Apple Says Purple Haze in iPhone 5 Photos is 'Normal' Behavior

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Posted October 3, 2012 at 2:38am by iClarified

Apple's engineers have responded to a purple haze issue with the iPhone 5 by saying it's considered 'normal' behavior, reports Gizmodo.

Users of the new smartphone have been reporting a purple haze noticeable in photos where the lighting is very bright.

Now one user has received a response from Apple Support after having the issue escalated to engineering.

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Dear Matt,

Our engineering team just gave me this information and we recommend that you angle the camera away from the bright light source when taking pictures. The purple flare in the image provided is considered normal behavior for iPhone 5's camera. If you wish to reach me regarding this case number *********, please contact me at 1-877-***-**** ext. *******. I currently work Thursday-Monday: 7:00am - 3:30pm Mountain Time. If you reach my voicemail, please leave your name, phone number, case number and the best time to reach you. Email is ***********@apple.com.

Sincerely,
Debby
AppleCare Support
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Is this an issue that you've noticed with your photos? We'll test it out shortly but it definitely doesn't appear to be 'normal'.

Apple Says Purple Haze in iPhone 5 Photos is 'Normal' Behavior

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onil - October 8, 2012 at 2:59pm

i tink thats infared light the lens that see tru cloths.

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Rocket - October 4, 2012 at 5:57am

bugs, issues and fixes are common in todays world, due to a large amount of people using the technology of today in many different ways... thats why companies have test task forces who do all (or should do all) necessary procedures to ensure that the bugs are beeing taken care of before you ship 1M peaces... and of course, the easiest way is just to say its no problem. Apple keeps me disapointing me for the second year, first i4S (waw SIRI, and what else??!) and now i5... with such a price that is not acceptable... but ok, there will be people who want to have an i5, just for the sake of it, and if its the last they buy before going bankruptcy... and still keep their hand before their eyes saying... all is ok, as long as i have "the new shit on the block" makes me sad to see where we have come... @Apple freak: sure, ... why should i use my phone differently then i always did? the phone is a tool we all use for different issues and things, a gadget... so next, i shall not hold it in my hand (the i4S issue..) or what?

Apple freak - October 4, 2012 at 2:28am

Learn how to use your ph

iceblu121 - October 3, 2012 at 5:25pm

year after year i buy the iphone...now i come to think that apple does not do enough testing with there phones...how could u miss a purple hue color in photos during testing...unless of course it was tested using color blind people!! for the amount that these phones go for! im sorry i cant forgive apple! this is not normal. if it was normal it would be happining to all cameras including previous iphone models! cant apple ever admit to there wrongs!

Sidewinder - October 4, 2012 at 3:31am

their

Sidewinder - October 4, 2012 at 3:19pm

Meaning what. I think you're still misspelling stuff.

Speel Chequer - October 8, 2012 at 9:29am

First rule of correcting a spelling mistake, don't make one yourself. "they're".

Sidewinder - October 8, 2012 at 10:13pm

Huh? I think you've got me mistaken for someone who made a mistake; also for someone who cares.

TC - October 3, 2012 at 3:32pm

Just to clarify things, the purple haze is "Normal". You are simply holding it wrong. You must utilize a limp wristed hold.

David - October 3, 2012 at 2:19pm

dpreview.com shows the same thing happening on the 4S and it certainly occurs in many other cameras. In fact, the scenario of having a bright light source just outside the field of view is a *classic* problem scenario in photography. Avoiding the resulting lens flare (from internal reflections in the camera) is the primary reason that lens hoods exist. Any article that doesn't reference the issue as such is merely displaying profound ignorance of photography, its history and one of the major properties/specs by which lenses are judged.

NoGoodNick - October 3, 2012 at 1:40pm

"We recommend you never take a bad picture, then our badly designed camera will never be noticable!" Common Apple. While I don't expect miracles, this response, which is the same they gave for the scratches the new iPhone 5 gets, just won't cut it, and it runs counter to Apple's reputation for building better products. People don't want to hear "It's not a problem" when it clearly is! It didn't occur in earlier phones, so there's got to be a more reasonable explanation.

