[Q] Long Exposure Photography (Light Painting) - Galaxy S II Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I moved over to Android a while back from an iPhone 4 and there was one app called Magic Shutter which enabled you to take amazing long exposure photos. I was wondering if there is any app which could pertain the same results for Android or specifically the Galaxy s2.

+1 This would be really nice to know. I would also appreciate any answer to this.

Development
I talked with the people at Anistar studios (the developers of the Magic Shutter App for iPhone) and they said that they just need to complete the version upgrade for ios devices then they will start developing for android

In the meantime, use fireworks scene mode. You can stretch your shutterspeed for up to 1 second.

drigz08 said:
In the meantime, use fireworks scene mode. You can stretch your shutterspeed for up to 1 second.
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Click to collapse
+1
This is the way I use too.

last time i looked there was no boss for a camera quick release on phone, ... 1 sec is a long time to hold any camera without camera shake, let alone a phone shurley beter doing it post ? maby im wrong here but point is have movement shown on part of image but have it sharp as well. or maby its just artistic interpretation lol

Here is a sample. I shot it quickly, if done right, 1 second can fill the whole frame with light from left to right. I just did it on half on purpose.
-My hand is not steady so I was not able to maintain position within 1 second. It is as evidenced by the curved red light. If done right, the lights line will be straight and you wil not get blurry road.
lights art by John.Drigz, on Flickr

Found an App
I found a very nice application called Light-paint Live which does a great job at light painting. Have yet to test it at night outside but anyways I suggest you try it. Its found in the marketplace ;D

problem is to get truly good star photography we need 20-25 second exposures not 1 second. if you want a shot of the milky way for example you really need 20-25 second exposures.

