Samsung Galaxy S8+ serious video issue?

[AC Question]

I picked up my S8+ from a local Verizon store less than 3 weeks ago. Just last Friday I shot video in UHD and QHD for the first time. I was stunned by the distorted, pixelated, "crushed" look - like the noise in a badly-compressed jpeg. When I set the camera back to regular HD (1920x1080) it all-but disappears. I did a factory reset... same deal after I moved back in; then I downloaded another app from the Google Play store that would shoot 4k video and suffered the same results. I found a thread at Samsung where the issue has been reported by others.

I contacted Samsung by chat and phone, and they gave me the runaround: they actually wanted me to mail the phone in and be without it for 2 weeks, after I've had it for less than 2 weeks! So I went back to the store.

The store manager was stunned when I showed him the problem. He pulled out a brand new S8+ and shot video at UHD, and *it did the same thing*. So he pulled out another one... and then an S8 for good measure. They ALL produced videos with electronic "noise" at UHD or QHD settings. They told me this was almost certainly a software issue, and that Samsung may not even be aware of the problem.

What do I do from here?

Kent

 

[B. Diddy]

Moved to the S8 forum for more specific traffic.

 

[1jkent]

I am stunned that I haven't gotten any replies here on this forum yet. I can't be the only one experiencing this problem...

I have been in touch with Samsung's "Office of the President", and their representatives are insisting that the phone be sent back to them for repairs ... when this handset does not need repairing. I have now tested 8 different S8 or S8+ handsets in UHD (full 4k) or QHD modes, and the same "digital static", "compression artifacts", etc., are showing up on all eight handsets.

Oddly, the phones ship set to record video in FHD (1920x1080), instead of UHD or QHD. Perhaps if people don't know that they are recording only in standard HD, they don't think to turn up the settings, and thus they're missing out on the "joys" of this issue?

The problem is almost certainly software-related, and a certain amount of "choppiness" is also visible when the camera is moved. I have tried everything, including factory resets on my handset, and nothing at all can be done. When is Samsung going to fix this issue for its customers?

Attached is a screenshot of the high-resolution video file -- this is exactly how it looks when you play the video. Does anyone with an S8 or S8+ *not* have this problem when they're shooting video at QHD or UHD resolutions?

 

[Gary02468]

Attached is a screenshot of the high-resolution video file -- this is exactly how it looks when you play the video. Does anyone with an S8 or S8+ *not* have this problem when they're shooting video at QHD or UHD resolutions?

I don't. Here's a screenshot from playback of a QHD video taken with my S8+ (AT&T, AQF7, default camera app).

You can also search for various S8 QHD video samples on YouTube.

 

[AustinTech]

are your setting set to 60 fps? I get ****ty video at 60 fps at 1080p.

I'm not getting any distorted video at the higher video settings.

 

[Gary02468]

For those with video distortion, could you be writing to s slow SD card?

 

[k3m1c6]

I'm not getting any distortion at all shooting video in QHD.

 

[1jkent]

Hello, and glad to see a few responses now - although I'm really sorry to hear that there are others out there experiencing this. This is a Verizon S8+, and I'm writing to the phone's internal memory, not an SD card. I am also not using 60fps. The problem shows up in both QHD and UHD, but is almost invisible in standard FHD.

I am using the default camera app, but I've tried others apps that shoot in 4k, as well, and the problem shows up there, too. I have done a full factory reset of the phone, and the problem was just as bad afterward. Any other thoughts or suggestions?

 

[anon(9918034)]

I can't recreate your issue on my s8+, I have tried ever camera setting. I am also saving to my SD card and not one issue like yours is showing. I have the sprint Galaxy S8+. I would recommend doing what Samsung said and send it into them.

Do you use your fps, if so is your camera lens smudged with greasy finger prints.

 

[1jkent]

Hello, swagglepuff, thanks for the response! No, no smudges on the lens. This is a weird digital compression noise that is written into the actual mp4 file. When I watch the video back on my TV (either by wireless connection, or by copying the original mp4 on to a thumb drive), it is there.

