You have to root it to do that, because of privacy issues. (As someone had once told me - not sure if this rumor is true) some states have banned the sale of digital cameras and/or phones that can disable the "shutter" sound. The reason why being privacy, if you are taking pictures of someone without their authorization - the shutter sound alerts them.
Seems like not allowing it to be muted easily is a conscious and purposeful choice by Motorola for specific reasons. It is a 'feature' of many/all Motorola phones. Seems really annoying more than anything.
After searching around a bit, you can try to turn down your ringer and media volume controls to 0 before going into the camera application and it should not make the shutter noise anymore. This seems to work for some Motorola phones but not all.
You can also use a third party camera application that has the option for turning off shutter noise. 'Vignette' is one of many popular stock camera application replacements, and it should have this option.
And last but not least like TigerC10 said, it can be removed or edited via adb once you have root access available.
Unfortunately none of these solutions are easy or elegant.
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You have to root it to do that, because of privacy issues. (As someone had once told me - not sure if this rumor is true) some states have banned the sale of digital cameras and/or phones that can disable the "shutter" sound. The reason why being privacy, if you are taking pictures of someone without their authorization - the shutter sound alerts them.
That is total bs.
I dont not believe that there is a "law" that bans the sale of cameras that dont have a shutter sound.
(in just a few years kids wont even know what a shutter sound is, kinda like using and old school phone symbol as your phone icon...who the heck has a phone like that anymore)
You can photograph folks all you like without their permission.
It only becomes illegal depeding on the methods used and the areas you photographed these people in. And then more issues arise when you try to profit from said images without consent, compensation or model releases.
snapping a pic of a hot girl on the street while shes not looking is not illegal. (unless its an upskirt shot or obtained in an area where she believed she had a reasonable right to privacy)
OMG! I JUST HEARD A SHUTTER SOUND, HIDE YO WIFE, HIDE YO KIDS..RUUUUUUUN!
oh and btw I dont know how to turn mine off either and YES it is very annoying.
Last edited by jakobe; August 1st, 2011 at 10:04 PM.
OMG! I JUST HEARD A SHUTTER SOUND, HIDE YO WIFE, HIDE YO KIDS..RUUUUUUUN!
oh and btw I dont know how to turn mine off either and YES it is very annoying.
WAAAY too funny!!
I find it quite annoying myself, especially bec it's so loud. I've had "dumb phones" before that allowed you to even change the sound of the shutter when you hit the button. I don't even see that option. Is there an app for THAT??
Can not find a way to silence the camera shutter noise?
Last I knew there was not a way to change it in the settings.
However....You can download an app call SilentSnap from the Android Market or the Amazon Appstore & it will automatically silent the camera shutter.
I don't know if this link will work but you could try it.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Whiskeypawz
Last I knew there was not a way to change it in the settings.
However....You can download an app call SilentSnap from the Android Market or the Amazon Appstore & it will automatically silent the camera shutter.
I don't know if this link will work but you could try it.
Thanks so much for posting this. I was searching for a long time to just find an app that will silence the camera and could not for the life of me find the right one. I like this because it just integrates with the OEM camera app (or so it seems).
Thanks so much for posting this. I was searching for a long time to just find an app that will silence the camera and could not for the life of me find the right one. I like this because it just integrates with the OEM camera app (or so it seems).
No problem! I accidentally found it in the Amazon app store when I was looking for something else & tried it to make sure it would work on the Photon. That was about a week ago & I meant to post about it but forgot. Glad the OP brought it up!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Whiskeypawz
No problem! I accidentally found it in the Amazon app store when I was looking for something else & tried it to make sure it would work on the Photon. That was about a week ago & I meant to post about it but forgot. Glad the OP brought it up!
Great accident to stumble upon! I gave up searching because there were so many apps that were just replacement cameras, which I didn't really need. I wanted to be able to just unlock my phone, press the camera button down, take a picture and be done with it (without the shutter sound).
I tried this right now and the first time, I opened the app and it took a silent picture no problem. Then, I tried opening the camera through the camera button and it didn't seem to shut off the camera sound...but I tried again, and the 2nd time it worked perfectly. I'm going to leave my phone alone for a while and try again later on in the day and report back if it integrates well enough to recognize the silent shot with the OEM camera all the time from this point on.
Last I knew there was not a way to change it in the settings.
However....You can download an app call SilentSnap from the Android Market or the Amazon Appstore & it will automatically silent the camera shutter.
I don't know if this link will work but you could try it.