Related

Dissapointed in Camera

I'm wondering if I'm alone on this... Coming from the evo 4g, I am extremely underwhelemed by the quality of the camera on this phone.
It has a hard time not blurring things when you take it's picture, whereas my evo could literally snap a picture of a roller coaster at full speed with ease.
It doesn't expose properly and leaves flares everywhere and washed out areas of the picture, if the whole picture isn't destroyed.
You can forget about low light situations, if it's even at dusk the camera won't be able to see anything without a flash.
And then the camera button... Oh my. When I try to use it (and maybe I just have clumsy hands), I can't hold the phone still and then the half way down to focus feature always screws me up. If I press it all the way down, it doesnt bother focusing, it just takes a picture in whatever focus it has. So, I have to carefully press it halfway down, not move, and then take it after. FRUSTRATION.
Sorry for the vent, but the camera was one of my favorite features on the 4g and this phone has taken it from me... 3d or not.
I love the camera button. Just hold the camera button down to the first click for 2 seconds, let it focus, the fully press it down and keep your hand still. You'll get a good picture if you do this. But if you move your hand while its taking the picture, then of course youll get a blurry picture. That's user error, not camera error.
Read this:
http://therootofallevo.com/2011/07/evo-3d-getting-the-most-out-of-your-camera-2d-pictures/
Richard_Danger said:
I love the camera button. Just hold the camera button down to the first click for 2 seconds, let it focus, the fully press it down and keep your hand still. You'll get a good picture if you do this. But if you move your hand while its taking the picture, then of course youll get a blurry picture. That's user error, not camera error.
Read this:
http://therootofallevo.com/2011/07/evo-3d-getting-the-most-out-of-your-camera-2d-pictures/
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Click to collapse
Thanks for the article, looks helpful! I can't help my shaky hands though. Maybe I'll design a camera tripod.
Richard_Danger said:
I love the camera button. Just hold the camera button down to the first click for 2 seconds, let it focus, the fully press it down and keep your hand still. You'll get a good picture if you do this. But if you move your hand while its taking the picture, then of course youll get a blurry picture. That's user error, not camera error.
Read this:
http://therootofallevo.com/2011/07/evo-3d-getting-the-most-out-of-your-camera-2d-pictures/
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Click to collapse
Wow. What a article. That should be posted on all *****ing threads about the cam. Make a thread with that link. I bet we wont get another bad pic *****ing....
Edit-Not directed at you Op, i guess just me *****ing
Sent from my PG86100 using XDA Premium App
Cryt said:
And then the camera button... Oh my. When I try to use it (and maybe I just have clumsy hands), I can't hold the phone still and then the half way down to focus feature always screws me up. If I press it all the way down, it doesnt bother focusing, it just takes a picture in whatever focus it has. So, I have to carefully press it halfway down, not move, and then take it after. FRUSTRATION.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the same issue with camera button. I now ONLY use the screen button and it works much better.
I'm not sure it's a shake issue or not. But when using the camera button the often come out blurry and when using the screen button they are fine.
Adjusting settings does help but the camera still sucks balls. I'll take iPhone 4 cam vs this one any day.
Sent from my PG86100 using XDA Premium App
Richard_Danger said:
I love the camera button. Just hold the camera button down to the first click for 2 seconds, let it focus, the fully press it down and keep your hand still. You'll get a good picture if you do this. But if you move your hand while its taking the picture, then of course youll get a blurry picture. That's user error, not camera error.
Read this:
http://therootofallevo.com/2011/07/evo-3d-getting-the-most-out-of-your-camera-2d-pictures/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks a bunch for this. should be stickied
Sent from my PG86100 using XDA Premium App
Richard_Danger said:
I love the camera button. Just hold the camera button down to the first click for 2 seconds, let it focus, the fully press it down and keep your hand still. You'll get a good picture if you do this. But if you move your hand while its taking the picture, then of course youll get a blurry picture. That's user error, not camera error.
