This Guy Made the iPhone 16 Camera Plateau Transparent...

If you thought my iPhone Air transparent mod was cool, check this out. This guy @mosdiplay did a transparent mod too, but only on the camera plateau.

Instead of making the whole back clear, he focused on that one area, and it instantly stands out.

Removing the camera bump the risky way

The first step was tackling the camera bump. He partially disassembled the iPhone, opened the back cover, and carefully folded back the flash. Then he used a grinding drill, or, in his detailed build, a small lollipop-like tool to carefully drill out the camera barrel.

Next, he removed all the metal parts, the camera mesh, and took out the entire module. One slip here could destroy the camera, the glass, or the frame. It’s risky, but it paid off. The plateau now sits flush, ready for the next steps.

Stripping paint only where it matters

Once everything was removed from the back glass, he carefully scratched off the paint only in the camera plateau area. Not the whole back. Just that section.

This is what makes the mod feel clean instead of chaotic.

You get the transparent look without turning the entire phone into a fragile science project.

Securing the Lens and Adding Reinforcement

The small camera lens was glued onto hot polyurethane. Then, on the other side, he added a metal ring created with a laser. This ring is welded to the back cover, ensuring a strong, factory-level feel instead of relying on fragile adhesive.

Most mods rely on adhesive, which can feel temporary. Welding the plateau back together makes it solid, aligned, and professional. Focusing only on the plateau gives maximum visual impact without the risk and effort of a fully transparent back. You still get to see internals, but in a controlled, meaningful way.

Primer for Water Resistance

To finish, he applied a primer for proper water resistance. Ideally, this should be pressed using a professional press to ensure full coverage. The result is a transparent, protected, and visually striking camera plateau.

Why this works on the iPhone Air

Focusing only on the camera plateau gives a huge visual payoff without the extreme effort of a fully transparent back. After doing my full transparent iPhone Air mod, this feels like a more minimalist approach. You still get to see internals, but it is limited to a small, well-defined area that actually makes sense.

This approach also highlights one of the most recognizable parts of the phone. Less material removed, less overall risk, and the visual impact is huge. It feels purposeful instead of excessive.

Final thoughts

This is one of those mods that looks simple until you really think about what it took to pull off. Grinding near camera hardware is terrifying, and welding near phone parts is not something you casually attempt. But with the right tools and prep, this is absolutely doable.

Would I try this myself? Yes, I am 100 percent stealing the grinding drill idea.

This iPhone Air went transparent and now refuses to hide anything, not even bad battery life.

See you in the next article!