Thanks so much for posting this. I was searching for a long time to just find an app that will silence the camera and could not for the life of me find the right one. I like this because it just integrates with the OEM camera app (or so it seems).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Whiskeypawz
No problem! I accidentally found it in the Amazon app store when I was looking for something else & tried it to make sure it would work on the Photon. That was about a week ago & I meant to post about it but forgot. Glad the OP brought it up!
Quote:
Originally Posted by drexappeal
Great accident to stumble upon! I gave up searching because there were so many apps that were just replacement cameras, which I didn't really need. I wanted to be able to just unlock my phone, press the camera button down, take a picture and be done with it (without the shutter sound).
I tried this right now and the first time, I opened the app and it took a silent picture no problem. Then, I tried opening the camera through the camera button and it didn't seem to shut off the camera sound...but I tried again, and the 2nd time it worked perfectly. I'm going to leave my phone alone for a while and try again later on in the day and report back if it integrates well enough to recognize the silent shot with the OEM camera all the time from this point on.
I came across this one when I was doing my in depth research of this "problem". I decided not to post it based upon the attitude of the application creator which I read in some forum, the horrible reviews it got in the marketplace, and the unnecessary seeming permissions for internet access. It seemed so hit and miss and all around janky. Also I couldn't determine if it really worked with the stock application without downloading it, and I wasn't about to do that plus I don't even have a Photon. The pictures provided on the market show some generic camera application so I figured it was not well integrated.
If it works for the Photon well then that is just great for everyone.
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Reporting back again today. App worked perfect for silencing the shutter still! Turned on the camera using the dedicated camera button, camera opened up, took a quick shot...no shutter sound!
I had an issue trying to get a bright blue dragon fly in a dark area. Not totally pitch black but because I was trying to zoom in and not scare the bug away it came out all blurry. I gave up. The flash wasn't powerful enough from the distance I was standing and I had too much phone shake to get it right.
The rest of the photos I have taken were good for a cell phone. Not outstanding or as good as my regular camera, but they were decent.
Even a water fall I took a photo of that had crazy amounts of very dark and very light areas along with moving water fall came out good. It was hard to get the photo since the sun was reflecting on the very bright moving water in only some spots (poking through trees) so even in real life it looked super bright. It was nuts in that area - very dark or extremely bright. Didn't seem to be much in between. The picture may look unnatural but it wasn't far off. I think if we went later in the day there would have been more general overhead sunshine that wouldn't have given crazy shadows. The phone did over expose a little on the water fall, but admittedly it was very bright due to the reflection.
I am only attaching the waterfall since the other photos I have area of my family and I don't want to share them
I would definitely agree that for a cell phone this camera is great. How exactly do you mean distorted btw? Do the pictures actually seem like there is curvature to them that isnt really there or is the color off or is it possible that parts that seem like they should be in focus are out of focus?
If youre getting visual distortion that is leads to the picture seemingly to bend when it shouldnt(I forget the actual term for this) its caused by either a defective lens or scratched lens cover. Color distortion may be caused settings that are off for some reason. And the last one, its a physical limitation of these cameras where the foreground will be in focus but the background is blurry and vice versa.
There are some good HDR photo apps out there but most only work in good lighting situations.
__________________
Never forget before buying a phone Motorola breaks their promise of updates.
Okay, so, I got my Photon replaced yesterday for wonky vibration, and that's working as it should. And, the phone doesn't have the same creakiness as the previous one, so that's a plus.
However, I now find that this one has a rattle that I've narrowed down to the camera. Basically, if I shake the phone (lightly) towards and away from you with the phone (not side to side, if you get my meaning), then there's a rattle in the general vicinity of the camera. The clincher is that there's an audible click when turning on the camera, and the rattle is no longer there. Turn the camera off, and the rattle returns.
Anybody else have this? I'm guessing it's the autofocus mechanism engaging, but I wouldn't have expected it to be loose when it's not turned on. And, I don't remember my previous Photon doing this. If all Photons have this, no biggie, just want to make sure I don't end up with a problem later.
I hear it but man... you are being kinda picky aren't you? Who cares?
Now, why would you feel the need to say that I'm being picky? Didn't you read where I said it's no biggie if all Photons have it? My concern, of course, would be that there's a flaw in my phone that will cause problems sometime down the road. You know, as in a loose part that will eventually stop working?
Yeesh.
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I don't hear it either. Sorry about that issue popping up especially after just replacing the phone. I'd be annoyed myself.
I'm annoyed a bit, yes. I've found some folks on other forums who didn't think they heard it, but then when running the test (specifically shaking it frontwards to backwards vs. side to side), they do hear it. I'm suspecting it's a pretty common thing, and might just be the way the camera is designed.
Mine makes this noise too. Wonder if its a defect?
