Purple LiDAR dots on the night time photos

Looking at your photograph, the pink dots appear in a repeated, fairly regular pattern across the wall, curtain, and bedspread. My assessment is that these are most likely light spots projected onto the scene by an external light source, rather than defective pixels in your iPhone 15 Pro Max camera sensor.

The pink dots could be caused by a laser-based light projector, but they are unlikely to be the iPhone 15 Pro Max's LiDAR sensor itself.

Why I think these are projected light spots

• They appear on different surfaces: The dots are visible on the wall, curtain, and bedspread. This suggests that light is falling on those surfaces.
• They form a repeating pattern: The dots are distributed in rows, which is consistent with a patterned light source, such as a decorative projector or a laser-based lighting device.
• Their colour is similar: Most dots appear pink or magenta, suggesting that the light source itself may be producing that colour.
• They follow the scene's surfaces: The dots appear to illuminate the objects in the photograph rather than behaving like isolated sensor defects.

How to confirm this

Try these three checks:

1. Look at the room with your own eyes.

Can you see the pink dots on the wall without using your iPhone camera? If yes, they are almost certainly coming from a light source in the room.

2. Take another photograph from a different angle.

Move the iPhone sideways and photograph the same wall. If the dots remain on the wall but their positions change relative to the camera, that would support the projected-light explanation.

3. Turn off the suspected light source.

Switch off any decorative lights, night lamps, or projectors in the room and take another photograph. If the dots disappear, you have identified the cause.

Hi, that is not a LiDAR image. LiDAR uses Direct Time of Flight (dToF) to measure distances, not a dot projector like FaceID. Infrared laser light is pulsed and the time is measured to determine the distance to the reflected surface/object.

Is this a cropped image? If so, please share the entire image.

What camera produced this image? Apple iPhone camera sensors are covered with an IR filter that removes infrared light and significantly reduces IR light being recorded.

What happens if you mask your phone’s LIDAR sensor ?

FrightenedFox wrote:

This started happening with the new iOS 27, didn’t notice it prior to that.

Not every issue an individual encounters on their device can be attributed to an iOS update. iOS 27 or later may have coincided with what you are experiencing, but that does not mean the issue was triggered by iOS. Coincidence in timing is not, by itself, evidence of causation.

If the update itself were the root cause, then every device running that same version of iOS would exhibit the identical problem. In such a scenario, the forums would be flooded with countless posts reporting the same malfunction, creating an unmistakable wave of complaints that no one could possibly overlook.

The absence of such widespread reports strongly indicates that the issue is not a general, system-wide problem with iOS 27 or later, but rather something specific to the individual device, its configuration, installed apps, settings, hardware, or another interacting factor.

In short: iOS 27 or later may be a coincidence in timing, but there is no basis to conclude that iOS itself triggered the problem simply because the issue appeared after the update.

Lighting plays a crucial role when capturing indoor photos or videos as it greatly impacts the overall quality and aesthetics of the final result. Here are some reasons why lighting is essential in indoor photography and videography:

1. Adequate lighting ensures that your subject is properly exposed, meaning it is neither too bright nor too dark. Sufficient light helps to maintain clarity, detail, and sharpness in your images or footage, allowing viewers to see the subject clearly.
2. Appropriate lighting conditions help to reproduce accurate colors in your indoor photos and videos. Different light sources can have varying color temperatures, such as warm (yellowish) or cool (bluish) tones. Understanding and controlling the lighting in your environment enables you to achieve the desired color accuracy and white balance.
3. Properly balanced lighting helps to minimize harsh shadows or blown-out highlights, creating a more balanced and visually pleasing composition. By strategically positioning light sources or using reflectors, you can control the shadows and highlights to enhance the overall depth and dimension of your indoor shots.
4. Lighting has the power to set the mood and create a specific atmosphere in your indoor visuals. For example, soft and diffused lighting can generate a calm and intimate ambiance, while dramatic or directional lighting can evoke a sense of mystery or tension. Understanding how different lighting techniques influence the mood allows you to craft the desired emotional impact in your photos or videos.
5. Being able to control the lighting in indoor settings provides you with greater creative freedom. You can experiment with various lighting setups, such as using natural light, artificial lighting, or a combination of both. Additionally, manipulating the direction, intensity, and color of light allows you to create unique and captivating visual effects, enhancing the storytelling aspect of your indoor photography or videography.

Considering these factors, investing time and effort into understanding and utilizing proper lighting techniques will significantly enhance the quality, impact, and overall aesthetic appeal of your indoor photos and videos.

The photo is 12MP. Is this the selfie cam? Or the 12MP back cam?