For anyone with this issue that has a tmobile note 4 call customer service and explain the problem to them. They should tell you something about buyers remorse swap. Today I did my buyers Remorse swap inside a corporate t mobile store. There was no restocking fee and my phone was not refurbished it was brand new the Rep didn't even open the box. I must say though I was within my 14 day return period but it's worth a shot even if you aren't because it is a defective device.
Note 4 Camera/Focus Problem
- Thread starter DCuell12
- Start date
I have note 3 and all my pictures have had great quality. I downloaded a software update kit-kat 4.4 about a month ago and since than my camera stopped focusing for any shots further than 3-4 inches. I think note 4 already comes with this software. Interestingly not everyone with the same software version has this issue, not only among note 4s, but also note 3s that have been updated. I hope Samsung addresses this issue soon, as it is really annoying not to be able to take pictures.
I don't think it is the photos in your storage as my issue coincided with the software update and there was no drastic changes in my storage usage. I am more inclined to think some app might be triggering the 4.4 version to mess up the focusing. This will make sense as yours went away when you deleted everything and as this issue happens to only selected devices. I am going to reset my phone and will let you know if that helps.
Hello people
i had the same blur and couldnt get my note 4 to focus. So i went into the camera settings, the 3... little dots, "metering modes"..and chose matrix. Mine all fixed(very first time u might have to wait 2 sec before it clears up. Also might help to move it around a bit. First time i can take pics with it. Hope this helps
i had the same blur and couldnt get my note 4 to focus. So i went into the camera settings, the 3... little dots, "metering modes"..and chose matrix. Mine all fixed(very first time u might have to wait 2 sec before it clears up. Also might help to move it around a bit. First time i can take pics with it. Hope this helps
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Hi guys,
Long time lurker on this thread because I'm having the same problem. My first note 4 had issues with the gps. It kept losing signal and so I swapped it for another Note 4 only to find out after my return period had expired that my current unit has camera issues. Every time I launched the camera app, it would take 15s before the camera would focus, and then after that it would focus very quickly. But after I haven't used my camera for another 20 min, it would go back to having the same issue. So I decided to contact Samsung for manufacturer warranty and they agreed to service it if I sent it in. Shipping took two days for the phone to get to them and they repaired it the same day they received it and sent it back later that night (they estimated that once they received it the repair would take about 3-5 days). I will have the phone this Tuesday because shipping days do not account for weekends sadly. What's weird is that Samsung has a service tracker where you can see what they've done to your phone once they've received it. Mine shows that there's a complaint about camera problems (from me), the problem they found was a defective camera, and so they fixed it by replacing the lcd...lol what? Which kind of sucks because my screen had nice a white balance. I've heard that a lot of OLED screens have inconsistent white temperatures in some areas of a single screen (according to erica griffin's review of the note 4 on youtube). Guess I'll have to wait and see on Tuesday. I'll keep you guys posted on how the whole thing went. Hoping to just get my phone back without any issues.
Long time lurker on this thread because I'm having the same problem. My first note 4 had issues with the gps. It kept losing signal and so I swapped it for another Note 4 only to find out after my return period had expired that my current unit has camera issues. Every time I launched the camera app, it would take 15s before the camera would focus, and then after that it would focus very quickly. But after I haven't used my camera for another 20 min, it would go back to having the same issue. So I decided to contact Samsung for manufacturer warranty and they agreed to service it if I sent it in. Shipping took two days for the phone to get to them and they repaired it the same day they received it and sent it back later that night (they estimated that once they received it the repair would take about 3-5 days). I will have the phone this Tuesday because shipping days do not account for weekends sadly. What's weird is that Samsung has a service tracker where you can see what they've done to your phone once they've received it. Mine shows that there's a complaint about camera problems (from me), the problem they found was a defective camera, and so they fixed it by replacing the lcd...lol what? Which kind of sucks because my screen had nice a white balance. I've heard that a lot of OLED screens have inconsistent white temperatures in some areas of a single screen (according to erica griffin's review of the note 4 on youtube). Guess I'll have to wait and see on Tuesday. I'll keep you guys posted on how the whole thing went. Hoping to just get my phone back without any issues.
I've had my Note 4 since release and two days ago I noticed my camera wouldn't focus/blurry... I contacted Samsung and they did trouble shooting, started it In safe mode and also a factory reset, after that did not work they told me to send it in... It was going to take almost a month to get my phone back and working properly... So I contacted att and they just told me they will send me a new phone in 4-6 business days, and then I send my old one to them... Very happy!!!
I had my note 4 replaced right away at AT & T noting that I still have the 14 days grace period. Mr. Tyler and Annie assisted me and quickly replaced the problem unit. Once received of the new unit..I immediately checked the camera and very much pleased with the auto focus now...
I suggest to all of you having this kind of trouble..to replace it right away as this issue is really annoying specially if your under contract..
I suggest to all of you having this kind of trouble..to replace it right away as this issue is really annoying specially if your under contract..
Hi Nicole,
Did you purchase your phone from an att store? I Bought mine from Walmart so I'm not sure they would do that for me,
Did you purchase your phone from an att store? I Bought mine from Walmart so I'm not sure they would do that for me,
z06mike
Well-known member
- Jan 31, 2011
- 795
- 0
- 0
Whether or not At&t will do it for you does not matter. If the phone was purchased new, then you have a 1 year warranty through Samsung.
Hi Mike,
I know there's a one year manufacturer warranty. I'm actually in the middle of using it right now. Weather conditions have delayed my phone delivery so I have to wait a few more days until I get my phone back from Samsung. I'm only asking Nicole because instead of going through Samsung, if att would just send me a new phone, that would be much more efficient than me sending my phone in for service like I already have. It's a better deal if you ask me, getting a new phone instead of a repair on your old phone.