If you look at the sky whenever the camera moves, you'll see exactly what I'm talking about. I have uploaded a test QHD video to my Dropbox account so you can all see the issue directly:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/gfikz1cw4pc45yi/Test%20QHD.mp4?dl=0

Best,
Kent

 

[1jkent]

My video clip needs to be approved by a moderator; also, here is a screen shot of my camera settings:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/wg5reo5y61p6gd5/Screenshot_20170629-144425.jpg?dl=0

 

[1jkent]

I tried to post a link to the actual QHD-resolution video which I placed in my Dropbox account; unfortunately, it doesn't seem to have gotten through the moderator-approval check. I'm not sure why, as it's just a video of some backyard scenery, but then again, this is my first foray into posting in this forum, so I'm not sure about all the rules yet.

My settings on the camera are:

Rear Camera--
Picture size: 4:3 (12M)
Video size: UHD 3840X2160
Tracking AF: off
Shape correction: off (I've toggled this several times with no effect)
Timer: Off

Common--
Motion photo: off
Video stabilization: off (I've toggled this several times with no effect)
Storage location: phone

Oh, and before I forget: no, the lens is not smudged, although that was a good idea. This is definitely internal to the phone, and it is also visible if I play the mp4 file back on my tv either by screen mirroring or from a thumb drive.

The worst part about it is that out of eight S8 or S8+ handsets that I've worked with (either mine, those belonging to friends, or fresh out of the box at multiple Verizon stores), the problem is identical on QHD or UHD.

 

[1jkent]

Oh, also (this was in the deleted post): no smudges on the lens. This is definitely a digital issue, likely in the software. Plus, the issue is written right in to the mp4 file, since if I copy the file on to a thumb drive and play it on my TV, it's just as bad as it appears on the phone screen.

 

[TylerLV76]

I tried to post a link to the actual QHD-resolution video which I placed in my Dropbox account; unfortunately, it doesn't seem to have gotten through the moderator-approval check. I'm not sure why, as it's just a video of some backyard scenery, but then again, this is my first foray into posting in this forum, so I'm not sure about all the rules yet.

My settings on the camera are:

Rear Camera--
Picture size: 4:3 (12M)
Video size: UHD 3840X2160
Tracking AF: off
Shape correction: off (I've toggled this several times with no effect)
Timer: Off

Common--
Motion photo: off
Video stabilization: off (I've toggled this several times with no effect)
Storage location: phone

Oh, and before I forget: no, the lens is not smudged, although that was a good idea. This is definitely internal to the phone, and it is also visible if I play the mp4 file back on my tv either by screen mirroring or from a thumb drive.

The worst part about it is that out of eight S8 or S8+ handsets that I've worked with (either mine, those belonging to friends, or fresh out of the box at multiple Verizon stores), the problem is identical on QHD or UHD.

I just set mine to match your settings and recorded a 15 second video. Mine recorded to my sd card (Samsung evo +) and when I play it back on the phone or cast it to my tv it looks perfect. I've never set mine that high and was pretty blown away actually.

Mine is a T-Mobile version.

Edit: tried 2 more, one to the internal and one to the sd card.

When transitioning from dark to bright areas you can see a bit of pixelation as the camera focuses and adjusts the white balance. Nothing like what you have though.

 

[1jkent]

Tyler,

Thanks for the reply. I'm glad you're not having this issue. It seems to "flare" when I move the camera slightly. Interestingly, I've discovered that all of these handsets are shipping from the factory set to shoot standard FHD, and the problems are almost invisible at that resolution. I wonder if everyone knows that it doesn't shoot UHD right out of the box, and more issues aren't being reported because everyone is shooting at FHD thinking that it's one of the higher resolutions?

I'm also curious, because people who do not seem to have the problem are on other cell carriers than mine ... I'm Verizon wireless. The only S8+ that I've seen the problem on that I don't know for sure that it *was* a Verizon phone was the new one that they pulled out of the box at a Best Buy in their Samsung World. I have no idea what carrier that was attached to, but it had the same issue. Is it possible that this is only affecting Verizon S8 and S8+'s?

Best,
Kent

 

[TylerLV76]

Tyler,

Thanks for the reply. I'm glad you're not having this issue. It seems to "flare" when I move the camera slightly. Interestingly, I've discovered that all of these handsets are shipping from the factory set to shoot standard FHD, and the problems are almost invisible at that resolution. I wonder if everyone knows that it doesn't shoot UHD right out of the box, and more issues aren't being reported because everyone is shooting at FHD thinking that it's one of the higher resolutions?

