iPhone 15 Pro Max 15 Pro Max 5x Camera Woes

[Zen_Thing_Man]

I’m going to preface this with: if you use the standard camera app or Apple ProRAW, you’re likely not to encounter this.

If you shoot in traditional RAW in Lightroom/Halide/etc, then keep reading.

I noticed on all my telephoto shots with the 5x lens, I was getting this sort of gradient light streak… thing. Consistently in the same spot. It wouldn’t show up in the standard camera app, or with ProRAW, but shooting raw it was clear as day.


I finally got annoyed enough that I took it in to the Apple Store. They couldn’t identify what was causing it, so they swapped the phone out for me. Overall great experience.

Got it set up, installed Lightroom, stepped outside, aaaaaand


It’s further to the right, but there it is.

I made a post on Reddit, and someone was able to recreate the issue on their device as well. Someone mentioned it could be tied to the tetraprism lens, someone else told me it’s maybe an amp issue. Either way, that’s three devices with the same issue.

My guess is that this is a hardware issue of some sort that Apple was able to mask with computational wizardry. Which if that’s the case… I’m ditching the phone.

Anyone else encountering this wildly specific but irritating issue?

 

[Surfsalot]

 

[now i see it]

If you just can’t work in ProRaw, which won’t show this, get rid of the phone.
My motto has always been ... if you want a good camera, don’t use an iPhone. They’re intended for snapshots

 

[Zen_Thing_Man]

If you just can’t work in ProRaw, which won’t show this, get rid of the phone.
My motto has always been ... if you want a good camera, don’t use an iPhone. They’re intended for snapshots

I would just get a 15 Pro instead of a Max then. Never seen an issue like this before, which makes me think it’s a tetraprism issue.

 

[phazedout]

If you just can’t work in ProRaw, which won’t show this, get rid of the phone.
My motto has always been ... if you want a good camera, don’t use an iPhone. They’re intended for snapshots

Your motto is an outdated one in 2023. iPhones are often used professionally, especially in my industry of advertising.