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[Q] No continuous autofocus in camcorder mode?

Reviews of the Sensation seem to imply that there is no continuous autofocus in camcorder mode... can someone with the phone confirm that?
would be a real shame!

From this spec comparison between SE Neo and HTC Sensation, it says:
"There are some attractive features which the Neo has and the Sensation doesn’t, notably video calling, continuous autofocus, video light and smile detection, but overall we feel the HTC is better equipped with its dual LED flash, image stabilisation and higher quality video capture."

Yeah, I've read that too.. but would be good if someone with a Sensation in hand could confirm it.
Having 1080p recording without the continuous autofocus is a joke.

This video shows autofocus and zoom.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_DKoCL-DQg&feature=player_embedded
(notes say it was made with a prelim version, so final may vary)

The user guide for the sensation does mention in page 69 that after starting recording:
6. You can freely zoom in or out while recording video.
7. You can change focus to a different subject or area by just tapping it on the
Viewfinder screen.
Which implies that you can zoom while recording & that Focus does change.

omar302 said:
The user guide for the sensation does mention in page 69 that after starting recording:
6. You can freely zoom in or out while recording video.
7. You can change focus to a different subject or area by just tapping it on the
Viewfinder screen.
Which implies that you can zoom while recording & that Focus does change.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Anyone confirm?
Sent from my HTC Wildfire using Tapatalk

Here's a posted video. Looks to me like everything is kept in focus at varying distances.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U70LGfTlsq4
Without the phone I can't confirm, but I've seen several vids and none show signs of losing focus when the distance to objects varies.

Look at this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZDcpggOHRc&feature=list_related&playnext=1&list=SP9E838D931C71486D
After watching this video, we can conclude that the HTC Sensation's camera does sport continuous autofocus and/or tap-to-focus.
I guess it would be a whole lot easier if someone in possession of a HTC Sensation could've posted in this thread.

It's tap to focus. You tap the object on the screen that you want to focus on and it then focuses on that object for you.
Have tested it, but haven't uploaded it.

Some of the 1080p videos that I've taken with my Sensation have involved lots of panning around and objects sometimes being a lot closer than others, and when playing the video back on my PC screen everything is always sharply in focus.
"Tap to focus" is like a manual override of autofocus. For example: If the camera has focused on somebody in the foreground, but you actually want the background to be in focus, or vice versa.

I jsut had a play around with it on my Sensation. While panning around with the viewfinder it does auto focus. While actually recording video it does not, but refocuses if you touch the screen. I'll get a video done showing it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JjH6Uln1Xo
Youtube really kills the framerate... anywhere else I could upload that would be better? As you can see, it does not automatically refocus. When you do touch the screen it refocuses quickly though.
Edit: This should do - Dropbox link to video file

Lazzzara said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JjH6Uln1Xo
Youtube really kills the framerate... anywhere else I could upload that would be better? As you can see, it does not automatically refocus. When you do touch the screen it refocuses quickly though.
Edit: This should do - Dropbox link to video file
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's goooood! Youtube really makes the videos look like sh*t...

HTC Sense 3.0 Camera

I was testing out the HDR options for this and they do not seem to do much at all. There is a difference, but it is VERY minor. I took a shot without HDR, one with HDR, and then one using the free HDR app, and the HDR app simply blew the HTC HDR mode completely out of the water...
Has anyone else had any experience with this? Is there something I may be missing?

HDR always seemed like something better left to photo editing software to me (like photoshop). Phone camera filters always seem kind of lackluster, but then again, none of us are taking professional shots with a cell camera I assume
On topic though, I wouldn't doubt it being better. Sense stuff isn't exactly always perfection as far as software quality and HDR was probably just an afterthought tied into the camera so they could tick off a notch somewhere on some sheet for features.

Absolutely the same as my experience. I used HDR Camera from the market before this (free), and I really loved its results. When I installed the 3.0 Sense camera and saw the HDR setting, I was happy until I tried it. My theory is that it is NOT taking multiple pictures, but only doing an image adjustment --->> NOT the same thing. HDR Camera doesn't have the issues that some of you described. You do not have to be rock steady and my phone is plenty fast enough to take the three photos within about a second. The image settings are also adjustable (color, etc.).
On the other hand, the panorama mode in the Sense camera is Awesome!

yareally said:
HDR always seemed like something better left to photo editing software to me (like photoshop). Phone camera filters always seem kind of lackluster, but then again, none of us are taking professional shots with a cell camera I assume
On topic though, I wouldn't doubt it being better. Sense stuff isn't exactly always perfection as far as software quality and HDR was probably just an afterthought tied into the camera so they could tick off a notch somewhere on some sheet for features.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Software cannot do what HDR does. HDR takes 2 pictures, adjusting the gain on the sensor between low and high. It combines the best of both images to gain detail in low light areas and avoid over exposure in high light areas. Software will not work after the fact because the extra information gained from low/high gain is not present. Unfortunately the HDR option is poorly implemented by HTC. If you try HDR on the Iphone, you can see a drastic difference.

