Database Users

Is a focus-free camera possible?

My pet peeve on HD is the camera auto focus. It's nothing to write home about, but OK for a phone, to my taste. The major problem with it is the autofocus which takes forever to work. Since it's difficult (for me) to hold the device steadily for such a long time, my guess is that a "focus free" mode (setting focus to infinity IINM) would make things way better for most uses. At least it work well on my Asus P750.
Does anyone know if it's possible on HD?

This is an interesting question. I havn't got my HD yet, but I can imagine, one of the things which stops this handset being used for quick snaps, is the auto focus.... I'd be intruiged to hear suggestions on this.
....Ib a n e

Problem is these camera units often have to be wide open apertures, to compensate for the tiny sensors. If it was F8 or something most stuff would be in focus all the time, but pictures in anything but bright sun would be just a huge blur because of the long shutter time needed.
Basically, camera phones will always be useless, regardless of how many megapixels they shoehorn in there.

Well, I can live with blur, actually. As long as there's something in the picture. But this 3 second long focusing just doesn't allow me to capture anything!

I don't want to live with blur at all, no point if there IS someone in the picture but they look like tom welling in smallville using super speed

vangrieg said:
Well, I can live with blur, actually. As long as there's something in the picture. But this 3 second long focusing just doesn't allow me to capture anything!
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Click to collapse
Check the user manual. It might me a user defined setting let you change the duration taken to say 1 second?

Application Idea -- "Steady cam" using accelerometer

Disclaimer 1: I'm not a developer.
Disclaimer 2: I searched and didn't find a similar app
In searching for applications to improve the results from my wife's iPhone camera, I came across a few iPhone apps that cleverly use the accelerometer to assist in picture taking -- namely they wait until the accelerometer registers the fact that the phone has stopped moving before triggering the shutter.
It seems to me that a similar application would work on the Diamond/Touch Pro/HD -- once the "shutter button" has been pressed, the camera autofocuses, and then waits for a "steady" moment to finish taking the picture.
Again, I'm a UI/Tech Specs type of person, so I don't know how open the camera api is. That said, it seems, in theory, that this should work and wouldn't be to tough to do (hell, they managed to do it on the iPhone).
What do you think?
- Matt

Have you really noticed a difference on iPhone with this program?

here you go buddy
this may solve ur problem
http://www.mobiletopsoft.com/pocket-pc/download-kais-photo-bubble-level-net-1-2.html

That's an interesting app, but not quite the same thing. While it's nice that it lets you level the shot, it doesn't look like it uses the accelerometer to trip the shutter. So the hand shake potential is still there.
As far as the Steadycam app, it helps. It isn't going to turn the iPhone into a digital camera replacement, but it does assist low light pictures.
Here's a review of two of the iPhone Apps I've been playing with:
http://www.mophojo.com/2008/12/iphone-app-hold-er-steady/
- Matt

It is a good app if it exists. It is good for someone's hands are not steady when taking photos.

Decrease The Blur of Your Camera (Really):
http://www.fuzemobility.com/decrease-the-blur-of-your-camera-really/
Camera Focus Unwrapped:
http://www.fuzemobility.com/camera-focus-unwrapped/

Any good camera apps?

One of my biggest gripes with this phone is that they gave it this great camera but with no image stabilization. Has anyone come across any good camera apps? Preferably something that allows you to take a picture via the touch screen (like you can in 2.1 but not 2.2) or provides some image stabilization. I tried camera 360, which seems decent, but FC's a lot.
PS. I tried a thread search to see if this topic is around but due to the numerous threads on camera related issues pre-2.2 OTA leak, they're hard to find.
Thanks in advance for any help.

If you place your finger on the screen and hold it there, it will take the picture.

To be more precise it'll focus where you put the finger and take a picture.

The best camera app I've tried is Vignette. The "normal" processing for the app makes much better pictures than the default camera, and it's got some excellent effects as well. It also has a "steady shot" option where it waits until the camera is still before taking the shot. The demo is low-res but you can use it to see the basic results you'll get. The full version was worth it for me.

Tried a few apps and I do like some features of Vignette but will say the stock camera app does the best in my opinion with settings at (8mp fine bright -1 contrast +1) can hold on screen and it will auto focus then snap pic
here are some untouched samples of mine of just misc things the other day
http://picasaweb.google.com/dearls70/VignettePhotoAppPics?feat=directlink
and
http://picasaweb.google.com/dearls70/DroidIncrediblePics?feat=directlink

