#368 HDR and exposure bracketing : The exposure don't vary

[Anonymous]

Open Camera 1.41.1 (installed from F-Droid)
EMUI 5.01 / Android 7.0
Huawei P8 lite 2017 (PRA-LX1)

Hello I am very happy with Open Camera, but I have this very boring bug

I think it's similar or related to (but perhaps not exactly the same) to
"#343 Exposure bracketing and HDR produce too dark images, the same shutter speed used for whole series".

Like #343 everything works fine, the raw capture, manual settings ISO, shutter speed, focus, etc., but HDR and exposure bracketing doesn't work at all. All picture are taken with the same exposure and the HDR is horrible (much worse than DRO) and noisy with only one exposure (I set to keep all files).

With these modes, the picture are consistantly darker than preview (really darker, it's not the screen brightness), but the exposure change if i touch a white area, or black area.
The "fast burst switch" enabled or disabled doesn't change anything : same exposure for all files and this bug occurs both in daylight and in the evening.

If there is anything I can do or information to provide to solve this problem

Gnujsa

[Anonymous]

I've tried this app :
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.almalence.hdr

And it does real HDR with exposure bracketing (not just an single tonemapped picture) and it work with my phone
I set to keep the working files and it take one normal shot, one dark and one very bright with consistent EXIF settings (shutter speed and ISO vary)
In "capture mode" it has
Quick mode
Slow mode 1
Slow mode 2
(I don't know the exact english because it's in french on my phone)

By default, it's in "Slow mode 1" and it works. "Slow mode 2" works too, but with "Quick mode" I've got the same as Open Camera : all picture are done with exactly the same exposure settings.

I do not know what's behind these "slow mode" and unfortunately this application is not open source.

I hope this can help, because I do not like the HDR rendering of this application (too much effect) and I do not like the proprietary applications too :)

Gnujsa

[Anonymous]

I found a quick workaround by disabling the Camera 2 API. Of course I no longer have access to manual settings, but the HDR and expo bracketing works (roughly).

If I take an HDR image with the default exposure metering, I get 3 images that only roughly respect the requested interval (eg it can be -1.5, 0, +3 instead of -2, 0 , +2). If I click on a zone (light or dark), on the other hand the interval is not respected any more (it can be +0.1, 0, -5) as if the bracketing was always calculated according to the first measurement ( global) of the image. But I guess all this is a limitation of the Camera 1 API.

further information:

(In French "disponible" means "available")

Open Camera v1.41.1
Code: 53
(c) 2013-2017 Mark Harman
Released under the GPL v3 or later
Package: net.sourceforge.opencamera
Android API version: 24
Device manufacturer: HUAWEI
Device model: PRA-LX1
Device code-name: hi6250
Device variant: HWPRA-H
Language: fr
Standard max heap?: 384
Large max heap?: 512
Display size: 1080x1812
Current camera ID: 0
No. of cameras: 2
Camera API: Camera2 (Android L)
Preview resolutions: 1920x1080, 1440x1080, 1280x960, 1280x720, 960x720, 960x544, 720x720, 640x480, 352x288, 320x240, 208x144, 176x144
Preview resolution: 1440x1080
Photo resolutions: 320x240, 640x480, 1280x720, 1920x1080, 3264x1840, 3264x2448, 3968x2976, 2048x1536, 2976x2976, 3968x2240
Photo resolution: 3968x2976
Video qualities: 1, 5_r1440x1080, 5_r1280x960, 5, 4_r960x720, 4_r960x544, 4_r720x720, 4, 3, 7, 2_r208x144, 2
Video resolutions: 1920x1080, 1440x1080, 1280x960, 1280x720, 960x720, 960x544, 720x720, 640x480, 352x288, 320x240, 208x144, 176x144
Video quality: 1
Video frame width: 1920
Video frame height: 1080
Video bit rate: 17000000
Video frame rate: 30
Auto-stabilise?: Disponible
Auto-stabilise enabled?: false
Face detection?: Disponible
RAW?: Disponible
HDR?: Disponible
Expo?: Disponible
Expo compensation?: Disponible
Exposure compensation range: -4 to 4
Manual ISO?: Disponible
ISO range: 50 to 3200
Manual exposure?: Disponible
Exposure range: 100000 to 1000000000
Manual WB?: Disponible
WB temperature: 1000 to 15000
Video stabilization?: Disponible
Can disable shutter sound?: Oui
Flash modes: flash_off, flash_auto, flash_on, flash_torch, flash_red_eye
Focus modes: focus_mode_auto, focus_mode_macro, focus_mode_locked, focus_mode_infinity, focus_mode_manual2, focus_mode_continuous_picture, focus_mode_continuous_video
Color effects: None
Scene modes: auto, action, portrait, landscape, night, night-portrait, theatre, beach, snow, fireworks, candlelight
White balances: auto, manual, incandescent, fluorescent, daylight, cloudy-daylight
Using SAF?: false
Save Location: OpenCamera
Save Location SAF:
Parameters: None

