iPhone 8 Plus horrible lens flare and reflections

[Sopo87]

Hi everyone,

Last night I went out to take some photos with my new iPhone 8 Plus and I realised that there were many little dots everywhere when I shot to light sources.

Sometimes it’s like a big reflection inside the lens.

When you use the 2x zoom you can see this glare twice as big:

When you point to multiple lights you see multiple little reflections:

I read on the Apple discussions website that this may be an issue that all iPhones experience since 6 Plus (could you confirm that?). It that’s the case, I am OK with that, but anyway it’s really annoying.

 

[Vundu]

That’s night time photography for you.

 

[Sopo87]

That’s night time photography for you.

So is this normal? I tried with an iPhone 6s and there were some flares but not so big and so many.

Do you suggest anything? Thanks

 

[44267547]

So is this normal? I tried with an iPhone 6s and there were some flares but not so big and so many.

Do you suggest anything? Thanks

I don't necessarily think your photos are abnormal. Because you have to factor in taking a photo of aimed at a brighter light and you're in darkness. But that last photo showing the roadway with the car, actually looks really good.

 

[Sopo87]

I don't necessarily think your photos are abnormal. Because you have to factor in taking a photo of aimed at a brighter light and you're in darkness. But that last photo showing the roadway with the car, actually looks really good.

Yes actually the photo looks good, I am happy with the camera, but can you see the small dots on the sky, close to the lights? Those are reflections of many of the lights in the shot. I find it quite annoying and it forces you to use some postproduction in order to remove them.

 

[44267547]

Yes actually the photo looks good, I am happy with the camera, but can you see the small dots on the sky, close to the lights? Those are reflections of many of the lights in the shot. I find it quite annoying and it forces you to use some postproduction in order to remove them.

I do see the dots. Not sure what would cause that.

 

[Newtons Apple]

Very hard to control reflections like these in such a small space.

 

[Sopo87]

More examples. When there is a light source in the shot it always gets reflected somewhere as you move the camera. It’s really annoying

 

[Irock619]

That is normal with all cameras. You will get the same pointing at the sun. These phones have a fixed aperture so it’s hard to control how the light reflections look. One thing you can do is shoot RAW, and remove them in post.

 

[alent1234]

This is why you don’t believe the internet and the iPhone is better than a dslr photos

Those are staged and perfect photos with ideal sun position

 

[5105973]

You get lens flare even with a DSLR. Here's a good reference with many explanations of the phenomenon and links to mitigate it:

https://photo.stackexchange.com/questions/9257/what-causes-lens-flare

It will be interesting to see if other iPhone 8 owners report experiencing as much lens flare as you have. There might be variances between individual iPhones and you got one more prone to the issue. Make sure your lens is clean.

There is one flare there that looks almost like a moth flew by too close.

Some of these look like dust motes inside on the lenses.

In the Pixel forums there was a lot of discussion about lens flare plaguing many, but all Pixels. I don't know if they ever isolated the cause.

 

[Sopo87]

You get lens flare even with a DSLR. Here's a good reference with many explanations of the phenomenon and links to mitigate it:

https://photo.stackexchange.com/questions/9257/what-causes-lens-flare

It will be interesting to see if other iPhone 8 owners report experiencing as much lens flare as you have. There might be variances between individual iPhones and you got one more prone to the issue. Make sure your lens is clean.

There is one flare there that looks almost like a moth flew by too close.

Some of these look like dust motes inside on the lenses.

In the Pixel forums there was a lot of discussion about lens flare plaguing many, but all Pixels. I don't know if they ever isolated the cause.

Do you think this is normal?

Look at the lights reflected to the left of the cross. That ruins any shot and it's unacceptable. The funny thing is that this issue is well know from iPhone 7 Plus as well (actually that photo was taken in a 7 Plus). If Apple doesn't fix this issue ASAP via software update, I will claim my money back and never trust them again.

 

[cyclingplatypus]

What is the source for that image with the cross?

You are telling me that with no manipulation whatsoever the 7+ duplicated and inverted the cross? Highly unlikely.

 

[9594864]

More examples. When there is a light source in the shot it always gets reflected somewhere as you move the camera. It’s really annoying

Aim the camera to where the light is reflected back onto itself when taking pictures like this.

 

[upandown]

Account started today. Bs.

 

[5105973]

Do you think this is normal?

Look at the lights reflected to the left of the cross. That ruins any shot and it's unacceptable. The funny thing is that this issue is well know from iPhone 7 Plus as well (actually that photo was taken in a 7 Plus). If Apple doesn't fix this issue ASAP via software update, I will claim my money back and never trust them again.

Inverted cross? That's not lens flare!



I can't say for certain what's going on because I've honestly never seen anything like it. So I guess it's not normal.

 

[Sopo87]

What is the source for that image with the cross?

You are telling me that with no manipulation whatsoever the 7+ duplicated and inverted the cross? Highly unlikely.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7698529

The source is more people having the same issues since iPhone 7 Plus, as shown in the Apple communities

 

[Starfyre]

These are probably the first bad photos I've seen from the iPhone 8+... maybe you can exchange the camera just in case to make sure there is no defect? I recall seeing better low-light performance photos compared to what your showing here...

 

[Sopo87]

Account started today. Bs.

If you are suggesting that I am a troll, you are wrong. I can proof that I have this issue and Apple opened a case for me

 

[iSayBoourns]

Do you think this is normal?

Look at the lights reflected to the left of the cross. That ruins any shot and it's unacceptable. The funny thing is that this issue is well know from iPhone 7 Plus as well (actually that photo was taken in a 7 Plus). If Apple doesn't fix this issue ASAP via software update, I will claim my money back and never trust them again.

So you want any hardware limitation magically “fixed” via a software update? Keep dreaming.

 

[Sopo87]

So you want any hardware limitation magically “fixed” via a software update? Keep dreaming.

I think Google Pixel had kind of the same issue and they were capable of solving it via software update.

Anyway I wouldn't call this a "limitation". It would be better to say bad design or bad manufacturing

 

[iSayBoourns]

I think Google Pixel had kind of the same issue and they were capable of solving it via software update.

Anyway I wouldn't call this a "limitation". It would be better to say bad design or bad manufacturing

A 12,000+ Canon lens will still exhibit lens flare. So yeah, it is a hardware limitation. It’s the nature of lens construction. There are coatings companies like Canon use on each element to help reduce this, but you aren’t going to get nearly as good results on such tiny lenses found in smartphones.

 

[sumsingwong]

Smartphones are more susceptible to lens flare due to multiple elements within the camera.

 

[dlusionz]

I have this issue too, got my phone replaced by my carrier, but the new one has the same issue, on both front and rear cameras, both on picture and video, during both night and day, currently have a case with apple, but no official response yet

 

[iSayBoourns]

I have this issue too, got my phone replaced by my carrier, but the new one has the same issue, on both front and rear cameras, both on picture and video, during both night and day, currently have a case with apple, but no official response yet View attachment 725427 View attachment 725428
View attachment 725430

Your two photos with the ceiling fan, that’s lens flare. To be expected when you’re pointing the camera directly into a bright light source such as the light bulbs.