Mi4c Low camera quality

[itsignas]

Hello, so I been using this phone for few weeks, and now I gave up. Camera quality is terrible, only close and with flash shots are okay. But even outside, little bit further it comes blurry. What's the problem? Third (3) photo is looking great with flash outside. Second photo is blurry, if just zoom little bit.. Others without flash just look's terrible, and I don't know what's the problem...

 

[Calebz]

Hello, so I been using this phone for few weeks, and now I gave up. Camera quality is terrible, only close and with flash shots are okay. But even outside, little bit further it comes blurry. What's the problem? First photo is looking great with flash outside. Second photo is blurry too, if just zoom little bit.. Others without flash just look's terrible, and I don't know what's the problem...

The Mi4c camera seems to be on par with most other midrange Chinese phones. Coming from a Nexus 5, everything about this phone is an upgrade, except the camera - which is a shame because it's not like the N5 had the best camera ever - but it was still better under most conditions than the Mi4c

 

[itsignas]

So this is normal? I mean only close shots are fine, right?

 

[legacyofthevoid]

Mi 4C actually has better image quality than most phones at the same price range. But admittedly its auto-focus is a bit problematic. Your photos seems to be the problem of auto-focus as well. My Mi 4C produces very good photos (close or far objects) when focused correctly.

If you are using Snapdragon Camera, try disabling Zero Shutter Lag (press Red Eye Reduction a couple of times to enable developer options).

 

[itsignas]

I have miui 8, and it's stock camera, may you know where to get snapdragon camera? Thanks

 

[itsignas]

Okay, front camera looks like painted if little bit zoomed in. It is because im not using snapdragon camera?

 

[legacyofthevoid]

Okay, I took selfie, and front camera looks like painted if little bit zoomed in. It is because im not using snapdragon camera?

That's normal. You shouldn't zoom in with a phone camera because there is no optical zooming. Zooming in on a phone is like enlarging a photo on your computer. Of course it will look painted. It's not because you are not using Snapdragon Camera.

---------- Post added at 12:44 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:36 AM ----------

I have miui 8, and it's stock camera, may you know where to get snapdragon camera? Thanks

Snapdragon Camera is the default camera in CM13. It's OK if you don't have it.

Try these steps to see if you can take a decent photo:
1. Find an outdoor place with bright sunlight
2. Hold your camera very steadily (find something to support, like a table, light pole, etc)
3. Press the screen to focus
4. Press the shutter button lightly (to reduce camera shake)

The Zero Shutter Lag function keeps making the photo blurry for some reason. I don't know if there is Zero Shutter Lag function in MiUI camera, or whether it can be disabled. If everything fails, try another camera app.

 

[Karly Johnston]

The Mi4c camera seems to be on par with most other midrange Chinese phones. Coming from a Nexus 5, everything about this phone is an upgrade, except the camera - which is a shame because it's not like the N5 had the best camera ever - but it was still better under most conditions than the Mi4c

My Mi4c takes way better photos than my N5 ever did. That was one of the worst cameras I ever owned.

 

[Calebz]

My Mi4c takes way better photos than my N5 ever did. That was one of the worst cameras I ever owned.

Interesting. I find with the Mi4c that the pictures come out ok only if taken in full daylight and the subject is perfectly still. The N5 camera captures objects in motion. For example, my 2 year old splashing in the pool. The Mi4c will show the pool and surroundings well enough, but the kid and the water splashes are just a blur. The N5 will capture the kid in motion and even the individual drops of water.

I admit, that on release in 2013 , the N5 camera was a bit of a potato, but subsequent updates to Google camera turned it into a relatively decent shooter.

 

[Karly Johnston]

Interesting. I find with the Mi4c that the pictures come out ok only if taken in full daylight and the subject is perfectly still. The N5 camera captures objects in motion. For example, my 2 year old splashing in the pool. The Mi4c will show the pool and surroundings well enough, but the kid and the water splashes are just a blur. The N5 will capture the kid in motion and even the individual drops of water.

I admit, that on release in 2013 , the N5 camera was a bit of a potato, but subsequent updates to Google camera turned it into a relatively decent shooter.

So use Google camera. I get better focus from it, not to mention 4k.

 

[Calebz]

So use Google camera. I get better focus from it, not to mention 4k.

Which ROM are you using? I'm on TSCM 13.1 and Google camera doesn't seem to work well.. at least not the version I had on the phone (3.2 I think)

 

[Karly Johnston]

Which ROM are you using? I'm on TSCM 13.1 and Google camera doesn't seem to work well.. at least not the version I had on the phone (3.2 I think)

sMiUI, it required a fix to enable HDR but no problems sense.

 

[legacyofthevoid]

Interesting. I find with the Mi4c that the pictures come out ok only if taken in full daylight and the subject is perfectly still. The N5 camera captures objects in motion. For example, my 2 year old splashing in the pool. The Mi4c will show the pool and surroundings well enough, but the kid and the water splashes are just a blur. The N5 will capture the kid in motion and even the individual drops of water.

I admit, that on release in 2013 , the N5 camera was a bit of a potato, but subsequent updates to Google camera turned it into a relatively decent shooter.

The difference between N5 and Mi4C that you mentioned is probably due to the difference in lighting conditions. When you took the photo with N5, you were likely under very bright sunlight so the camera used a fast shutter speed (e.g. 1/500s), freezing everything in the frame. When you took the photo with Mi4C, you might be under weaker sunlight (e.g. overcast) so the camera used a slower shutter speed (e.g. 1/50s), so everything that was staying still appeared sharp and everything that was moving (your kid and the water splash) appeared blurry.

If you still have your N5, try both phones under the same lighting condition. I think Mi4C will give better results. If Mi4C still gives blurry shots in good lighting, try manually setting a high ISO value (e.g. ISO1600) to force the camera to use a fast shutter speed.

---------- Post added at 02:36 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:34 AM ----------

Which ROM are you using? I'm on TSCM 13.1 and Google camera doesn't seem to work well.. at least not the version I had on the phone (3.2 I think)

Google Camera doesn't work well on CM13. There is probably no fix for that. I think Snapdragon Camera (the default camera in CM13) is very good, despite its slightly inconvenient UI.

 

[Calebz]

The difference between N5 and Mi4C that you mentioned is probably due to the difference in lighting conditions. When you took the photo with N5, you were likely under very bright sunlight so the camera used a fast shutter speed (e.g. 1/500s), freezing everything in the frame. When you took the photo with Mi4C, you might be under weaker sunlight (e.g. overcast) so the camera used a slower shutter speed (e.g. 1/50s), so everything that was staying still appeared sharp and everything that was moving (your kid and the water splash) appeared blurry.

If you still have your N5, try both phones under the same lighting condition. I think Mi4C will give better results. If Mi4C still gives blurry shots in good lighting, try manually setting a high ISO value (e.g. ISO1600) to force the camera to use a fast shutter speed.

---------- Post added at 02:36 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:34 AM ----------


Google Camera doesn't work well on CM13. There is probably no fix for that. I think Snapdragon Camera (the default camera in CM13) is very good, despite its slightly inconvenient UI.

Unfortunately, it wasn't a difference in conditions. I had one phone in each hand in full daylight.

By no means am I suggesting that the N5 is the best camera in the world, or that the Mi4c is terrible. The Mi4c clearly smokes the N5 in terms of how long it takea to start the camera, how fast it can take pictures (though using HDR, it's probably a wash), and ability to focus on still objects at much closer range.

I read as widely as I could when looking for a new phone and overall am still eminently pleased with my choice. I just wish for once that a professional reviewer would take into account the idea that sometimes people take pictures of living things that move instead of just trees, random buildings or the crap on their desks :lol:

 

[legacyofthevoid]

Unfortunately, it wasn't a difference in conditions. I had one phone in each hand in full daylight.

By no means am I suggesting that the N5 is the best camera in the world, or that the Mi4c is terrible. The Mi4c clearly smokes the N5 in terms of how long it takea to start the camera, how fast it can take pictures (though using HDR, it's probably a wash), and ability to focus on still objects at much closer range.

I read as widely as I could when looking for a new phone and overall am still eminently pleased with my choice. I just wish for once that a professional reviewer would take into account the idea that sometimes people take pictures of living things that move instead of just trees, random buildings or the crap on their desks :lol:

If the lighting condition is the same, it's probably the difference in algorithm in exposure calculation that causes the difference. Try using a high ISO on Mi4C, or switch to "Sports Mode" (if any). Maybe that'll help.

 

[Gabbbbbbb]

Post samples, it's very possible that your unit has a faulty lens.

 

[itsignas]

Post samples, it's very possible that your unit has a faulty lens.

Added.

 

[legacyofthevoid]

I still think it is the problem of focus.

When the camera focuses correctly, everything in the frame is very sharp:

But when the camera screws up the focus (which happens quite often), then the photo becomes blurry like the one you have shown:

 

[Gabbbbbbb]

Your last 2 samples look like serious lens decentering, but then before the decentering seems to be on the other side. Almost as if a lens element, or an element group is lose.

 

[itsignas]

Alright, I took few more photos few days ago. Last photo looks very sharp, maybe good focused, but that was hell a pain. Almost every photo is out of focus then. Only that looks fine, and close shots while steady.. It's kinda really hard to get focused shot even steady.