Gnujsa

[Mark]

Thanks for the report and updates.

There are two ways of changing exposure: via exposure compensation, and via manual shutter speed controls. Manual shutter speed is much faster, but requires camera2 api.

When using the old camera API (not Camera2) in Open Camera, exposure compensation is used. I'm guess this is what A Better Camera's "slow modes" do too. And it seems this works with the Huawei P8.

So this seems to be a problem with using manual shutter speed (and this is possibly what A Better Camera's "quick mode" is using, if it's having the same issue).

"Like #343 everything works fine, the raw capture, manual settings ISO, shutter speed"

Just to clarify, does it work to change the manual shutter speed, and get resultant photos that are brighter or darker? If not, then it's a problem with manual shutter speed - if that does work, then maybe it's some problem where this only happens when the camera is trying to change shutter speed for a burst of photos.

I also had a report of this on the Huawei P9. I've updated http://opencamera.org.uk/devices.html with a note on this.

[Anonymous]

Yes, manual exposure works perfectly. For exemple, I've tried to take a picture with stock app camera, and it set to ISO 50 - ~1/1000s, then I open Open Camera and I set to ISO 50 - 1/1000s (and the picture is perfectly exposed), then I set to ISO 50 - 1/250s and I get a brighter picture with some white areas, and then I set to ISO 50 - 1/4000s and I get a darker picture. Once the photos on my computer I also checked (with exiftool) that the exif infos are correct.

Even if the HDR is finally achievable in Open Camera by removing the Camera 2 API, and in addition to not being practical, bracketing done (with exposure compensation) is not very optimal: it acts more on ISO than on the shutter speed.

Off topic: it's something great in Open Camera that we can lower the number of fps in video (combined with high ISO) to film in very low light.

Thank you for your answers. Open Camera is a great app.

Gnujsa

[Mark]

Thanks for the update. Unfortunately it won't be easy for me to do much about it without a device to test on (or if it's happening with A Better Camera too, this may suggest problems with the device and its Camera2 API support - or maybe we both just have the same bug!).

[Anonymous]

I guess that there is something weird about CaptureRequest.SENSOR_FRAME_DURATION and manual shutter speed implementation in Huawei drivers. But cannot check yet. BTW: I'm reporter of #343

[Anonymous]

I see https://sourceforge.net/p/opencamera/code/ci/8874b3871d0701d01d38a1ca02b54174ac7b7395 that may be our case. Check on my Honor 5C with new version when released

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately it is not fixed for Honor 5C in 1.43.3

[Anonymous]

Reviving an old thread. I've had a similar problem for a while on Samsung cameras. I think I had it on my S7 and I definitely have it on my S10. The first two images in the HDR series, ie 0 and 1, have visually identical, and dark, exposures while 2 is noticeably brighter. In the EXIF data both 0 and 1 have exposure bias values of -20.00/0.00, while 2's is 0.00/0.00.

