Database Users

[Q] Autofocus must be bugged, right? It refuses to focus except with direct light

I love everything about the Nexus 4 except the camera. The autofocus is having serious trouble unless you have a LOT of light. Compared to other smartphones, it seems to be broken. Does anyone else have this problem? Also, I've used 2 Nexus 4's, so I'm sure this is a software issue. Have any past Nexus devices had similar issues and been fixed?
Thanks!

I don't have that problem. Both with normal and HDR mode. In HDR mode it can be blurry, but not because out-of-focus but rather because my hands move while the phone still taking the picture (it takes more than one picture to create a HDR picture)
Also, I do notice that even in normal mode the camera actually takes longer to take the picture than one would expect, so usually holds your hand steady for a few extra seconds do the trick.
I hope that helps.

whittikins said:
I love everything about the Nexus 4 except the camera. The autofocus is having serious trouble unless you have a LOT of light. Compared to other smartphones, it seems to be broken. Does anyone else have this problem? Also, I've used 2 Nexus 4's, so I'm sure this is a software issue. Have any past Nexus devices had similar issues and been fixed?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I have the same exact problem. It's very annoying and makes me feel like my phone is defective.

Stretch3000 said:
Yes, I have the same exact problem. It's very annoying and makes me feel like my phone is defective.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1. My N4 16GB refuses to take any macro shots. The auto focus keeps engaging and is extremely annoying. The video recording seems ok, but the picture taking is atrocious.

I think I'm getting the same thing... but then, I started to think maybe it was psychological. You know, the circle showing you constant auto focusing? It moves so much, it makes you feel the "focus bouncing" much more than it would do if all you saw was the picture being focused only.
Well, that's my theory, anyways.

Any 'fix' for this?
Ivan Fuentes Hagar said:
I think I'm getting the same thing... but then, I started to think maybe it was psychological. You know, the circle showing you constant auto focusing? It moves so much, it makes you feel the "focus bouncing" much more than it would do if all you saw was the picture being focused only.
Well, that's my theory, anyways.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was trying to take a picture of my old Sensation XE to put on ebay but the N4 just wont focus well enough, it constantly focuses and refocuses. Its hugely frustrating and disappointing for a phone this powerful. Has anybody had any success perhaps with different software? There doesnt seem to be any kind of 'macro mode' built into the JB app?

Yes, I find the camera to be bad too, especially the autofocus that fails to focus on objects that are further away.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

Unless you are using tap to focus... if the camera is refocusing it is because your hands are not steady, which most likely is also the reason your shots are blurry.
I have noticed that the default program tends to set shutter speeds low to get the ISO down, but anything under 1/60th is going to take steady hands or a tripod. Consider using action mode to tell the camera you want it to use higher shutter speeds (but be aware this will cause more noise in low light due to higher ISO settings).

I've noticed this alot, when I try and take a close up photo, say of a phone, with the flash on, I use touch to focus and the flash turns on for a split second, and the green circle comes up saying it's focused, when it's badly out of focus, it seems to be a bit better with the flash off, but I've noticed the best improvement, whilst still not great, is pressing the shutter button before it focuses, so no ring on the screen, then it seems to have more luck focusing.

I honestly haven't had any problem with this. I have noticed the flash turning on briefly when focusing in low-light conditions, but the resulting pictures turn out fine.
Dunno if this will help, but someone on another thread suggested holding down (basically long-pressing) the capture button, waiting for the camera to focus, then releasing when you actually want to take the picture.

I don't have this issue either. Sorry to go a little off-topic but what is 'HDR'?

309041291a said:
what is 'HDR'?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
High dynamic range. The camera uses multiple exposures of the same image to generate more levels from shadows to hilights.

I think the problem lies in the new Camera app in 4.2. I had this same problem with my Galaxy Nexus when I updated to 4.2 so I reverted back to 4.1.
Now with Nexus 4 the problem seems to presist, but only when trying to focus very close.

the issue I have is with PA (so maybe not hardware related), but videos don't focus, only the camera function (unless I've not worked out how).
---------- Post added at 05:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:59 PM ----------
Very helpful, was having same issue (no autofocus) with the wonderful PA ROM on the (so far) fun Nexus 4.
Only real issue I've had with it so far, good to be past it (hard to know where to look).
Clearly I have no idea what radio even means, time to read.