I'm also curious, because people who do not seem to have the problem are on other cell carriers than mine ... I'm Verizon wireless. The only S8+ that I've seen the problem on that I don't know for sure that it *was* a Verizon phone was the new one that they pulled out of the box at a Best Buy in their Samsung World. I have no idea what carrier that was attached to, but it had the same issue. Is it possible that this is only affecting Verizon S8 and S8+'s?

Best,
Kent

I don't believe carriers should matter since I wouldn't expect them to touch the camera software. They normally add apps and take away some settings and that's about it

Looking at your picture again, that is what I'm seeing when transitioning from say trees to a bright sky. The camera refocused and adjusts the brightness, white balance and whatever else. To me it definitely seems like the large resolution shows the camera adjustments alot more than lower resolution.

Mine isn't as pronounced as yours but I'm also in a different environment than you. It's very possible if we were standing side by side that I would get the same results.

Here's a test I did just now. I went into pro mode and set everything so the trees would look proper. Then I pan to the sky which is washed out due to the higher shutter speed and white balance. I had no pixelation. Then I set the shutter to auto and leave the rest set at a preset. When I pan to the sky I can see a little pixelation but it's very minimal.

This tells me it's a combo of shutter speed and white balance adjusting. Mine was drastic from 1/250 to 1/4000. The camera doesn't smoothly adjust, it kind of jumps to that higher setting. I don't think you can do much about that. These phones, as great as they are, just don't have the capabilities that dslr's and proper video recorders have. They have some serious limitations at this point.

 

[1jkent]

Tyler,

Very interesting experiments, indeed! I would tend to agree with you about the limitations of these phones, except that my Samsung Galaxy S6 never did anything like this with its 4k video shooting, nor does it do it on my friend's Apple iPhone 6. I've seen entire commercials and documentaries that were filmed on other phones.

Clearly, this is a serious deficiency in the design of (I think the software in) the new Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+, even when compared to previous generation Sammys. I've been a Samsung nut for years, and the camera on their previous-generations of phones were far better. Upgrading to a new phone two years newer should never result in a massive downgrade to the point that you can't even use the much-touted UHD or QHD options.

Another thing that I'm noticing on these phones is a terrible "stuttering" or "jerkiness" when you move the camera - something that I never experienced on my previous Sammys. I think they really need to do something with the camera software on these devices.

 

[TylerLV76]

Tyler,

Very interesting experiments, indeed! I would tend to agree with you about the limitations of these phones, except that my Samsung Galaxy S6 never did anything like this with its 4k video shooting, nor does it do it on my friend's Apple iPhone 6. I've seen entire commercials and documentaries that were filmed on other phones.

Clearly, this is a serious deficiency in the design of (I think the software in) the new Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+, even when compared to previous generation Sammys. I've been a Samsung nut for years, and the camera on their previous-generations of phones were far better. Upgrading to a new phone two years newer should never result in a massive downgrade to the point that you can't even use the much-touted UHD or QHD options.

Another thing that I'm noticing on these phones is a terrible "stuttering" or "jerkiness" when you move the camera - something that I never experienced on my previous Sammys. I think they really need to do something with the camera software on these devices.

I never had the S6 but I have heard many times that the camera on it was rather amazing even compared to the S7 and S8.

I do notice the jerkiness as well and it's pretty bad. I don't do alot of recording so I don't worry too much about them but I can see where it would be a nightmare for people that do use it.

The iPhone software is definitely one of the best for video and photos. I'd have to say you're right that Sammy has taken a bit if a step backward when comparing the 2. I have done some recording on the 6s plus and I don't ever remember having neediness and pixelation on the videos.

The only logical explanation I have is the software hasn't been optimized properly or as good as it could be. If I'm being honest, I doubt it ever gets updated.

 

[o4liberty]

I don't have the issue at all

 

[1jkent]

Hi, there! I'm glad you aren't having the issue -- may I ask, did you bump up your resolution settings on the video to either QHD or UHD? I didn't notice the problem until I did, and "out of the box", it's only set to FHD.