Read this:
http://therootofallevo.com/2011/07/evo-3d-getting-the-most-out-of-your-camera-2d-pictures/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the link. Make sure you read to the bottom, that's where he says:
Your new default settings should be: ISO 100, exposure –1, contrast +1, saturation +1, sharpness +1. This is for virtually all good lighting conditions.
Torrentula81 said:
Adjusting settings does help but the camera still sucks balls. I'll take iPhone 4 cam vs this one any day.
Sent from my PG86100 using XDA Premium App
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Click to collapse
I agree totally! The camera on this phone sucks just like it did on the OG Evo. Who the hell has time to play with all of those settings, taking numerous pictures of the same thing trying to get it right. He is correct we are not professional photographers and if we were we wouldn't be using our phone to do it with. We just want a simple point & shoot camera that gives us good pictures. Even as much as it pains me to say, but like the camera on the iPhone 4. I have taken a bunch of pics & videos with it, inside & out, low light and sunlight and I've always gotten a a great pic/video with auto settings unlike the camera on the OG Evo and Evo 3D. Hell any HTC phone for that matter. They make great phones but they always skimp when it comes to the camera.
beyond882001 said:
Wow. What a article. That should be posted on all *****ing threads about the cam. Make a thread with that link. I bet we wont get another bad pic *****ing....
Edit-Not directed at you Op, i guess just me *****ing
Sent from my PG86100 using XDA Premium App
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Click to collapse
Sorry, but no amount of software tweaks will overcome a ****ty sensor and lens. I love my Evo 3D, but the camera sucks ass. The pictures in that link look decent only because they're majorly downsized.
ydoucare said:
Sorry, but no amount of software tweaks will overcome a ****ty sensor and lens. I love my Evo 3D, but the camera sucks ass. The pictures in that link look decent only because they're majorly downsized.
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Click to collapse
I can post the original sized pictures and for comparison, they look good both ways.
I have to say it's very disingenuous to say that the camera sucks. I have two friends that are professional photographers and they both have been very impressed with the pictures I posted in the article. I looked to them both for advice on this article. Are they perfect? Of curse not. But they are still very good. I dont mean this to be disrespectful, but the problem also seems to be user, not just software. I also want to add that once you change the settings the settings typically stay that way so you don't always have to adjust them. At the end of the day there is a difference between having a bad sensor and having bad software. The EVO 3D is limited to bad software but can be helped by adjusting the settings.
One last thing. I originally posted the pictures in their true size. But thanks to Windows Live not playing nice with WordPress the entire article had to be redone and somehow the size was reduced. I can certainly post the original size later when I get home. I really hope the article helps people out with their picture quality. To those that don't agree, it's fine. Can't make everyone happy lol.
@major thanks for postin the article brosef lol
This post was NOT meant to troll btw! Just trying to shed some light, thank people for their comments, and clarify some stuff.
ONE MORE THING!! Dont use the camera button!! I completely forgot to mention that. But as much as I loved the idea of having a deticated button for the life of me they always come out blurry! I have no idea why. So I just use the onscreen button.
I cant get any good outside shots with the 3vo.... Look at this the first is shot with a sensation the other 3 are taken with my 3vo different settings each time nowhere near as clear focus is off, they are grainy just look plain terrible i literally just walked in from taking these
More taken today
The problem i am having is the when taking pictures, is the picture always looks dimmed after taking the shot. I could take a picture of the beach on a sunny day and it would look in the picture as if was a coudly day.All my outside shots are dimmed. And forget low light shots.I played around with settings nothing seems to matter. Not sure why check out the picture below, this is a picture on the beach bright sunny day out . Any idea's on whats going on here?