Same problem here
nellisere said:
I've noticed this alot, when I try and take a close up photo, say of a phone, with the flash on, I use touch to focus and the flash turns on for a split second, and the green circle comes up saying it's focused, when it's badly out of focus, it seems to be a bit better with the flash off, but I've noticed the best improvement, whilst still not great, is pressing the shutter button before it focuses, so no ring on the screen, then it seems to have more luck focusing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I subscribe to you + it makes a noise at focus
---Lg nexus 4 - Android 4.4---

Same Issue w/ my Nexus 3
Must be software related...I have the same issue with my nexus 3. Completely unable to take photos at certain distances...

Love this phone except for 3 problems, can they be fixed?

I got the phone on launch day at Verizon and really like it. The speed, screen and still camera have all really impressed me. However there are 3 issues that have me considering exchanging it.
1) Screeching during phone calls. I don't use my phone for voice calls that much, but when I do, it's extremely distracting with the digital screeching that happens every few seconds. It does it worse sometimes but I rarely complete a call screech free. Is everyone on Verizon experiencing the same thing? Should I exchange mine for another? Can/Will a software fix this?
2) Touchscreen issues. Often when I double click to zoom in on a webpage, the phone starts registering phantom touches and is basically impossible to use until it's rebooted.
3) Autofocus issue on video recording. This absolutely ruins videos for me. I can't believe they'd ship a phone with this bad of an issue and I can't believe the reviews didn't make a bigger deal out of it. Is there anyway a custom video recording app could fix it? Even if LG is working on a fix, Verizon wouldn't roll it out for months I'm sure.
Any help on any of these issues would be greatly appreciated.

1 - I'm not experiencing any screeching on Verizon calls. An update with newer radio firmware might fix this sort of thing, but that might be a ways away and I haven't seen any other reports of this.
2 - Sounds like a pretty serious problem, show a vzw rep and you should be able to swap it out after they try soft resets and whatever other troubleshooting they wanna do.
3 - I'm experiencing this as well, not often, but it made for a crappy 5 second span in a video of my cat rolling around in the laundry

1. Are you OTA either VZN or flashed in a custom rom?
2. I stopped doing it this way because of knock on. I just use pinch zoom now.
3. I haven't had the issue as long add I didn't try to take videos like I was filming Blair witch. Aka stand still. And if you video tape things getting closer and farther away it's going to refocus. I did start using manual focus on pictures though....1000x better. Many more keepers.
Sent from my VS980 4G using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

DroidSloth said:
1 - I'm not experiencing any screeching on Verizon calls. An update with newer radio firmware might fix this sort of thing, but that might be a ways away and I haven't seen any other reports of this.
2 - Sounds like a pretty serious problem, show a vzw rep and you should be able to swap it out after they try soft resets and whatever other troubleshooting they wanna do.
3 - I'm experiencing this as well, not often, but it made for a crappy 5 second span in a video of my cat rolling around in the laundry
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No screeching here either, but I havent made many calls, and none of them have been that long (this phone can really make calls too? I figured it was just a gaming and texting machine )
I find my touchscreen is very sensitive in the fact that I dont even have to TOUCH it to press a button, sometimes. Just hovering my finger close enough to the screen causes a touch.....this may not be unique to this phone, Ive just never noticed it on others. Doesnt worry me too much. There is a place to calibrate it in the settings, have you tried running that procedure?
The video thing is apparently common for LG phones. I believe a previous Optimus phone had the same problem and it was fixed via an update. I would expect the same to happen for the G2, eventually (or a third party dev fixes it for them )