This is from image 1:
Filename - IMG_20200304_172450_1.jpg
Artist -
ImageLength - 3024
Make - samsung
Orientation - Top left
DateTime - 2020:03:04 17:24:48
YResolution - 72
Copyright -
XResolution - 72
ImageWidth - 4032
Model - SM-G973W
Software - G973WVLS3CTA3
YCbCrPositioning - Centered
ExifOffset - 277
ResolutionUnit - Inch
ExifVersion - 0220
ApertureValue - F 1.49
SceneType - Other
ExposureBiasValue - -20.00/0.00
ExposureProgram - Normal program
ColorSpace - sRGB
MaxApertureValue - F 1.49
ExifImageHeight - 3024
BrightnessValue - 9.10
DateTimeOriginal - 2020:03:04 17:24:48
FlashPixVersion - 0100
SubsecTimeOriginal -
White Balance - Auto
InteroperabilityOffset - 780
ExposureMode - Auto
ExposureTime - 1/14589 seconds
Flash - Not fired
SubsecTime -
FNumber - 1.50
ISOSpeedRatings - 50
ExifImageWidth - 4032
ComponentsConfiguration - YCbCr
FocalLengthIn35mmFilm - 26 mm
SubsecTimeDigitized -
DateTimeDigitized - 2020:03:04 17:24:48
ShutterSpeedValue - 1/14583 seconds
MeteringMode - Center weighted average
FocalLength - 4.30 mm
SceneCaptureType - Standard
LightSource - Auto
SensingMethod - Not defined

And this is from image 0:
Filename - IMG_20200304_172450_0.jpg
Artist -
ImageLength - 3024
Make - samsung
Orientation - Top left
DateTime - 2020:03:04 17:24:49
YResolution - 72
Copyright -
XResolution - 72
ImageWidth - 4032
Model - SM-G973W
Software - G973WVLS3CTA3
YCbCrPositioning - Centered
ExifOffset - 277
ResolutionUnit - Inch
ExifVersion - 0220
ApertureValue - F 1.49
SceneType - Other
ExposureBiasValue - -20.00/0.00
ExposureProgram - Normal program
ColorSpace - sRGB
MaxApertureValue - F 1.49
ExifImageHeight - 3024
BrightnessValue - 9.11
DateTimeOriginal - 2020:03:04 17:24:49
FlashPixVersion - 0100
SubsecTimeOriginal -
White Balance - Auto
InteroperabilityOffset - 780
ExposureMode - Auto
ExposureTime - 1/14589 seconds
Flash - Not fired
SubsecTime -
FNumber - 1.50
ISOSpeedRatings - 50
ExifImageWidth - 4032
ComponentsConfiguration - YCbCr
FocalLengthIn35mmFilm - 26 mm
SubsecTimeDigitized -
DateTimeDigitized - 2020:03:04 17:24:49
ShutterSpeedValue - 1/14583 seconds
MeteringMode - Center weighted average
FocalLength - 4.30 mm
SceneCaptureType - Standard
LightSource - Auto
SensingMethod - Not defined

[Anonymous]

I'm the one who opened this bug report for the Huawei P8 Lite 2017. Just to leave a record, I also owned a Huawi P9 and now a Huawei Mate 20 pro, and I have exactly the same problem, which looks like to an incomplete support for the Camera2 API from Huawei / Honor.

Gnujsa

[Anonymous]

huawei p30, same

[Anonymous]

Agreed for Huawei P30
Also, No raw Format available, nur Stock camera hast ist (in pro Mode)

