Camera - Lenovo Phab 2 Pro Questions & Answers

Anyone else taking photos with bad results? Even in good lighting sometimes it has some weird artifacts. I took a photo the other day of a friend and it made his beard and eyes look off.

Yes

yep, I am here looking for a fix. Only full HDR [2+ sec to take 1 pic] seems to create a decent image.

The crappy camera is the main criticism of this phone. It's really that bad.

Related

Captivate camera - Is ther a guide to using it and taking the best shots?

I haven't been impressed with the photos at all. Most of them are blurry. I know nothing about camera settings on this phone. Is there a guide out there somewhere?
Thanks!
Citznfish said:
I haven't been impressed with the photos at all. Most of them are blurry. I know nothing about camera settings on this phone. Is there a guide out there somewhere?
Thanks!
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The camera sucks. Sucks defined as: takes blurry pictures in daylight. A total fail. The video is pretty good 'tho.
I love the camera. Takes better photos than my 3gs.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
I've been using the camera a lot and it's been really nice for me, for a phone camera, and I'm used to dslr's...
Side arrow>Gear (Settings)
Camera:
Page 3/5, check Anti-Shake
Page 4/5, check Auto contrast (can't remember if that is a default)
Wrench:
Just a personal preference, I set Review to 2 seconds to see the picture after it's taken.
Other than that, you just have to make sure the camera's focused on what you select before taking the picture, and it should be fine.
Make sure u tap on the screen to focus on the area u want to take the picture of.
Citznfish said:
I haven't been impressed with the photos at all. Most of them are blurry. I know nothing about camera settings on this phone. Is there a guide out there somewhere?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have to agree with the OP, here. The images aren't so much blurry as they are highly compressed for some reason. I wonder if there's a way to lower the JPEG compression. It's like the images look good on the display, but when you look at them on your computer or (in the rare occasion) an iPhone 4's RetinaDisplay, you really see the compression artifacts. The video is not much better.
There must be a way to solve this.
I know it sounds obvious, but seriously make sure the camera lense isn't smudged before you start taking pictures. It's flush with the back of the phone and so really really easy to smudge with your fingers while handling the phone.
I was noticing how some pictures were insanely crisp and others were blurry in the same lighting conditions and everything, and I am pretty sure it's because of the lens being smudged. Just throwing that out there.

[Q] Better camera app/settings?

