Help Eris Droid Takes Blurry Pictures

[ChristineO]

My husband and I each got an Eris Droid about 2 months ago. I have been very frustrated with the quality of pictures mine takes since the day I got it. My old flip phone took WAY better photos. I tried adjusting the quality (I know quite a bit about regular digital cameras). Nothing has helped. So tonight, I had his phone out and took a picture. Crystal clear. So I started taking comparison photos. Mine are blury - his are clear. All our settings are the same. My camera lens is clean. I just can't figure it out! And since I'm into photography - this annoys me to no end. Oh - I even had a few other people take comparison pictures in case for some reason, it was ME.

Anyone else have this problem? The nice thing is that I had his phone to compare mine with...otherwise I would have just chalked it up to a crappy camera. I haven't yet called Verizon....

 

[fragologist]

I had the same issue until I learned that you can take the pic by long pressing the screen. Make sure you touch the screen where you want the focus to be. This will force the phone to focus prior to taking the pic.

Hope this helps.

 

[Demache]

You might have really shaky hands. If its too dark, it will start blurring if you move it too much, since the Eris's camera isn't too good in low light situations.

 

[Haxcid]

I have the same issue Christine. People talk about how decent the camera is but I disagree. My old EnV with a 2mp camera took way better pictures. Every pic from my eris is pretty much blurry. Once in a blue moon I get a good clear pic.

 

[hallstevenson]

You have to have an extremely steady hand. Worse, pushing the trackball button seems to cause enough motion to cause blurring. I haven't tried the touchscreen-method but have read others mention it before.

For what it's worth, on rooted phones using I presume the stock Android camera, it takes MUCH better pictures.

 

[Veeshnoof]

We need some one to develop a camera app or add-on to adjust the shutter speed.

 

[Demache]

We need some one to develop a camera app or add-on to adjust the shutter speed.

There is no shutter. No cell phone that I know of has an actual shutter. On cell phones, the light sensor only activates for a short time to simulate a shutter. However, as we all know, the results are generally not breathtaking. That's why point and shoots still can take better pictures than even the best cell phone camera's is because they have real shutters (and higher quality sensors and lens).

 

[copestag]

d/l camera360 from the market.... the free version is fine........

huge difference in picture quality IMO... plus it has alot of other features that the stock camera app doesnt

 

[eddieg]

Camera 360 you will love it much better!

 

[Demache]

d/l camera360 from the market.... the free version is fine........

huge difference in picture quality IMO... plus it has alot of other features that the stock camera app doesnt

This is probably the best you can do. Use a different camera app.

 

[exciter]

Yeah, camera 360 takes better pictures for some reason. It has a lot of fun options, but set it to "Normal" for regular pictures (obvi). And also, if you haven't done so already, try taking your back cover off and cleaning the lens and also the inside of the lens cover. Mine occasionally gets foggy.

 

[ChristineO]

But - as I mentioned, my husband has the same camera. I can take a crystal clear picture with his - and not mine. And I had him take comparison photos as well....he got the same results. Mine is blury, his is clear. So.....for some reason we both have shakey hands with my camera and not his? I don't get it.....

I also tried not using the track ball and just touch/holding the screen (I like using this way MUCH better). Still - mine was blury - his was not. It's got to be the phone.

And again - in taking the comparison photos - both phones were in the same spot, taking the same picture, same lighting, same subject, etc. One comparison photo we even blocked the phone on the table so it could NOT move at all. Mine was blury - his was not.

Since I'm a newbie to this phone, I don't know about rooting - but will certainly look into it. Also - will try the Camera 360 App. I just can't get over why one of the same exact phones can take crisp pictures, and the other does not.

Lens has been cleaned as well. I will look at it again though in case it got something on it when I was putting it back on.

Thank you all - for the ideas! I will keep working at it!

 

[hallstevenson]

Is his phone updated to Android 2.1 ? I had much better results with the camera with 1.5. Something in 2.1 degraded it.

 

[ChristineO]

I had assumed since we both got our phones the same day - they would have the same 'version.' But - I just checked. Both are 2.1.

