Tap to focus not adjusting exposure?

[Nevpaurion]

So something that has been bothering me for a bit now that I completely forgot my old iPhone 4 would do is, when you tap the screen to make a certain part of your frame in focus it would adjust the exposure to that part of the screen. I would use this all the time to get a better photograph and mood lighting scenarios.

Now I've tried this with every setting possible that would relate to this but to no avail. On my S3 when I tap the screen to put that particular part of my frame in focus, it makes no adjustment to exposure what so ever. This is extremely frustrating. I've already got a replacement coming in as Samsung has confirmed with me that it was a bug on the phone's part but then I came across a review of the S3 when it first came out and the reviewer mentions how he wish exposure would change when you tapped to focus but it doesn't.

So my question is, does anyone have an S3 that properly changes exposure as well as focus when you tap the screen or does the phone just not come with that ability period. I would think it would since the feature was on my 3 year old iPhone 4.

EDIT: Here's a link to a video of another person's android device doing what I'm talking about, only to a lesser extent.

Focus - YouTube

 

[V J]

I remember I missed the "expose by focus" feature when I switched from my Lumia 900 to my Lumia 920. When I got my S3 I just assumed it also didn't have this feature. I just tested now and no it does not adjust exposure by focused area so I don't think it's a bug. Unless maybe there's an app that does it. I'm not too fussed though because I don't use tap to focus that much.

 

[Nevpaurion]

Yeah, I've heard some people say it's supposed to do that, I'd be seriously surprised if it just wasn't supposed to, nearly every smartphone I've seen for the past 2 years can do that. AT&T are sending me a replacement, I'm crossing my fingers that it properly spot meters, if not well I guess I'm looking for a Nexus 4 or something....Ugh. It's a shame, I like so much about this phone.

 

[Nevpaurion]

UPDATE:

Just got my replacement from AT&T and it also doesn't work properly. Or maybe it does? Can any S3 members who have tap to focus also adjust exposure to that area chime in?

 

[crester]

In the Camera App goto "Settings"... then "Metering"... then "Spot"...

Hopefully that will fix it for you.

 

[Nevpaurion]

I've been using it on spot. Still no dice. Every smart phone I've seen since the first galaxy S1 came out does this. My iPhone 4 does this.

I've heard of a few users with S3's claiming that it at one point did this but has ceased to, yet I just got off the phone with Samsung support and they maintain that it was never a feature on the S3.

What the hell is going on?!

 

[AxlMyk]

If you normally focus on center, set it to center weighted.

--Tapatalk 2 on SGS3.

 

[Nevpaurion]

Yeah I get that, spot is even better than center weighted for center funny enough. It's just this feature is standard on most other phones. It's frustrating, but it doesn't make me over look the other things I love about the phone. If anyone ever finds a way to fix this or finds it's fixed for me I guess please just let me know.

 

[Marty Schoo]

Solution: Tap for Exposure on Samsung S5 Camera

1. In camera settings menu switch HDR setting Off
2. In camera settings menu switch meter mode to the Spot setting
3. Put your subject in the very centre of the frame so the camera can get focus and exposure.
4. Press and HOLD the shutter button. You can now reframe your shot to have your subject elsewhere in your photo composition
5. Letting the shutter button go will take the photo.

Tip: when metering with spot mode the exposure of your subject can shift quite a bit because the spot is quite small. Move your subject around a fraction in the centre of the frame until your desired exposure is met (usually your subjects face/skin is the best area to spot meter from). Then HOLD shutter button to allow you to recompose your shot before letting it go.

Enjoy!