iPhone X: Can Someone Test This?

[ardo111]

Okay!

Problem: iPhone X Autofocus increases distance as the gravity acting on the camera increases.

What do I mean by that?

1. Point the iPhone X at the ground in any photo or video app. Autofocus somewhere between 6" and 3' away.
2. Tilt the iPhone X to the horizon, check the distance at which subjects are sharp. My finding is that this distance increases.
3. Either reset the AF lock on a new subject a short distance away and try looking up at the roof, again, your iPhone X AF distance will have INCREASED from the distance at which you focused and locked while pointing the iPhone horizontally.

Additionally, focusing the camera on a horizontal plane, for instance, then tilting down toward the ground, almost halves the focus distance.

Original video where I discovered the issue:

Second quick video test:

I have:

• Chatted with @AppleSupport on Twitter, they asked me to restore my device. Done. Still happens.
• Tested on two devices at the Apple Store. Same issue.
• Issue happens on BOTH 1x and 2x cameras.
• Had someone else on Twitter try it. Same issue.
• Chatted with an Apple Genius in store, he said "So you know it's a problem, what do you expect me to say?"

See if you can replicate and post your findings!

 

[Maclver]

I want to see a screenshot of the Apple genius saying that to you......

 

[ardo111]

I want to see a screenshot of the Apple genius saying that to you......

If I could screen shot real life conversations, I would. He was a bald dude at Apple Chinook in Calgary, came out in a grey sweater, I think his name was Barry.

 

[Maclver]

Sorry. Assumed when you say “chatted” it was online. So in that case why didn’t you just go “chat” with a manager?

 

[ardo111]

Sorry. Assumed when you say “chatted” it was online. So in that case why didn’t you just go “chat” with a manager?

This dude was pretty brick-wall-ish. His only suggestion was submit a report to Apple's Feedback site. He said they have a Reddit-like internal system for this kind of thing but Apple listens to the customer more than the employee according to him. He said he would post on their internal board. I don't believe he ever will.

I'm trying to see if anyone else (so far confirmed 4 devices) has this issue to warrant an article on MR like the green line and crackling speaker, but I'm having trouble garnering test subjects. lol

 

[CharlesShaw]

I was unaware of the lock feature (emphasis added below) until I read that section of the iPhone User Guide just now. So you're using that feature and it's not staying locked?

“Lock the focus and exposure. You can set where you want Camera to focus for your next shot and lock the exposure. Tap the object or area on the screen where you want to focus (this temporarily turns off face detection), then touch and hold until the rectangle pulses. The screen indicates when exposure and focus are locked.”

Excerpt From: Apple Inc. “iPhone User Guide for iOS 11.1.” iBooks. https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/iphone-user-guide-for-ios-11-1/id1263310224?mt=11

 

[ardo111]

I was unaware of the lock feature until I read that section of the iPhone User Guide just now. So you're using that feature and it's not staying locked?

“Lock the focus and exposure. You can set where you want Camera to focus for your next shot and lock the exposure. Tap the object or area on the screen where you want to focus (this temporarily turns off face detection), then touch and hold until the rectangle pulses. The screen indicates when exposure and focus are locked.”

Correct. Tap and hold to lock Autofocus on something. Move closer, move further, look around, the focus will stay locked at whatever distance you set it.

Lock AF while looking down or horizontal, and then look horizontal or up.

Example: Focused on apple (haha, apple) from above and then moved to beside it, with AF locked. Focus changed to the water bottle and apples beyond. I maintained the same distance from the apple in both photos, shown by the fact that it is the same size in both images. If the phone were then moved to above the apple once more, the apple would again become sharp.

 

[ardo111]

Still trying to get some peeps to try this on other iPhone X devices! Help?