The camera is one of the iPhones best features.
It takesgreatphotos, and shoots some of the best video on any smartphone.
(Wrong, but more on that in a bit).
My camera troubles only continued from there.
Sometime later, I opened the Camera app to take a photo to find it completely glitched out.
The only problem is, this iPhone has never been cracked open, let alone had its camera replaced.
The camera thatdidntwork was actually my 2.5x telephoto lens.
Despite zero physical damage on the outside, iOS no longer recognized this lens as legit.
I cant even use the ultra-wide angle lens in the stock Camera app anymore.
To take ultra-wide shots, I need to resort to a third-party camera app.
But even apps like Halide or FiLMiC Pro cant dive into the telephoto lens.
For all intents and purposes, its just dead.
I made an appointment at my local Apple Store to see what I could do about it.
Of course, if youre still under warranty, Apple should take care of the issue for no charge.
My Apple rep then pointed to my cracked lens.
I didnt understand: Why wouldnt a camerareplacementfix a cracked camera lens?
Turns out, the camera module doesnt include the glass that covers each lens.
Why resort to an entire equipment swap instead of replacing a tiny piece of glass?
Apple isnt clear about it, but I can wager a guess.
Replacing broken glass on an iPhone camera is a messy business.
Its not designed to come out smoothly, especially once broken.
And that swap can be pricey.
If you have AppleCare+, a gear swap is $99.
If you dont, it depends on your iPhone.
That cost can go as high as $699 for an iPhone 14 Pro Max.
See if theyre game to take on the glass replacement, and what theyll charge to do so.
And like any iPhone repair, youcoulddo this one yourself.
you’re able to see the general steps involved in this iPhone 11 Pro Max walkthroughhere.
The more broken the lens is from the start, the easier the repair will be.
But if the lens is only cracked, its definitely more complicated.
Its a tricky, tedious process.
If you want to go this route, know what youre getting into first.
