As a lot of you know, I'm very dissatisfied with the nexus camera. I've bashed it a lot. Sure, there are times when you can get a decent shot, but it seems like it's very hard with this camera.
I believe the issue is with the zero shutter lag and stock camera app. You see, when you focus on the subject, THE TINIEST MOVEMENT before snapping the picture will cause the subject to come out of focus and make the image look like total crap. This was never present on previous smartphones I've owned; I could always focus, and it would keep the focus before taking the pic even if I moved the phone a little. Not with the nexus, nope.
The result of this problem is out of focus pictures, which in turn (somehow) makes the colors look washed out, which in turn makes the result piss you off. I don't know exactly what it is, but I've narrowed it down to that. It's just very touchy and very hard to keep anything in focus.
And no...I'm not talking about a slower shutter speed where movement DURING the picture will cause a blurry photo. Even with fast shutter speeds, the slightest movement with this camera before or during the shot will cause out of focus subjects.
Now, what I've found is not something that will completely make the nexus seem like a point and shoot camera, but something that will make you feel a little less frustrated. Keep in mind, this is NOT my app, and I am not advertising it for any other reason than it works. I used to be the type of person that hated camera apps besides stock, but nope, not after using the nexus. It's almost needed.
Now here's the thing with this app. You open it (it opens as quick as stock BTW), don't even mess with any of the special effects or anything (unless you want to of course). Just use it as a stock replacement. Now here's the good part....
Once you have the app open, all you do is tap anywhere on the screen and it will focus in on where you tapped and automatically take the picture. What does this mean? No having to tap to focus and THEN move over and his the shutter button like on stock. This reduces the amount of movement after focusing and before the picture is taken.
Now, if you don't want to tap to focus, simply hit the shutter button and it will do an auto focus on the entire picture and then automatically take the picture! No need to press and hold to focus, and then release to take the picture like the stock app. Again, this basically reduces the amount of movement and gets rid of a step, which in turn equals clearer pictures.
On top of that, this app seems to keep it's focus better than the stock app. If you happen to move the phone just after you focus and right before it takes the picture, it does a better job of keeping focus. With the stock app, any movement and your picture is screwed.
In conclusion, this isn't a fix to the sensor (which is considered low quality by some). It just makes your picture taking on the nexus much more easier and enjoyable. Sorry for the long post, but this app has made the camera experience a lot better.
Here is an example I took. My phone was held in the exact same spot for both photos. Touch to focus what used directly on the water bottle label. Notice how the picture from the stock app is blurry (and the kleenex box), and notice how the image from the other app is sharp (even look at the difference on the kleenex box). Open up both pictures, and then keep switching between them and you will see what I mean.
Differences might look minor to some, but the small differences really change the entire quality of the photo. It's a huge difference overall.
Stock app:
http://i.imgur.com/c5FGZ.jpg
Other app:
http://i.imgur.com/CBigb.jpg
Name of app? Camera Zoom FX ($2.99 from the market, worth every penny)
No need to change anything in the app settings, everything comes on auto. I don't even use any of the special effects or anything in the app; I just use it as a replacement for stock.
I hope this post has helped some of you.
Agreed. Also camera 360 (free at the moment on the market) does the same.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
klobkelosh said:
Agreed. Also camera 360 (free at the moment on the market) does the same.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
To be honest, no. Camera zoom FX is far far superior and I still get blurry photos with 360. It's also not as easy to use as zoom fx.
brian85 said:
Stock app:
http://i.imgur.com/c5FGZ.jpg
Other app:
http://i.imgur.com/CBigb.jpg
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Click to collapse
Stock app picture is not sharp (camera shake).
i believe there is a software issue as well. i remember someone did an EXIF on some of their GNexus and the ISO was at like 1/6000 or something lol. ideally on my dslr i try to go for ISO 80.
I bought Camera Zoom FX when google had that 10 cent deal a few weeks back.
I will have to download and try it. To be honest I never even used it before just bought 90% of apps in case i ever needed it
Valynor said:
Stock app picture is not sharp (camera shake).
