Camera app crashing or shows black screen

[hikerguy]

Over the past few weeks, what I believe is my default camera app keeps crashing on me. Sometimes I get an error message (I can't recall what it said, and of course now I can't get it to fail no matter what), but most of the time it's just a black screen.

I've done the usual (cleared cache and cleared data) and sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn't. And despite it fixing it for a while, these actions only last a few days at best until it acts up again. I've even gone to the extreme of doing a factory reset on my phone, only to have the problem return. I also confirmed my phone is currently up-to-date on the OS.

Any thoughts?

OnePlus 6t
Android version 11

When I long-press on the camera app, the screen shows the software version of the camera software is 3.14.40 It also shows OnePlus All rights reserved at the bottom, so I'm fairly certain this is the default camera app. I haven't tried a different camera app because I like the features of the app.

Thanks,

Andy

 

[svim]

Just as an experiment, try installing this 'Open Camera' app, use it just to test your phone's camera modules, and see what happens. It's free and has an extensive feature set.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.sourceforge.opencamera&hl=en_US&gl=US
I know you did state you like the default Camera app but given you've done things like completely resetting the default Camera app and even a Factory Reset this indicates the problem might not necessarily a software issue but rather a more problematic hardware issue.

-- If a different camera app also crashes or has similar problems, that's a likely indicator the camera module itself might be failing. Is this issue happening with just the primary rear camera and the selfie front camera, or just one or the other? If, and that's a big 'If' as this isn't of course an absolute, this is the source of the problem, replacing the camera module(s) will be something of an involved project.
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/OnePlus+6T+Rear+Camera+Replacement/128262
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/OnePlus+6T+Front+Camera+Replacement/129571
-- If a different camera app works out well without a problem, than it does seem to be a matter of focusing the default Camera app's settings and configurations. When you previously did that Factory Reset, did you also wipe the system cache? The camera being an integral component to the phone, there's a remote chance there's just some corrupt file in the cache that popped up and started to create this problem (and no a Factory Reset doesn't wipe the system cache file, all a Factory Reset does is clear the user data partition. All the system partitions are not affected.) Anyway, if you didn't wipe the system cache, you might want to do it but it's probably not going to fix this particular issue, it's just something to rule out a slim possibility. A more likely issue to look into is the Camera app again.
Since apparently it was working OK and only recently became unstable, can you recall any changes on your phone that might be what triggered this whole mess? If you look into your Play Store app's 'Manage' tab, it should show the latest 'update' dates of the apps on your phone. Any chance the Camera app was updated around the same time this problem started to occur?

 

[Milo Williamson]

Just as an experiment, try installing this 'Open Camera' app, use it just to test your phone's camera modules, and see what happens. It's free and has an extensive feature set.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.sourceforge.opencamera&hl=en_US&gl=US
I know you did state you like the default Camera app but given you've done things like completely resetting the default Camera app and even a Factory Reset this indicates the problem might not necessarily a software issue but rather a more problematic hardware issue.

-- If a different camera app also crashes or has similar problems, that's a likely indicator the camera module itself might be failing. Is this issue happening with just the primary rear camera and the selfie front camera, or just one or the other? If, and that's a big 'If' as this isn't of course an absolute, this is the source of the problem, replacing the camera module(s) will be something of an involved project.
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/OnePlus+6T+Rear+Camera+Replacement/128262
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/OnePlus+6T+Front+Camera+Replacement/129571
-- If a different camera app works out well without a problem, than it does seem to be a matter of focusing the default Camera app's settings and configurations. When you previously did that Factory Reset, did you also wipe the system cache? The camera being an integral component to the phone, there's a remote chance there's just some corrupt file in the cache that popped up and started to create this problem (and no a Factory Reset doesn't wipe the system cache file, all a Factory Reset does is clear the user data partition. All the system partitions are not affected.) Anyway, if you didn't wipe the system cache, you might want to do it but it's probably not going to fix this particular issue, it's just something to rule out a slim possibility. A more likely issue to look into is the Camera app again.
Since apparently it was working OK and only recently became unstable, can you recall any changes on your phone that might be what triggered this whole mess? If you look into your Play Store app's 'Manage' tab, it should show the latest 'update' dates of the apps on your phone. Any chance the Camera app was updated around the same time this problem started to occur?

Been using Open camera for a number of years.


I can conform it really photographs well, but sometime the images are blurry from distant photos.

 

[hikerguy]

Thanks for the info svim. I'll install that app and report back. I don't take many selfies, and on the rare occasion I do, the camera never failed. Next time the main camera fails, I'll try the front camera. Good point.

When I did a factory reset, I cleared EVERYTHING.

I looked on the Manage tab of the Play Store app and didn't even see a camera app there (maybe because it's the default app and part of the OS build???)

 

[svim]

.....
I looked on the Manage tab of the Play Store app and didn't even see a camera app there (maybe because it's the default app and part of the OS build???)

If you can't see that the OnePlus hasn't updated their Camera app recently, that's a good thing as far as being able to rule out that something like an app update created this problem. Of course you're still stuck with trying to determine just what is going on, so fingers-crossed.

 

[hikerguy]

Well, this isn't good. My default camera app acted up again today (black screen after launch), so I switched to the other camera app I had downloaded. It tried to launch, but gave the message "Failed to open camera. Camera may be in use by another application. ID:0"

I cleared storage again with no change. Rebooting got it working again, but I'm sure it will crap out again. Does this indicate an internal issue with the camera itself? I was looking for a way to justify buying a new phone Need to get away from Chinese phones anyway.

 

[svim]

Well that is a bummer when you need to reboot your phone just to use the camera. I wouldn't look at OnePlus too harshly though, it has a good reputation for reliable phones. And it's hard to avoid getting a smartphone that doesn't have at least some kind of link to China.

 

[hikerguy]

I like the phone. I just wish it was made in the U.S. You're right though. It's getting more and more difficult to buy products not made in China. I may wait a bit as we're not planning on any major trip until later this year, so rebooting isn't a big issue, but I definitely want something more reliable while on vacation (yes, first world problems. MUCH bigger things to worry about).

 

[svim]

https://www.toptenreviews.com/what-cell-phones-are-made-in-the-usa

 

[hikerguy]

Thanks?? for that link lol Not surprised that nearly all manufacturers have their phones built elsewhere. I wonder though if they would have to charge that much more if built here. It's already a hard pill to swallow paying near $1000 for a smartphone. I like to think consumers would "revolt" and not pay above $900-$1000.