#544 OpenCamera does not autofocus

[Andrei B.]

I've tried open camera on my Samsung Galaxy S6, with OS at Android 7, according to manufacturer updates. Not rooted. No custom ROM.

Open Camera v1.45.2
Code: 69
(c) 2013-2019 Mark Harman
Released under the GPL v3 or later
Package: net.sourceforge.opencamera
Android API version: 24
Device manufacturer: samsung
Device model: SM-G920F
Device code-name: samsungexynos7420
Device variant: zeroflte
Language: en
Standard max heap?: 256
Large max heap?: 512
Display size: 1440x2560
Current camera ID: 0
No. of cameras: 2
Camera API: Camera2 (Android L)
Preview resolutions: 2048x1152, 1920x1080, 1440x1080, 1088x1088, 1280x720, 960x720, 800x450, 720x480, 640x480, 480x320, 352x288, 320x240, 256x144, 176x144
Preview resolution: 1440x1080
Photo resolutions: 5312x2988[no burst], 3984x2988[no burst], 2976x2976[no burst], 3264x2448, 3264x1836, 2048x1152, 1920x1080, 1280x720, 960x720, 640x480, 320x240, 256x144
Photo resolution: 3264x2448
Video qualities: 1_r3840x2160, 1_r2880x2160, 1_r3264x1836, 1_r2160x2160, 1_r2048x1152, 1, 5_r1440x1080, 5_r1088x1088, 5, 4_r960x720, 4_r800x450, 4, 7_r640x480, 7_r480x320, 7_r352x288, 7, 2_r256x144, 2
Video resolutions: 3840x2160, 2880x2160, 3264x1836, 2160x2160, 2048x1152, 1920x1080, 1440x1080, 1088x1088, 1280x720, 960x720, 800x450, 720x480, 640x480, 480x320, 352x288, 320x240, 256x144, 176x144
Video quality: 5
Video frame width: 1280
Video frame height: 720
Video bit rate: 12000000
Video frame rate: 25
Video capture rate: 25.0
Auto-stabilise?: Available
Auto-stabilise enabled?: false
Face detection?: Available
RAW?: Available
HDR?: Available
Expo?: Available
Expo compensation?: Available
Exposure compensation range: -4 to 4
Manual ISO?: Available
ISO range: 50 to 4800
Manual exposure?: Available
Exposure range: 32000 to 500000000
Manual WB?: Available
WB temperature: 1000 to 15000
Video stabilization?: Available
Can disable shutter sound?: Yes
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, mono, negative, sepia, posterize, aqua
Scene modes: None
White balances: auto, manual, incandescent, fluorescent, daylight, cloudy-daylight
Using SAF?: false
Save Location: OpenCamera
Save Location SAF:
Parameters: None

In photo mode, the camera apparently does not autofocus.
Unless I explicitely touch on the preview on a subject, it doesn't focus on it.
If I take a photo while unfocused, it takes the picture unfocused, then performs focusing.

[Anonymous]

I was having this issue after I poked around my camera settings.
Idk if it fixes it for you, on my end I tapped the triple dot, then selected the C with a camera.
That changed it back to the auto-focus where it shows a circle while focusing rather than a square.

[Andrei B.]

Maybe a dirty workaround.

The design of the focus features is a highly inspired from standalone cameras, however it fails to take into consideration smartphone specifics.

The "a" setting, as in autofocus, should work continuosly. When pressing the shutter, it must confirm proper focus exists, unless the user tapped the screen for a specific focus lock beforehand.

Current behaviour: it autofocuses once and only once, then pressing the shutter takes the picture with that focus setting, regardless. User tapping refocuses if necessary, however this is a cumbersome way of using it. Really.

The "c" setting, as in continuous autofocus makes sense only for dedicated cameras which have a shutter button that can be depressed half-way to make the camera calculate the necessary settings, and separately pressing full way to take picture. One can press half-way to lock a subject, then follow that subject and take one or more pictures with same settings. The difference is that without "c" pressing half-way locks focus to a set value and keeps it, with "c", while all other settings are locked (ie exposure), the camera autofocuses continuosly as you follow the subject.

Smartphone touchscreen does not have "half-way" depressed shutter state.

In video mode, by default, the camera must autofocus continuosly, unless manual focus selected. Having "a" and "c" separately in this case makes no sense. A specific focus lock is obtained by setting camera to "m" manual focus, and this is how it works on all standalone cameras.