 

[willdogs]

It's a Smart Phone.

It good at doing lots of things, but not perfect at any one thing.

If you want spectacular pictures, you are better off with a real Camera. In my opinion the Eris camera is great for quick random shots for when you "Just need something to snap a photo at that exact moment"

I sure as hell wouldn't rely on my Eris (Or any phone) for taking vacation photo's, wedding photo's, my kids B-Day pics, etc...

 

[tishyrae]

I agree that the camera shouldn't be your main source of photography but it should at least take a clear shot! I will be looking in to camera 360. Thanks for the info.

 

[cmajpwc]

For some reason, when I take a photo in portrait mode, it comes out really clear and nice looking. However, when I take one in landscape mode, it ends up being blurry if I actually look at the picture in landscape mode. Anyone know why this does this? I know it's a bit off topic, but I didn't want to make a new thread.

 

[ChristineO]

I agree as well - I do have a very nice Canon D40 DSLR for real pictures (not just a point and shoot -but a professional grade camera)- as I mentioned, I'm a camera/photo geek. So No, I won't rely on my phone for good pictures.

This is what I'm getting at. My cheap flip phone took better pictures than this new improved one. My concern is - how can the same exact phone take good pictures, and mine take bad ones? I'm not looking for professional quailty, I just don't want them blurry. That's all I'm asking.

And as Willdogs mentioned - I do just use my phone for quick shots. Not for important things. I'm not looking to turn a smart phone into a real camera. I just wondered if anyone else had the same problem. And when I compare the two side by side - why one can perform well, and the other can't.

 

[DROIDBKH]

Have you removed the plastic protective cover that the factory installs over the lens? I had the same problem until I found the plastic piece.

 

[tishyrae]

Mine looks like there is something over it but I can't seem to remove anything...does the cover go over the silver ring?

Have you removed the plastic protective cover that the factory installs over the lens? I had the same problem until I found the plastic piece.

 

[DROIDBKH]

It's been awhile...but I believe it was over the metal bezel.

 

[tishyrae]

Darn...was hoping for a FIX! Thanks.

It's been awhile...but I believe it was over the metal bezel.

 

[WineJones]

I think my phone took much better pictures using 1.5 than after the (OTA) update to 2.1. That being said, however, what I've noticed with the camera since the 2.1 update is that the camera has a significant delay.

When I snap a picture, the phone makes the camera sound and I think the picture is done - WRONG! I have found that holding the phone still for a few more seconds improves my photos. It appears that the picture isn't taken until a noticeable time after the sound deploys. When I'm moving quickly and don't remember to wait for the slow camera, my photos are blurry. When I remember to WAIT - and I mean WAIT- the pictures are much better.

YMMV - Good luck!

 

[Demache]

Check to see if there are any smudges. Both on the battery cover lens and the lens on the actual phone itself behind the battery cover.

And the Guy above me has a good point. Wait a second or two to move the camera after taking a picture. Its a habit I had to form back when I had my razr. Fortunately, I didn't have to adjust when I upgraded to the Eris.

 

[ChristineO]

I think I'm just going to chalk it up as a 'lemon.'

As I mentioned previously (a few times), we have two of the exact same phones. Both my husband, my sister, and I can take nice crisp pictures with my husbands phone - and all of us take fuzzy ones with my phone. There would be no reason we can take good pictures with one, and bad with another - unless mine has a demon in it and makes us shutter and shake every time we take a picture! And - we DID block both phones on the table so they were held tight - not moving at all. Still one fuzzy and one clear. Trust me - I've checked and experimented all I could! Was hoping someone else came across the same thing and had some sort of fix. But, I also suppose it's unusual for two household members to have the same exact phone and do comparisons? Had I not tried his - I would have just figured that was how the phone was. Oh well! I think I'll see if I can just trade phones with him....that'll solve the problem. I've had my phone apart three times now cleaning the lense/cover. And - I'm used to the 'WAIT' as well.....Or shall we say...DELAY?!?! Ha, ha!