So far, I'm pretty happy with this phone but very disappointed with the stock camera app. The camera does pretty well outdoors and in low light, but is terrible in moderate light conditions (i.e. normal indoor conditions.) I just took a bunch of blurry, grainy pictures of my kids with their Easter baskets that all snapped 1/2 a second after I clicked the shutter. The thing that makes me think the camera can do better is that everything looks great on the screen up until I ask it to take a photo, then it refocuses and everything goes to hell. I tried Samsung's sports mode, and that is only marginally better. My wife's new S5 is suffering from the same problem.
Has anyone had better luck with other camera apps or a change in settings? Camera Zoom FX and Google's new camera app don't seem any better. I don't care about effects, HDR, manual photo settings or gimmicks; all I want are sharp, in-focus photos that take without a bunch of lag.
Bazirker said:
So far, I'm pretty happy with this phone but very disappointed with the stock camera app. The camera does pretty well outdoors and in low light, but is terrible in moderate light conditions (i.e. normal indoor conditions.) I just took a bunch of blurry, grainy pictures of my kids with their Easter baskets that all snapped 1/2 a second after I clicked the shutter. The thing that makes me think the camera can do better is that everything looks great on the screen up until I ask it to take a photo, then it refocuses and everything goes to hell. I tried Samsung's sports mode, and that is only marginally better. My wife's new S5 is suffering from the same problem.
Has anyone had better luck with other camera apps or a change in settings? Camera Zoom FX and Google's new camera app don't seem any better. I don't care about effects, HDR, manual photo settings or gimmicks; all I want are sharp, in-focus photos that take without a bunch of lag.
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Turn picture stabilization off and it gets rid of the picture lag.
But yes, otherwise similar issues.
That's the thing. The HTC M8 wins on indoor/low light pics (if you don't get that purple blob effect), this will on outdoors. That's where the whole MP vs. sensor size come into play as larger sensor means more light but not as sharp vs. more MP means sharper but due to smaller sensor less light thus not always great.
Anyway I've found it takes me about 2 pictures to get one I like with HDR and image stabilization off. With that on that all seem to suck due to the delay. Would have been nice to have some true optical image stabilization too. Samsung just doesn't seem to learn/care though.
We get good HW but they cheap out on the little things that make it better.
Yeah, turning off stabilization, HDR etc helps, but there's still a noticeable lag. The lag bothers me less than the fact that my near-stationary subject is coming out blurry. If the camera would simply capture the exact image that is on-screen at the moment I hit the shutter, I would be thrilled...
Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk
So here's kinda the problem. And it happens a lot with people taking pictures on your phone.
A phone was not meant to be a camera. It just wasn't. In the early days of low resolution things went faster. When you try to run 16 megabit... things are necessarily going to be harder.
Here's the easiest solution to your problems: Practice taking pictures with the phone. Keep your arms tucked in at your sides, keep the phone closer to your body. Shoot in landscape instead of portrait so your hands are in better position. I use the flip case for this phone which means I can use that as well to have better grip and stability. Take the picture... and keep the camera pointed just where you were taking the picture for at least 1/2 sec after you tap the "shutter release". Shutter lag will only be exacerbated by being too quick to move the phone. Also, you don't have to mash the on screen button, light tap and whatnot. Oh and the 1/3 of a sec focus time is their "fastest" rating. While in truth that is pretty darn decent, it's also the fastest you'll have. Expect a possible 1/2 to 3/4 sec focus time. And make sure you're PICKY about your focus. Do it over and over again if it's not right.
Also, your metering mode will have a big impact on your images. Get used to changing them to suit your subject.
I have 13+ years experience as a photographer. If it weren't absolutely absurd, and say all of my bodies died at the same time... I would be carrying a monopod or tripod for use with my GS5... Stability is the key to image quality. Who cares what you look like when you take the picture, it's the picture that matters.
Oh and one other thing, image blur is exacerbated when objects are either very close, or very far away. One because the contrast elements (edges and such) are easy to distinguish from the rest and when they're blurry... you notice it. The other because detail elements are TINY at that range, down to even 1 pixel width, so any shake makes those disappear entirely into blur.
Just some basic things to do. Honestly if it's a choice between getting the shot with my Nikons... or getting it with my GS5? the Nikons will win every time. But in a pinch, the camera on the GS5 is good enough. Just takes the right hands and the right frame of mind.
Arkanthos2015 said:
So here's kinda the problem. And it happens a lot with people taking pictures on your phone.
A phone was not meant to be a camera. It just wasn't. In the early days of low resolution things went faster. When you try to run 16 megabit... things are necessarily going to be harder.
Here's the easiest solution to your problems: Practice taking pictures with the phone. Keep your arms tucked in at your sides, keep the phone closer to your body. Shoot in landscape instead of portrait so your hands are in better position. I use the flip case for this phone which means I can use that as well to have better grip and stability. Take the picture... and keep the camera pointed just where you were taking the picture for at least 1/2 sec after you tap the "shutter release". Shutter lag will only be exacerbated by being too quick to move the phone. Also, you don't have to mash the on screen button, light tap and whatnot. Oh and the 1/3 of a sec focus time is their "fastest" rating. While in truth that is pretty darn decent, it's also the fastest you'll have. Expect a possible 1/2 to 3/4 sec focus time. And make sure you're PICKY about your focus. Do it over and over again if it's not right.
Also, your metering mode will have a big impact on your images. Get used to changing them to suit your subject.
I have 13+ years experience as a photographer. If it weren't absolutely absurd, and say all of my bodies died at the same time... I would be carrying a monopod or tripod for use with my GS5... Stability is the key to image quality. Who cares what you look like when you take the picture, it's the picture that matters.
Oh and one other thing, image blur is exacerbated when objects are either very close, or very far away. One because the contrast elements (edges and such) are easy to distinguish from the rest and when they're blurry... you notice it. The other because detail elements are TINY at that range, down to even 1 pixel width, so any shake makes those disappear entirely into blur.
Just some basic things to do. Honestly if it's a choice between getting the shot with my Nikons... or getting it with my GS5? the Nikons will win every time. But in a pinch, the camera on the GS5 is good enough. Just takes the right hands and the right frame of mind.
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Lots of truth to your post in regards to the pointers about technique and settings. I've got an EOS-1Ds I use when I plan to take photos, and you need to know how to use your gear and be practiced if you want to take a decent photo.
However, I disagree when it comes to expectations for smartphone camera performance. I used to have the same attitude you expressed about taking photos with a phone, until I recently backed up and printed some of the photos off my wife's old iPhone 4S. The photos it took were shockingly good, and my disappointment with the Galaxy S5 camera stems from the fact that it is getting severely outperformed by the 3 year old iPhone. If the Apple crowd has been able to rely on their iPhones as a competent point-and-shoot camera for years, I see no reason why my flagship Android phone should be no different.
In other news, I've been playing with different settings and apps all afternoon, and still aren't seeing any improvement in performance. Camera Zoom FX allows for ISO 1600, and that's giving me the best performance so far in terms of reducing lag and image blur. (Of course, the images are quite grainy...boo hiss.)

