of directors loves money more than technology.

Ockham's razor: always choose the simplest of all valid explanations.

 

[Zdigital2015]

Hmm I see your point but is that really happening a lot?

As health insurers try to reduce costs and doctors offices try to accommodate more patients, telemedicine and virtual Doctor visits are becoming more and more common.

 

[dan110]

Not true these days....

I'm going to play this video on a continuous loop the day Tim Cook is fired.

 

[Gogeta-Blue]

here is the deal, is actually very simple
steve goal was to build the best computers, devices and get pay for it

Tim goal is to make money by not giving the best that they can posibly can

apple lower the quality of the product by using cheaper parts and components in order to maxime the profit

tim thought that macs users are not going to noticed the diference
all those 2013 models will be gone and recycle by now

ehhhh wrong tim

is just laughable that older devices are better than the new ones

Tim if you are going to do the BS strategy at least lower the prices

apple no longer wants to make the best devices, the new apple simply wants to make money by selling yunk

that is the diference

 

[gorbag42]

If you're going to compare A and B, and then say B as worse, please be more quantitative.

1) set up EXACTLY the same shot on A and B. Use a jig if needed. Measure your lighting, too (preferably use a room without windows so time of day does not matter.

2) use a target that is typical for such comparisons, e.g. with contrast, resolution, tonal range, etc.

3) determine that the configuration is the same for both, not just that you are using the same app on different machines. Is the driver the same? Are the parameters the same? (Is this an app issue, a driver issue, or really a hardware issue? Use a scope if needed.

4) MEASURE the differences. What is the frequency response? What is the dynamic range? What is the color gamut?

This post and thread is a diary entry, not a serious comparison.

 

[dewski]

I don't think I have ever used a webcam on a computer besides testing it to see if it works.

 

[Col4bin]

Honestly, this is quite subjective and trivial.

 

[femike]

Using old cheap parts is what Apple does now. They no longer make the best products they can.
Even the 're-engineered in no small way' mac mini update has got a pathetic Intel GPU in addition with the exact same case fro the last 7 years. Apple calling it 're-engineered in no small way' means the total opposite.

 

[wigby]

Idk highly doubt that for the pro devices. But never seen a survey like what would you rather want:
a) Even thinner Computer but we will make cameras worse, keyboards hardly working, take away MagSafe and solder your ssd, ram, take away all ports and have battery life decreasing, nevermind the Overheating under heavy workload

b) keep same dimensions but have improved camera (we all know it’s possible not like technology went backward in this field), modular design, working keyboards, have a few ports and card reader, and maybe even increased battery life and improved heat management????


Dam someone really should do that survey
[doublepost=1546551913][/doublepost]

Well if usage is low, might as welll be because they suck so much?

Well when you word a survey like that, you already know the results. The clamshell design of Apple (and everyone else's) laptops do not allow for a much better FaceTime camera than the one in there. I think ti could be upgraded to 1080p across the line but there are limitations which is why no one makes a good laptop camera to my knowledge.

As far as usage? I think it's much more likely that users have little use for it in the first place or don't want to deal with complications. Have you tried Skype recently - it breaks and then updates constantly. I have half a dozen family members with modern Apple laptops. None of them have ever Facetimed me with those because they just use their phones instead. I don't think some of them even realize they can FaceTime using a MacBook.

 

[mwinterr]

Well when you word a survey like that, you already know the results. The clamshell design of Apple (and everyone else's) laptops do not allow for a much better FaceTime camera than the one in there. I think ti could be upgraded to 1080p across the line but there are limitations which is why no one makes a good laptop camera to my knowledge.

2018 Macbook Air owners are NOT angry because they don't have a 1080p camera in their laptop. They are pissed because the still frame and video output of the Facetime camera is clearly and quite noticeably grainier and overall inferior to Facetime cameras on previous generations of Macbook Airs.