slide83 said:
I got the phone on launch day at Verizon and really like it. The speed, screen and still camera have all really impressed me. However there are 3 issues that have me considering exchanging it.
1) Screeching during phone calls. I don't use my phone for voice calls that much, but when I do, it's extremely distracting with the digital screeching that happens every few seconds. It does it worse sometimes but I rarely complete a call screech free. Is everyone on Verizon experiencing the same thing? Should I exchange mine for another? Can/Will a software fix this?
2) Touchscreen issues. Often when I double click to zoom in on a webpage, the phone starts registering phantom touches and is basically impossible to use until it's rebooted.
3) Autofocus issue on video recording. This absolutely ruins videos for me. I can't believe they'd ship a phone with this bad of an issue and I can't believe the reviews didn't make a bigger deal out of it. Is there anyway a custom video recording app could fix it? Even if LG is working on a fix, Verizon wouldn't roll it out for months I'm sure.
Any help on any of these issues would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
havent had the first 2 problems but the third i have every time i record with my camera. for a phone that has optical image stabilization, you shouldnt have to be perfectly still to get the camera to focus. the OIS on this camera is not very good if it cant have alot of light coming in. so recording this like inside of a building where the lighting is not as bright as outside will result in a blurred video if you move. this is a big downside to the camera to me. it would have been alot better if they would have atleast made the video camera tap to focus. but there is not 1 focus settings when in video mode. you dont always get to be still especially when videoing things like your kids. it gets annoying real fast and i end up having to redo the video.

freebee269 said:
havent had the first 2 problems but the third i have every time i record with my camera. for a phone that has optical image stabilization, you shouldnt have to be perfectly still to get the camera to focus. the OIS on this camera is not very good if it cant have alot of light coming in. so recording this like inside of a building where the lighting is not as bright as outside will result in a blurred video if you move. this is a big downside to the camera to me. it would have been alot better if they would have atleast made the video camera tap to focus. but there is not 1 focus settings when in video mode. you dont always get to be still especially when videoing things like your kids. it gets annoying real fast and i end up having to redo the video.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You CAN tap to focus in videos. It will even continue to track the object you tap on if it moves.
Sent from my LG-D800 using Tapatalk 4

whittikins said:
You CAN tap to focus in videos. It will even continue to track the object you tap on if it moves.
Sent from my LG-D800 using Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
not on the Verizon version. when you tap the screen, it does absolutely nothing. the only tracking thing is that tracking zoom which is pointless.
you can't manually choose what to focus on in the video app
Sent from my VS980 4G using Tapatalk 4

whittikins said:
You CAN tap to focus in videos. It will even continue to track the object you tap on if it moves.
Sent from my LG-D800 using Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
on my at&t lg g2 when in video mode you can not tap to focus. you can in picture mode but my original post was not talking about picture mode.

I think you can tap to focus on the korean variant. Sadly, I think the korean variant is much more powerful than the international one.

flickyamom said:
I think you can tap to focus on the korean variant. Sadly, I think the korean variant is much more powerful than the international one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this is kinda why i made a thread a while ago that died, asking if someone with the international version could upload the camera APK and port it to ours.

freebee269 said:
on my at&t lg g2 when in video mode you can not tap to focus. you can in picture mode but my original post was not talking about picture mode.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really?? That's the version I have too. When I tap while recording video, it puts 2 blue brackets around the object. If I move in, that brackets grow larger and keep tracking the object. Vice versa too.
I did flash CleanROM, but I wasn't aware of any camera changes. I thought it worked like this even as stock.
Sent from my LG-D800 using Tapatalk 4

whittikins said:
Really?? That's the version I have too. When I tap while recording video, it puts 2 blue brackets around the object. If I move in, that brackets grow larger and keep tracking the object. Vice versa too.
I did flash CleanROM, but I wasn't aware of any camera changes. I thought it worked like this even as stock.
Sent from my LG-D800 using Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what the hell..that's so weird

same issue on tmobile version.cant tap to focus

jayochs said:
this is kinda why i made a thread a while ago that died, asking if someone with the international version could upload the camera APK and port it to ours.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you meant the korean version's camera apk?

I am using the Korean variant F320S, I have yet encountered the problems you mentioned.

flickyamom said:
I think you meant the korean version's camera apk?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah that's it. I asked Scott to look into it, if it's an easy port, he said he'd get back to me with it. I mean, if the Korean camera apk is better, then hell yeah i want it
Sent from my VS980 4G using Tapatalk 4

Update there is,i will use it now and let you know.It might also be in yours and you dont know it ....like i didnt.
If you have set the 60fps video the feature doesnt work,it only works with the 30fps.Try it.It will work after you start the recording not before.

woof123 said:
Update there is,i will use it now and let you know.It might also be in yours and you dont know it ....like i didnt.
If you have set the 60fps video the feature doesnt work,it only works with the 30fps.Try it.It will work after you start the recording not before.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep, this is how mine is too. AT&T version. If you go into video mode, then options, then hit Reset, it should work after you start recording.

