AfterDawn: Tech news

Apple responds to iPhone 5 camera 'purple halo' bug

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 07 Oct 2012 9:36 User comments (14)

Apple responds to iPhone 5 camera 'purple halo' bug

iPhone 5 owners have complained of a purple ring at the edge of their photos, and it appears Apple sees it to be a real issue since they have issued a statement about the bug.
Apple says if you have any kind of light source right outside the viewing area of the phone's lens, you might get some purple light leakage in your photos.

The company says the issue is well known, and it affects many more devices than just the iPhone:

"Most small cameras, including those in every generation of iPhone, may exhibit some form of flare at the edge of the frame when capturing an image with out-of-scene light sources. This can happen when a light source is positioned at an angle (usually just outside the field of view) so that it causes a reflection off the surfaces inside the camera module and onto the camera sensor. Moving the camera slightly to change the position at which the bright light is entering the lens, or shielding the lens with your hand, should minimize or eliminate the effect." – Apple



Officially, Apple calls the symptoms "a purplish or other colored flare, haze, or spot is imaged from out-of-scene bright light sources during still image or video capture."

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14 user comments

18.10.2012 00:37

Yes, lens flare is common. Purple lens flare, however, is UNcommon, and there's simply no excuse for it.

28.10.2012 03:29

wow, it's so strong purplish! i think apple should patent it.

38.10.2012 11:14

Originally posted by mukhis:
wow, it's so strong purplish! i think apple should patent it.
LOLz, just made my day:)...

48.10.2012 11:16

And if you hold your hand just right the antenna will work like its supposed to & if you look up your driving direction on Google maps before heading out on your traveling destination rather than Apple maps you should arrive safe & sound as well.

Seriously though, being a professional photographer & NOT a fan of Apple - I have to admit that the haze may NOT in fact be an anomaly of unjust Apple practice, per se'.

What you're seeing is an exaggeration of the protective coating on the lens. The absolute brightness of the sun is causing the after image around the edge to show the first tangible image the camera sees & that would be the lens coating.

The dense, kinda hard to scratch, usually cheaper alternative coating that the lower end lens manufacturers use is obviously purple. I can only assume that the i4S used a better lens that used a thinner neutral density coating (like the heavier coating like that of the Nikon lenses, that's why it looks dark) or the i4S didn't have a protective coating at all.

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 08 Oct 2012 @ 11:18

58.10.2012 12:52

So I'm assuming this is something they aren't going to fix because its the user's fault for taking a bright picture?

68.10.2012 13:58
chocoyo
Unverified new user

CRAPPLE

78.10.2012 14:13

Originally posted by Morreale:
So I'm assuming this is something they aren't going to fix because its the user's fault for taking a bright picture?
I'm rolling with your assessment...

88.10.2012 21:05

It just works, so stop complaining...you are just imagining the purple lens flare. You are just imagining that the maps app put you in the wrong city. You are just imagining that the screen is small. You are just imagining that you blew a bunch of money on a dual core phone right before the market was flooded with quad cores.

98.10.2012 23:27

I found the comments by mukhis & Morreale entertaining. But especially KillerBug's. That one had me on the floor.

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 08 Oct 2012 @ 11:28

1011.10.2012 08:52

You're just holding it wrong again!

1112.10.2012 11:33

Originally posted by KillerBug:
It just works, so stop complaining...you are just imagining the purple lens flare. You are just imagining that the maps app put you in the wrong city. You are just imagining that the screen is small. You are just imagining that you blew a bunch of money on a dual core phone right before the market was flooded with quad cores.
And you are imagining Steve Jobs is still alive... :)

1212.10.2012 16:25

While I love most of the responses, the one thing nobody noted was that each picture was taken at a slightly different angle/perspective. they are close and maybe close enough to not matter but its still not an apples to apples comparison. I am not a fan of the apple products either.

1312.10.2012 16:32
worsty
Inactive

Quote:
Originally posted by mukhis:
wow, it's so strong purplish! i think apple should patent it.

They already have..... :)
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 12 Oct 2012 @ 4:32

1412.10.2012 18:45

well if any other cameras or phones have the purple glare Apple can now sue them!

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