See my low lights are amazing i took this in a completely dark room no lights at all
Ryan00 said:
The problem i am having is the when taking pictures, is the picture always looks dimmed after taking the shot. I could take a picture of the beach on a sunny day and it would look in the picture as if was a coudly day.All my outside shots are dimmed. And forget low light shots.I played around with settings nothing seems to matter. Not sure why check out the picture below, this is a picture on the beach bright sunny day out . Any idea's on whats going on here?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ryan00 said:
The problem i am having is the when taking pictures, is the picture always looks dimmed after taking the shot. I could take a picture of the beach on a sunny day and it would look in the picture as if was a coudly day.All my outside shots are dimmed. And forget low light shots.I played around with settings nothing seems to matter. Not sure why check out the picture below, this is a picture on the beach bright sunny day out . Any idea's on whats going on here?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow. That's really bad. I'd say part of the problem is the white balance. I think the EVO's white balance problem is really affecting certain images than others. I'll be going down the shore this weekend. I'll take some beach shots. No reason it should look that bad 0_o
I do wonder if there are some cameras that do have bad sensors... I've heard a few people on Android Central get an exchang and the new phone had better quality with no green tint..
mikeyfg said:
See my low lights are amazing i took this in a completely dark room no lights at all
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Click to collapse
Holy crap ! this is a good picture for being a a dark room. That would never work or me. I wonder why some people get better pictures then others ?
mikeyfg said:
See my low lights are amazing i took this in a completely dark room no lights at all
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Click to collapse
That does look good. My low light pictures come out really good. There's definitely a software issue going on. But I'm starting to wonder if *possibly* there's some faulty cameras out there.. Ze plot thickens
JerzyIroc said:
I have to say it's very disingenuous to say that the camera sucks. I have two friends that are professional photographers and they both have been very impressed with the pictures I posted in the article. I looked to them both for advice on this article. Are they perfect? Of curse not. But they are still very good. I dont mean this to be disrespectful, but the problem also seems to be user, not just software. I also want to add that once you change the settings the settings typically stay that way so you don't always have to adjust them. At the end of the day there is a difference between having a bad sensor and having bad software. The EVO 3D is limited to bad software but can be helped by adjusting the settings.
One last thing. I originally posted the pictures in their true size. But thanks to Windows Live not playing nice with WordPress the entire article had to be redone and somehow the size was reduced. I can certainly post the original size later when I get home. I really hope the article helps people out with their picture quality. To those that don't agree, it's fine. Can't make everyone happy lol.
@major thanks for postin the article brosef lol
This post was NOT meant to troll btw! Just trying to shed some light, thank people for their comments, and clarify some stuff.
ONE MORE THING!! Dont use the camera button!! I completely forgot to mention that. But as much as I loved the idea of having a deticated button for the life of me they always come out blurry! I have no idea why. So I just use the onscreen button.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks a bunch for posting that article. Like you said "can't please everybody" Well you sure helped me out. I didn't know jack crap about the settings. Now I got a pretty good idea. I was always just a point and shoot type guy. Never messed with the settings cause I didn't know how they affected the rest of the picture. So thanks again. Anytime someone tries to help out on this site. Actually I think its just the e3d section. Wasn't like this on the hd2 side. You always got some dickhead putting in there 2cents.
Sent from my 3rd Dimension of Evolution