Actually, I use Pro HDR on my Evo, and it takes fantastic pictures in true HDR. It is a touch slower than a pro camera, but it does actually meter the scene and adjust the camera's aperture accordingly. It then allows for adjustments between the composite image and allows for saving the final as well as the source images, meaning you can do further editing elsewhere. Outside of some cropping, I haven't had problems.
With that said, I would be curious to know what the deal is with Sense. What's interesting is if you put it in HDR mode, it shows the little icon in the top right with multiple images...like whoever designed it at least understood how true HDR *should* operate. Then, if you push and release it instead of the regular shutter button, it beeps and you hear the lens go, and the image focuses itself. So...idk. I don't see a noticeable effect in the regular images at all...

[Q&A] Camera Mods and Ports on OxygenOS

For example, "ColorOS Camera for CM11s", "Another ColorOS Camera Port", and "CameraNext Modded."
The developers for these camera ports and mods are explicit about what they do and don't support.
None of them currently support OxygenOS. This bears repeating--"None of them currently support OxygenOS."
It is counter-productive and messy for users of OxygenOS to keep posting in the developer's threads about how their camera ports fall short of the expectations of those who are trying to plug the cameras into rom's for which they were not made.
Please come here and help each other, or be quiet, and leave the dev's alone.
If and when there is support for a camera on OxygenOS, the news will travel like lightning.
I have so far run some superficial tests with "ColorOS Camera for CM11s", and here are the results..., so you can know what to expect should you install it on OxygenOS.
You may add your observations to this thread as you wish.
So here's a list of what did and didn't work in OxygenOS.
What worked:
Normal worked just fine--all I did was leave settings on auto and pressed the shutter.
Burst worked, however each burst photo is only about 1/3 size of Normal photo in megabytes--this might be by design.
GIF worked.
Picture Plus worked.
Beautify worked.
HDR worked.
Colorful Filter worked.
Double Exposure worked.
What didn't work:
HDPicture did NOT work--it took only Normal sized shots at 13mp.
Super Macro did NOT work--it snapped a photo that turned out to be some sort of thumbnail.
Colorful Night snapped a photo, but terribly out of focus--tried several times..
Slow Shutter did NOT work.
Professional worked, but NOT using the timed shutter. I didn't try all the settings out.
RAW showed me the jpg, but I could not find the dng in OxygenOS native file manager app (Files), nor see it in Android Quickpic or in Windows.
Been testing out CameraNext Modded.
HDR worked.
Normal worked.
Macro worked however became difficult to focus when very close to subject, as I've not yet learned the proper place on the screen to tap to offset the parallax.
Variable shutter did not work.
That's as far as I got
Also, in the Normal settings, the only resolution options were 13mp and 10mp--don't remember if that's intentional.
COS12S CameraNext On OxygenOS:
Normal works, focus-Macro works.
Panorama makes a very tiny file, about 500kb.
Slo-mo 1080 @60fps worked. Grainy, but worked.
It might have been the medium light which was fine for 1080, or maybe that's just what happens.
No Slow Shutter available in Scene modes.
ColorOS Camera for CM11s/COS12 on OxygenOS
Video: 4K and 4K DCI recorded at 1920 x 1090. Slo-mo at 1280 x 738, and HDR at 1920 x 1090.
Thank you.

Darn I used HD more all the time.... hope they update it..i doubt it though...

time
tony1208 said:
Darn I used HD more all the time.... hope they update it..i doubt it though...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ya, me too. Give it time.
P.S.--you are welcome to post your experiences with the different cameras here and help fill in the blanks.