I'm not sure yet. I'm doing some research on other forums as well to see how common it is. If it's 50% of Photons have it (or more), then I won't bother replacing it because the odds of another phone having it would be too high. And of course, every swap creates the possibility of other, more important problems. Otherwise, my phone seems perfect.
I'm not sure yet. I'm doing some research on other forums as well to see how common it is. If it's 50% of Photons have it (or more), then I won't bother replacing it because the odds of another phone having it would be too high. And of course, every swap creates the possibility of other, more important problems. Otherwise, my phone seems perfect.
Yea besides that I have a great photon right now myself
Yea besides that I have a great photon right now myself
I'm starting to get the impression that it's the way the camera is designed and not a flaw, per se. If anybody else has it, though, don't hesitate to chime in.
I'm not sure yet. I'm doing some research on other forums as well to see how common it is. If it's 50% of Photons have it (or more), then I won't bother replacing it because the odds of another phone having it would be too high. And of course, every swap creates the possibility of other, more important problems. Otherwise, my phone seems perfect.
I will agree with that statement. I have no issue if it isn't a major issue or a true design flaw.
I still can't hear it, but outside the bugs are very loud, the a/c is running as well as a few fans. Not quiet here to notice something like that. I went all over the house and everywhere had some major background noise.
I've got it too, goes away when the led flash is activated (with a flashlight app), and whenever the camera is activated.
I'll bet most, if not all have it, but it is so subtle, most cannot hear it.
The OP is NOT being picky, (although, the word I'd use to describe someone calling the OP out for being picky, would be "tool") :-)
If this clicking, or rattle, IS a flaw, it could affect the cameras long term fuctionality, and therefor it is good to have it documented early on.
So, thanks OP. I'm pretty picky too, when it comes to top-of-the-lline, two hundred dollar, two year contract, smartphones.
Thanks for that. And, I'm thinking the loudness of it varies. I can hear mine at arm's length in a non-quiet room, which is one of the reasons it bugs me. If it were something I could only hear if I went looking for it, then it wouldn't bug me--except, of course, for the question of whether it's a defect that will cause problems sometime after my 30-day return window.
You are assuming that it is a flaw. If you have to hold it right by your ear and shake it to hear something I doubt seriously it's a defect.
As I just mentioned, I don't actually have to hold it by my ear to hear it (although I do hear it when I put the phone to my ear to make a call, which is a bother). And just because it's subtle for some people doesn't mean it's not a defect. I've had noises in new cars that were also subtle and hard to locate, but turned out to be major issues that if not fixed would cause serious problems down the road (pun intended).
As I just mentioned, I don't actually have to hold it by my ear to hear it (although I do hear it when I put the phone to my ear to make a call, which is a bother). And just because it's subtle for some people doesn't mean it's not a defect. I've had noises in new cars that were also subtle and hard to locate, but turned out to be major issues that if not fixed would cause serious problems down the road (pun intended).
The only time I can hear any sort of noise is when I shake the phone violently. If that's what you do to phones you have a problem and need to go get that checked out more than returning a phone
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The only time I can hear any sort of noise is when I shake the phone violently. If that's what you do to phones you have a problem and need to go get that checked out more than returning a phone
I do not have to shake my phone violently in order to hear the rattle.
Last edited by Frisco; August 14th, 2011 at 03:45 PM.
the rattle is caused by the kick stand. if you hold it down you shouldn't hear it. it might sound like its coming from the camera but its not.
No, it's not. The sound comes from the camera, as clearly indicated by the fact that when the camera is on (and there's an audible click when you turn it on), the phone no longer rattles. Holding down the kickstand was one of the first obvious steps in diagnosing the rattle.
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1 yes to rattle when shaken front to back
2 yes can hear it when holding phone at arms length
3 yes when flash is on rattle stops
4 yes when camera is on rattle stops
5 yes rattle comes right back when flash or camera is turned off
6 no i do not think its a defect
7 yes its annoying
8 thanks alot to op, now my ocd is gonna bug the crap out of me...
Just FYI in case anyone else wants to nail down this issue. I ran a poll on another forum to see how many people have the rattle and so far it's running at about 60% who do (or who notice it), and 40% who don't. So, I think it might very well be how the camera is designed and either some people don't notice it, or some phones aren't quite so loud as others.
As I said in my original post, I don't think it's a huge issue, I just want to be sure that it's not a defect that will cause issues later. It's certainly not enough to warrant giving up everything else that's great about the Photon.
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Sprint and Motorola have teamed up to bring us the Motorola Photon 4G, the carrier's first international handset with Android. It's a 4.3 inch powerhouse with its dual-core Tegra 2 processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage and more.
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***Official Camera Discussion Thread***