Krotch - October 3, 2012 at 1:36pm

Yea it's all normal, jus like the when the iPhone 4 came out and the signal was an isusse and they said its normal, but this is the way you hold the phone!! Not enought testing if you ask me, pushing product to fast, jus like when the iPhone 4 released the screen hadnt dryed all the way caused some problems there too.

Patte - October 3, 2012 at 1:28pm

That's a bottomless hole I'm fraid ;)

Bsack - October 3, 2012 at 12:44pm

Well, that's just your opinion!

budsal - October 4, 2012 at 3:27am

Why would you say that then not use the complete word idiots? That just seems odd to me.

Mehmet - October 3, 2012 at 12:40pm

I havnt had any problems with my iphone 5 at all. Just today i took a vertical panorama from the ground up, toward the sun and didnt show this purple fringing.

vix - October 3, 2012 at 12:36pm

Oh come on, it's the Jimi Hendrix effect, let's be real.

gmack - October 3, 2012 at 10:15am

Use a photo editor to remove the haze. Perhaps Apple can fix it in the software.

Ghost of Steve - October 3, 2012 at 8:29am

You're photographing it wrong.

odedoo1 - October 3, 2012 at 6:23am

you are so right I always get the new iPhone and iPad right when they come out, this time I got a factory unlocked iPhone 5 64GB from eBay for $740, by the time I got it I heard so many bad things about it that as hard as it was I didn't open it and managed to sell it for $1400, after almost doubling my money I was getting ready to get one more for myself but I keep hearing even worst problems then before that I decided to stay with my 4S and the iPad 3 till next year when the iPhone 6 will come out and even then I'll wait to know for sure that it's something special, just hope that Apple will not mess up and come out with iPhone 5S because that will be the downfall of Apple the competition is not far behind!

Peter - October 3, 2012 at 5:39am

IDK about you, but I had android, and having it replaced by the warranty really sucks.... Apple??? Never had any problem, went to an apple store with my iPhone 11 months after the original purchase and in 10 minutes walked out th e door with a new iPhone, that shows me that they care, same thing happened withy iPod with WATER damage that is not supposed to be covered.

602d2de - October 3, 2012 at 4:33am

Lmao I thought of weed :x

Locutus - October 3, 2012 at 3:46am

Since I doubt any of you are professional photographers, it stands to reason that you would have no understanding of what happens when you point a digital camera at a bright light source. Pointing a camera at a bright light source can cause any number of lens aberrations including streaks, glows, and rings. A camera lens isnt a single piece of glass, but made up of several pieces of glass. Shooting directly into a light source like the sun will result in strange light aberrations. I'm not defending Apple, I'm just saying the effect people are seeing is quite normal. However, Apple might want to look into how the lens elements are arranged and see if there isn't something contributing to the issue.

Patte - October 3, 2012 at 1:27pm

I was thinking the same thing. And I'm not even a camera expert :P

GangnamStyle - October 3, 2012 at 11:06pm

While i am not a professional photographer, I snap photos with my iPhone4 all the time and have never once experienced a purple haze effect. When i saw the screenshot in the article i thought "wow! That sucks" definatly secknd guessing whether i purchase an iphone5.

Steve Solomon - October 3, 2012 at 3:21am

Yes, it's called "purple fringing", and it can happen with DSLRs, let alone phone cameras, when a lens is aimed at a bright light source. I frankly would not expect high-end photographic quality from ANY phone camera...the lens and processor just can't handle extreme lighting conditions.

odedoo1 - October 3, 2012 at 2:59am

if its normal then why the 4S don't have that issue, maybe it's the sapphire crystal that causes the problem just like a diamond when u move it around you'll see different colors.

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