How to Check iPhone Camera Quality When Buying Used (Perth Guide)

You just bought a 'perfect' iPhone 14 for $600. The seller showed you the camera app—it opened fine. Photos looked good on the screen. But when you get home and try Portrait mode, it's completely broken. Night mode doesn't work. And there's a weird dust spot in every photo you take. The seller? Already blocked you.

After four years of inspecting hundreds of iPhones in Perth, I can tell you this: camera problems are one of the most common hidden issues in used phones. Sellers know how to make a broken camera look "fine" during a quick inspection—but you'll discover the truth the moment you actually try to use it.

Here's how to properly test an iPhone camera before you buy, and the red flags that mean you should walk away immediately.

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Why Camera Issues Are Common in Used iPhones

The iPhone camera system is incredibly sophisticated—which also makes it fragile. Unlike a cracked screen you can see immediately, camera damage often hides until you actually try to use specific features.

Common causes of iPhone camera problems:

• Drops and impacts: Even if the screen doesn't crack, internal camera modules can become misaligned or damaged
• Aftermarket screen replacements: Poorly done repairs often damage the front camera or Face ID sensor
• Dust and moisture: Once particles get inside the lens assembly, they're nearly impossible to remove without professional repair
• Water damage: Moisture can corrode camera connectors even if the phone still "works"
• Component failure: Camera sensors, autofocus motors, and image processors can fail over time

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The 6 Essential Camera Tests You Must Do Before Buying

Don't just open the Camera app and assume everything works. You need to test specific functions that sellers often don't check themselves—or deliberately avoid showing you.

Test 1: Basic Photo Test (All Lenses)

The iPhone 14 has three camera lenses: Ultra Wide (0.5x), Main (1x), and Telephoto (2x on iPhone 14 Pro, digital zoom on iPhone 14 standard).

How to test:

1. Open the Camera app
2. Point at a well-lit area (preferably outdoors or near a window)
3. Take a photo at 0.5x zoom
4. Take a photo at 1x zoom
5. Take a photo at 2x zoom (if available)
6. Review each photo by zooming in to 100%

What to look for:

• Black spots or haze in any lens
• Blurry areas that won't focus
• Color shifts or weird tinting
• Visible dust particles inside the lens (not on the outside glass)

Test 2: Portrait Mode Test

Portrait mode is one of the first features to fail when an iPhone has camera damage. It relies on precise communication between the camera sensor and the depth processor—and if either is compromised, Portrait mode won't work.

How to test:

1. Open Camera app and swipe to "Portrait" mode
2. Point at a person or object 1-2 meters away
3. Take a Portrait photo
4. Check if the background blur (bokeh) looks natural

Red flags:

• Portrait mode button is grayed out or won't activate
• Message says "No Person Detected" even when pointing at someone
• Background blur looks unnatural or has weird artifacts
• Subject edges are poorly defined (cutting off hair, ears, etc.)

Test 3: Night Mode Test

Night mode is another feature that fails quickly when there's camera sensor damage. It requires the sensor to capture and process low-light data correctly—if the sensor is compromised, Night mode won't activate.

How to test:

1. Find a dark area (or cup your hand over the lens to simulate darkness)
2. The Night mode icon (moon symbol) should appear automatically at the top of the screen
3. Take a photo and check if it brightens the scene

What to look for:

• Night mode icon appears in low light (yellow moon symbol)
• Photos taken in Night mode are brighter and clearer than regular mode
• No excessive noise or color artifacts in Night mode photos

Red flag: If Night mode never activates even in very dark conditions, the camera sensor likely has damage.

Test 4: Video Recording Test

Video recording stresses the camera system differently than photos. Issues like focus hunting, stabilization problems, or overheating only show up during video recording.

How to test:

1. Switch to Video mode
2. Record for at least 30 seconds while slowly panning the camera
3. Play back the video immediately

What to look for:

• Smooth stabilization: Video shouldn't be shaky or jittery
• Consistent focus: Camera should hold focus, not constantly "hunt"
• No audio issues: Sound should be clear (test microphone while you're at it)
• No overheating warnings: Phone shouldn't get hot or show temperature warnings

Test 5: Front Camera (Selfie) Test

Don't forget the front camera. On iPhone 14, the front camera is part of the same sensor assembly as Face ID—so if one is broken, the other often is too.

How to test:

1. Switch to front camera (selfie mode)
2. Take a selfie photo
3. Try Portrait mode on the front camera
4. While you're at it, test Face ID (ask the seller to unlock with their face, then have them remove their Face ID data so you can test the sensor is working)

Red flags:

• Front camera image is blurry or has black spots
• Front Portrait mode doesn't work
• Face ID is disabled or doesn't function
• TrueDepth camera shows an error message

Test 6: Zoom In and Inspect Photo Quality

Many camera defects aren't obvious when viewing photos at normal size. You need to zoom in to 100% to see the real quality.

