What causes a blurry photo? The camera takes bad photographs: possible malfunctions of modern cameras Why the camera on the phone began to take bad photographs.

Despite the high quality of Apple technology, malfunctions are possible for some reasons. This could be a simple device defect, a software glitch, or mechanical damage. In most cases, this problem can be solved.

One of the most problematic areas of the iPhone is the camera. Often users leave reviews that the camera does not work properly and the pictures turn out blurry. It is worth finding out the reasons and ways to solve such problems.

How to identify problems with the camera?

With each new iPhone model, the manufacturer improves the camera characteristics, but there are a number of cases where, for certain reasons, the operation of this element does not meet the user’s expectations, so the camera takes poor pictures. Among the most common problems are the following:

the camera is blurry and you can’t take a clear shot;
dark or light spots appear in the photographs;
there are chromatic aberrations and other defects in photographs;
violation of the orientation of the images;
dark screen when the camera is working.

These problems do not necessarily indicate a technical problem.

Reasons for the appearance of cloudy images

Blurry photos taken on an iPhone can upset even an optimist. No one expects the pictures to be of poor quality when purchasing a new device model from a given manufacturer. The causes of this defect are often related to incorrect autofocus operation.

The problem may occur with every snapshot or occur periodically. Autofocus controls both smartphone cameras. Among the reasons leading to autofocus problems are:

dirty camera lens, small particles getting under the lens;
autofocus captures the protruding edge of the case;
the presence of a magnet on the case also leads to focusing failure;
software settings are set incorrectly;
failure due to mechanical shock or moisture.

How can you solve the problem with blurry photos yourself?

If most of the reasons that are not technical can be eliminated independently, then in case of a mechanical breakdown you need to contact a service center. Try the following to try to resolve the issue:

wipe the lens with a microfiber cloth;
remove the cover;
manually adjust the focus setting;
close applications that use the camera;
free up storage space;
update the iOS version;
do a factory reset, saving your data first.

You can also enter the serial number of the device on the Apple website to check if it is in the database of defective copies. If these steps do not help, then contact a specialist.

The Total Apple service center has all the necessary equipment to solve the autofocus problem within 30 minutes. We use only original parts and provide a 3-year warranty on repairs. Diagnostics are free, and the office is conveniently located in the center of Moscow.

Does your camera take bad photos? There can be quite a lot of reasons for this, and they depend on the type of camera, its possible problems, and on the usual “human factor”. In this article we will try to understand the main reasons why a camera may take poor photographs in a given situation.

Why does the camera take bad photos?

To begin with, you should clearly define the concept of a poorly photographing camera. As a rule, amateurs face the following problems when shooting:

The camera takes poor photographs, producing a blurry image, a “picture” with a lot of noise or incorrect color rendition.
The camera takes a picture, but the image is out of focus and appears blurry.
The device does not turn on.
The camera display shows an error and no shooting is possible.
The device takes photographs as usual, but it is not the subject that is being photographed that is sharp, but the foreground or background (found in SLR cameras).

So, there are not so many main types of camera malfunctions, and it is these mentioned “symptoms” that we will consider:

The first case, in 99 percent of cases, does not indicate a hardware or system malfunction, but a failure in the camera settings. This could be an accidental switch to another shooting mode, resetting the white balance setting, or an increased sensitivity value (ISO). In this case, we recommend that you carefully study the instructions for the camera and set the necessary settings or switch to automatic shooting mode (it usually sets the best exposure parameters for a particular shooting situation). If the settings are set correctly, you can try to reset all camera settings to factory settings (this function is available in the menu of most digital cameras).
An out-of-focus image when shooting can be due to either a mechanical problem or a misconfiguration. When this symptom appears, you should immediately check whether the macro mode in the camera or manual focusing is turned on. Most often, in compact cameras, macro mode activation is placed on a separate button and can easily happen by accident. This can also be determined by the macro mode icon glowing on the screen in the form of a stylized flower. You can also try to “play” with the focus area settings, setting the maximum “wide” coverage value or, on the contrary, the spot mode, and then see if there are any changes. If all operations are completed, then there is a risk that the reason that the camera does not take good pictures is still a mechanical malfunction.