I know there's a one year manufacturer warranty. I'm actually in the middle of using it right now. Weather conditions have delayed my phone delivery so I have to wait a few more days until I get my phone back from Samsung. I'm only asking Nicole because instead of going through Samsung, if att would just send me a new phone, that would be much more efficient than me sending my phone in for service like I already have. It's a better deal if you ask me, getting a new phone instead of a repair on your old phone.
I decided not to go through Samsung because they were going to "fix" it, and it would take forever.. I bought my phone at att, but if you have att and bought it from walmart, they will warranty it. Just call an att store near you and ask if they have a warranty claim center near by that will swap it out, if they don't you call att warranty claim and they will ask you some questions then send you a new phone.
This is as per T-mobile!!
Reset the Camera settings and retest.
From the Home screen, open the Apps tray.
Tap Camera.
Tap the Settings icon.
Tap Reset settings.
Reboot the device into Safe Mode and retest. If the camera is able to focus while in Safe mode, a 3rd party app has been installed and will need to be uninstalled.
If the above steps do not work contact customer care.
It seems like it may be a hardware component, so an OTA may not present a fix, only a device exchange. If I end up with more information, I will be sure to share.
Otherwise, please follow the steps, I definitely understand it may not be related to third parties, but for now, those are the steps we have to try, and if they don't work, feel free to contact us directly so we can reference the IMEI and explore any needed exchange options!
If any new info comes up, I'll be back to share!
Hot off the presses
#note4nearsighted
#note4focusgate
Reset the Camera settings and retest.
From the Home screen, open the Apps tray.
Tap Camera.
Tap the Settings icon.
Tap Reset settings.
Reboot the device into Safe Mode and retest. If the camera is able to focus while in Safe mode, a 3rd party app has been installed and will need to be uninstalled.
If the above steps do not work contact customer care.
It seems like it may be a hardware component, so an OTA may not present a fix, only a device exchange. If I end up with more information, I will be sure to share.
Otherwise, please follow the steps, I definitely understand it may not be related to third parties, but for now, those are the steps we have to try, and if they don't work, feel free to contact us directly so we can reference the IMEI and explore any needed exchange options!
If any new info comes up, I'll be back to share!
Hot off the presses
#note4nearsighted
#note4focusgate
Just got my phone back from samsung yesterday. Everything works perfectly. Camera focuses right away. No GPS signal losses. Got a brand new screen. The only thing that really sucks is the chrome part of the aluminum band has a bunch of tiny scratches now, but they can only be seen at certain angles and in light. Wish I contacted att instead for a replacement, but now I'll know for next time.
So what's the fix? My new note 4 takes forever to focus. It focuses quickly very very close shots but it's blurry on every setting. 
Def had the same issue and went to AT&T store and they looked at the phone. They determined that it was able to replaced so they ordered me one and now I'm waiting on it. But on the good side they let me keep my old phone until the new one came in.
I'm having the same camera focus problem. Has anyone who received a replacement or exchanged for a new one started having trouble after some time has passed? I'm worried if I exchange my phone at AT&T since I'm still within the 14 day period that I might develop this problem after a few months and be stuck with it. If it's going to be a huge cluster to own a Samsung product I would rather give another company my business.
I wouldn't worry about that at all. I've seen this issue a lot in these forums and certainly had it myself with my first Note 4. From what I've experienced myself and read here you either have the issue all the time or not. It does not seem to be something that develops.
I would recommend going to the AT&T store as close to yesterday as possible and having the device replaced. When they replaced my device the replacement was/is flawless and the camera operates as expected.
...or if you have, due to this experience, lost faith in the Note 4 I can personally attest that the Note Edge is a great alternative and could have easily been named the "Note 4 Plus", "Note 4 Elite" or "Note 4 Extreme". The -200 mah in battery is negligible and is not noticeable on mine.
I had my first Note 4 for 7 days and exchanged it as it took 10-15 seconds before it would focus on anything regardless of the distance and tapping on the screen to select focus of an object. I'm on 2 full weeks with the replacement and it is still locking focus automatically within 1 second of launching the camera. With my first unit it was probably the the third day of having it that I finally launched the camera app and started playing with it and noticed the issue, so I'm assuming it had it from day one and wasn't something that developed over time. I was starting to doubt my purchase decision when I encountered this but in getting my replacement and having the camera function as it should I'm a very happy owner and glad I stuck with it.
THE QUICK SHAKE fixes it for me! Samsung Note 4 on Tmobile, CM12 nightly ...
It was always opening completely blurry (just not autofocusing) on the main camera, and crystal clear on the selfie camera ... I'd noticed though that sometimes it went away and then would focus after that, so I thought there might be some random fix ... Tapping autofocus wouldn't do it, switching cams back and forth didn't do it, QUICK SHAKE OF PHONE made it immediately focus. Next time it focused immediately as well. Who knows if will always work, but definitely worth a shot for an easy quickfix!!
Haalycon thank you !!
It was always opening completely blurry (just not autofocusing) on the main camera, and crystal clear on the selfie camera ... I'd noticed though that sometimes it went away and then would focus after that, so I thought there might be some random fix ... Tapping autofocus wouldn't do it, switching cams back and forth didn't do it, QUICK SHAKE OF PHONE made it immediately focus. Next time it focused immediately as well. Who knows if will always work, but definitely worth a shot for an easy quickfix!!
Haalycon thank you !!
So your going to be shaking a $700 device to make the camera work? Def get an exchange for that device. Worked for me!
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