Front-camera mirror images

**FractalSphere** · 06-18-2010, 08:42 AM

Is there a setting or something to make the front camera NOT be a mirror image all the time? It's really distracting when I'm either taking pictures or using Fring/Skype to have it reverse everything.

This is a very noticeable problem for me, far more than a little light leakage from the bottom under the buttons or a semi-loose fitting corner on my battery cover. It's a functionality issue and while it's certainly not a deal-breaker on the phone, it's a disappointment that there's no setting or fix anywhere I've seen for this.

Anyone else notice this and/or want a fix?

Thanks!
Rich

**fraz** · 06-18-2010, 08:46 AM

HTC is aware of the issue before the phone was released. Rumor has it that there will eventually be a fix - just gotta be patience.

here's the article from the front page: http://www.androidcentral.com/evo-4g...images-reverse

**Shawheim** · 06-18-2010, 08:51 AM

i dont kno if you have ever used a laptop with a built in webcam, but they all are mirrored images. its nothin new with webcams.

**FractalSphere** · 06-18-2010, 08:57 AM

Originally Posted by Shawheim

i dont kno if you have ever used a laptop with a built in webcam, but they all are mirrored images. its nothin new with webcams.

I've used plenty of webcams for -ahem - broadcasting projects, let's say, and they're NOT reverse images. Often times there's a setting to make them reverse, or upside down, or B&W, or whatever, but not natively ****ed up reversed.

@Fraz - thanks! I didn't know they were aware and hadn't seen that article.

**DesertSilver#AC** · 06-18-2010, 09:36 AM

I'm not saying that one way is more correct or better than the other. But I'd put $5 down saying that there would have been more of an uproar if the front camera was NOT mirrored from the start.

**Doc_d** · 06-18-2010, 10:17 AM

I thought this was about a "mirror" app which I'd like to have. Just to let anyone else know who might be looking here for the same thing, I did find an app in the market called "mirror 4 evo" and it works pretty well.... nope no boogers in my nose

**Raf** · 06-18-2010, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by Shawheim

i dont kno if you have ever used a laptop with a built in webcam, but they all are mirrored images. its nothin new with webcams.

Hey man....you stole my avatar!!

Nilla stole my avatar!

**meyerweb** · 06-18-2010, 11:59 AM

Many, if not most, webcams do it. It's designed to make using it more natural for the user. Reversed, it's like you're looking into a mirror, which is what we're all used to. If it were not reversed, when you moved left, the image on the screen would move right, which is confusing to people who aren't used to it.

Unless you're shooting text with the front camera, it's probably better this way.

**FractalSphere** · 06-18-2010, 02:11 PM

Originally Posted by meyerweb

Many, if not most, webcams do it. It's designed to make using it more natural for the user. Reversed, it's like you're looking into a mirror, which is what we're all used to. If it were not reversed, when you moved left, the image on the screen would move right, which is confusing to people who aren't used to it.

Unless you're shooting text with the front camera, it's probably better this way.

I do understand that having it reverse the image as it's being previewed is probably helpful in posing and getting set for the image, but the image itself, when it takes a picture, should not artificially reverse the image. The software is deliberately manipulating the image (the final product) to flip left and right, and that's my complaint.

Webcams, when they do it are transmitting properly formatted images, even if the preview image on your side is reversed. And my webcam, an older Logitech, doesn't even do that. It presents the preview to me non-flipped.

**meyerweb** · 06-18-2010, 05:35 PM

I see your point, but I'm not sure why you'd want to use the low res front camera to take a photo instead of the higher quality rear camera.

**eyecon82** · 06-20-2010, 04:27 PM

I heard there was going to be an app that simply reverses the image so its an reverse of the reverse making it look normal

anyone know about this or where i can get it?

**Beezzy** · 06-20-2010, 04:31 PM

Its nice to be able to see when taking photos of you with other people when nobody else is there to take the picture

**Mustachio** · 06-20-2010, 07:09 PM

Originally Posted by Shawheim

i dont kno if you have ever used a laptop with a built in webcam, but they all are mirrored images. its nothin new with webcams.