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Click to collapse
Exactly my point. You have to be extremely careful and put in a lot of effort to get an in focus picture in the stock app.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App
tannor said:
I bought Camera Zoom FX when google had that 10 cent deal a few weeks back.
I will have to download and try it. To be honest I never even used it before just bought 90% of apps in case i ever needed it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Danger it. I knew I should have gotten it.
Just did the same test.. The OP is 100% right. The camera zoom fx shot IS better...
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
GinoSylum said:
Just did the same test.. The OP is 100% right. The camera zoom fx shot IS better...
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
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Click to collapse
Yes. There are times when the difference won't be much noticeable (depends on how careful you were with the stock app), but overall camera fx with so much better.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App
flipping back and forth, initially you seem to be right, the stock app water bottle is blurrier. but, watch the wall in the background...its sharper in the stock app than the 'other app'. this would show stock app not picking the correct focus distance...stock focused farther behind the bottle (i'm sure you tapped to select the bottle for focus), other app properly focused on the bottle.
could be software or calibration
cancerouspete said:
flipping back and forth, initially you seem to be right, the stock app water bottle is blurrier. but, watch the wall in the background...its sharper in the stock app than the 'other app'. this would show stock app not picking the correct focus distance...stock focused farther behind the bottle (i'm sure you tapped to select the bottle for focus), other app properly focused on the bottle.
could be software or calibration
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good point. I tapped on both apps directly on the water bottle label.
Camera zoom fx focuses on what it should, while the stock app doesn't.
klobkelosh said:
Agreed. Also camera 360 (free at the moment on the market) does the same.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
Camera 360 asks for too many permissions for a simple camera app. Fortunately, I managed to pick up Camera Zoom FX for $0.10 during the 10 day sale last month.
j.go said:
Camera 360 asks for too many permissions for a simple camera app. Fortunately, I managed to pick up Camera Zoom FX for $0.10 during the 10 day sale last month.
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Click to collapse
360 does indeed do that, plus it doesn't even work nearly as good as zoom fx. I'd even say 360 isn't an improvement over stock.
zoom fx opens just as fast as stock, yet performs better.
brian85 said:
360 does indeed do that, plus it doesn't even work nearly as good as zoom fx. I'd even say 360 isn't an improvement over stock.
zoom fx opens just as fast as stock, yet performs better.
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Click to collapse
I never really got to try camera 360. As soon as I saw the permission requests, I cancelled the download.
I agree that zoom FX does takes better pictures, but only because it gives you time to steady your hand/the phone AFTER you tap on the screen. As you said in your original post, zero shutter lag is to blame. It takes pictures way TOO fast. Google should add delay settings that you can choose from such as 0(default)/.5s/1s/1.5s before taking the shot. Sure it defeats the purpose of zero shutter lag, but it at least gives us a choice which is what android is all about.
I bought Camera Zoom FX during the Market $0.10 sale. But haven't used it since I upgraded from my Desire to the Galaxy Nexus.
After reading this, I may have to start using it on a regular basis now. So thanks brian85!
IMO I just don't like the fact that I tap the screen to take the picture. I love the fast response, but since touch screen offers no real tactile feedback, its hard to get a "click" feel like you would with a regular camera. I had D1 Droid before this, and its camera is crap in general, bad quality and focus...etc. But it had a dedicated shutter button. Even though its just a switch, a physical button on the periphery is easier to let me hold the camera steady and shoot the picture. I wish there are some mod or in custom ROM that let you map one of the physical button(power, or one of the volumes) to act as the shutter release in the camera app....
You guys do know you can hold the shutter button in the stock camera app to focus and let go to take the picture, right?
spitefulcheerio said:
You guys do know you can hold the shutter button in the stock camera app to focus and let go to take the picture, right?
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/thread
(10char)
spitefulcheerio said:
You guys do know you can hold the shutter button in the stock camera app to focus and let go to take the picture, right?
