Front camera issue

[Liam Smart]

Hi everyone,

I'm having a problem with the front camera on my S4.

Before capturing a picture, the quality looks normal. After capturing a photo, it's as if a soft blur effect is automatically added, drastically reducing the quality.

I've made sure the lens is clean and there is no plastic covering the lens. The same happens with Instagram... quality looks fine before capturing and then the same awful result afterwards. Interestingly, Snapchat captures what is on the screen and doesn't apply any after effect.

Can anyone help me?

 

[STSVA]

Hi everyone,

I'm having a problem with the front camera on my S4.

Before capturing a picture, the quality looks normal. After capturing a photo, it's as if a soft blur effect is automatically added, drastically reducing the quality.

I've made sure the lens is clean and there is no plastic covering the lens. The same happens with Instagram... quality looks fine before capturing and then the same awful result afterwards. Interestingly, Snapchat captures what is on the screen and doesn't apply any after effect.

Can anyone help me?

Are you sure it's not motion blur from slight movement of the phone when you take the picture?

 

[Liam Smart]

That's what I was thinking, but if I can take a normal photo with Snapchat for example, then that can't be right?

It seems to be when the light is generally low, the phone tries to compensate. All settings that would allow this to happen have been switched off but I'm still at a loss...

 

[STSVA]

That's what I was thinking, but if I can take a normal photo with Snapchat for example, then that can't be right?

It seems to be when the light is generally low, the phone tries to compensate. All settings that would allow this to happen have been switched off but I'm still at a loss...

Different camera apps may have different algorithms for setting the shutter speed under any given lighting conditions. I've noticed that the stock S4 camera seems to consistently use a slow shutter speed except in very bright light. Have you checked the details for the JPEG images from the stock camera and Snapchat to see if there's a difference in shutter speed? I certainly don't know if this is the answer, but I think it could be.

 

[Liam Smart]

That sounds right to me, Stsva.

Is there any way I can change the shutter speed of the stock camera or will I just have to grin and put up with it? It's such a shame seen as I've just only upgraded from S2 and never had a problem with that phone!

 

[STSVA]

That sounds right to me, Stsva.

Is there any way I can change the shutter speed of the stock camera or will I just have to grin and put up with it? It's such a shame seen as I've just only upgraded from S2 and never had a problem with that phone!

As far as I can tell, you can only control shutter speed indirectly, either through the shooting mode you select (e.g., sports mode will use a faster shutter speed than some of the others), or through your selection of ISO (e.g., a higher ISO will allow a faster shutter speed).