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iPhone 15 Pro iPhone 15 Pro camera lens protector
- Thread starter macher
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I'm curious also, after having on my my rear cameras chipped due to the Bullstrap leather case providing next-to-nothing protection.
As I was at the Apple Store yesterday having my camera looked at: the Apple Genius cautioned me about placing tempered glass protection on the rear cameras—that the tempered glass adhesive could distort the image or trap grit in the cameras and cause issues.
At this point, I actually feel like that may just be another Apple ploy to make money from more cameras being scratched/chipped/broken.
As I was at the Apple Store yesterday having my camera looked at: the Apple Genius cautioned me about placing tempered glass protection on the rear cameras—that the tempered glass adhesive could distort the image or trap grit in the cameras and cause issues.
At this point, I actually feel like that may just be another Apple ploy to make money from more cameras being scratched/chipped/broken.
Why have camera lens protectors suddenly become a thing? I don’t think I had even heard of them before this year. The camera lenses are covered in sapphire crystal. They are very difficult to scratch (though they can be chipped if the phone is dropped since sapphire is fairly brittle). They don’t really need extra protection.
If you DO decide to add a protector, you will be degrading the image quality by definition. Leaving aside the question of adhesives, you are adding an extra layer of glass in front of the camera. When light hits that glass, some will be transmitted through and some reflected back out into the world. No glass, no matter how good quality and how many antireflective coatings it has, transmits 100% of light that hits it. So you are reducing the amount of light that reaches the sensor just by having the glass there. If the glass is bad quality, it could also reduce sharpness and lead to color shifts.
Now, if this protector has some sort of adhesive that goes on the lens, I don’t even know how bad that would make things. For sure your risk of losing sharpness goes up. The adhesive would also further reduce the amount of light reaching the sensor since there is now another layer of stuff the light has to get through.
Seriously, don’t get a lens protector. The existing sapphire is plenty strong and these poor little phone camera sensors need all the light they can get.
If you DO decide to add a protector, you will be degrading the image quality by definition. Leaving aside the question of adhesives, you are adding an extra layer of glass in front of the camera. When light hits that glass, some will be transmitted through and some reflected back out into the world. No glass, no matter how good quality and how many antireflective coatings it has, transmits 100% of light that hits it. So you are reducing the amount of light that reaches the sensor just by having the glass there. If the glass is bad quality, it could also reduce sharpness and lead to color shifts.
Now, if this protector has some sort of adhesive that goes on the lens, I don’t even know how bad that would make things. For sure your risk of losing sharpness goes up. The adhesive would also further reduce the amount of light reaching the sensor since there is now another layer of stuff the light has to get through.
Seriously, don’t get a lens protector. The existing sapphire is plenty strong and these poor little phone camera sensors need all the light they can get.
After dropping my new 15PM once, on a level sidewalk, in my “premium” Bullstrap leather case.
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Yea but is that “damage” affecting picture quality?
Yeah, as I said in my earlier post, sapphire is brittle and can chip if the phone is dropped. But, keep in mind that your damage was low probability since that case does come up past the height of the lenses. No case offers 100% protection. And that damage does not look like it would affect images. If you’re willing to degrade the quality of every single picture you take to protect against a low probability damage event, the by all means go for it. For me, the risk isn’t nearly large enough to make the trade offs of a lens protector worth it.
The above case should be able to protect the camera. I ordered one after hearing possibility of camera damage on some circumstance.
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Maybe someone will do a proper test to see if they do and how much? I'm using esr ones for now. I come from the dslr world where you put a good protector on expensive lens (tho to be fair they are easier to remove if you want) and I can't say you'd notice any degradation imho.
I have the Ailun screen protector with camera lens protector from Amazon ($8 for a 3-pack right now!) and haven't noticed any degradation in image quality. I'm a professional photographer, so if I don't see any difference it's gotta be very negligible. Happy to have a nice flush surface, not trapping dust and hair in the edges of the camera lenses. I figure it'll actually increase my photo quality on average because I'll clean fingerprints off more often.