Issue with bank of america check deposit

I installed the BoA mobile banking app. It came with a check deposit feature. That said, you need to take two pictures, one of the front another of the back. I had no issue to take the image of the front of the check, but had trouble to take the back side.
The back side of the check is relatively white/blank, so it's hard for the camera to focus, and I cannot just tap the check to change the focus point.
Any one experienced this and had a solution?
Kisses99 said:
I installed the BoA mobile banking app. It came with a check deposit feature. That said, you need to take two pictures, one of the front another of the back. I had no issue to take the image of the front of the check, but had trouble to take the back side.
The back side of the check is relatively white/blank, so it's hard for the camera to focus, and I cannot just tap the check to change the focus point.
Any one experienced this and had a solution?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried taking a photo while it still appears blurry (maybe in camera app so as not to send a blurry pic to the bank) ?
I often take photos of things up close and while they may appear blurry, even after I tap to focus, they come out quite sharp... Anyway, probably worth a try!
Have you tried any camera apps from Google Play?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using Tapatalk 2
Kisses99 said:
I installed the BoA mobile banking app. It came with a check deposit feature. That said, you need to take two pictures, one of the front another of the back. I had no issue to take the image of the front of the check, but had trouble to take the back side.
The back side of the check is relatively white/blank, so it's hard for the camera to focus, and I cannot just tap the check to change the focus point.
Any one experienced this and had a solution?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A long shot from my photography book ...
But the auto focus in the camera needs a contrast color as a reference point ...
As you know ...the camera ignores the white color as empty space ...and looks for solid base colors to focus against ...
If your bank will allow it ...you can set the check on top of a dark piece of paper ...as this may assist the lens with focus distance.
Or ..if you are allowed to sign your name on the back in black ink ...that would help also ..
And of course ....distance from the image is important too ...
Stay out at least 12 inches or more and zoom manually if needed to capture .
That's my .02 on the camera ....g
gregsarg said:
A long shot from my photography book ...
But the auto focus in the camera needs a contrast color as a reference point ...
As you know ...the camera ignores the white color as empty space ...and looks for solid base colors to focus against ...
If your bank will allow it ...you can set the check on top of a dark piece of paper ...as this may assist the lens with focus distance.
Or ..if you are allowed to sign your name on the back in black ink ...that would help also ..
And of course ....distance from the image is important too ...
Stay out at least 12 inches or more and zoom manually if needed to capture .
That's my .02 on the camera ....g
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your tips!
I actually have signed the check with black ink, but it's on top of the check, which means, when I tried to focus on the check, the camera by default always used the central point to focus. I cannot write anything below the line, which may void the check.
Currently the only effective way that I can take a sharp image was under bright light. That said, a normal 40w ceiling light won't work.
Kisses99 said:
Thanks for your tips!
I actually have signed the check with black ink, but it's on top of the check, which means, when I tried to focus on the check, the camera by default always used the central point to focus. I cannot write anything below the line, which may void the check.
Currently the only effective way that I can take a sharp image was under bright light. That said, a normal 40w ceiling light won't work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Also put the check on a black background and then take the front and back pictures. I had the same trouble until I put the check on my black keyboard and took the pictures and it works the first time.
Now that feature is crashing the app on version 4.2.55 of the BofA app.
I use B of A app to deposit my checks. My app has little corner guides. When u get them lined up around the corners of the check push the button. I dont even look at the focus or anything else. Photo comes out fine and bank accepts it..
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda premium
I can say that the Chase App check deposit works just fine
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda app-developers app
Solution
Sorry if I'm reviving an old thread, but I had the same problem and got it to work at least for me. At first I was trying to line up the check's corners with the guide corners in the app when taking the picture. It kept having a problem until I finally zoomed out a little bit. I guess having the camera that close to the check wasn't allowing it to focus correctly. Hopefully that helps someone else.
sharpe65 said:
Sorry if I'm reviving an old thread, but I had the same problem and got it to work at least for me. At first I was trying to line up the check's corners with the guide corners in the app when taking the picture. It kept having a problem until I finally zoomed out a little bit. I guess having the camera that close to the check wasn't allowing it to focus correctly. Hopefully that helps someone else.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually the root cause is that the camera always wants to focus on the central point. That's why it can focus the front side of the check - there are a lot of contents, but not the back side - it's all white and blank.
BoA seems to accept a pen on top of the check image and I successfully did it multiple times.
Zoom out seems to be an other solution, too.
Thanks!