Anyone found a decent camera app that's not laggy?

Hi Folks,
I visited the fair today with my boy which arrives in the city once a year.
My boy was on the rides and I tried getting a few photos of him with my 20mp Sony Xperia Z3....
By the time the photo was taken, my boy had already gone by....
The camera is soooooooooo disappointing, but has so much potential to be good.
Has anybody discovered a decent camera app yet, that has no shutter lag and one that makes full use of the camera?
If I don't find something by November, I'm going for the Nexus 6 :silly:
@rseHoyle said:
Hi Folks,
I visited the fair today with my boy which arrives in the city once a year.
My boy was on the rides and I tried getting a few photos of him with my 20mp Sony Xperia Z3....
By the time the photo was taken, my boy had already gone by....
The camera is soooooooooo disappointing, but has so much potential to be good.
Has anybody discovered a decent camera app yet, that has no shutter lag and one that makes full use of the camera?
If I don't find something by November, I'm going for the Nexus 6 :silly:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haven't tried a different app yet, but I may have something else for you. It's the autofocus that delays the photo.
1. Use the camera button
-push it down slightly, it should focus
-once it has found the focus, just keep holding it slightly
push the button completely if you want to take the photo, it should be without a delay now.
You can also use a different type of autofocus... Have to try the different modes for myself.
Also use manual mode, depending on the light conditions and the movement, you want a high shutter speed and if needed a higher iso, which gives you a sharper image while moving.
Damn, someone should write a guide for the camera
Thanks for this info. I'll give it a go
I'm not sure the camera is quick enough to capture moving stuff. I have tried a lot of modes and can't seem to sort it.
With an awful flash too, in sub par lighting, like parties, this is a recipe for absolute disaster. Can't believe Sony didn't sort out the camera flash.
Jonathan-H said:
I'm not sure the camera is quick enough to capture moving stuff. I have tried a lot of modes and can't seem to sort it.
With an awful flash too, in sub par lighting, like parties, this is a recipe for absolute disaster. Can't believe Sony didn't sort out the camera flash.
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Click to collapse
Sony has the ability to film and during film to make pictures. I do that for fast moving pictures, like filming friends that pass by during marathon's. You can then decide to keep the film and the pictures. If you only want pictures, delete the film afterwards. This way you can start filming in advance and you are sure you are not too late and you have the risk your camera is not ready yet.
Jonathan-H said:
I'm not sure the camera is quick enough to capture moving stuff. I have tried a lot of modes and can't seem to sort it.
With an awful flash too, in sub par lighting, like parties, this is a recipe for absolute disaster. Can't believe Sony didn't sort out the camera flash.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't tried it yet, but have you tried the Timeshift burst? I think this is what we should use when trying to capture moving objects.
Yep, that is even better than my idea!
As a general rule, I only use auto on any camera when there is no more than one thing away from perfect conditions:
If it's motion but in great lighting, auto is ok.
If it's dark but the subject is still, auto is ok.
If it's a bit dark AND there is motion, you are gonna need to set up some manual settings or a mode like burst to get a good result. That said, as above, focussing first is essential for moving objects. Find something that is at the same distance as the subject you want, half hold the button to get the focus point, then hold it until the subject comes into frame, then depress fully. This, combined with burst, is the best way for fast movement.
Ok, I was at a scary halloween function last night, and by the time I took photos of scary subjects, they'd gone...
There's no excuse for this camera, it's a mess...
I have a Fuji XT1 camera and I know how photography works, apparently the Xperia Z3 has 20 mega pixels - Maybe it does, but only if you want a grainy shot....It's shocking!
KurtHoyle said:
Ok, I was at a scary halloween function last night, and by the time I took photos of scary subjects, they'd gone...
There's no excuse for this camera, it's a mess...
I have a Fuji XT1 camera and I know how photography works, apparently the Xperia Z3 has 20 mega pixels - Maybe it does, but only if you want a grainy shot....It's shocking!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How can you say you understand photography when all you point to is the megapixel count? There is so much more to a good photo than resolution.
The reason I point to the 20 mega pixel is because the photos taken with this camera should be of a good enough standard to print out at a size of 18" x 12" however, the photos look grainy on screen so I'd hate to see how crap they look any bigger.
The camera is shocking, the 4k videos are too so please dont try to defend it. Its very poor!
A Better Camera is a good alternative.