10mp (16:9) doesn't work
1) I normally prefer taking pictures in wide resolution. I guess oxygenOs has removed the support for wide resolution at higher mp.
The setting 10mp (16:9) in the camera setting for Colour OS app doesn't take pictures in 10mp, but in a very small resolution. Only the 2mp (16:9) and 0.9 mp (16:9) settings work.
2) Beautify doesn't work on my phone.
Seriously hope someone fixes this.
Thanks

Clear data.
shekhar2989 said:
1) I normally prefer taking pictures in wide resolution. I guess oxygenOs has removed the support for wide resolution at higher mp.
The setting 10mp (16:9) in the camera setting for Colour OS app doesn't take pictures in 10mp, but in a very small resolution. Only the 2mp (16:9) and 0.9 mp (16:9) settings work.
2) Beautify doesn't work on my phone.
Seriously hope someone fixes this.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Go System->Apps->the ColorOS camera app (might be called "Camera") and clear data.
Likewise for the plugins.
Try Beautify again.

ChronoSnap
Just now tested ChronoSnap on OxygenOS. Indeed, as the developer states, it seems to be a very simple and intuitive timelapse camera.
On OxygenOS though, it snaps only thumbnails.

@Android-Andi
This is information about SultanXDA's ROM regarding the camera.
SultanXDA ROM thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/onep...-12-1-t3120259
From the other thread I've learned to NOT flash another camera HAL, that ColorOS Camera has mirrored preview with selfies, and that ColorOS Camera will not show the 1080 selfie option.
Mirrored preview ColorOS Camera:
"sultanxda--Not a real bug. This is an issue with the ColorOS camera, not my HAL. The ColorOS cam was designed to be used by the CM/ColorOS camera libraries, and it's not a part of the actual ROM (it's an outside closed-source app), so I will make absolutely no effort to try and fix it."
1080 front camera ColorOS Camera:
"CameraNext and all other camera apps have the option, but ColorOS doesn't. Have you tried scrolling up in the video size list?"
Also, someone reported a bug switching from camera to pano or sphere:
"macimeister--Photosphere and Panorama mode in google camera app does not work. It is expected to improve this?
sultanxda--Just tested it, and this bug only happens when switching directly from camcorder mode to photosphere. Switching from camera mode to photosphere is fine.
There seem to be other bugs with Google Camera as well. I'll look into fixing them."
Since sultanxda states that many of the ColorOS camera features are closed-source, I gotta figure that for the most part, ColorOS and Another ColorOS will not be fully implemented.
Otherwise, seems to be fine camera-wise.

Open Camera now allows P20 PRO to record video using all lenses

Hi all, you might know this already but I just found out and it seems like absolutely great news for this phone. The latest Open Camera update allows you to record video using every camera on the phone. Even the monochrome one works. No need to have perfect lighting conditions in order for the camera to switch between main and telephoto. You now have a dedicated camera button which lets you select what lens to use. Did you get the chance to try it out? I didn't have any issues yet.

Link please

Here it is:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.sourceforge.opencamera

Is the recording quality improved?

I'm not sure. You do have to option to record with maximum 80Mbps but I I find it hard to tell if that is any different from the 30Mbps standard rate. Video looks crisp and clear, colors are very good, especially if you lock the white balance.

Quality seems not as good.. Also can not use Camera API 2, for high res to get extra control in manual mode.

I'm not sure why you can't use camera2 api. For me it works and I can select iso and exposure during filming. I have a CLT L29.

boradu said:
I'm not sure why you can't use camera2 api. For me it works and I can select iso and exposure during filming. I have a CLT L29.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
whats your max resolution for recording video using Camera2 API?

For the 40mp lens and the telephoto lens, I have 3840x2160. The monochrome camera however has a resolution of 3264x1840 for video.

Sorry for necropost, but anyone tried open camera for B&W photos? Does it allow exposure bracketing? Raw or at least png for file saving? I would like to try p20 pro just for that monochrome lens...

You can save RAW with the B&W camera but for some reason the pictures appear purple.