If the camera does not turn on, the cause is often a mechanical fault. It may be caused by dropping the camera or getting wet. However, it is worth checking the camera battery (it is advisable to insert a battery that is guaranteed to work) - often it is the failure of the battery that can lead to the camera not turning on.
The appearance of errors on the screen often accompanies various breakdowns. In the case of a DSLR, a similar message often appears when the shutter fails. If the error does not disappear and there is no access to the camera menu, the direct path is to the service center. If the error is temporary and does not always appear, then you can try to reset the settings and replace the memory card; it is likely that the problems are related to how the device reads it.
In SLR cameras, the main problem is the presence of so-called back or front focus, that is, when the camera automatically focuses closer or further away from the object being photographed. It is possible to combat this phenomenon with the help of adjustment. It is recommended that this be done at a service center, although many forums have instructions for self-adjustment of some cameras. This phenomenon is also often observed when using third-party optics, for example, when using Sigma, Tokina and others lenses on Canon cameras.

Conclusions about why the camera takes bad photographs

As you can see, there are not many reasons for camera malfunctions. In this material, we did not consider problems that arise with the memory card, but they are the most common. As a rule, they manifest themselves in partial recording of captured frames, errors during saving and other signs. The easiest way to check your guess is by installing a new or guaranteed working drive. Otherwise, the above symptoms of a camera malfunction and methods for solving them allow you to navigate in most cases.

When taking regular photos with your smartphone in order to capture some events as a memory, you don’t really want to end up with blurry photos! And if something like this happened, then, knowing and remembering the true capabilities of the camera of your device, indignation at the current situation can drive you crazy - the moment is lost, and only low-quality images are from your memories. This is really unpleasant! The moment, of course, cannot be returned, but the smartphone camera is not lost yet. Simple cleaning of the camera will allow you to use it again, getting high-quality pictures at the time you need!

In the vast majority of cases, blurry photos from a smartphone camera are not an obsolescence of technology. This is a banal entry of dust into the body of the device. This is what causes the quality of photography to deteriorate. Therefore, turn your smartphone with the camera towards you and carefully examine whether there are dust particles there. If yes, then feel free to start cleaning. Believe me, the result will surprise you.

Why is there dust in the smartphone camera?

The answer is banal to the point of impossible! All due to the loss of the seal of the housing! And we shouldn’t blame smartphone manufacturers for this. They do everything wisely. The ingress of dust into the body of a new phone from the counter is practically zero. Deterioration of tightness appears during the operation of the equipment. More precisely, as a result of mechanical effects on the device:

falls, blows;
frequent opening of the case;
And so on.

These factors serve as the primary source of cracks through which dust particles can get inside the smartphone. Including the camera.

Cleaning the camera from dust

Let's look at the Lenovo P780 as an example. At one time, this phone fell into the water and was completely disassembled to dry completely. Subsequent assembly of the device was completed with defects. And after about six months, the smartphone camera was simply depressing with the quality of its images. The image below is a blurry photo from a smartphone camera.

To work you will need screwdrivers, cotton swabs and alcohol. Alcohol wipes, which are sold in every pharmacy, may also come in handy.

Turn off the phone, remove the back cover, remove the SIM cards and memory card.

Next, unscrew the screws securing the back of the case. So we got to the camera

Using cotton swabs soaked in alcohol and alcohol wipes (if available), we clean the camera itself and the protective glass from dirt.

This completes cleaning the phone camera. We assemble the smartphone and inspect it externally.

There should be no cracks or gaps left, otherwise this event will have to be repeated in the near future.

And finally, below is a photo taken on the phone after cleaning the camera:

Why has the camera on Android become worse?

There may be several options, here you just need to thoroughly polish the camera from dust and dirt, dust often gets under the protective glass, look at the settings, maybe they have gone wrong and now the shooting is not at the highest quality.

Unfortunately, there are no clarifications; maybe you recently installed an update and this was the reason for the poor performance of the camera. The initial step to eliminate haze and blurriness in pictures is to inspect whether there is an anti-reflective coating and remove it, if there is one, and carefully wipe the camera lens.

Well, if there were updates, then many give advice to roll back the firmware and try to flash it again, although many object to this that this is impossible to do on some systems.

And you can also check the camera chip or before starting, try to see how the camera will work with another application.

Check your camera settings, they may be wrong. I had this happen when, in addition to my native camera, I also downloaded a camera app and apparently accidentally swapped my camera for the app, and the pictures turned out worse. The camera lens may be dirty or scratched.

The reason may simply be a dirty lens; here you need to wipe it with a cloth and you’re done. Or the lens is damaged or scratched, in which case you will have to replace it. Insufficient memory can automatically set the camera settings to shoot in poor quality, so check the settings.

In addition to the visually visible reasons, these are cracks on the glass or scratches, there may be some other reasons.

For example, I took photographs on mine and when viewing it I saw pixels (squares) on the screen and it turned out that the memory of the phone itself was clogged, after transferring all the files to the memory card and deleting the unnecessary ones, it turned out that the camera took pictures perfectly as before. It turns out that if there is insufficient memory, the image may be of poor quality.

Well, of course, you should also look at the settings, don’t rule it out.

Besides the fact that you were simply unlucky with your phone, the reasons may be quite simple, seemingly solvable, but not always if the camera, or rather its lens, is cracked.

The most common and solvable reason is contamination of the camera lens, which can only be cleaned with a special napkin or cotton wool.

Another reason is a program failure or night shooting mode.

Another possible reason may be insufficient memory due to frequent shooting. To eliminate this reason, you will only need to delete old photos or videos, then check by shooting a test short video.

I don’t recommend flashing your phone; it definitely won’t give the desired result.

The most common option is damage to the surface of the camera lens or contamination. If it gets dirty, everything is simple - wipe it with a glasses cloth and that’s it. If it is scratched, you can try polishing it with GOI paste. Another option is that the camera settings have been reset and it is shooting in the wrong mode. There may also be burnout of the matrix - well, there’s nothing you can do about it - just change it.

The first thing that comes to mind is something with the camera lens.

It may simply be stained, then it should be wiped with a special napkin, or it may be scratched with large or micro scratches, then this is just a lens replacement.

If all these problems have passed you by, then the problem is in the software (although this is extremely rare), try downloading an update or checking your software on your phone. You can also try resetting everything to factory settings. If all this does not help, then feel free to contact the service center, they will definitely help you.

I didn’t pay attention to the fact that the camera on Android became worse at shooting. On the contrary, cameras on new smartphones and tablets are only getting better.

If we are talking about a device that is no longer new, then perhaps it is something with the system or firmware... Or the camera lens is simply dirty.

There are several options here:

The camera is dirty or scratched. Check it and wipe it with a soft cloth.
If you recently installed any software, it could affect the quality of your shooting.
The settings have gone wrong. Reset settings to factory defaults.

Most likely the camera lens began to mope. If there is dirt on the surface, then there are special wipes for wiping. If the scratches are large or micro, then you can’t do without replacing the lens.

This material contains the most interesting tricks, thanks to which you can realize the hidden potential of the camera on your smartphone.

Yes, yes, exactly superzoom on a smartphone. Not only long-lens DSLRs and ultrasonic point-and-shoot cameras are capable of photographing objects located at long distances. If you have binoculars, or better yet, a telescope, place the camera's eye on the eyepiece lens, adjust the position of the equipment to achieve maximum image sharpness, and start shooting photos or videos.

Of course, it is better to use wide-angle optics: then the viewing angle will be larger, and the frames around the lenses will not be visible through the lens. If you use a telescope on a tripod, it would be a good idea to also fix your smartphone for convenience.

Macro lens using a magnifying glass

You don't need expensive equipment to take detailed macro photos. Using any available method, we attach a regular magnifying glass to the body of the smartphone within the radius of the lens, and the device for macro photography is ready. The greater the magnification lens magnification, the stronger the approximation, and the higher the detail of the resulting image.

Shooting “almost underwater”

You've probably seen more than once spectacular photographs taken with a camera half submerged in water. If your smartphone does not have waterproof properties, a similar effect can be achieved by placing the mobile device with the camera facing down in a glass or any other transparent, moisture-proof container. All that's left to do is to carefully and partially immerse the container with the smartphone in the pond, and press the shutter button.

Looking at infrared radiation

We won’t go into technical details, we’ll just state a fact: infrared light, invisible to the human eye, can be seen on a smartphone display using a camera. Point the lens at the remote control where the IR diode is located and press its buttons. The small luminous point is IR radiation.

Shooting using the volume key

Did you know that the vast majority of smartphones have the ability to take a photo by pressing the volume key? Try it yourself, you don’t have to press the touch “shutter button” at all. If it doesn’t work, go to the settings, this function may need to be activated. It is especially convenient to use the hardware key when taking selfies.

Digitization of film photos

If you have old films and you are curious to view their contents, all you have to do is select the “Negative” color effect in the camera settings and photograph the frame on the film. For the same purpose, you can use a special application, Helmut, for example. This method will not replace professional digitization, however, it is quite suitable for informational purposes.

Panoramic tricks

Fans of panoramic shots will definitely love these tricks. Making several virtual “clones” of yourself in a photo, without using graphic editors, is as easy as shelling pears. Panoramas on mobile devices are created using automatic stitching of consecutive frames. It is enough to move after each frame to a new location, running around behind the operator, in the opposite direction from the moving lens. It is necessary to move the camera slowly enough so that the person has time to take the place of the next “clone”.

An interesting effect can be achieved during fast movement. While on a train or car, activate panoramic photography. This way you can significantly increase the photographic area.

Jelly effect

Smartphones use different types of matrices: CCD or CMOS. The CMOS matrix has such a feature - during shooting, with sudden and rapid movements of the subject being photographed, the image may be distorted, resulting in the so-called “jelly effect”. This is a rather unpleasant phenomenon, however, enthusiasts perceive this effect as a special feature. This video clearly demonstrates the difference between CMOS and CCD matrices. Guitar strings create vibrations, although in fact this is just an illusion. If your smartphone has a CMOS sensor, you can achieve a similar effect, or experiment with something different.

Pulse measurement

In order to measure your heart rate, you need to install and open a special application (Cardiograph and the like), which will launch the camera. Next, you need to place your finger on the lens and point it towards a sufficiently strong light source (for example, a lamp, or use the built-in flash).

Surely, the reader thinks that this is science fiction, or just a useless thing, invented for fun. But that's not true. If all conditions are met, the camera detects fluctuations in the form of changes in skin color due to blood pulsation, and the application produces, although not ideal, a result close to the exact figure.

Demonstration of the heart rate scanner

Find out what's in front of you

Have you seen a painting, but can’t remember which artist is the author? The Google Goggles application, which can perform visual search, can help with this. Go to the app, take a photo of the piece of art. The application recognizes the object using a search engine that digs into its database and gives you the result on the smartphone display. The program can also recognize barcodes and QR codes, product packaging, landmarks, and even text in several languages! True, this “trick” is more due to the software, but everything happens with the direct participation of the camera. For now, this opportunity is more of an entertaining nature, because not everything is recognized, and not always the first time. However, the program “learns”, new objects are added to its database, and recognition algorithms are gradually refined and improved. Perhaps in the future this application will help aliens settle down on our planet.