I'm not mad that the front facing camera on my iPhone and iPad are better than that on the 2018 Macbook Air. I'm pissed that I dropped $1,800 on a product who's camera is noticeably worse than the 2011 variant I'm replacing.

That said, thanks to Macrumors for finally shedding some light on this issue. I still have hope that the issue can be fixed in a software update, and that with more media exposure, Apple will finally address it one way or another.

 

[rgetter]

Since the launch of the 2018 MacBook Air, we here at MacRumors have heard multiple complaints from MacRumors readers about the quality of the FaceTime HD camera housed in the device.

There have been multiple threads on the MacRumors forums and the Apple Support Communities complaining about the graininess of the camera so we decided to investigate to see if it's worse than recent MacBook Pro models or the older MacBook Air.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.​

Many of the complaints that we saw suggested the camera was poor quality without offering direct comparisons, or with comparisons to FaceTime cameras like those in the iPhone, which are wildly better than the 720p "FaceTime HD" camera Apple uses in the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro lines.

In a direct comparison, photos taken from Photo Booth on a 2018 MacBook Air and a modern 15-inch Touch Bar MacBook Pro are almost identical, and both are pretty terrible. The MacBook Air photos are a bit darker, which can be interpreted as "worse," but all in all, both cameras are bad.

When comparing the new MacBook Air and the older 2015 MacBook Air, however, we found a more noticeable difference in quality. The FaceTime HD camera in the 2015 MacBook Air is a bit clearer and brighter, with the 2018 MacBook Air's camera letting in less light and producing an overall grainier, less clear result.

Even though we can clearly see a difference between the 2015 and the 2018 MacBook Air FaceTime HD cameras, it's not a huge gap. Both cameras are subpar, and that the FaceTime HD camera on the MacBook Air appears to have gotten worse over time rather than better is certainly disappointing.

On a modern machine with a Retina display, a 720p FaceTime HD camera just doesn't hold up, especially in comparison to devices like the iPhone XS, iPhone XR, and iPad Pro, which have much higher resolution cameras. FaceTime is limited to 720p on all devices, but the FaceTime HD camera does serve other purposes as well.

2018 MacBook Air owners are disappointed, and honestly, MacBook Pro owners should be too. 720p looks awful and it is outdated technology. Apple implemented a better 1080p FaceTime HD camera in the iMac Pro, and the quality is much better.

Hopefully future Mac notebook updates will feature higher-quality webcams as video quality has become an increasingly important feature that consumers look for when making a purchase.

Many of the complaint threads that suggested the MacBook Air camera is worse than other machines did not include comparison images, so we're still working with just a few data points here. If you have a MacBook Air and another machine, please feel free to post comparison images in the thread below so we can further investigate this issue.

Article Link: Yes, the 2018 MacBook Air's FaceTime HD Camera is Awful

[doublepost=1546619830][/doublepost]The two main issues I see can probably be fixed in software. On the 2018 MBA, the backlight compensation appears to be a couple of f-stops weaker (darker) and the white balance is shifted way towards the red (look at the "gray" sweatshirt). Detail/sharpness seem to be nearly identical meaning that there may be the same sensor in the old and new models. And one more thing... 720 is standard definition (SD), 1080 is HD. Those are worldwide standards--even in Cupertino.

 

[travelsheep]

Even my iPod 5th gen 2011 had better quality for facetime. Just put a permanent sticker over the MacBook webcam and forget about it.

 

[wigby]

2018 Macbook Air owners are NOT angry because they don't have a 1080p camera in their laptop. They are pissed because the still frame and video output of the Facetime camera is clearly and quite noticeably grainier and overall inferior to Facetime cameras on previous generations of Macbook Airs.

I'm not mad that the front facing camera on my iPhone and iPad are better than that on the 2018 Macbook Air. I'm pissed that I dropped $1,800 on a product who's camera is noticeably worse than the 2011 variant I'm replacing.

That said, thanks to Macrumors for finally shedding some light on this issue. I still have hope that the issue can be fixed in a software update, and that with more media exposure, Apple will finally address it one way or another.

