Recorded videos keep autofocusing on their own?

[shadowsjc]

I just realized I hadn't tested the video recording capabilities of my phone yet, so I just recorded a few sample videos in my room. I tested both 720p and 1080p, and in both cases the phone kept auto focusing in and out every few seconds, even if I held the camcorder fairly still and just pointed it at a blank wall. It looks like I'm zooming in and out very quickly and it's making the video very choppy to watch.

Is anyone else seeing this? I don't see an option to disable autofocus...again this is one of those things that can be seen as a minor annoyance, but these minor annoyances quickly add up.

edit - The lighting conditions in the room are not super bright, but not very dark either. I wonder if lighting has something to do with it...I'll try testing outdoors in the sunlight tomorrow to confirm. Still, I don't recall my DX having this, nor my DX2 (although I had the DX2 for such a short time that I really don't remember using the video at all)

 

[wordsauce]

I am also seeing this. I wouldn't call it a minor annoyance when I just spent $300 on my phone and it seems like they put more money into advertising rather than actual development and testing.

 

[shadowsjc]

yeah, this is definitely the biggest of the things that piss me off about this phone. I really hope motorola comes out with a fix in the next couple of days...otherwise this is going right back to VZW.

 

[pushdrops]

Yes, this is a real shame as otherwise the video is great! But with the zooming in and out effect , it totally ruins a bit of the video - not acceptable.

Add that to horribly slow focusing still camera , also i see a haze whenever using the flash that's really bad - not good for a new , expensive device that has to last 2 years.

When the video is not focusing it is great and outside well lit pics are very good , that's what makes it so annoying - it's almost there.....

These issues with the - i can't find words anymore - horrible , no excuse for - audio line out noise and dropping data connectivity when my other 3d VZW phones do not and never have at this location (CDMA only) - frustrating!

I want to keep the Bionic as my orig Droid is so slow now even tweaked compared to this and it is so nice to have the speed - but these issues are too big - i can't believe we all have to post about so many issues! Yes there are always issues on a new phone but never so many (throw in the display...) , thinking back to my Droid and friend's other phones - this is crazy, especially when Moto was so late delivering this to STILL have so many major issues.

No way i don't think i can wait to see if these will be fixed - otherwise i will be stuck with this for TWO years. I hate to return my 1st phone ever and switch to another carrier (I can't go back to the slow Droid and Verizon has NO good choices now) - so it's off to Sprint with the near Bionic in the Photon which should be better without the major problems of the Bionic (i have seen many videos that do not seem to have the focus issue though it could be on the photon, the camera is prob the same - but the audio issue .... - should not be an issue on the Photon and it's only $99 to boot and unlocked).
Then can swap the Photon for the Epic Touch if needed -choices and choices today - how i wish the Bionic didn't have issues that are one too many to overlook as i really want to keep it and stick with VZW as LTE is near me and should be at my exact location soon (where Sprint never will be , at least not until they go LTE and then that will require a new Sprint phone, so no 4G for me here for 2 years , but I can live with that over the major Bionic issues and maybe in 2 yrs 4G phones will have decent battery life).

Thanks for pointing out the auto focus video issue as i thought it was just me at first!

 

[bigkage]

I'm seeing the same problem and it's unacceptible. Is this a ubiquitous Bionic problem or are we the afflicted few?