Apple explains purple flare issue affecting camera on iPhone 5 and other ph

By (Spork)
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Grand Master

(Spork)

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The purple flare phenomenon you're seeing in certain photos taken with the iPhone 5 is perfectly normal, according to Apple, and it's an issue that affects the cameras found in nearly all smartphones. The company today posted a support article seeking to eliminate concerns that the problem is inherent to its latest handset, explaining that the purplish light can in fact be replicated with every prior iPhone model.

Apple says the issue arises when users take pictures with a light source that's just outside the frame. This light "causes a reflection off the surfaces inside the camera module and onto the camera sensor" that results in an unwelcome flare or haze. Apple's suggestion is to simply recompose your shot slightly until the issue disappears or shield the camera with your hand to minimize any flaring.

Immediately after the iPhone 5 launched, users were quick to voice concerns over the device's susceptibility to scratches, scuffs, and other hardware blemishes ? some even arrived with physical flaws out of the box. Apple's response to the purple haze "controversy" is likely an attempt to head off further doubts about its new flagship hardware. In this case, though, the company's explanation checks out with photo experts. For example, in their quick review of the iPhone 5's camera, the folks at Digital Photography Review told buyers "not to worry" about the issue and to merely avoid composing shots with bright lights at the edge of your frame.

http://www.theverge.com/2012/10/7/3468538/apple-explains-purple-flare-iphone-5-camera

funny NONE of my phones have had this purple flare problem

Grand Master

+jamesyfx Subscriber²

Posted
  • Subscriber²
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You can quite easily get a purple flare effect by taking a really badly shot photo. I demonstrated it in the comments on the Neowin news article a few days back.

Here's the photo I took. On a Galaxy Nexus.

http://localhostr.com/file/930/DxUyk0rapWUp/IMG_20121003_101616.jpg

Grand Master

Hardcore Til I Die

Posted
Posted

You would get a light flare which would kinda ruin the photo with any camera, just not a purple one. Not sure why it really matters what colour the flare is! Take better pictures.

This one actually IS user error.

  • Matthew S., Glassed Silver, +jamesyfx and 1 other
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Grand Master

.Neo

Posted
Posted

pretty much apples view is people are using the camera wrong

No, the company explains what happens and how you can avoid it. That said, if for whatever reason you feel unhappy about the purchase you made nothing is preventing anyone from simply returning the product. I understand however this level of rational thinking can't be expected, so let's just be completely irrational about it instead.

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Grand Master

Detection

Posted
Posted

done at the right angle, all cameras do... sorry bud

Do you own an iPhone by any chance ?

I`m not saying I couldn't create the same effect as +jamesyfx but I've have never had that happen with any photo I've taken with my phone yet

  • javagreen and NotChetHanks
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Grand Master

Fourjays Veteran

Posted
  • Veteran
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I`m not saying I couldn't create the same effect as +jamesyfx but I've have never had that happen with any photo I've taken with my phone yet

All cameras can do it at the right (or should that be wrong?) angle. This is what lens hoods prevent on DSLRs.

However, my understanding is that the angle at which it occurs or the "range" of angles could differ from camera to camera. I know I had lots of flare issues with a LG feature phone camera, but my Canon 600D has had no issues so far when used without a lens hood. Someone with more experience than me may be able to clarify this.

Grand Master

Detection

Posted
Posted

All cameras can do it at the right (or should that be wrong?) angle. This is what lens hoods prevent on DSLRs.

However, my understanding is that the angle at which it occurs or the "range" of angles could differ from camera to camera. I know I had lots of flare issues with a LG feature phone camera, but my Canon 600D has had no issues so far when used without a lens hood. Someone with more experience than me may be able to clarify this.

I probably just use my hand to block the sun thinking about it

Veteran

moloko

Posted
Posted

any point and shoot can do this. I can dupe this on my Nikon 8100 and 8200 plus my original Droid. some lens have more flare up than others though. So while it can be in any phone it seems to be much worse in the Iphone 5 because of the type of lens they used.

Grand Master

Hardcore Til I Die

Posted
Posted

Seems to me that that is literally the issue here. As soon as Apple is concerned though, all common sense goes out the window.

Yep, apparently people think you can just take photos of the sun almost directly and it won't affect the photo in the slightest, even though it will affect a camera sensor in a similar way to what it would an eye.

Grand Master

Detection

Posted
Posted

It's dark here now, but I`m gonna take a few photos with my phone tomorrow and purposely try to get a purple lens flare

Pretty sure I have taken photos directly at the sun to see how they turned out and not ended up with a purple anything on them, just dark with a bright spot where the sun is, but I`ll have a go tomorrow

Grand Master

HawkMan

Posted
Posted

Yep, apparently people think you can just take photos of the sun almost directly and it won't affect the photo in the slightest, even though it will affect a camera sensor in a similar way to what it would an eye.

The thing is on the iPhone 5 it happens on all light sources, and while you can get a flare on every camera, the iPhone 5 has a huge range of effect where's most others have much smaller ranges, and can perfectly fine take pictures with light sources and even the sun in angles the iPhone 5 can't without the purple haze.

Also it's not simply about a flare. It's a flare plus the purple haze, if it had been just a flare it wouldn't have been an issue

Plastic vs Glass.

Most above average camera phones, iPhone included afaik uses glass not plastic lenses and covers.

It's dark here now, but I`m gonna take a few photos with my phone tomorrow and purposely try to get a purple lens flare

Pretty sure I have taken photos directly at the sun to see how they turned out and not ended up with a purple anything on them, just dark with a bright spot where the sun is, but I`ll have a go tomorrow

I shot a video of my dog running around the other day, several time he was running towards the sun. While I did get a flare, never did I get the purple hazing, in or outside the flare.

Grand Master

Hardcore Til I Die

Posted
Posted

The thing is on the iPhone 5 it happens on all light sources, and while you can get a flare on every camera, the iPhone 5 has a huge range of effect where's most others have much smaller ranges, and can perfectly fine take pictures with light sources and even the sun in angles the iPhone 5 can't without the purple haze.

Also it's not simply about a flare. It's a flare plus the purple haze, if it had been just a flare it wouldn't have been an issue

You're right, there's a purple haze when I take a picture with my living room light just out of the frame, and that's not really that bright.

Can't think of a time I'd ever need to take such a photo though so I guess I'll live with it :p

Some people have speculated it's the Sapphire coating on the lens cover.

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