woof123 said:
Update there is,i will use it now and let you know.It might also be in yours and you dont know it ....like i didnt.
If you have set the 60fps video the feature doesnt work,it only works with the 30fps.Try it.It will work after you start the recording not before.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
in 30 fps mode it has a tap to focus after you start recording, but in 60 fps it does not. this is what i also said in my original post. i was talking about 60 fps mode. why would you not have tap to focus in the best mode for the camera? they allow me to control other aspects in 60 fps mode but not focusing? that's something i dont understand. 60 fps mode is much smoother than 30 fps mode yet the camera doesnt have something as easy as any kind of focusing in 60 fps mode.
---------- Post added at 02:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:13 PM ----------
whittikins said:
Yep, this is how mine is too. AT&T version. If you go into video mode, then options, then hit Reset, it should work after you start recording.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
try it on 60 fps mode then you'll see what i'm talking about. which is the whole point of what i'm talking about.

snapchat quality?

Is the camera quality on snapchat with the 6p good like stock camera app? I have a lg v10 and its very fuzzy and grainy and am thinking of switching to the 6p if the cameras are good.

The reason Snapchat pictures suck is because they basically take a screen shot of the video instead of using the actual camera app. So every phone will take poor snap chats when compared to the stock camera app.

frigidazzi said:
The reason Snapchat pictures suck is because they basically take a screen shot of the video instead of using the actual camera app. So every phone will take poor snap chats when compared to the stock camera app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats weird i didnt know that, i wonder why they do it like that..

jordy787 said:
Thats weird i didnt know that, i wonder why they do it like that..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only happens on android. Search reddit for discussions for this and the reasons why, but essentially the CEO hates android 'apparently' and is an iOS person.

frigidazzi said:
The reason Snapchat pictures suck is because they basically take a screen shot of the video instead of using the actual camera app. So every phone will take poor snap chats when compared to the stock camera app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
not sure where you got this info but i doubt its true. Mainly because when you go to record a video, the front facing camera zooms in a little which is exactly what the google camera app does when you switch from photo to video.
---------- Post added at 01:52 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:49 PM ----------
jordy787 said:
Is the camera quality on snapchat with the 6p good like stock camera app? I have a lg v10 and its very fuzzy and grainy and am thinking of switching to the 6p if the cameras are good.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Snapchat for me has been really nice and crisp. Basically like taking a photo with the normal camera. Plus having an 8mp camera for the front facing makes them super clean. Although when recording video with it, the exposure goes way down and thats really annoying. I don't know anything about what that guy said but my Nexus 6P takes hella good pictures whether on snapchat (which i use A LOT) or on the camera app

mrgoodpaul said:
not sure where you got this info but i doubt its true. Mainly because when you go to record a video, the front facing camera zooms in a little which is exactly what the google camera app does when you switch from photo to video.
---------- Post added at 01:52 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:49 PM ----------
Snapchat for me has been really nice and crisp. Basically like taking a photo with the normal camera. Plus having an 8mp camera for the front facing makes them super clean. Although when recording video with it, the exposure goes way down and thats really annoying. I don't know anything about what that guy said but my Nexus 6P takes hella good pictures whether on snapchat (which i use A LOT) or on the camera app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats good to know ! i think im going to find someone to trade me a 6p for my v10. So on the 6p there isnt noise in the photo and looks clear like original camera app? Every LG phone i had g2,g3,g4 and this v10 all had that problem on snapchat, not sure if they arent optimized or what.

jordy787 said:
Thats good to know ! i think im going to find someone to trade me a 6p for my v10. So on the 6p there isnt noise in the photo and looks clear like original camera app? Every LG phone i had g2,g3,g4 and this v10 all had that problem on snapchat, not sure if they arent optimized or what.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here are some samples for you.

mrgoodpaul said:
Here are some samples for you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks man! i was going to ask for samples originally but didnt wanna sound weird lol. I appreciate it man ! Yeah mine look alot worse on the v10 ): im going to get the 6p for sure now.

