Camera Focus Issues

[jhzafrani]

So I have had the phone for about a week now and I seem to have an issue with the focus of the camera. It seems to alway focus on something else other than what I tell it to focus on or what it should. Please take a look at the following pictures and let me know your thoughts. You will notice that everything else is in focus with the exception of my daughter.

I am thinking about going to AT&T and getting a replacement phone since this is become a very big annoyance...

Anyone else experiencing this?

 

[nokia4life]

They look okay to me

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

 

[lucidlyseen]

A couple of things - do you have face recognition on? If not try turning that on. Also don't tap the screen to focus if you are - let the camera focus by itself, just frame and shoot. See how that works.

 

[neocryte]

Auto-focus doesn't always work best - I have the same issue, so I don't think another unit will help you. You can try touching the screen where you want the camera to focus.

 

[jhzafrani]

Thanks for the replies. These pictures were taken with the facial recognition turned on and the camera showing the rectangle around the face. I also tried by just pressing on the face to focus first. It takes great pictures otherwise. I was just wondering if there could be an issue where it would back focus...

 

[lucidlyseen]

only other thing I can think of is you were too close to her face.

 

[anon(153966)]

I just learnt something from this thread. Thanks...

Sent from my HTC One X using Android Central Forums

 

[icebike]

Thanks for the replies. These pictures were taken with the facial recognition turned on and the camera showing the rectangle around the face. I also tried by just pressing on the face to focus first. It takes great pictures otherwise. I was just wondering if there could be an issue where it would back focus...

Did you have Portrait mode turned on?
(I don't really know what that does, but it might help).

I've noticed that tapping the screen to set the focus point doesn't retain that as the focus point long enough. You have to be pretty quick to set the focus point then hit the shutter. If not done quickly enough focus drifts.

I agree its a bit tricky, sometimes better done with two hands.

 

[jhzafrani]

only other thing I can think of is you were too close to her face.

I'd agree with that but then again, the next picture was the one attached which is perfect. The problem is that more often than not, they are blurry...

 

[Mikey47]

Very cute little girl!!

 

[Shepx13]

FWIW - The One X I returned had this problem as well. Not sure if it's software or hardware, bu it's a legit issue.

 

[shea-bird]

camera focus in good lighting is not a problem at all, lower light is giving it some issues. go outside and snap shots of your daughter and you should see a drastic improvement! I noticed the same is true for macro shots as well....low light situations are giving the HOX some focus issues...prob a software fix.

 

[Shepx13]

camera focus in good lighting is not a problem at all, lower light is giving it some issues. go outside and snap shots of your daughter and you should see a drastic improvement! I noticed the same is true for macro shots as well....low light situations are giving the HOX some focus issues...prob a software fix.

Why should you have to go outside to take photos? That's nonsense and pretty much negates the main reason for a f2.0 lens.

I bet you will start seeing more folks complaining about this in the coming weeks.

I'm extremely disappointed with HTC. If you are going to tout the awesomeness of your new camera features, you better take extra time to make sure the bugs are worked out.

 

[sniffs]

Don't take this the wrong way, but if you really want great pictures of loved ones that will last throughout time, don't use a camera phone at all.

People have gotten so use to using the camera on their phone that it's almost second nature. I would just recommend going out and buying a dslr with a kit lens if you want "better than camera phone images".. remember, 15-20 years from now you're going to be looking at these pics and going "why didn't I use a regular camera.."

I have a buddy who's a photographer and he gets so heated when he sees people taking pics of loved ones with camera phones, they are inferior in just about every way imaginable.(although they are getting better, the basic dslr will still shoot better images)

 

[Shepx13]

Don't take this the wrong way, but if you really want great pictures of loved ones that will last throughout time, don't use a camera phone at all.

People have gotten so use to using the camera on their phone that it's almost second nature. I would just recommend going out and buying a dslr with a kit lens if you want "better than camera phone images".. remember, 15-20 years from now you're going to be looking at these pics and going "why didn't I use a regular camera.."

I have a buddy who's a photographer and he gets so heated when he sees people taking pics of loved ones with camera phones, they are inferior in just about every way imaginable.(although they are getting better, the basic dslr will still shoot better images)

What is wrong with you people who tell others to buy a real camera if they want good photos? Do you think other people are stupid? Is this your fallback argument when you must justify your own purchase instead of acknowledging a major flaw?

No one is asking for dslr or even good point and shoot quality. But it's not too much to expect iphone 4s image quality and focus reliability when it's a year after the 4s release.

