Help Really struggling to get decent camera shots

[Kibbster]

I just don't get the Desire camera.
Some pictures I take are stunning and close up stuff could even rival a decent compact, other/ most times my pictures are a total mess.
I get wash-out when there is sky in the shot or I get white sky and decent foreground.
I get loads of blur on low ISO settings, loads of noise on high ISO.
Light levels seem all over the shop, I'm lucky even without flash if I can get people without looking like the Ghost mask from Scream or I get the person in the shot but a very dark background.
Using the flash can either be disastrous or work quite well - no way to tell till after I have taken the shot.
Autofocus doesn't always seem to focus that well unless I get lucky or have great lighting, manual focus often causes white balance/ light metering issues.

It's reached the point now where I'm not sure I trust the phone to take reasonable snapshots and I've been through every setting with very unpredictable results.
Just went I think it's all set up and going great, the lighting changes (indoors to outdoors, time of day etc) and it all goes to pot again.
Tried auto settings but have yet to have a decent snap from it.

So do I have to manually adjust the settings everytime I want to fire off a quick shot or is there something I'm just missing - some magic bullet of settings that work OK in all environments?

I'm not expecting a DSLR camera or even a compact camera quality as it is a phone and there are inherent problems with size etc but my old iPhone3G while it never took great photos it never seemed to take any really bad ones either and it could generally handle outdoor shots with mixtures of people, sky and landscape.
For me the Desire camera is very hit and miss (generally miss in my case.)

I've seen some great shots taken with people's Desires so I know it can be done - I just wondered if there's some secret I don't know about or if they got lucky?

Just to add I'm using the standard camera app, is there a better app that might help?

 

[amit_eighty8]

@ kibbster really i am in the same mess
i have removed the back lens cover to have quality snaps but still struglling with the settings

 

[ScoobyWRX]

There are a few tips here http://androidforums.com/desire-support-troubleshooting/128777-perfect-camera-settings.html

 

[Kibbster]

There are a few tips here http://androidforums.com/desire-support-troubleshooting/128777-perfect-camera-settings.html

Thank you for the link.
One sort of way I have "fixed" the problems is by not expecting the shot to work but if it does then I'm pleasantly surprised.

I've got to say though with the settings I'm using now I do get some good shots - the camera seems to love good lighting though and the worse the lighting is the more chance of a ruined shot.
I think that's just something I have come to expect as a limitation of the hardware and not a settings issue.

My settings are:
Brightness 0
Contrast 0
Saturation +1
Sharpness -1
White balance Auto
ISO 100
Resolution 5MP
Widescreen
Quality High
Metering mode Average
Auto Focus ON (I still tap the screen where I want to focus if need be)
Face detection ON

Like I said in low light this camera has it's work cut out but in good light it can be fantastic.
Now if only I could fix the weather in the UK to suit the camera

 

[ScoobyWRX]

One sort of way I have "fixed" the problems is by not expecting the shot to work but if it does then I'm pleasantly surprised.

That's a good idea, I hadn't thought of that one

Certainly increasing saturation makes the pictures less wishy washy

 

[gpshslax]

Based on your post I assume you have at least a little background in photography.

The short answer is, your probably expecting too much from your phone in low light situations. Almost every issue you identified is a low light problem common to all forms of photography. Obviously some hardware handles these limitations better than other, but the desire is not a dedicated camera. That said, I've been pleasantly suprised but the results I get.

Your issue probably stem from:
High resolution but not super high quality ccd.
Flash is a single LED

Lower ISO mean longer shutter time = more recorded handshake and movement blur. Higher ISO increases noise, especially in dark areas on the frame.
Remember, the sky (at least durring the day) is lit by the sun, if your subject is not also lit by the sun the sky will blowout or the subject will be unacceptably dark. In theory you can correct this with the flash, but the in practice the flash often blows out close objects and leave farther ones dark (again short range LED flash).

You may also have some of the same issues in super bright noonday sun as the phone ccd just doesn't have the capacity to deal with that much contrast.

Best of luck, and hope your results improve.

 

[amit_eighty8]

Based on your post I assume you have at least a little background in photography.

The short answer is, your probably expecting too much from your phone in low light situations. Almost every issue you identified is a low light problem common to all forms of photography. Obviously some hardware handles these limitations better than other, but the desire is not a dedicated camera. That said, I've been pleasantly suprised but the results I get.

Your issue probably stem from:
High resolution but not super high quality ccd.
Flash is a single LED

Lower ISO mean longer shutter time = more recorded handshake and movement blur. Higher ISO increases noise, especially in dark areas on the frame.
Remember, the sky (at least durring the day) is lit by the sun, if your subject is not also lit by the sun the sky will blowout or the subject will be unacceptably dark. In theory you can correct this with the flash, but the in practice the flash often blows out close objects and leave farther ones dark (again short range LED flash).

You may also have some of the same issues in super bright noonday sun as the phone ccd just doesn't have the capacity to deal with that much contrast.

Best of luck, and hope your results improve.

thanks well that really informative

 

[amit_eighty8]

well....it is very difficult to get a pic of a person waving his hand or moving a bit fast ...for eg ..past night we were having group photos..in most of he pics the person who is standing still (in pic he is clear ) while the person who is moving or jumping coming blurred ....why????

 

[SUroot]

the person who is standing still (in pic he is clear ) while the person who is moving or jumping coming blurred ....why????

This question is basic photography. Do you really not know the answer?

 

[amit_eighty8]

This question is basic photography. Do you really not know the answer?

well i knw the answer basically i am asking the solution for this on my htc desire...thanks