mrgoodpaul said:
Here are some samples for you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here are samples from the v10
Snapchat: http://1drv.ms/1TmpP9v
camera app(still has a little bit of noise in so so lighting: http://1drv.ms/1Tmq3NZ

mrgoodpaul said:
not sure where you got this info but i doubt its true. Mainly because when you go to record a video, the front facing camera zooms in a little which is exactly what the google camera app does when you switch from photo to video.
It is true. Feel free to Google it, it is a commonly known thing nowadays. There is a difference between Snapchat photos and actual photos with the FFC, fact.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

mrgoodpaul said:
not sure where you got this info but i doubt its true. Mainly because when you go to record a video, the front facing camera zooms in a little which is exactly what the google camera app does when you switch from photo to video.
---------- Post added at 01:52 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:49 PM ----------
Snapchat for me has been really nice and crisp. Basically like taking a photo with the normal camera. Plus having an 8mp camera for the front facing makes them super clean. Although when recording video with it, the exposure goes way down and thats really annoying. I don't know anything about what that guy said but my Nexus 6P takes hella good pictures whether on snapchat (which i use A LOT) or on the camera app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All over. Just Google it. Here's some Reddit chat about it.
https://m.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/3q2rrw/can_we_talk_about_snapchat_quality_on_android/

Galaxy S7 camera trembles

Hi all,
I haven't been used any phone which have optical image stabilization (OIS). I decide to buy a new Galaxy S7. I come to a store and give some tests. When I zoom in and take some photos using volume down button, I see camera trembles. When I restart the camera app, everything is back to normal. This happened twice.
Please help to check this video:
(sorry that I don't have enough 10 posts to post link here)
youtube.com/watch?v=7yhz4S7mM5g
So, it's a major problem or is it ok? Why did the camera tremble? And does this happen to other phone which support OIS camera?

welcomyou said:
Hi all,
I haven't been used any phone which have optical image stabilization (OIS). I decide to buy a new Galaxy S7. I come to a store and give some tests. When I zoom in and take some photos using volume down button, I see camera trembles. When I restart the camera app, everything is back to normal. This happened twice.
Please help to check this video:
(sorry that I don't have enough 10 posts to post link here)
youtube.com/watch?v=7yhz4S7mM5g
So, it's a major problem or is it ok? Why did the camera tremble? And does this happen to other phone which support OIS camera?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oís is only for video I believe
Sent from my SM-N920W8 using Tapatalk

Brava27 said:
Oís is only for video I believe
Sent from my SM-N920W8 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It should be for the camera too. Ois is mechanical is it not? So if its video or pictures it should stable out. I would think
---------- Post added at 03:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:27 PM ----------
zathus said:
It should be for the camera too. Ois is mechanical is it not? So if its video or pictures it should stable out. I would think
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just did it. Seemed pretty stable to me. It's going to move a little bit but it wasn't jerky. It was more of smooth left and right ups and downs

welcomyou said:
Hi all,
I haven't been used any phone which have optical image stabilization (OIS). I decide to buy a new Galaxy S7. I come to a store and give some tests. When I zoom in and take some photos using volume down button, I see camera trembles. When I restart the camera app, everything is back to normal. This happened twice.
Please help to check this video:
(sorry that I don't have enough 10 posts to post link here)
youtube.com/watch?v=7yhz4S7mM5g
So, it's a major problem or is it ok? Why did the camera tremble? And does this happen to other phone which support OIS camera?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Turn off Video Stabilization in the settings, because that is software stabilization. It will switch to OIS if you turn it off.

IOS is always on for photos or video. here is a good look.. go to 6:15

I don't think you can turn off ois. It's literally a floating lense. All it does is reduce micro movements you make by letting the lense float and not react immediately with your body movements. If you point it at something and move slightly you will notice it takes a second to sort of drift over on screen. Pretty cool.

Front facing camera lag

Hi,
My front camera is really really slow, it takes about 2 secs for each shot. It's significantly slower than the rear camera. I have tried to tweak with face options and that didn't help, the only thing helps is to enable face stickers then it's super fast. Is anyone experiencing this issue?
Thanks

Lag
My front camera has lag every time I use it in low light places like my bedroom or at nigth.
Whanksta said:
Hi,
My front camera is really really slow, it takes about 2 secs for each shot. It's significantly slower than the rear camera. I have tried to tweak with face options and that didn't help, the only thing helps is to enable face stickers then it's super fast. Is anyone experiencing this issue?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse