[Q] S3 Camera Breaks Upon Installing Custom ROM

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tfc87

Member
Oct 16, 2012
19
5
I have had Bean's Jelly 'Beans' ROM installed on my GS3 since I first got the phone in October. Verizon had to replace my phone this past week, and once I received the new one, I did the customary procedure of rooting it and installing a custom ROM. However, after I install a ROM, the Camera always breaks (I get the message "Camera Failed" and the camera screen is black when I open the stock camera app).

I have already researched the issue, and it seems there is a history of some S3's coming out of the box with a broken camera, but it is important to note that the camera works fine as long as I revert back to the stock (and rooted) rom. When installing the Jelly 'Beans' ROM, I have selected 4 different kernel options(Beans custom stock, imoseyon lean kernel, ktoonsez, and faux kernel), thinking that may be the issue, but each one still leaves a broken camera. I have also tried installing an aftermarket camera app, in case the S3 camera apk is somehow broken, and have flashed the Photosphere Camera. Nothing will get the camera to work (and yes, my battery is fully charged).

Not being able to install a custom ROM is a pretty big deal to me, and not having a working camera is a deal breaker. Unfortunately, I won't be able to get Verizon to replace the phone again since it all works on the stock ROM. Does anyone have any ideas? I have tried several things I have read in the forums, but nothing has worked so far. Thank you all in advance for your help!
 
Last edited:

tfc87

Member
Oct 16, 2012
19
5
I have had Bean's Jelly 'Beans' ROM installed on my GS3 since I first got the phone in October. Verizon had to replace my phone this past week, and once I received the new one, I did the customary procedure of rooting it and installing a custom ROM. However, after I install a ROM, the Camera always breaks (I get the message "Camera Failed" and the camera screen is black when I open the stock camera app).

I have already researched the issue, and it seems there is a history of some S3's coming out of the box with a broken camera, but it is important to note that the camera works fine as long as I revert back to the stock (and rooted) rom. When installing the Jelly 'Beans' ROM, I have selected 4 different kernel options(Beans custom stock, imoseyon lean kernel, ktoonsez, and faux kernel), thinking that may be the issue, but each one still leaves a broken camera. I have also tried installing an aftermarket camera app, in case the S3 camera apk is somehow broken, and have flashed the Photosphere Camera. Nothing will get the camera to work (and yes, my battery is fully charged).

Not being able to install a custom ROM is a pretty big deal to me, and not having a working camera is a deal breaker. Unfortunately, I won't be able to get Verizon to replace the phone again since it all works on the stock ROM. Does anyone have any ideas? I have tried several things I have read in the forums, but nothing has worked so far. Thank you all in advance for your help!

I'm going to go ahead and help myself out and respond to my own question. Upon even further research (yes, I know everyone says people don't look hard enough), I believe the issue relates to the Firmware version. Supposedly the newest firmware breaks the camera unless it's on the stock rom. There are modified firmwares out there that change the part that breaks the camera, but I believe I am going to downgrade the modem and all from what was pre-installed and see if it works.
 

Trozzul

Senior Member
Jun 21, 2012
1,607
223
26
Seattle
I'm going to go ahead and help myself out and respond to my own question. Upon even further research (yes, I know everyone says people don't look hard enough), I believe the issue relates to the Firmware version. Supposedly the newest firmware breaks the camera unless it's on the stock rom. There are modified firmwares out there that change the part that breaks the camera, but I believe I am going to downgrade the modem and all from what was pre-installed and see if it works.

if its a custom Rom (Stock but maby some extras such as overclocking or somethin) they are Sometimes Broken They will try to fix it sometimes, upgrading to a higher android version it is sometimes is Quite hard to Fix everything.
 

tfc87

Member
Oct 16, 2012
19
5
if its a custom Rom (Stock but maby some extras such as overclocking or somethin) they are Sometimes Broken They will try to fix it sometimes, upgrading to a higher android version it is sometimes is Quite hard to Fix everything.

I downgraded the firmware to VRBMB1 and went back to that custom rom and the camera works flawlessly. I read in the firmware forum that the new firmware is doing this to a lot of people...I just happened to have one of the phones that came with it pre-installed. Problem solved and hopefully this post will help someone out...if not...it helped myself out at least.
 

Trozzul

Senior Member
Jun 21, 2012
1,607
223
26
Seattle
I downgraded the firmware to VRBMB1 and went back to that custom rom and the camera works flawlessly. I read in the firmware forum that the new firmware is doing this to a lot of people...I just happened to have one of the phones that came with it pre-installed. Problem solved and hopefully this post will help someone out...if not...it helped myself out at least.

maby just wait till next firmware and they will fix it?
 

Sterling8356

New member
Jul 8, 2013
1
0
Similiar issue?

I am having a similiar issue with my US Cell GS3. I bought the donor version of mskip's Samsung Galaxy S3 Unified Toolkit and rooted my device yesterday now my camera is doing the same thing...fires up to a black screen, hangs a few seconds then says camera failed. I'm running Android 4.1.2, build R530UVXAMD4. I've read in a few places that I may have to either downgrade my kernel or flash with some sort of alternate firmware.

Any assistance provided is greatly appreciated!
 

eliltelink

Member
Sep 22, 2012
9
1
I am having a similiar issue with my US Cell GS3. I bought the donor version of mskip's Samsung Galaxy S3 Unified Toolkit and rooted my device yesterday now my camera is doing the same thing...fires up to a black screen, hangs a few seconds then says camera failed. I'm running Android 4.1.2, build R530UVXAMD4. I've read in a few places that I may have to either downgrade my kernel or flash with some sort of alternate firmware.

Any assistance provided is greatly appreciated!

did you figure this out?
im having same problem
 

greenguggu

Senior Member
Jul 14, 2012
69
8
I had the same problem while flashing one of my friend's S3...i just did the whole process once again..and everything works fine

Sent from my Galaxy Note II using xda premium
 

myshakugan

Senior Member
Jan 30, 2014
1,264
637
Aincrad
I have had Bean's Jelly 'Beans' ROM installed on my GS3 since I first got the phone in October. Verizon had to replace my phone this past week, and once I received the new one, I did the customary procedure of rooting it and installing a custom ROM. However, after I install a ROM, the Camera always breaks (I get the message "Camera Failed" and the camera screen is black when I open the stock camera app).

I have already researched the issue, and it seems there is a history of some S3's coming out of the box with a broken camera, but it is important to note that the camera works fine as long as I revert back to the stock (and rooted) rom. When installing the Jelly 'Beans' ROM, I have selected 4 different kernel options(Beans custom stock, imoseyon lean kernel, ktoonsez, and faux kernel), thinking that may be the issue, but each one still leaves a broken camera. I have also tried installing an aftermarket camera app, in case the S3 camera apk is somehow broken, and have flashed the Photosphere Camera. Nothing will get the camera to work (and yes, my battery is fully charged).

Not being able to install a custom ROM is a pretty big deal to me, and not having a working camera is a deal breaker. Unfortunately, I won't be able to get Verizon to replace the phone again since it all works on the stock ROM. Does anyone have any ideas? I have tried several things I have read in the forums, but nothing has worked so far. Thank you all in advance for your help!

I have had the same problem when I installed a certain custom rom (can't remember the name :p) on my s3. But later I found that during installation of the rom, there was an option to choose one of four kernels, and if I chose Boeffla kernel (included in the options) my camera wouldn't work. So I just reverted back to the stock kernel and walah! My camera works again. :D