Taking pics with panorama

I don't know if it's a bug or what, but when i try to take pics with panorama in a dark environement (but no need of flash for normal pics) it's almost impossible because the phone always loose the point to shoot next pic. Am i the only with this problem? In normal light situations no problems.
Nope, and no where near as accurate as my HTC Radar was. Even in daylight it is not level when panning wants me to rise ever so slightly up.
awagner said:
Even in daylight it is not level when panning wants me to rise ever so slightly up.
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Click to collapse
right, same here......wondering if any other similar app instead of panorama.....
I played around with Pano back with Windows Phone 7 and it worked well, reviews claim better than stock app

[Q] The camera doesnt focus in dark rooms or on objects in dark areas....

Hello everyone, I may be missing something but i was playing around with the camera on this great phone and realized that the normal press and hold of the shutter button to have the camera focus in a dark room does not work. If you press and hold the camera takes shots in burst mode. If you press it once the flash lights up dimly but does not focus properly and then flashes full blast but takes a blurry photo. This is very annoying because im used to my samsung s3 and note 2 that would focus by holding the shutter button in a dark room and then release to take a clear focused picture.
Am I missing something? for a camera that is good in low light and have 5 levels of flash intensity it seems to make no sense to not be able to focus in a dark room. whats the point of having a camera with a flash that cant take a picture in the dark or semi dark room right?
let me know if you are having this issue, if you think i'm doing something wrong or maybe if ill just have to deal with it until HTC comes out with an update. if it happens to you we can all call 8664498358 and press 0 and let HTC know this is very annoying I have gotten through to a live person instantly by calling this number to ask why in the world the power saver feature is persistent in the notification drop down....there reason....dummy instructions and to many service returns for "bad batteries"
UPDATE: I have spoke with HTC on a separate issue and mentioned this to the guy i spoke with and he has not had any other feedback on this issue, how ever he advised me to have anyone who is having this issue please contact them, he was not able to duplicate it yet because he in not in a dark room but he said he will try it when he can (Thanks Fred). the more people who report the issue and provide feedback the better chances they can get it resolved, I am having this issue on my wifes phone and my phone. you may need to focus on a far object and then try to focus on a near object in a dark room, like a room with less then low light. In my case it was in a room only lit by an old crt tv (bedroom) how ever he advised me the more feedback the better, they are very interesting in hearing from us and he is very aware of the xda forums as well as other android forums out there.
so no one cares. nice
So much for the community. No one seems to care even though plenty of you guys have looked and all own this phone. Pretty disgraceful.
EDIT: Sorry if I sound rude or condescending, Just surprised no one has commented yet or has said they are having this issue, personally I use my phone for taking photos in less then low light situations often and if this issue cant get resolved its going to really suck. HTC can fix it but needs the feedback to know that its widespread and not just a fluke, although they do know that its happening on my wifes phone and my phone.
I've tried it, and it doesn't auto-focus either. Manually focusing before taking the picture works though.
Zolor23 said:
I've tried it, and it doesn't auto-focus either. Manually focusing before taking the picture works though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much for the reply, I have tried to manual focus and it doesnt work for me in very dark situations. sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't though. I have noticed if I focus on something distant in a low light area and then back on something near in a very dark area it will not focus. Every other camera I have used on a phone has lit up the flash long enough and bright enough to focus and turn the focus indicator green how ever this camera seems to focus on speed and seems to not care about weather the picture is focused, it doesn't turn red or beep or anything it just takes a blurry photo. it takes more blurry photos then clear it seems to me in low light or less then low light conditions.
If you could please contact HTC and let them know I would be very happy and hopefully they get this issue fixed, I have called HTC a few times for other issues. yesterday my lock screen kept saying today was cinco de mayo and for the life of me I couldnt figure out how to turn that off and I also am not happy about the Gallery app showing every single friend photo including horribly low resolution ones not to mention the persistant power saver notification in the drop down thats so stupid! but when I talked to them they mentioned the camera issue and wanted me to explain to them cause they saw the notes based on my phone number and previous calls, they would like all the feedback they can get.
This isn't just a T-Mobile HTC One issue, my international is doing this too.
I'd be interested to know from someone that doesn't have this problem, in a dark room, if you tap on the screen to focus, does the light come on?
All other phones I've had would light the area to focus, as you've said above this just tries to focus in the dark. How can that be right?
I've tried different ROM's and firmware, always tries to focus in the dark. Why on earth would it do this!?!?!
Yeah I noticed that problem too when trying to take a picture of a person in a life like Iron Man costume in a theater Friday night.
Sent from my Nexus 7
lets get this fixed!
Boy I'm glad I'm not the only one. I know we are about fixing stock and nodding and what not but please start a ticket on the issue. HTC has a place on there website for this or you can call them.

Camera shutter delay....

Coming from the Note 2, when I hit the button, it snapped right away. The S4 has a slight delay when you hit the button. Also I noticed the images look amazingly clear on the screen, yet comes out a bit blurry when you go to look at it. Anyone else have this issue....mainly the button delay.??
That's do to I believe the higher tech Auto-Focus
I notice the delay and also the worse image quality and yes I come from a note 2 as well. I notice if you get really close to something like a paper dollar and try and focus it can't. Where it could on the note 2.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
This camera is said to be far better than the Note 2. Grrrr!!
It takes good pics though....check this.!
I saw this too
This is an annoyance of mine as well. But coming from a photography background, I know why the pic is coming out blurry after the delayed shutter... Most times when people hit the button (and the phone is supposed to snap right away...) they have a tendency to move the phone or because of how hard they hit the screen to snap a pic, you are getting camera shake. Trust me, take a pic with the phone on the table and be as still as possible... You will get a crisp shot. And the camera is nice. Although I think the S3 is still tops. Has better noise cancellation in low light than this phone, because at ISO2000 its going to get pretty noisy!
It blows... I completely agree... and hope to god there is an update that fixes this, but after toying with it a bit, I've gotten used to the half sec delay and I am more conscious of being still when taking shots. Even when you have the phone sitting on a table or object, its still important to be as still as possible. Unfortunately the developers are tailoring after the burst shot as everyone's goto "mode" because they want you to use their features thinking "meh just take 10 shots and pic the best" which is STUPID. But unfortunately for any of us who just want to snap 1 good shot, you have to make the adjustment and deal with it until or if they release a fix. Maybe there is something in the source code that a dev can hack through and change the delay to 0. Until then, I feel your pain.

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