Nope. My Creative Labs Live webcam doesn't mirror. Of course, it's not a built-in laptop webcam, but you didn't say it was limited to those...

**FractalSphere** · 06-22-2010, 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by meyerweb

I see your point, but I'm not sure why you'd want to use the low res front camera to take a photo instead of the higher quality rear camera.

Fring and Skype are the primary reasons. Why should it broadcast a mirror image to the other party?

**FractalSphere** · 06-22-2010, 02:56 PM

OK I just got off the phone with HTC support and the guy I spoke with indicated the front-camera issue would be addressed with Android 2.2's update.

We'll see.

**Darth Mo** · 06-22-2010, 03:17 PM

Originally Posted by FractalSphere

I do understand that having it reverse the image as it's being previewed is probably helpful in posing and getting set for the image, but the image itself, when it takes a picture, should not artificially reverse the image. The software is deliberately manipulating the image (the final product) to flip left and right, and that's my complaint.

Webcams, when they do it are transmitting properly formatted images, even if the preview image on your side is reversed. And my webcam, an older Logitech, doesn't even do that. It presents the preview to me non-flipped.

Funny you say that. All images using a digital camera have to be "deliberately manipulated" in order to get the correct photo. The image as it hits the sensor is both inverted and reversed left to right because of the path through the lens.

That said, it looks like they skipped a step in the photo processor for the front camera so that it's recording the preview orientation instead of the correct one. Should be a simple software fix.

**steve41015** · 06-22-2010, 03:39 PM

I saw a picture from the new Iphone 4 from the front camera. It was reversed.

**meyerweb** · 06-22-2010, 04:11 PM

Originally Posted by FractalSphere

Fring and Skype are the primary reasons. Why should it broadcast a mirror image to the other party?

Like I said the first time: unless you're holding up printed material, does it really matter?

**dekcufi** · 06-22-2010, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by Shawheim

i dont kno if you have ever used a laptop with a built in webcam, but they all are mirrored images. its nothin new with webcams.

the mirror image is what the other person would see of you if they were in front of you

**FractalSphere** · 08-06-2010, 12:19 PM

Originally Posted by FractalSphere

OK I just got off the phone with HTC support and the guy I spoke with indicated the front-camera issue would be addressed with Android 2.2's update.

We'll see.

This has turned out to be a falsehood. After Froyo, the front camera is STILL producing mirror images on both still and video recordings.

Now, I know this is a relatively minor issue. However, it being a minor issue it should be easily addressed! Is there anything out there on this?

**Caitlyn McKenzie** · 08-06-2010, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by FractalSphere

This has turned out to be a falsehood. After Froyo, the front camera is STILL producing mirror images on both still and video recordings.

Now, I know this is a relatively minor issue. However, it being a minor issue it should be easily addressed! Is there anything out there on this?

Not a falsehood. Check the options when you go into the front camera. There's a new option for Mirror Mode.

**McPlot** · 08-06-2010, 02:45 PM

Could be worse. You could be that guy in the iPhone commercial that finds out his wife is pregnant while he is away on a business trip. "You are 3 weeks along? But I have been gone a month...."

**walterwood44** · 08-07-2010, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by Vincent Law

Not a falsehood. Check the options when you go into the front camera. There's a new option for Mirror Mode.

Yes and it "works". But when holding the phone normally, that is in portrait mode, turning off Mirror Mode make you upside down. Not exactly what I would expect.

**wrecklass** · 08-07-2010, 09:47 AM

Yea that is pretty funny. Like they got the rotation directions wrong. Makes for some weird effects.

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Sent on my EVO 4G with Tapatalk

**SaltyDawg** · 08-07-2010, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by wrecklass

Yea that is pretty funny. Like they got the rotation directions wrong. Makes for some weird effects.

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Sent on my EVO 4G with Tapatalk

It's totally ridiculous what they did. I also want the regular mode on the front camera. They have it so you're upside down no matter what (in portrait). Even if you hold the phone upside down, you're still upside down. Totally lame.

How did those clowns miss this?