Google Camera Mod for Zenfone 7/7 Pro

Google Camera Port for Zenfone 7/7 Pro​
Features
- All cameras working with ZSL HDR+ and HDR+ Enhanced
- Night Sight/Astro photography
- Super Res Zoom (Main camera)
- AWB
- Top Shot
- Portrait on front & back camera
- Video recording upto 4K 60FPS With EIS
- Focus tracking
- Motion photos
- Photosphere/Panaroma
- Playground/Stickers (how to install)
Download & Changelog
GCam 7.3
- 15 December 2020: GCam_7.3.018_Urnyx05-v2.1_Wichaya_V3.1.1 by me
Bugs
- Face retouching
- Slow motion on main (id 0), ultrawide, telephoto but working on 64mp mode
GCam 8.1
- 15 August 2022: GCam_8.1.101_Wichaya_V1.6 by Wichaya
Bugs
- Face retouching
- Slow motion
Credit
@S4turno (Celso) , @Arnova8G2 [donate] , @defcomg (Savitar) [donate] @Urnyx05
Many thanks to other modder who help me make this possible
Many thanks to the testers.
Donation
You can support my work by send me a donation
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/wichayapoka

Thanks for this - great work. Definitely seems to capture better images than stock!
I've had GCam on my Oneplus 5 for years now and even that produces better images overall than the ZenFone 7 stock cam IMO!

crumble6 said:
Thanks for this - great work. Definitely seems to capture better images than stock!
I've had GCam on my Oneplus 5 for years now and even that produces better images overall than the ZenFone 7 stock cam IMO!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would love to see some sample pictures showing the difference.
Does this install just like the GCam for the ZF6 (i.e., you just have to run the APK)?

Perse26 said:
I would love to see some sample pictures showing the difference.
Does this install just like the GCam for the ZF6 (i.e., you just have to run the APK)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll try do a few comparison shots when I get chance. Someone already posted a couple in the regular ZenFone 7 forums (non Pro). And yes just install the apk.

Big thanks to everyone involved.
I'm receiving the 7 Pro sometime this week, and I will definitely give GCam a try. Are there any config XML files for this phone yet?

Could someone post comparisions? Especially in situations with high dynamic range and at night on a street. Thanks!

I will post some in about 9-10 hours for the ZF7Pro.

Perse26 said:
I will post some in about 9-10 hours for the ZF7Pro.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll try to post some outdoor pictures in the next day or two. These were basically the only pictures I could take with my kids in my face.
The national geographic bag was a low light situation.
In my opinion the Gcam pictures look better (in most ways) except the 3x zoom of the National Geographic bag. Please note there are two different Gcam versions of the "Onward picture." It almost seems like the Gcam
Here are some fairly close range 3x examples of the Zenfone 6 Gcam, Zenfone 7 Gcam and Zenfone 7 Stock. The Zenfone 6 did its best but digital zoom wasn't enough. The Zenfone 7 Gcam added strange dots that show up when pixel peeping. The stock Zenfone 7 software did a decent job.
I processed the 3x shots with some software that I have to see if I couldn't make it look a bit better.

Perse26 said:
I'll try to post some outdoor pictures in the next day or two. These were basically the only pictures I could take with my kids in my face.
The national geographic bag was a low light situation.
In my opinion the Gcam pictures look better (in most ways) except the 3x zoom of the National Geographic bag. Please note there are two different Gcam versions of the "Onward picture." It almost seems like the Gcam
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So now I'm actually having a problem with Gcam.... This morning I downloaded the Gcam from this thread, everything worked great (that's when I took those pictures) it gave me options for the wide angle, 1x, 3x and 64mp cameras. I did a restore from my Zenfone 6 and now I have the gcam from the Zenfone 6. I deleted the Gcam and tried to reinstall the one from this thread and now I keep getting the Zenfone 6 version with just the 1x camera instead of the other options.
Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to clear app data to reinitialize default config

mickey36736 said:
You need to clear app data to reinitialize default config
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Brilliant, thank you. I deleted the cache data and all of the "app data," and it worked.

The 3x on the GCam definitely adds lots of little dots, which are visible without pixel peeping. It seems to be some type of error. If this can be resolved in future updates, it will really improve the functionality of the Zenfone 7 Pro's 3x capability.

Perse26 said:
The 3x on the GCam definitely adds lots of little dots, which are visible without pixel peeping.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What could be causing those dots?

jericho246 said:
What could be causing those dots?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I took about 6 more pictures with different settings, it seems to only happen when HDR or HDR enhanced is on.

Perse26 said:
I took about 6 more pictures with different settings, it seems to only happen when HDR or HDR enhanced is on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think it's because the telephoto sensor has "limited" Camera2 API level. Same with the ultrawide one. Only the main sensor is Level_3, apparently. Although this should be easily fixed, since the bootloader can be unlocked.
What do you think, @mickey36736 ?

jericho246 said:
I think it's because the telephoto sensor has "limited" Camera2 API level. Same with the ultrawide one. Only the main sensor is Level_3, apparently. Although this should be easily fixed, since the bootloader can be unlocked.
What do you think, @mickey36736 ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Telephoto use OmniVision sensor which is a well known for dots issue and hard to fix. There is a work around by adjust some lib patcher for tele to reduce dots. Not depends on Camera2 API level.