I half agree with you. Customers want better FaceTime camera quality from their MacBooks but they're not comparing them to previous MacBook models. They're comparing them to their iPhones.
[doublepost=1546620508][/doublepost]

Thank you for your comment.
However there is one significant flaw in your argument.
People claim that in same space/hardware on older models of Mac one had better resolution.

MacRumors is claiming that. I don't believe customers are making laptop purchasing decisions based on the FaceTime camera quality. People are looking at FaceTime on their iPhones and comparing it to FaceTime on their laptops costing 3x more and getting upset. There is a difference but Apple should definitely improve the laptop camera along with other laptop specs.

 

[ka-spot]

it's not the macbook's cam, dude!

 

[gavroche]

i understand, is true there are some people like that but i am reasonable

but there are also some others that just try to defend apple even when apple is wrong

i am neutral if they do something good
i’m the first one to clap and congratulate them but if they do something wrong
i can’t say that is perfectly fine

in this case how is possible that an older camera looks better than a newer camera
when technology should move foward not backwards

apple simply downgraded the quality of the components to make more money

regards

Well, I actually agree with you... In earlier comments in this thread I said that it seems that Apple doesn't give a rats arse about laptops, and that I recently bought a Surface Pro (tired of Apples over priced products... bad value for what you get... in particular laptops and iPads). I by no means am a defend Apple at all costs pwrson.. I only meant to point out that there are some on here only seemingly wanting to bash Apple and nothing else.

 

[MrJeffreyGee]

Ok, but how does it compare with the 2003 Apple iSight camera?

 

[selfmachine]

Ok, but how does it compare with the 2003 Apple iSight camera?

And how does it compare to sticks and stones?

 

[bigyenta]

Since the launch of the 2018 MacBook Air, we here at MacRumors have heard multiple complaints from MacRumors readers about the quality of the FaceTime HD camera housed in the device.

There have been multiple threads on the MacRumors forums and the Apple Support Communities complaining about the graininess of the camera so we decided to investigate to see if it's worse than recent MacBook Pro models or the older MacBook Air.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.​

Many of the complaints that we saw suggested the camera was poor quality without offering direct comparisons, or with comparisons to FaceTime cameras like those in the iPhone, which are wildly better than the 720p "FaceTime HD" camera Apple uses in the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro lines.

In a direct comparison, photos taken from Photo Booth on a 2018 MacBook Air and a modern 15-inch Touch Bar MacBook Pro are almost identical, and both are pretty terrible. The MacBook Air photos are a bit darker, which can be interpreted as "worse," but all in all, both cameras are bad.

When comparing the new MacBook Air and the older 2015 MacBook Air, however, we found a more noticeable difference in quality. The FaceTime HD camera in the 2015 MacBook Air is a bit clearer and brighter, with the 2018 MacBook Air's camera letting in less light and producing an overall grainier, less clear result.

Even though we can clearly see a difference between the 2015 and the 2018 MacBook Air FaceTime HD cameras, it's not a huge gap. Both cameras are subpar, and that the FaceTime HD camera on the MacBook Air appears to have gotten worse over time rather than better is certainly disappointing.

On a modern machine with a Retina display, a 720p FaceTime HD camera just doesn't hold up, especially in comparison to devices like the iPhone XS, iPhone XR, and iPad Pro, which have much higher resolution cameras. FaceTime is limited to 720p on all devices, but the FaceTime HD camera does serve other purposes as well.

2018 MacBook Air owners are disappointed, and honestly, MacBook Pro owners should be too. 720p looks awful and it is outdated technology. Apple implemented a better 1080p FaceTime HD camera in the iMac Pro, and the quality is much better.

Hopefully future Mac notebook updates will feature higher-quality webcams as video quality has become an increasingly important feature that consumers look for when making a purchase.