How to test:

1. Open the photos you just took
2. Pinch to zoom in to 100% (maximum zoom)
3. Look at different areas of the photo, especially edges and corners

What to look for:

• Sharpness: Text and details should be crisp, not mushy or blurry
• No artifacts: No weird color patches, banding, or digital noise
• Even exposure: No dark or bright spots that shouldn't be there
• No dust spots: Consistent dark spots = internal dust

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Red Flags: Camera Problems Sellers Try to Hide

Just like with battery health and water damage, sellers have learned tactics to hide camera problems. Here's what to watch for:

Tactic 1: "I Don't Use the Camera Much"

This is code for "the camera is broken, but I'm hoping you won't notice." Nobody buys a $1,500 iPhone and never uses the camera—especially not someone who's now selling it.

Always insist on testing all camera functions yourself. If they resist, walk away.

Tactic 2: Only Shows You Old Photos

"Look, the camera works great!"—but they only show you photos taken weeks or months ago, possibly on a different phone.

Demand to take test photos yourself, right there during the inspection. If they won't let you, that's your answer.

Tactic 3: "Portrait Mode Just Needs an Update"

No. Portrait mode failure is a hardware issue, not software. iOS updates don't fix broken camera sensors or damaged TrueDepth systems.

If Portrait mode doesn't work, there's physical damage. Don't believe any claims that "it'll work after you update iOS."

Tactic 4: Meeting in Dim Lighting

Sellers with camera problems often want to meet indoors or at night. Why? Dim lighting makes it much harder to see lens scratches, dust spots, or focus issues.

Always insist on inspecting the phone in bright daylight or near a window. Test all camera modes in good lighting conditions.

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What About "Minor Camera Issues"?

Not all camera imperfections are dealbreakers. Here's how to tell what's acceptable versus what means you should walk away:

Acceptable (Minor) Issues:

• Light lens coating wear: On older phones (3+ years), some wear on the external coating is normal
• Cleanable external smudges: Dirt or fingerprints on the outside lens glass can be wiped off
• Very minor scratches on lens glass: Superficial scratches that don't affect photo quality might be acceptable if you're getting a significant discount

NOT Acceptable (Walk Away):

• Internal dust: Dust inside the lens assembly requires professional disassembly to clean—and it often gets worse over time
• Cracked camera lens: This will affect photo quality and let in more dust/moisture
• Non-working camera modes: Portrait, Night mode, or any lens not functioning = hardware damage
• Persistent focus issues: Camera that won't focus or constantly "hunts" = broken autofocus motor
• Black spots in photos: Usually sensor damage or internal contamination—cannot be fixed without component replacement

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How Oloop Tests iPhone Cameras

At Oloop, camera testing is a critical part of our TrueCheck™ 30+4 inspection protocol. We don't just open the Camera app and assume everything works—we test every function that matters to real-world use.

Our iPhone camera inspection includes:

1. All lens photo tests: 0.5x, 1x, 2x zoom photos under controlled lighting
2. Portrait mode verification: Front and rear Portrait mode tested with real subjects
3. Night mode activation test: Low-light capture to verify sensor function
4. Video stabilization check: 4K video recording with motion to test stabilization
5. Internal dust inspection: Photos of plain white surfaces to detect internal contamination
6. TrueDepth system test: Face ID and front camera functionality verification

Every TrueReport™ includes sample photos from all lenses, so you can see the actual camera quality before you buy. If we find any camera defects—dust, scratches, focus issues, broken modes—we document them clearly. And if the damage is significant, we reject the device entirely.

No surprises. No "it worked when I tested it." Just complete transparency about what you're getting.

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The Bottom Line: Don't Trust "Camera Works Fine"

Here's my honest advice as someone who tests iPhone cameras every day:

• Test all camera modes yourself. Don't just take the seller's word for it.
• Portrait mode is the canary in the coal mine. If it doesn't work, there's hardware damage.
• Zoom in on photos to 100%. This is where dust spots and quality issues become obvious.
• Test in bright lighting. Don't let sellers rush you or meet in dim conditions.
• Front camera + Face ID should both work. If one is broken, the other often is too.
• Walk away from "minor issues." Internal dust and broken modes only get worse, never better.

Camera problems are incredibly common in Perth's used iPhone market—but they're also easy to catch if you know what to test. Spend 3 minutes running through these checks, and you'll avoid buying a phone with a camera that's already failing.

And if you'd rather skip the detective work entirely? That's exactly why we built Oloop's inspection process. Every camera function tested, every issue documented, every phone backed by proof—not promises.

Written by Jason, Founder of Oloop | Based in Perth, WA | 4+ years iPhone camera inspection experience