Thanks for the work and the samples. Does flipping the camera for front facing images also work?

ThoroSOE said:
Thanks for the work and the samples. Does flipping the camera for front facing images also work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes it does

I just got the 7 Pro and tested it extensively with stock camera and this GCAM version. As a comparison I used my Pixel 3 also with an enhanced CGAM version. First I ran into some issues:
- HDR plus (not enhanced) is not working when the camera is in selfie mode. Full HDR plus does work. This means outside HDR plus enhanced images in HDR scenes have VERY badly overexposed parts and simply are unusable. Turn the camera back and everything is great. Sadly I do not like the look of HDR plus enhanced (night mode is also a workaround)
- In selfie mode the app does not recognize, that it has a full fledged flash. It only offers sefie light (lit up screen around the viewfinder).
- Colors in low light scenes are too muted. This goes especially for skin tones.
Apart from that the cameras perform very nice. Using night mode on the zoom lens even in better lighting conditions gives very good results. But overall it falls short of what even a Pixel 3 can deliver on its main camera. Sure, in perfect conditions the cameras are very capable - with GCAM and without. But Pixel is sooo much more consistant! Being able to consistantly getting better pictures of faces in low light (selfie or not) even when awkwardly taking selfies with the Pixel's main camera than with the Zenfones flip camera is a no go. I am honestly very saddened; I had high hopes.
(Just a disclaimer to not come across as someone too fixated on selfies: As this is the "killer feature" of this camera and its main gimmic, this was a focus of my testing.)

ThoroSOE said:
I just got the 7 Pro and tested it extensively with stock camera and this GCAM version. As a comparison I used my Pixel 3 also with an enhanced CGAM version. First I ran into some issues:
- HDR plus (not enhanced) is not working when the camera is in selfie mode. Full HDR plus does work. This means outside HDR plus enhanced images in HDR scenes have VERY badly overexposed parts and simply are unusable. Turn the camera back and everything is great. Sadly I do not like the look of HDR plus enhanced (night mode is also a workaround)
- In selfie mode the app does not recognize, that it has a full fledged flash. It only offers sefie light (lit up screen around the viewfinder).
- Colors in low light scenes are too muted. This goes especially for skin tones.
Apart from that the cameras perform very nice. Using night mode on the zoom lens even in better lighting conditions gives very good results. But overall it falls short of what even a Pixel 3 can deliver on its main camera. Sure, in perfect conditions the cameras are very capable - with GCAM and without. But Pixel is sooo much more consistant! Being able to consistantly getting better pictures of faces in low light (selfie or not) even when awkwardly taking selfies with the Pixel's main camera than with the Zenfones flip camera is a no go. I am honestly very saddened; I had high hopes.
(Just a disclaimer to not come across as someone too fixated on selfies: As this is the "killer feature" of this camera and its main gimmic, this was a focus of my testing.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One thing I noticed is that the front camera id 1 use ultra wide sensor with cropped resolution at 6.5 mp instead on main camera due to camera2 api. No idea why asus did this but this is the reason why the ultra wide lens doesn't perform as good as the main back camera.
Plus newer Gcam require a lot of individual tweaking by lib pacther settings. Once you try to play around with lib patcher. You realize how much headroom can improve photo quality to suit your tastes. It may not be as simple as the pixel because of different sensors setup but you can tweak as much as you like.

mickey36736 said:
One thing I noticed is that the front camera id 1 use ultra wide sensor with cropped resolution at 6.5 mp instead on main camera due to camera2 api. No idea why asus did this but this is the reason why the ultra wide lens doesn't perform as good as the main back camera.
Plus newer Gcam require a lot of individual tweaking by lib pacther settings. Once you try to play around with lib patcher. You realize how much headroom can improve photo quality to suit your tastes. It may not be as simple as the pixel because of different sensors setup but you can tweak as much as you like.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm finding there's a lot of noise in some lighting conditions on the gcam wide angle lens. Anyone else found this? I've tried tweaking all the denoise settings but can't seem to get rid of it. It's strangely in the outer edges of the shot. Also, such noise is present on stock wide angle too at times.
Though very interestingly, stock night mode used in the same shot with the wide angle pretty much eliminates it.