Many of the complaint threads that suggested the MacBook Air camera is worse than other machines did not include comparison images, so we're still working with just a few data points here. If you have a MacBook Air and another machine, please feel free to post comparison images in the thread below so we can further investigate this issue.

Article Link: Yes, the 2018 MacBook Air's FaceTime HD Camera is Awful

[doublepost=1546635474][/doublepost]

Since the launch of the 2018 MacBook Air, we here at MacRumors have heard multiple complaints from MacRumors readers about the quality of the FaceTime HD camera housed in the device.

There have been multiple threads on the MacRumors forums and the Apple Support Communities complaining about the graininess of the camera so we decided to investigate to see if it's worse than recent MacBook Pro models or the older MacBook Air.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.​

Many of the complaints that we saw suggested the camera was poor quality without offering direct comparisons, or with comparisons to FaceTime cameras like those in the iPhone, which are wildly better than the 720p "FaceTime HD" camera Apple uses in the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro lines.

In a direct comparison, photos taken from Photo Booth on a 2018 MacBook Air and a modern 15-inch Touch Bar MacBook Pro are almost identical, and both are pretty terrible. The MacBook Air photos are a bit darker, which can be interpreted as "worse," but all in all, both cameras are bad.

When comparing the new MacBook Air and the older 2015 MacBook Air, however, we found a more noticeable difference in quality. The FaceTime HD camera in the 2015 MacBook Air is a bit clearer and brighter, with the 2018 MacBook Air's camera letting in less light and producing an overall grainier, less clear result.

Even though we can clearly see a difference between the 2015 and the 2018 MacBook Air FaceTime HD cameras, it's not a huge gap. Both cameras are subpar, and that the FaceTime HD camera on the MacBook Air appears to have gotten worse over time rather than better is certainly disappointing.

On a modern machine with a Retina display, a 720p FaceTime HD camera just doesn't hold up, especially in comparison to devices like the iPhone XS, iPhone XR, and iPad Pro, which have much higher resolution cameras. FaceTime is limited to 720p on all devices, but the FaceTime HD camera does serve other purposes as well.

2018 MacBook Air owners are disappointed, and honestly, MacBook Pro owners should be too. 720p looks awful and it is outdated technology. Apple implemented a better 1080p FaceTime HD camera in the iMac Pro, and the quality is much better.

Hopefully future Mac notebook updates will feature higher-quality webcams as video quality has become an increasingly important feature that consumers look for when making a purchase.

Many of the complaint threads that suggested the MacBook Air camera is worse than other machines did not include comparison images, so we're still working with just a few data points here. If you have a MacBook Air and another machine, please feel free to post comparison images in the thread below so we can further investigate this issue.

Article Link: Yes, the 2018 MacBook Air's FaceTime HD Camera is Awful

[doublepost=1546637563][/doublepost]The back lighting is creating a misleading result, causing the main image to darken and appear more grainy. AND you're trying to make comparisons with a couple different backgrounds and that is simply not providing a consistent result that can be used for comparison. Is this done on purpose to emphasize a predetermined outcome or is this simply an innocent oversight? Please RE-TAKE ALL the photos with ALL THE SAME BACKGROUND and NO back lighting interference to make this comparison truly credible.

That being said, the camera in a $1000 Plus computer should be of a higher quality without doubt. Until Apple starts offering really innovative products like they used to, I think that they have a lot of nerve charging more each year for refreshed versions at yesterday's standards.

Example of complaints:
- Small Hard Drive Space on all mobile units, laptops, iMacs, iPhones etc.
- Most Hard Drives and Memory are soldered onto the motherboards & not user upgradable
- Upgrade costs for even the most minor improvement is available via Apple only at astronomically high prices
- No SD card in iPhones
- No User replaceable Batteries in the iPhone

Apple is charging too much for their products and that may ultimately be the companies downfall. Electronics costs should be going DOWN each year not up.

 

[dogslobber]

OK it's a flawed camera but this guy has been given too much oxygen.