Lumia 1020 camera module making weird 'fan' noise?

[vmln8r]

Don't worry. Its normal.

It might be normal, but it's certainly not acceptable. It renders video recording useless and photography in discreet environments impossible. So, nothing to worry about, or a massive defect?

 

[xmob101]

Nothing to worry about. I didn't even notice it until it was mentioned in this thread. The camera module has tiny motors and ball bearings inside it for the OIS, that's where the noise is from.

Oh and if you have any 'LED torch' apps running, you can hear the same noise. I've stopped using them as I'd rather not having the OIS system running outside the camera app.

 

[dborzasi]

Doesn't matter where I set it, it is almost the same... I experimented a lot with it, even recorded just the noise on different noise filtering settings, than evaluated them with Audition... Of course it can be filtered with post-processing, but c'mon, for this amount of money this is a piece of garbage.... On the other hand, why isn't the same amount of noise noticeable on sample videos?
I sent it back to Nokia, I've got it after a week, nothing was done to it, except a software update. I sent it back again... Hope they'll change the camera this time...

Just to clear: I'm totally ok with having some noise. I understand that it cannot be completely silent but not this much.

 

[dborzasi]

NEWS!

Got back the phone today for the service. Some hardware is changed, videos have no more noise at all.

Update: well... they changed some hardware, but they didn't change the camera... problem seems to be still here, it is just a bit more silent....

 

[galindo62#AC]

ugh, so disappointed. New I shouldnt have trusted nokia/att.
Well perhaps they can do good and replace, gonna call ATT tomorrow and nokia on monday.

This is completely unacceptable, it makes the same noise whilst taking photos as well.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0BUlOX-G90&list=UU5R9F6oKdFNMfmKCBUSXiLA

 

[Crasstoe]

ugh, so disappointed. New I shouldnt have trusted nokia/att.
Well perhaps they can do good and replace, gonna call ATT tomorrow and nokia on monday.

This is completely unacceptable, it makes the same noise whilst taking photos as well.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0BUlOX-G90&list=UU5R9F6oKdFNMfmKCBUSXiLA

That is a faulty unit, simple as that. They will simply swap your phone.

 

[Raphael Fontes]

My camera was working perfectly, and today it started exhibiting the same noise as in galindo62's video. I'll contact Nokia.

 

[Julian_C]

how old is your 1020? or after what time can I expect this?

 

[JaimitoFrog]

I sent my unit in for repair for this same issue, and it is totally fixed now. It was a repair, and the phone was not replaced.

I used nokia care in usa, you fill in a form online, and print the mailing label. Dropped it off at UPS jun 16, got it back jun 25th.

One thing I notice is that if you shake the phone, you no longer hear that rattling noise the phone made when I first bought it last aug.

 

[nicos1309]

I had my first nokia lumia 1020 replaced after 25 days from the day I purchased it, as it was still under warranty. It made the same high pitch noise as in galindo 62 video when taking photos and videos. After 1 month, the replacement phone started to make exactly the same noise, it is unusable for videos. Today I got the second phone sent out to repair, hopefully they'll fix it, but it seems strange that both phones had exactly the same fault.

 

[LMKz]

Just reporting back that the screeching issue has returned in my replacement handset. So if I return it, this will be the 4th time this year my 1020 has been returned to Nokia NZ.

Not as severe as first time, but presume it will only get worse. This must be a major design fault in the 1020. I'm just wondering whether it is worth the hassle of returning for replacement, as seems likely the new unit will eventually fail in this way anyway?? Returning is such a hassle with the factory reset, packaging/posting, wait, restore etc etc.

Disgusted with the quality of this phone; should've known when I bought something yellow it would be a lemon.

 

[gpobernardo]

Just reporting back that the screeching issue has returned in my replacement handset. So if I return it, this will be the 4th time this year my 1020 has been returned to Nokia NZ. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Th7_1Ld7Buc

Not as severe as first time, but presume it will only get worse. This must be a major design fault in the 1020. I'm just wondering whether it is worth the hassle of returning for replacement, as seems likely the new unit will eventually fail in this way anyway?? Returning is such a hassle with the factory reset, packaging/posting, wait, restore etc etc.

Disgusted with the quality of this phone; should've known when I bought something yellow it would be a lemon.

Here's a quick way to check if the bug is indeed the image stabilization mechanism (because I think it's something else (please read further below after the steps):
1. launch your camera (photo) then look at the lens of your phone
2. half-press the shutter so that it would attempt to focus
3. once the phone has acquired focus, slowly move your phone as if to rotate is gently
4. you should see your lens "get left behind"
5. as soon as you stop moving your phone or let go of the shutter, the lens should return to it's centered position.
6. If your lens didn't move at all during the gentle rotating movements, then indeed it is the image stabilization that is at fault.
7. OR if the sounds were produced as soon as the lens started moving, then indeed it is the image stabilization at fault.

Alternative way (for videos):
1. launch your video recording app (ideally nokia camera)
2. look at your lens
3. observe how the lens "gets left behind" while slowly rotating your phone
4. once the lens reaches the side of the opening (when it reaches the side and stops to move due to the limited space it has), stop moving the phone. (the idea is to force the image stabilization but within its range of movement).
5. Check if the noise is still produced while making the lens move within its range of movement.

