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Thread: Samsung Camera Issues? Please post here

  1. #1
    HPT Employee Weston@HPTuners's Avatar
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    Samsung Camera Issues? Please post here

    We've had a few recent reports of poor video performance with the back camera on the Samsung Galaxy S7, where the default Samsung camera app works well, but TrackAddict (and possibly other 3rd party apps) will get poor quality footage. This is unfortunately not the first time we've had to fix a Samsung-specific camera issue, and if history is any indication, this problem may also appear in other recent or upcoming Samsung models.

    In an attempt to understand and devise a workaround for this hardware issue, I'm seeking a bit more information from our users. If you have a Samsung Galaxy S7 or other affected model, I'd appreciate it if you could answer the following:

    1) What problem is occurring? We've had reports ranging from wobbly/unstable/jello footage to simply having a low frame rate and/or possibly low resolution/bitrate, so the feedback has been kind of all over the place, and some may simply be due to a user's wobbly mounting solution. I'd like to first nail down what exactly is happening here and what's easily repeatable.

    2) What specific model of phone are you using? Is it the S7, S7 Edge, or a different model? Is it a US version or for another country?

    3) Is the problem limited to just the back-facing camera?

    4) Does the problem go away when you use the phone's default built-in camera app?

    5) Do other 3rd party video apps exhibit the same problem?

    Edit:
    6) Is there any different between turning Video Stablization on / off (on TrackAddict's More Options screen)?
    Last edited by Weston@HPTuners; 10-24-2016 at 09:59 AM. Reason: Added question #6

  2. #2
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    Verizon Galaxy S7. I haven't noticed any issues but haven't done much high speed stuff either. The G Force videos I uploaded a few weeks ago were from this. Pretty good video for phone cam from what I've seen. I use a RAM mount.

    Even though I use a Sony action cam, I'll enable the internal cam next time out to get some good footage.

  3. #3
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    I noticed a problem with the Verizon S7 Edge on 6/26
    Video from back camera was very wobbly when recorded using Track Addict
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByzmRbAAf3k

    Using the regular camera app, video is fine
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-A1KEB-d9gU
    Last edited by ricsenior; 10-13-2016 at 02:56 PM.

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    Galaxy S7 Edge on AT&T. I have issues with both wobble and what appears to be a very low frame rate. The wobble issue could actually be the frame rate showing a lack of smoothness however. When recording with the standard camera app, the result is pretty amazing. I haven't tested the front camera, but will try to today. My other 3rd party apps don't show the same issue.

    The captured image quality is really quite poor - look at the attached image, the normal camera app gets much more detail and less noise. I'm going to test with my HTC One M8, Galaxy S3, and Nexus 6 today on the same mount.

    vid-noise.jpg

  5. #5
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    So, Test was strangely inconclusive.

    I tested with a couple of phones, including the S7 Edge, HTC One M8 and Nexus 6. I threw the Nexus 7 in there as well since I was curious, but it was a joke. I have some other Galaxy devices at work, including all generations of the Galaxy and Galaxy Note. I will get a few together after the weekend and run another test.

    Nexus 6 had by far the best image quality, followed by the HTC and last was definitely the S7. I put it up on Youtube, but their compression artifacts are just too much for most to get past. Take a look if you want:



    For those curious, I am using the Scosche MagicMount http://www.scosche.com/magic-mount-c...r-tablet-mount I love it - best mounting system I have ever used.

    Thanks,
    E.

  6. #6
    HPT Employee Weston@HPTuners's Avatar
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    Thank you all for the feedback! I'm suspecting a video stabilization setting may be the cause, and Samsung does sometimes have their own unique settings and behaviors for this. That could explain why some users get stable footage while others get jello, being that individual windshield mounts and vehicle conditions would greatly impact that.

    Can you tell me if you had TrackAddict's Video "Stabilize" option turned on or off when shooting the wobbly video (on the "More Options" screen)? If you happened to test it after changing this setting, was there a difference?

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    I did have it on. I'm going to test it on the ride home with it turned off.

    I also picked up a Note 4, and iPhone 6S and a Galaxy S4 at the office to test with. I'll do another round this evening.

    Thanks,
    E.

    Quote Originally Posted by Weston@HPTuners View Post
    Thank you all for the feedback! I'm suspecting a video stabilization setting may be the cause, and Samsung does sometimes have their own unique settings and behaviors for this. That could explain why some users get stable footage while others get jello, being that individual windshield mounts and vehicle conditions would greatly impact that.

    Can you tell me if you had TrackAddict's Video "Stabilize" option turned on or off when shooting the wobbly video (on the "More Options" screen)? If you happened to test it after changing this setting, was there a difference?

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    Tried my s7 with RAM X-Grip this past weekend, with less-than-stellar results. Wobbly, "Jello" video, although the actual clarity of the video is quite good.

    I tried with image stability on and off, on both the phone and in the Track Addict app, with zero difference.

    It is worth noting, however, that this is in an open car with no windshield. Have the RAM mount mounted to the roll cage, so the length of the arm on the mount may be the issue. The wobbles go away as the car slows for a turn, but return as the car accelerates.

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    Quote Originally Posted by WGraf42 View Post
    Tried my s7 with RAM X-Grip this past weekend, with less-than-stellar results. Wobbly, "Jello" video, although the actual clarity of the video is quite good.

    I tried with image stability on and off, on both the phone and in the Track Addict app, with zero difference.

    It is worth noting, however, that this is in an open car with no windshield. Have the RAM mount mounted to the roll cage, so the length of the arm on the mount may be the issue. The wobbles go away as the car slows for a turn, but return as the car accelerates.
    What is the car? I had a GoPro fastened to the roll bar of a Formula E (enterprise) and the image had issues. The car was too stiff and the camera couldn't correct fast enough.
    Last edited by Jabs1542; 07-18-2017 at 04:54 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jabs1542 View Post
    What is the car? I had a GoPro fastened to the roll bar of a Formula E (enterprise) and the image had issues. The car was too stiff and the camera couldn't correct fast enough.
    The car is a full tube-frame SCCA GT-3 Miata, so a pretty stiff platform. Picked up a Go-Pro Hero 5 to try at the Runoffs. We've had luck with our old Go-Pros, so hopefully this will work.