Had mine for 2 days before lense scratched. pics fine without flash, but flash blurs half the pic. Nokia should replace lense for sure and keep on doing it everytime it scratches...

this is not a user fault mine is the same way, this is *&^%* up. have spoken to nokia rep. but no answer as of yet maybe because of the holiday

Well this is my second post. I sent my phone in to Nokia so that they could fix the camera. They paid the shipping via UPS by 2 day air (both ways) and kept me updated on the status of the repair.
They surprised me with the length of time it took to repair my phone. 8 days all and all, including none business days (weekend), to get my phone back. It is repaired and I know it is the same phone I sent them. I think they they replaced the entire back portion of the phone, including camera with NO scratches.
Repairing a faulty product is the most fundamentally basic thing companies need to do in order to keep customers. I am happy to report that the repair process has kept me as a Nokia customer. I give them strong ovation for standing by their customers and repairing the damage. Thank you Nokia. You have kept me on your side.
I found this site that described what is repaired, etc. http://www.nokiausers.net/N-Series/Nokia-N97-Ma...

Yes, my camera puts a shadow across the screen when the flash is used and I gues it must the very fine scratches in the lens cover causing it.

What are Nokia going to do about this? I have never had so many problems with a phone as with this N97. It really os not fit for purpose and should never have been released into the market.

i've just got my new n97 1 month ago,and i thought i've bought the greatest phone ever...but unluckyly when i have my vacation and trying to use my phone camera,it's son nice...and every moment have something to shoot,i always take my n97 and open the lens cover...but so sad...when finished took pictures,i found that my n97's lens cover scratched....in fact i'm really carefull to take care my n97....

Yes me too. Scratches on my n97's lense. Pictures, at night with flash, have a blue glare on their left side. Really embarrassing for Nokia. I am so frustrated with them committing such a simple but amazingly decisive blow, to this phone's quality. This phone cost me $756.40 and I only wish that I never gave Nokia my hard earned money. I called the customer support and they had me send the phone to Huntsville, Alabama.
I will see what they do to fix this problem. Depending on how they handle this problem I may or may not be a customer of theirs again.

Oh and Nokia if you are reading this: Replacing my phone with another, used phone, that will only be scratched again by the same process - will not suffice.

i got scratches on the camera lens too and it affected the picture taking when using flash (shading appears)as the scratches just above the camera lens

Same problem here with this Made-in-China-POS. I am so upset about this - I payed 550 Euros and I thought I'd get a high-quality phone. Instead I get this self-destructing crap!

Very bad of Nokia!

that sucks, i got the same scratches on mine, too. :(

After having camera issues since I got the phone - still there after the firmware upgrade I got mine replaced today (01/08/2009). Basically the camera would not activate and show a black screen. Big issue for me as this was the main reason I purchased the N97 over say an IPhone or HTC etc.

Anyway, it just so happens I inspected the back camera on the phone I had replaced and sure enough it had scratches on the lense cover which are being generated by dust etc being caught the lense cover and scraped across when opened and closed. This is clearly a design fault and I cannot believe Nokia did not know about this.

I suspect the same will happen to my replacement phone at which point I imagine a fight between me, the retailer and Nokia will break out!lol

Nokia used to be such a good company and now release rubbish in order to try and keep up with the apple.

It's funny, I have an old 6680 which still works and does exactly what it was designed to do, no problems with the camera and/or lense cover on that old thing!

I hate to say it, but I wish I had got the IPhone now, rubbish camera but the rest of it is in a different league. So the next version of the IPhone in a years time will be mine, no more Nokia....!

DanH (United Kingdom) :-)

mine has a few and only taken 38 pics.. not happy!!

Yea/ My 97 had a noticeable scratch superior to where it would affect pic taking. Subsequently, however, two other scratches developed, one right across the center of the lens. All of the cratches are horizontal and linear. The lens cover must have collected something underneath, and with each closure of the lens to prevent scratches, it has actually caused scratches.

NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE UNDER CURRENT UK TRADING STANDARD LAWS..... thats what I say after owning a brand new N97 one week and having scratches on the camrea lens cover when all I have used it is about 7 times over a one week period.

If you ask me Nokia should recal, correct and upgrade. If not they should provide a public apology for providing a phone with a design fault that is not fit for purpose. And offer a free upgrade, free accessories, or reimbursement voucher, since clearly the camera quality is now non existent when scratches appear.

If this is not dealt with by NOKIA I will never own anothe rnokia again, and after having 5 previous nokias then they should listen to their consumers, if not lets all jump ship!!!

Multiple scratches on my first one... Sent it back for exchange, now 2 scratches on my 2nd one. I don't know if it's due to the scratches or the way the lens is put together but the flash floods the left side of every photo I take with the flash on (on both my 1st and 2nd unit). Every Nokia rep I've spoken with (6 so far) tell me "This is the first I've heard of this issue." I'll keep sending them back until there is a resolution to the issue.

i keep getting this exact issue...white shading down the left side of every photo i take with the flash on. Not so noticeable if i take a photo with the flash off. VERY annoying.

Hi,
within a week I also had a scratch on te same spot.
It ís a mistake to design it like this.
Kris

i just sent my phone in for repair of this issue and a few others. I was told it looks like I scratched it and it wouldn't be warranted. We will see!

I have just rung my phone provider up (dial a phone) and explained the problem, the women on the phone wasnt having any of it at first, and i explained that it isn't just me that is having a problem, there is plenty of people with the same problem

She then spoke to her manager, i have to send the phone back to them and they will send me a brand new spanker out :)

it is the same with me ...it looks like this is caused by the sliding cover it self

I have had the N97 trial unit about 2 weeks now and it has a number of horizontal scratches from the lens cover. I have been trying to figure out how to clean under the lens cover to get out whatever is doing the scratching.

Yep, got scratches on mine too. The worst ones are on the part opposite the lens; the part you see when the lens is covered. I sent mine in today to the Nokia Repair Center in Alabama. I hate doing that. Haven't had to send a phone in since my N75 (cracked the screen). I'm worried to death about losing my phone in the mail or it getting destroyed. I should've put the double bubble wrapped envelopes inside of a box...

I've got the scratches too on both the lens and the area next to the lens that's open when the lens is covered. It was really digging into the side opposite the lens, but the lens had a line or too also. I just sent it in to Nokia's Repair Center in Alabama. I'm hoping they can fix this and make my whole keyboard have the wonderful feeling that just my middle row had.

Mine is all scratched too Mark. I actually sent my N97 to Nokia care because I wanted to see how they will react to the problem. I'll keep you guys updated here and cover this over at n97fanatics.com as well.

cant take picturs with flash coze of oe big line of scratch right on te lens caused by the cover. im so screwed.

1 deep scratch just right of aperture. small one just left of aperture. Scratches are causing light floods on images.