And for your info, I have a D700 and plenty of good glass. And a Canon s95. But I don't always want to lug either around. And many other folks agree.

 

[jhzafrani]

Thanks for all of the replies/suggestions!

A couple of things:

1. I am a photographer. My camera equipment ranges from the Canon 5D SLR with a slew of L lenses to point and click cameras to cell phone cameras. As a photographer, I believe that the camera is not as important as the setting and composition. While I love shooting with my SLR, I don't carry it with me at all times. At the same time, cell phone cameras are very convenient and allow for very creating photos considering all the filters and apps out there.

Having said all of that, I still believe that my specific phone has an issue with focusing. It is clear that while the main subject of the photo is out of focus, the background is in focus and that is usually and issue with the camera rather than lighting.

2. I went to my local AT&T store (corporate store - not dealer) and they confirmed to me that many people have been complaining about the cameras. The rep actually said that there was a bad batch of phones that was released. The issue is that none of the local stores around us have these in stock since they sold out. So I will wait a couple of weeks and get a new one. Once I do, we will see if it was really a camera issue or me.

3. As far as taking pictures of loved ones on a cell phone and whether or not it should be done, let me tell you that for Mother's Day, my wife received a 100 page photo book (made using Aperture) of all pictures that I took since last mother's day and every picture in the book was from my cell phone camera (iPhone 4 and 4s to be exact) and it printed clear, sharp, and beautifully on a 11x14 book. I wont be making posters of these images but there is a reason why the iPhone is the number one camera on Flickr.

Thanks again.

 

[icebike]

Well, first of all never take the word of an AT&T rep about "bad batches" of anything. After all, you have to remember that last month this guy was telling his customers at his prior job that there were bad batches of Nike Air Jordans released.

Did you know that tapping on the screen sets the focus point?

Close focus on book

Far Focus on Window

You simply have to tap what you want focused, and then within a reasonable period of time tap the shutter.


And as for the iphone being the number one phone on flicker, you DO realize that iPhone has far more units in the field than any other brand, since they had a three year head start on android and owned the market for 5 years? And they had an upload to flicker app way before anyone else, and until recently they were the biggest single model of smartphone and all the other Android phones showed up under a multitude of different names? You are cherry-picking here.

And what, pray tell is someone claiming to be a photographer doing on Flicker? Its strictly armatureville.

 

[Shepx13]

And what, pray tell is someone claiming to be a photographer doing on Flicker? Its strictly armatureville.

That right there pretty much invalidates anything you say as probably being ridiculously biased and/or probably not having much thought put into it. Ever.

 

[jhzafrani]

Well, first of all never take the word of an AT&T rep about "bad batches" of anything. After all, you have to remember that last month this guy was telling his customers at his prior job that there were bad batches of Nike Air Jordans released.

Did you know that tapping on the screen sets the focus point?

Click to view quoted image

Close focus on book

Click to view quoted image

Far Focus on Window

You simply have to tap what you want focused, and then within a reasonable period of time tap the shutter.


And as for the iphone being the number one phone on flicker, you DO realize that iPhone has far more units in the field than any other brand, since they had a three year head start on android and owned the market for 5 years? And they had an upload to flicker app way before anyone else, and until recently they were the biggest single model of smartphone and all the other Android phones showed up under a multitude of different names? You are cherry-picking here.

And what, pray tell is someone claiming to be a photographer doing on Flicker? Its strictly armatureville.

I have tried the tap to focus and the facial recognition. I truly believe that I just have a bad unit. The replacement will determine that (unless I get one from the bad batch again - )...

As far as Flickr and the number one camera on it, yes it is for amateurs and yes the iPhone is the number one device out there. I wasn't trying to say anything about the iPhone being superior to android. I was simply countering the point that you should not be taking pictures of loved ones with a cell phone camera. I believe that the entire photography industry was changed when these cameras became good enough for people to be satisfied (again, normal non photographers) with the pictures that they take. Cell phone cameras allow for much more versatility when it comes to personal non professional pictures with the ability to upload the pictures right away, share them, and apply filters right on the device. Not too many people use the EyeFi card synched to their cell phone to do the same with a point and click or a prosumer SLR.

You can tell that more and more cameras out there ranging from point and click to actual SLR cameras are trying to bring in the feature set of a cell phone camera with more editing in the camera, WiFi connectivity, and other features.

As far as a photographer being on Flickr, there is a purpose to Flickr when sharing pictures of dance recitals with other parents or family. Being a landscape photographer, my actual work is never displayed there.