Open Camera v1.48.1
Code: 77
Package: net.sourceforge.opencamera
Android API version: 29
Device manufacturer: HUAWEI
Device model: ELE-L29
Device code-name: kirin980
Device variant: HWELE
Language: de
Standard max heap?: 384
Large max heap?: 512
Display size: 1080x2265
Display metrics: 1080x2265
Current camera ID: 0
No. of cameras: 5
Multi-camera?: true
Camera API: Camera2 (Android L)
Photo mode: Belichtungsreihe
Preview resolutions: 2336x1080, 1920x1080, 1552x720, 1440x1080, 1680x720, 1664x768, 1440x720, 1280x960, 1280x720, 1088x1080, 960x720, 960x540, 720x720, 720x540, 640x480, 640x360, 736x412, 544x408, 480x360, 400x400, 352x288, 320x240, 208x144, 176x144
Preview resolution: 1440x1080
Photo resolutions: 7296x5472, 3648x2736, 3840x2160, 3264x2448, 3648x2056, 2736x2736, 3008x2256, 3648x1680, 3264x1840, 2048x1536, 1456x1456, 1920x1080, 1440x720, 1280x720, 640x480, 320x240
Photo resolution: 3648x2736
Video qualities: 1, 6_r3648x2056, 6_r3648x1680, 6_r3264x1840, 6_r2048x1536, 6_r2560x1080, 6_r2336x1080, 6_r1456x1456, 6, 5_r1440x1080, 5_r1664x768, 5_r1280x960, 5_r1680x720, 5_r1088x1080, 5_r1552x720, 5_r1440x720, 5, 4_r960x720, 4_r960x540, 4_r720x720, 4_r720x540, 4, 3_r736x412, 3_r640x360, 3_r544x408, 3_r480x360, 3_r400x400, 3, 7, 2_r208x144, 2
Video resolutions: 3840x2160, 3648x2056, 3648x1680, 3264x1840, 2048x1536, 2560x1080, 2336x1080, 1456x1456, 1920x1080, 1440x1080, 1664x768, 1280x960, 1680x720, 1088x1080, 1552x720, 1440x720, 1280x720, 960x720, 960x540, 720x720, 720x540, 640x480, 736x412, 640x360, 544x408, 480x360, 400x400, 352x288, 320x240, 208x144, 176x144
Video quality: 6
Video frame width: 1920
Video frame height: 1080
Video bit rate: 17000000
Video frame rate: 30
Video capture rate: 30.0
Video high speed: false
Video capture rate factor: 1.0
Auto-level?: verfügbar
Auto-level enabled?: false
Face detection?: verfügbar
RAW?: nicht verfügbar
HDR?: verfügbar
Panorama?: verfügbar
Gyro sensors?: verfügbar
Expo?: verfügbar
Expo compensation?: verfügbar
Exposure compensation range: -4 to 4
Manual ISO?: verfügbar
ISO range: 50 to 6400
Manual exposure?: verfügbar
Exposure range: 10000 to 500000000
Manual WB?: verfügbar
WB temperature: 1000 to 15000
Optical stabilization?: verfügbar
Optical stabilization enabled?: false
Video stabilization?: verfügbar
Video stabilization enabled?: false
Tonemap curve?: verfügbar
Tonemap max curve points: 257
Can disable shutter sound?: verfügbar
Camera view angle: 66.37916 , 50.12129
Flash modes: flash_off, flash_on, flash_torch
Focus modes: focus_mode_auto, focus_mode_macro, focus_mode_locked, focus_mode_infinity, focus_mode_manual2, focus_mode_continuous_picture, focus_mode_continuous_video
Color effects: None
Scene modes: auto, action, portrait, landscape, night, night-portrait, theatre, beach, snow, fireworks, candlelight
White balances: auto, manual, incandescent, fluorescent, daylight, cloudy-daylight
Magnetic accuracy?: -1
Using SAF?: false
Save Location: Camera
Save Location SAF:
Parameters: None

[Anonymous]

I also have this problem on Samsung S22 (using camera2 api):
Sometimes (but not always) the low-exposure images of a bracket have the same or very similar exposure (causing some highlights to be clipped in all of them). I have the feeling that it is depending on the photographic subject, but didnt test in depth. I could provide example raw files (from a day before 2025-05-08).

[Mark]

Please see Settings/Photo settings/"Enable fast HDR/expo burst" (under debugging options) - what value is that set to, and does changing it help? Also please make sure you're on the latest version v1.54.1.