One reason I'm using them for now... nothing like grabbing your phone quick to get the action when you've just chowed down on a slice of greasy pizza and yup, a finger hits the lens before the shot. Something that doesn't happen with dslr.
I put them on the phones my teens have....our old 13s.
They have even broken the sapphire in the past, so cheap for some protection.
I tried a quick photo of the same scene with and without. Seemed the same from what I could tell. The adhesive seems to be around the lens, not on it........IDK, but the kids don't care.
They have even broken the sapphire in the past, so cheap for some protection.
I tried a quick photo of the same scene with and without. Seemed the same from what I could tell. The adhesive seems to be around the lens, not on it........IDK, but the kids don't care.
Since you’re a professional photography you would know.
Can you post the link to Amazon. Thanks!
Sure, here it is!
Ailun 3 Pack Screen Protector for iPhone 15 Pro [6.1 inch] + 3 Pack Camera Lens Protector with Installation Frame,Case Friendly Tempered Glass Film,[9H Hardness] - HD [6 Pack]
Ailun 3 Pack Screen Protector for iPhone 15 Pro [6.1 inch] + 3 Pack Camera Lens Protector with Installation Frame,Case Friendly Tempered Glass Film,[9H Hardness] - HD [6 Pack]
www.amazon.com
I have always had good experience with AmFilm also
https://www.amazon.com/amFilm-OneTouch-Protector-Installation-Anti-Scratch/dp/B0CCCJZC5S/ref=sr_1_3
https://www.amazon.com/amFilm-OneTouch-Protector-Installation-Anti-Scratch/dp/B0CCCJZC5S/ref=sr_1_3
But I bet that - - unlike a lens protector - - the actual image quality is not degraded by the dings. I never use cases on modern iPhones even though I use them hard.
I read the reviews and it seems like only 1 person reported degraded photo quality. It’s possible that person didn’t wipe off the lenses.
My iPhone 5 got a weird scuff on its camera lens back in the day. Fortunately, it also had a manufacturing defect that allowed me to swap the whole phone out with AppleCare, so that solved the problem. Sapphire is scratch resistant, but it seems sand and other fairly common substances can still scratch it if you're unlucky.
I had a lens protector on my 12PM for a couple of years. I didn’t notice any problems with pictures. There could be some degradation somewhere but not noticeable enough. The main issue was when I took photos with the built in flash. Without the protector, it lit up better. That was because of diffuser effect it caused. It was clearly visible when I used flashlight. Part of light was bouncing through the reflector. If you use adhesive protectors which covers only 3 lenses, it wouldn’t create any problems. I wanted a single unit to cover the entire area. In three years, I took probably 10 photos with flash. (Speed light).
The biggest problem is the light from the flash can affect image quality when using third party lens protectors. The same goes for taking photos under low light conditions and getting interference from lights in the scene introducing glare and specular highlights.
There is a reason actual cameras just have a black lens cap that you remove to use.
Some people will use a UV filter or similar as a lens protector, but to get a good one for a standard camera it’s $120 to $130 per lens.
I stuck the amFilm rear camera protectors on my 15PM for the first time; I am less-than-thrilled about it, as I can see a distortion in any glare - but at the moment, after having dropped my Bullstrap-leather-encased phone and sustaining damage on one of the cameras, I feel a bit more secure.
Now I am OCD about the protectors adhesive on the glass around the cameras . lol
I can't win with this phone, and miss my sturdy ol' 11 Pro Max. Apple really needs to make the cameras level with the phone's backside, and get rid of the camera bump. *sigh*
Now I am OCD about the protectors adhesive on the glass around the cameras . lol
I can't win with this phone, and miss my sturdy ol' 11 Pro Max. Apple really needs to make the cameras level with the phone's backside, and get rid of the camera bump. *sigh*
My case has a lip that levels with the cameras bump. Does the Bullstrap have a lip?
This Bullstrap leather case also has a raised bump that levels it with the cameras, but really no extra-cushion lip of any significance.
