Galaxy S5: Camera/Gallery Issue - Grey box over photos

[sanxdaddy]

Have an issue on certain photos taken on camera. The picture is at first fine, then suddenly a grey box appears over the photo. The preview pic on the bottom shows the full pic but when you look at the full photo the grey box appears. When you flip through the photo, the full photo appears very quickly then the grey box appears. Anyone having this issue? I'm already waiting for a replacement phone for a separate issue. Maybe the phone's a lemon. Thank you in advance!

 

[cjohnson421]

I have the exact same problem, and have searched everywhere.. took a week to set up my phone and now I'm afraid to ask for replacement and have same thing happen. Only issue I can think to rule out phone is the memory card which i just added. It was a Samsung 64GB Pro (new in retail package, so hopefully genuine). Last night I reformatted the card, and took some new pics. All was good and a day later an image developed the "grey box". Funny thing when the photos were taken they immediately drop box sync'd and the pic was synced doesn't have the grey box. So it was altered later. Also, the file names on the same photo are different. One 2.55.07 and other 2.55.08 (they are the same shot) Weird! wonder if something in the cam is changing the photo and renaming it?

 

[cjohnson421]

please can someone help?

I've long been a loyal Android user but this is pushing me toward getting an Apple iPhone.. they dont have issues with pics.

 

[diamondRanch]

I am also having the exact same issue!!! It mostly does it on photos that are saved to SD card, so I thought it has to be a bad card (just bought it new PNY 64gb 10 class at best buy), BUT there are a couple of pictures that are stored on phone NOT sd card that also have the gray square, so that totally confuses me!!! Does the SD card corrupt some pictures that are on the phone storage as well??? I really need to know because I have until Sunday to exchange within my 14 day period. This is already the second phone I have exchanged, last one the power button would not turn off the phone, ughh

 

[diamondRanch]

sanxdaddy are yours stored on camera or sd card?

 

[cjohnson421]

sanxdaddy are yours stored on camera or sd card?

thats 3 of us. I just got off the phone with Verizon and they are stumped. Told me to go to store and get a card there.

My next attempt at troubleshooting is to test the INTERNAL memory of the phone and not use the external card. Then see if that causes same issues. From what you are saying DiamonRanch, I am now worried about it doing it there too. So far nothing.

Wondering if the image optimization software is corrupting the files? Perhaps the feature that enhances the low light pics? There has to be some common denominator in the files that are corrupting? I really do NOT want to swap the phone 2-3 times and still have same issue..

 

[diamondRanch]

I agree, I am so afraid I'm going to swap this phone again and have the same gray squared pictures! Mine also was freezing-like freeze frame/ jumping and sound cutting in and out on my videos I shot. Was about to return it for that when all of a sudden it started playing them perfect again (those videos were on the sd card). But I cannot get the gray squares to disappear yet. I have noticed that all of my pictures that are gray squared were taken outside (everything normal mode/auto), but then again I take most of my pictures outside.

 

[diamondRanch]

btw, none of the pictures I download do that, only pictures I take with the phone.

 

[cjohnson421]

later tonight I am going to take some videos and see if they play.. that might further test the "corrupt data" theory. If the card is bad/poor performance, then videos will be more likely to go bad too.

 

[diamondRanch]

This one shows to be on the phone, not sd card.

 

[cjohnson421]

This one shows to be on the phone, not sd card.

ouch! not good news!

 

[cjohnson421]

btw... my phone is not an S5, but a Samsung Galaxy Note 3. I just got it and it has version 4.3 on it. Memory card is Samsung 64GB MicroSDXC UHS-I Pro.

 

[diamondRanch]

Just went to best buy and bought another card, they were completely sold out of the 64gb, and the only ones they had were SanDisk - Ultra Plus 32GB microSDHC Class 10 UHS-1 Memory Card. I wish they had the Samsung brand, went to Office depot and that's also they only kind they had left. I'll give this a try and take lots of pics and video's tomorrow and let you know what happens. I will have to wait an extra day I guess, because like you, it seemed to start the day after I took them. Fingers crossed.

 

[cjohnson421]

3 more photos hit the GREY!! I went to Verizon store They had no idea about this or any related issue and were not able to provide a "demo" sd card to try and snap a few shots. I took a few photo inside the store and all turned out fine. The next day one "turned" (kinda like the walking dead lol). Grey box appeared!!

It HAS to be this damn card. IDK. Now, I am taking OUT the card and switching to store on-board memory just to see if I can get one on-board photo to go corrupt. If not after a week Im getting new card.. If new card doesnt fix it, I am filing an IN WARRANTY claim for this phone being defective. Since android forum and Verizon have no idea about this problem it must be pretty rare, and the only add on is the card.

 

[diamondRanch]

I have good news so far. I've taken loads of pictures, and videos in both full hd and the UHD size videos and both are good with this new card. I don't know if it matters but this new card says it writes up to 40 mb/s 266x, where as the PNY 64gb 10 class I had only wrote 10mb/s. But it was probably just the card altogether. I also talked to another person who was having the same issue and they told me that they also had had one grayed out pic on their devise, not on sd card BUT that he said he believed that it happened when he was trying to move pics from SD back to devise to try and save them when they had been corrupted on a bad card, but that only one went through because of the bad card. So that was very good to hear also for me since I couldn't understand one being on my devise, but I did indeed try just what he did.
I have even saved a couple tubemate large videos off youtube to card and SO far everything is great. This card is noticeably faster than my previous card, so right now I'm a very happy camper! I was also so worried about having to exchange yet another phone since the first one had a bad power button. So right now I'm really loving the phone, knock on wood, haa.
Now I'm just going to have to take another chance and order this same card on Best Buys website in a 64gb at least size since no one around here has them in stock. I'm taking so many videos (between my dogs and my new first grandchild) that I know I'll fill this 32gb up fast. I'm really surprized that your Samsung was bad because most of what I read when people have a card issue it's with a Sandisk and they all say to only get a Samsung, but this Ultra Plus seems really good, so I'm going to try it in a larger size.
So anyway, I think it's your card as well and let me know when you get a new card if that fixes it and I hope to keep happy with this one.

 

[diamondRanch]

Oh and one other thing, I noticed that my old card had also corrupted (all or half grayed) my songs albums art covers. And so far so good on that also with this new card.

 

[wookiee2cu]

There is an issue with Verizon S5's regarding the camera, some users have been getting camera failed messages and Verizon is aware of it and telling customers to come in and exchange the unit. I know you're not having that specific issue but it still sounds camera related, could be worth a shot.

 

[diamondRanch]

Thanks for letting me know. I'm on Sprint and I hope it's just my sd card as it seems okay the last 2 days and I have not ever had the message about my camera failing...... fingers crossed

 

[sanxdaddy]

My errors appears to be happening on photos saved to my SD card. I too have a Samsung pro 64 gig micro sdxc card. I bought it from Amazon so I'm hoping it's not a fake. I ordered 2 cards, one for a friend, and she's not having any issues on her s5. I've reformatted the card and have the same issues. Latest picture turned grey after 1 day. When I get my phone replacement I'll see if it is the card or SD card.

 

[cjohnson421]

Oh and one other thing, I noticed that my old card had also corrupted (all or half grayed) my songs albums art covers. And so far so good on that also with this new card.

where do you see yours song covers? on the phone? my songs just have a blank image.