[iSight] iSight Cam has LOUSY Picture!

lundylundy
Posted:
in Genius Bar edited January 2014
My iSight's picture is very bad. I got it for free at WWDC, but I want to get it to work! Everything connects fine, but the picture is WAY too dark and has no detail at all.



I do note that if I hold up a white paper to the camera, it lightens up the image for a couple of seconds but then reverts to very dark.



Click here to download the screenshot (I don't know why this does not work as an inline {img} link):



http://homepage.mac.com/johnnylundy/...jpg-binhex.hqx



I changed the Firewire cable with no improvement, so that is not the problem.



There don't seem to be any similar reports on MacFIxit or the Apple Discussions. At least not to this degree.



Can anyone think of a reason for this crummy picture quality?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 5
    mac man 020581mac man 020581 Posts: 632member
    It appears that there is little light in the room, did you try adding lights?
  • Reply 2 of 5
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    First off, the image would not show up inline because it was not a raw .jpg. The link you included was to an encoded image.



    In regards to the image being so dark, the camera is attempting to gain the proper exposure based on the amount of light in the room. Most digital cameras like this at least have a setting to adjust the gamma live, and I'm surprised that iChat AV does not have this. You may want to fire off a suggestion to them in regards to this.



    I agree with what the other poster said, there just doesn't seem to be adequate lighting in the room. It's all about the light
  • Reply 3 of 5
    lundylundy Posts: 4,466member
    I took it to the Palo Alto Apple Store Genius Bar.



    It worked perfectly on their 12" PB.



    (I had to show the genius how to install it, heh)



    So now I am back to square one.



    Tomorrow or Sunday I will try it in the neighbors' FP 1gHz iMac.
  • Reply 4 of 5
    spartspart Posts: 2,060member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by lundy

    I took it to the Palo Alto Apple Store Genius Bar.



    It worked perfectly on their 12" PB.



    (I had to show the genius how to install it, heh)



    So now I am back to square one.



    Tomorrow or Sunday I will try it in the neighbors' FP 1gHz iMac.



    Yes, and the Apple Retail Stores are well lit, no?



    :-P



    Try getting a desk lamp or something...
  • Reply 5 of 5
    jimdadjimdad Posts: 209member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by lundy

    I took it to the Palo Alto Apple Store Genius Bar.



    It worked perfectly on their 12" PB.



    (I had to show the genius how to install it, heh)



    So now I am back to square one.



    Tomorrow or Sunday I will try it in the neighbors' FP 1gHz iMac.



    I'd just like to echo what the rest have said. These devices ( I have an iBot which isn't as good a picture as the iSight ) need a lot of light to produce satisfactory images. having said that it can be done. I've now had two or three great video chats with Mac owners with only daylight coming in through the windows.
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