Galaxy Note 8 At&t taking noisy pictures!

I recently bought a used note 8 which is taking very noisy (grainy) pictures, especially from telephoto lens. I'm really loving this phone but I can't live without a good camera. Is there any way to fix it?
I guess it is a hardware fault because I have also tried different camera apps. Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks!
:crying:
Asadjk said:
I recently bought a used note 8 which is taking very noisy (grainy) pictures, especially from telephoto lens. I'm really loving this phone but I can't live without a good camera. Is there any way to fix it?
I guess it is a hardware fault because I have also tried different camera apps. Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks!
:crying:
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You have an example?
barry99705 said:
You have an example?
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Tried for hours, unable to upload.
Let explain to you:
Pictures taken has so much grain (which comes when ISO settings are set high). I have tried pro mod, it do makes a difference but is very laggy (slow shutter speed)
In short, pictures are too much noisy. Noise is clearly visible in viewfinder, specially when taking close up shots, using live focus or telephoto lens.
Primary lens also has too much grain visible when zoomed in.
I had used iPhone 7 plus which can take spectacular photos, note 8 pictures are worse than iPhone 6's. Definitely not what I wanted
Well, it is still a digital zoom, after the 2X optical zoom. Some of my zoomed pictures look like crap, but others work pretty well.
examples;
Looks pretty good, was documenting the hole in the side of a building. I was about 30 feet away, zoomed in pretty much all the way.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/7MPw7kraX2GyREVk2 <-- Brightly lit.
This one is pretty crappy. Owl was in the basement of my barn, 12 feet away.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/o4I0O8mukoOfBMsj2 No zoom for reference. https://photos.app.goo.gl/47vRH3xgXWXTjFJ02 <-- Not so brightly lit.
Your pics are better than mine.
Of course pictures loose details when zoomed in digitally, but mine is different story. It shows grains even without digital zoom. It shows visible static noise. Your pictures are waaaaaaay better than mine. I might return it today. I'll miss it, It's a great phone ?
Asadjk said:
Of course pictures loose details when zoomed in digitally, but mine is different story. It shows grains even without digital zoom. It shows visible static noise. Your pictures are waaaaaaay better than mine. I might return it today. I'll miss it, It's a great phone ?
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Yea, if it's showing grain without zoom, something's wrong with the camera.
barry99705 said:
Yea, if it's showing grain without zoom, something's wrong with the camera.
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Click to collapse
Returned it!
I had the same problems. Them I sat it to 4:3 (12M). Turned off HDR, made sure I didnt use live or manual focus and my pictures are great! Check this site out. Youll see side by side comparisons of off the shelf note 8s and Iphone 8s. High end DSLRs require settings changes and different focusing and lighting for some pictures. But they are huge and expensive that they have room for all the mechanisms and sensors that you pay a hefty price for. This is a phone and some places you may have to use pro mode to get the right shot. The phone doesnt always know what a good picture looks like to you and in some cases cant figure out what to adjust to clean up the picture. Practice with pro mode.
https://www.phonearena.com/news/iPh...-is-better-for-taking-photos-at-night_id98511

P20 indoor shots without night mode too dark?

Hi,
I'm in the market for a new phone and really interested in the P20, it ticks a lot of boxes for me.
However the most important thing for me is the camera: I take a lot of pictures of my kids - often indoors
I went to 2 shops to test the phone and noticed that the pictures came out sharp but dark. The light grey carpet turned out dark grey in many instances.
Only when tapping on the screen (and focusing on the carpet) the brightness was increased but then the focus of the picture was on the carpet instead of the overall picture I wanted to take.
Also the pictures were sometimes not consistent, taking a couple of pictures in a row produced different results.
I tried switching on/off different settings but pictures remained quite dark.
The night mode really took a good picture but asking my kids to sit still for 4 seconds is nearly impossible
Same thing for the P20 pro, pictures also turned out darker then irl.
The S9 was in the shop as well and this phone actually made everything a bit more bright then irl but the pictures seemed more pleasing.
Where I really had to focus on the picture to see what was in the darker parts in the P20's pictures, the S9's photo revealed all without effort.
Although a samsung user for a long time, I'm not attached to the brand, I was in fact really hoping to make a switch to another brand but the test pictures I took are putting me off a bit.
Anybody else experience this? Any advice on which combo of settings to try?
Cheers
B
This is true they use the night mode feature to steer attention away from the photos taken with the flash. Those pictures are terrible even a midranger can take better photos than that with the flash enabled. Don't buy the phone if you take a lot of photos which requires a flash.

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