[WANTED] Camcorder/Camera Advanced Controls

Hello. For some time now I have been getting frustrated with the standard camera/camcorder for my SGS.
I will point out some of the main things I dislike
Lack of features
It's hard to take pictures or start recording unless you look at the screen to see where the button is located to initiate it
Camera closes after idle for too long
Screen controls are too close together
Files do not save if you accidentally press the back button while recording
I have searched Google, forums and the market to try and find a replacement with no success
I would love to have camera/camcorder replacement that has the following
The biggest feature for me would be to have the ability to use either of the Home/Volume/Power buttons to use the camera/camcorder at least for Record, Pause, Stop and taking pictures
This would make it so much easier to use it without having to always look at the screen to make sure you are pressing the right area and will also eliminate accidentally pressing the wrong button
For example
Home key could be used for taking pictures and start recording video pressing it again will pause it and long holding it will stop the recording and auto save.
Volume will be for zoom and power button could possible take pictures and long holding for toggle night mode or something like that
I dunno about you but I find this configuration to feel natural
In the menu there should also be the option to exit camera/camcorder as some people use home key for this instead of backing out and the home button will already have a use
All settings can be controlled via touchscreen such as:
Option to toggle the camera/camcorder from closing on idle
Image/Shooting mode
All other general settings
If anyone else thinks this is a good idea or has any further input on making this better please post something
If there is a dev out there wanting a challenge please post Perhaps if enough people are interested in raising some funds there could be a bounty
P.S I wasn't sure if I should post this in Themes and Apps or here

Sould be possible i think, Power btn already done a thing : it lock screen without stop recording...
Also cyanogenmod as a great camera app, wait for it...

Surely there is something else out there other then the cyanogenmod one.

uppon2 said:
surely there is something else out there other then the cyanogenmod one.
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Click to collapse
- i hate the factory camera

I'm shocked that I'm the only one talking about this. Shame on everyone lol

Ill complain a bit too
I dislike the focus of the samsung app. Even in macro mode, you take an object from a 5cm distance and tap to focus..
it's going to focus well then lose focus. Even if take the picture when the focus is correct, it's going to output a blurred unfocused pic
The only "solution" is to take pictures with at least 10cm distance, or 15. But the camera seems to be able to picture much closer.. so it's annoying

Wow. People actually use the onboard camera? Camera 360 is what I've replaced my stock app with. But sadly stock samsung app is prob the best camera app from any dev/phone maker. What you need is a decent small camera like a canon ixus
Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk

bilboa1 said:
Ill complain a bit too
I dislike the focus of the samsung app. Even in macro mode, you take an object from a 5cm distance and tap to focus..
it's going to focus well then lose focus. Even if take the picture when the focus is correct, it's going to output a blurred unfocused pic
The only "solution" is to take pictures with at least 10cm distance, or 15. But the camera seems to be able to picture much closer.. so it's annoying
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the same problem. While using auto focus etc depending on the distance/light it will hang there thinking about it

ickyboo said:
Wow. People actually use the onboard camera? Camera 360 is what I've replaced my stock app with. But sadly stock samsung app is prob the best camera app from any dev/phone maker. What you need is a decent small camera like a canon ixus
Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have not heard of 360 *Checks it online* - To tell you the truth I don't mind the camera.... I guess I really just want to be able to use the home button to initiate take picture, start recording, pause and long hold for stop. Maybe there is a way to change something in the file hmmmmm surely a smart dev would know

I tried Vignette and Camera 360 Pro, well the 360 programs doesn't cut it, the interface is horrible and buggy.
Vignette is quite ok however - the focus works. It's missing the directional focus from the samsung app however, although I can live with it of course. Vignette also saves jpegs that are less compressed/higher quality.
To be honest i'd be just fine with Samsung's app if the focus worked fine in macro mode, and the jpegs were higher quality (maybe even make the pano mode high resolution )
Mostly because the controls/settings/etc are much better in the Samsung app.
Now since it's proprietary, not much we can do about these issues I guess xD (the button can prolly be hacked in tho)

bilboa1 said:
I tried Vignette and Camera 360 Pro, well the 360 programs doesn't cut it, the interface is horrible and buggy.
Vignette is quite ok however - the focus works. It's missing the directional focus from the samsung app however, although I can live with it of course. Vignette also saves jpegs that are less compressed/higher quality.
To be honest i'd be just fine with Samsung's app if the focus worked fine in macro mode, and the jpegs were higher quality (maybe even make the pano mode high resolution )
Mostly because the controls/settings/etc are much better in the Samsung app.
Now since it's proprietary, not much we can do about these issues I guess xD (the button can prolly be hacked in tho)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I need someone to find a way to hack the home button to work and serve my purpose

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=860609
Power button to take pics. Hopefully will soon be able to record/pause long hold to stop in camera mode soon if anyone else was interested.

Panorama mode in Essential camera app

Hi, I have my PH-1 for a couple of days now and I like the pure Android and as well the camera app. There is however one single function that I miss - and that is a panorama mode for photos. I do have the 360° camera, but this is something different ... I use the panorama mode very often to have a "wide angle" photo, especially for landscape photography. Especially with the zoom factor of the PH-1 camera this would make sense. Manually putting photos together is much work.
Am I wrong or is this function not implemented so far?
Cheers,
Eriol

It's not there. I've come to rely on taking a series of individual pictures in sequence and letting Google Photos string them together through its magic. Actually does a really nice job and manages to block out some things that panoramic modes don't, like people moving through the picture. It is a limitation, though, that I hope will arrive with another update, however there are still some overall quality issues I hope they sort out first.