The sound in this video (and the other "screeching" sounds) sounds very similar to the audio feedback when you place the microphone near its output speaker. It does come when you rotate the phone so it appears to be related to the image stabilization mechanism, but if three replacements didn't fix it then it might not be the image stabilization after all. It might be a faulty microphone-speaker module, or that the microphone/speaker gets activated even when taking a photo (not sure why this will happen, but, hey, anything can happen if it's a bug).

Also, the lens movement is limited within the lens cavity so the motors can only adjust the lens around a certain limited amount of space, i.e. when the lens movement stops so do the motors - they don't continuously rotate even when continuously rotating the phone; if they did they would wreck whatever mechanism is inside or the lens would be completely left behind to maintain the frame of the image (which clearly can't happen). So when rotating the phone more than 20 degrees (more than the lens stabilization freedom of movement), the motors are merely maintaining the offset of the lens as opposed to actually moving the lens. One can observe this by actually looking at the lens and then rotating the phone slowly: you'll see the lens "get left behind" while rotating the phone and as soon as you stop rotating the phone the lens would return to it's centered position.

I hope this would help.

PS. I wanted to take a video of the steps; maybe I'll make one when I find a suitable camera that can capture the lens movement of my L1020.

 

[gpobernardo]

I don't hear the fan like sounds when recording videos or when taking photos. What I hear is a sound similar to the CD/DVD drive when it's reading a disc. It's not a hissing sound but more of a jolty, quick sudden mechanical movement upon launching a camera app. It's so apparent that I could feel it when holding my phone - it allows me to know that the camera was turned on even without having to look at the screen, nifty when I have to pre-load the camera for candid shots.:grin:

 

[Nosferatu043]

I have the same problem with my device: a screeching sound when using the camera, like a microphone getting too close to a sound speaker. It only happens when turning the device in a certain angle. It has been returned twice already to the repair company and certain parts (a.o. some kind of internal cable) have been replaced. But after the second repairment it still isn't fixed. Vodafone has been figuring out what to do with it for 1 1/2 weeks now, but has yet to return me a definite solution. I hope they are going to offer me a replacement, because I haven't been able to use the phone since I sent it out the first time early June and I have no trust a third repairment will solve the problem. It'll set me back for another two weeks having my phone shipped out, when the solution offered will be yet another repair attempt.

I live in the NL, BTW.

 

[LMKz]

I would insist on getting your money back, I did with Nokia NZ and they eventually relented, as I have had this OIS issue twice as well as a mic failure. I am convinced there is a major design fault with the 1020 OIS as there are so many reports of this issue online and no doubt for each one reported here there are another 20 who haven't noticed it yet, ignored it, or just returned the phone. From what I have read and my experience I think the issue is caused by leaving the video operating for long periods (> 10 minutes), that is the only common factor I can think of in both my cases. Both times when it happened to mine it was far worse when the camera was held "upside-down" (landscape, with buttons facing ground). And just when panning right, not left.

I'm pretty sure Nokia/Microsoft must be aware of the design fault by now (they'd be pretty useless if not), so presume they are just going to keep quiet and hope it goes away as the 1020 is gradually phased out. I'd say they are lucky they did not sell a lot of them or they would've had a huge recall.

Good luck.

I have the same problem with my device: a screeching sound when using the camera, like a microphone getting too close to a sound speaker. It only happens when turning the device in a certain angle. It has been returned twice already to the repair company and certain parts (a.o. some kind of internal cable) have been replaced. But after the second repairment it still isn't fixed. Vodafone has been figuring out what to do with it for 1 1/2 weeks now, but has yet to return me a definite solution. I hope they are going to offer me a replacement, because I haven't been able to use the phone since I sent it out the first time early June and I have no trust a third repairment will solve the problem. It'll set me back for another two weeks having my phone shipped out, when the solution offered will be yet another repair attempt.

I live in the NL, BTW.

 

[saboganunes]

Please help! I have the same problem with my 1020: a terrible noise while I am recording with the camera. Since I have had a N8 that I just use very extensively to record my classes etc, (so much that I had a plug problem to download my materials) I decided to move to the 1020 expecting at least the same quality.

 

[saboganunes]

Is there any device you know nokia or not that could be a good choice to record videos on the go with high quality & no background noise? Tkyou

 

[saboganunes]

Please help! here goes the link about the same problem with my 1020: a terrible noise while I am recording with the camera. Since I have had a N8 that I just use very extensively to record my classes etc, (so much that I had a plug problem to download my materials) I decided to move to the 1020 expecting at least the same quality on noise while recording videos. So I did this experiment to demonstrate the problem where I compare the 1020, N8 and an Asha:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_A9YP_MW4Q&list=UU3VLb42bvGm5O0gQzyeJjiw
What can I do to have the same background silence (none) with my 1020 as I had with my N8? Thank you for all the help!
I have tried nokia discussions & no reply & help! Re: Problem i have nokia lumia 1020 Problem is sou... - Nokia Support Discussions

 

[a teo]

Any time the camera is switched on I can hear the same hissing sound if I press it against my ear. this sound is recorded on all videos, which is annoying. When the phone was about 6 months old it started to develop screeching sounds also when the camera is tilted at certain angles. So I returned it to my local Nokia Care Centre. Had it back in one week. They replaced the camera ( and one other part ? ). no screeching, but the hissing white noise is as prevalent as ever ( in both still camera & video modes ) ..Obviously, this is a major ( for those who got the phone mainly for the camera) design flaw or a high fault rate) . Hope the next upgrade is not the same !

 

[a teo]

If the screeching noise keeps returning.(especially after 4 times !.. time to complain and insist on a brand new replacement.?