Camera repair
Camera repair that finds the real fault, not just the cracked glass
A camera problem is rarely one thing. Sometimes it is only the lens glass over the lens. Sometimes the whole module is dead. And sometimes the camera is fine and the fault is on the board that powers it. We are a board-level lab first, so we tell those three apart before we quote you, instead of swapping a part and hoping. Phones and tablets, with honest options on every job.
A broken camera is one of three different faults: cracked lens glass, a dead camera module, or a board-level problem powering the camera. WeFixed diagnoses at the board first to tell them apart, so you do not pay for a module swap that fixes nothing. We handle phones and tablets, including Face ID and TrueDepth front cameras.
Most shops have one move for a camera: pull the module, plug in a new one. That works until it does not — when the new module is also blank, the fault was never in the camera, and now you have paid for a part that changed nothing. Because we diagnose at the board, we can see whether your camera lost power, lost its data line, or simply died, and we fix the actual cause.
Three camera faults and what each needs
| Symptom | Likely cause | What it needs |
|---|---|---|
| Blurry, glare, cracks | Cracked lens glass | Lens glass only |
| Black or frozen camera | Dead module or board | Diagnose first |
| Buzzing, shaky video | Failing OIS motor | Module replacement |
| Face ID lost | TrueDepth unpaired | Board-level pairing |
| All cameras dead | Board power or data | Component repair |
We confirm camera versus board before quoting, so the fix matches the real cause.
Signs of a board-level fault
- Cracked or shattered lens glass over the rear camera, with blurry, foggy, or starburst photos
- Black camera, frozen preview, or a camera app that opens then crashes
- Photos that will not focus, hunt back and forth, or come out soft no matter the light
- Buzzing, rattling, or clicking from the lens with shaky video — a failing OIS motor
- Dead front or selfie camera, or Face ID and TrueDepth lost after a drop or a previous screen swap
- One camera working and the others black, or all cameras gone at once after impact or water
Honest by default
Every board starts with a $65 diagnostic and a written report — exact cost and timeline before we touch it. The fee applies toward your repair.
My camera lens glass is cracked — do I need a whole new camera?
Usually not. On most phones the small glass cover over the lens is a separate part from the camera module behind it. If your photos are blurry or full of glare but the camera still focuses and the preview is clear apart from the cracks, we can often replace just the lens glass — a cleaner, cheaper fix. We check the module underneath first, though, because a cracked lens lets in dust and moisture that can fog or damage the sensor over time. If the sensor is already affected, we will show you and quote the module instead. We never sell you a full module when the glass alone will do.
How do you tell a bad camera from a board fault?
That is the whole point of a board-level diagnostic. A black or dead camera can be the module itself, a torn or unseated flex cable, or a fault on the logic board — a missing power rail or a dropped data line that no replacement camera will fix. We test the camera's power and signal lines under the microscope before we order any part. If a new module is the answer, you get one. If the fault is on the board, we repair it at the component level — the kind of work a parts-swap counter simply cannot do.
My camera buzzes or rattles and the video is shaky — what is that?
That sound is almost always a failing OIS, the optical image stabilization motor that floats the lens to steady your shots. When its spring or magnet is damaged, usually after a drop, the lens bangs against its housing and you get buzzing, rattling, and jumpy video that no software update can fix. First, take off any MagSafe or magnetic mount and case, since strong magnets can pull the lens out of alignment and fake the same symptom. If it persists with accessories removed, the module needs replacing, and we will confirm it is the camera and not the board before we do.
Will Face ID still work if you replace my front camera?
On modern iPhones the front camera is part of the TrueDepth system that also runs Face ID, and it is paired to your logic board. A careless swap will leave the selfie camera working but Face ID permanently disabled and flagged as an unknown part. We handle the front camera as a board-level job: we transfer or pair the components that have to stay matched and test Face ID before you pay. If a previous screen or camera repair already broke Face ID, ask us — recovering it is often a board-level fix we can quote.
Do you fix tablet cameras too?
Yes. iPad and Android tablet cameras fail the same ways phones do — cracked lens glass, dead modules, focus faults, and flex cables knocked loose by a drop — and they reward the patient, microscope-led work our lab is built for. Front-facing tablet cameras tied to Face ID or face unlock get the same careful, paired treatment as phones.
How much does a camera repair cost?
It depends on the device and on which of the three faults you actually have — lens glass, full module, or a board-level repair — which is exactly why we diagnose before we quote. Many straightforward jobs are quoted on the spot for free. When a device needs to be opened and assessed, our $65 written diagnostic applies in full toward the repair, so you never pay twice. You will always see the trade-offs and the price in writing before any work starts.
Why a board-level lab is the right place for a camera fault
A camera is one of the few faults that looks identical whether the problem is a $30 lens cover or a hairline break on the logic board. A parts-swap counter can only guess, and when the guess is wrong you pay for a module that fixed nothing. We diagnose the camera's power and data lines at the board first, so the repair matches the real cause — lens glass, module, or component-level work. We are an independent Arlington shop, so we are not steering you toward a whole-device replacement, and we put our work in writing: 1-year warranty on OEM and genuine OLED parts, 30 days on aftermarket. Walk in from anywhere in Arlington and the DMV, or use tracked mail-in from all 50 states. Many camera jobs are quoted free on the spot; when a diagnostic is needed it is $65 and applies toward your repair.