Hi guys, it's my first post here so I was hoping to do everything right but for some reason the video and the description got lost. I got my phone last week and today when I casually tried to take a photo when I got home, I noticed this reflection. The light was coming directly from the glass doors of the balcony, and it got reflected on the picture, moving around when I moved the camera. That's also the case when I tried to take a video.

Comments

CaptainDifferent8562 t1_j2dtaex wrote on December 31, 2022 at 2:54 PM

If you’re using a case with a lens cover, you could be getting a reflective effect from light bouncing between the lens and the protective lens cover. These effects are often seen in photographs and videos looking towards bright lights against darker backgrounds. Cameras with multiple lenses can be subject to this as well…

handeyldrm OP t1_j2duf18 wrote on December 31, 2022 at 3:02 PM

Thank you so much but i’m not using any kind of lens cover, and i’m aware that lens flare is a thing but this looked a little excessive, i mean a huge reflection.. My former phone was a Galaxy s10+ and it never did such a thing. It didn’t perform well either but this? No. I tried changing the angle too, tried taking the same photo from across the other side of the room etc, it’s the same.

Stephen_NM2022 t1_j2e26k3 wrote on December 31, 2022 at 4:00 PM

It is just a garden variety example of what happens when an intense light source reflects off the sensor and then back onto the sensor from the interior surface of the exterior lens protector (the exterior glass is a protector, not a lens). Assuming there is no residue on the protector that is enhancing refection (not likely to do anything anyway) it is completely normal. Note how the patterns replicate the light source in all three photos. Simply put, the glass and sensor are creating their own version of a hall of mirrors effect. That is as textbook as that gets in the digital camera world. DSLRs and mirrorless cameras control for it (to an extent) by using anti-reflective coatings and additional lens elements (and changing aperture) but even they are susceptible under the right conditions or will just kill contrast across the entire frame. Smaller lenses and sensors reflect differently because they do not let in as much light.

BTW, yes, your Galaxy S10 did do that (and more) just with other types of light and different effects (I owned one). Smaller lens plus smaller sensor means less opportunity for certain issues but they were and are still present. If you want an analogy, hang a pocket mirror on a wall next to a full wall mirror and point a flashlight at the wall (or even turn on a lamp). Unless the light source happens to be in the right position, which is going to prominently reflect the light? As for the S10 series, point one directly at a focused light source like a street light and you get versions of the same effect. Beyond that it is a baseless comparison anyway since it is the equivalent of arguing that an economy car does not have some performance car's safety problem at excessively high speeds when it cannot go that speed in the first place.

handeyldrm OP t1_j2egs33 wrote on December 31, 2022 at 5:39 PM

Thank you for such a detailed explanation, i’ll be very happy if there’s nothing to worry about. If that’s the case, no choice for me but accept it as it is, i was just upset and worried if i got a defected phone. I really didn’t have this visible reflection on s10+ though but i completely understood what you said. Thanks!

CaptainDifferent8562 t1_j2e5au4 wrote on December 31, 2022 at 4:22 PM

Ok. I understand. Did you happen to notice if the reflection moved in the opposite direction from the photo image as you turned the phone left and right?

Also, there appears to be “glare” around the upper part of the bright area between the curtains. That’s what made me think you had a lens cover on your case.

These phones are technical marvels for their magic, but like most things they can be imperfect and troublesome at times. Thanks for sharing this interesting photo effect with the rest of us out here. (And Happy 2023)

handeyldrm OP t1_j2ehdlb wrote on December 31, 2022 at 5:43 PM

I think the reflection moved to the side where i moved the phone, but i’m not so sure so i’ll try again tomorrow. I was just shocked when i saw the reflection, i mean it felt like it’s not normal in any way and i was upset.

Thank you! Happy 2023 to you too!

Forsaken-Sundae4797 t1_j2eg6ew wrote on December 31, 2022 at 5:35 PM

This phone has insane, even UFO like lens flares and borked HDR. IDK how the f it won best camera everywhere.