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Click to collapse
I described that in my OP. It's still terrible compared to camera zoom fx.
can anyone get the auto focus to happen automatically on the camera? only way for me is to tap the screen or hold the capture button. just wanted to know if that is normal because what i liked about the 4s was that it would actually autofocus during camera mode. thanks
i'm finding the same type of issue lately...
every time i attempt to use the camcorder the autofocus does not function at all. i remember it did work at one point...now if i get within like 4-6 inches of anything it's blurred. and can't screen tap to focus.
frustrating.
I seem to be having the same issue lately, the camera autofocus does not appear to be working for me either. my front camera takes perfectly clear pictures but the 8 megapixel rear camera photos look horrible now. blurry blurry blurry I have tried installing a couple of different camera apk's.... going to install another 1 now and see if that changes things. if not I will soon tar back to a completely stock set up and see how the camera works .
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=22619643
Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk
EDIT: I just installed the camera.apk from this link and my autofocus now works again I will take some pictures tomorrow when the sun's up and hopefully they will be much clearer ie in focu. ... Thanks
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=22619643
Tapatalk
Hello Hello Hi and Hello Again! :victory:
I've been trying for a while to take photos with my Google Galaxy Nexus but there's no way to keep the focus zone while i'm shoting. Each time i touch the screen to shot the photo, the phone loses the focus zone. Is there any way to fix this?
Have you tried other focus settings? Continuous focus stinks. Try using infinity
What other focus settings? I don't see any in the Camera app.
pfmiller said:
What other focus settings? I don't see any in the Camera app.
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Click to collapse
You must be on stock ROM.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
Yup, it's a big oversight in the stock camera app. I don't understand how it's not there since it was in older versions.
Try an app called Camera Zoom FX (it was previously on Google's 10 cent deal). The program allows you to touch the screen where you want the camera to focus, and it'll automatically take a shot once it's achieved focus. The big glaring weakness of Camera Zoom FX, in my opinion, is the fact that you can't adjust the exposure. (that is, you need to be able to meter the light on a different part of the scene than you're focusing).
Honestly, it's not hard. To me, the two biggest requirements:
1. Touch to focus and shoot
2. An option to measure light from a different source (e.g. take a photo of someone in front of a window; you want to meter their face and not the window's light)
Hello,
I've been doing some digging around and it seems this may be related to the JPEG compression, but how can this be removed? All the "mods" i've came across are discontinued. Please explain.
Anyways, if my camera moves the slightest while taking a picture, it becomes blurry. Videos seem fine, but pictures almost always appear blurry.
Thanks for your help. :highfive:
ccalby said:
Anyways, if my camera moves the slightest while taking a picture, it becomes blurry. Videos seem fine, but pictures almost always appear blurry.
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Click to collapse
If the images are blurry only when phone is shaken then it has nothing to do with JPEG compression. AFAIK One X doesn't have optical image stabilization, it has a digital IS mode for video, but not sure if there is anything for still photos. There is nothing much you can do other than hold the phone still and try to shoot under well lit conditions (to reduce shutter time).
Are you using an AOSP custom ROM (i.e CM10, AOKP etc.) ?
Also, with the stock camera app, hold down the shoot button and it'll take a few photos in quick succession and allow you to choose the best one
Anyone else had camera focus issues, the camera app focus nice when I click on the screen, but when it takes the picture it jumps out of focus.
Really easy to see if you try and take close picture of a paper with text, focus, and take the picture, then you see how bad it turns up.
Tried installing zoom fx camera app, here I was not able to focus at the text at all with the touch on screen to focus.
Anyone know of a fix, real bummer going back to stock after trying the room.
But I need a working camera.
vegarringdal said:
Anyone else had camera focus issues, the camera app focus nice when I click on the screen, but when it takes the picture it jumps out of focus.
Really easy to see if you try and take close picture of a paper with text, focus, and take the picture, then you see how bad it turns up.
Tried installing zoom fx camera app, here I was not able to focus at the text at all with the touch on screen to focus.
Anyone know of a fix, real bummer going back to stock after trying the room.
But I need a working camera.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Installed v 2.2 from thread below and that fixed it (yes, v 2.3 is there, but I downloaded wrong version)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2505973