Flaregate: Will iPhone 13 fix the biggest iPhone 12 camera problem?

Even though the camera tech inside the iPhone 13 & iPhone 13 Mini will get some minor upgrades like sensor-shift stabilization and possibly better ultra-wide sensors, the only obvious to the naked eye change is the way the cameras are positioned on the outside!

As you can tell by the dummy units, one of the cameras on the iPhone 13 & iPhone 13 Mini is moving to the right of the "camera square". The iPhone 13 Pro & 13 Pro Max are expected to retain the same camera positioning, but, obviously, there's more space between the lenses, just like on the iPhone 13 & iPhone 13 Mini, although a bit less.

We've already discussed why the cameras on the iPhone 13 might have a diagonal orientation, and although the thoughts shared in this story are perfectly valid, the reason for the change might be a different one altogether!

iPhone 12 and the lens flare/reflection issue

Now, you might or might not have heard of this, but in a nutshell - the iPhone 12 series of phones has a pretty major camera problem that's been present since launch. Some call it "lens flaring", some call it "lens reflections".

When you take photos and especially videos in mid-low light situations, and you point the camera towards a bright subject (or rather a few of them) such as street lights, signs, windows, etc., you are greeted by a whole lot of dots and reflections. This can completely ruin the image and render it unstable.

Is it a big deal? Yes! Of course, it is. Especially on a $1,000 smartphone that comes from a trusted company like Apple. Is it as bad as the exploding Galaxy Note 7 or the bendy iPhone 6? No, but it's definitely enough for some people to return their devices. For the record, I sold my iPhone 12, but this wasn't the sole reason.

In fact, many people have done the same. Several videos on YouTube showcase the issue, and people who find the problem unacceptable go on to return their iPhones.

Is the iPhone 12's lens flare problem present on other devices?

Kind of. Is it as bad? Certainly, no. Lens reflections and flaring are typical for all kinds of consumer cameras. As mentioned above, lens flare is caused by a bright light source. When this light source is too bright, enters the lens, and then hits the camera's digital sensor, we get the so-called "lens flare".

It's normal, and it even serves a creative purpose for specific scenarios where the sun, for example, creates some completely random yet beautiful light bending to make a photo look dreamy/dramatic.

The thing is - that's not the case with the iPhone 12. Apple's device does have some of that "classic" lens flare, but it also introduces some pretty strange dots. Frankly, it isn't clear where they come from.