[Q] Does the Note 3 have a terrible camera or do I have a defective unit?

[Hero746]

Before upgrading to the Note 3 just a few days ago, I had a Galaxy SII for roughly a year and a half. I'm finding that the pictures taken on my Note 3 look awful in both day and low light settings.

I've tried the stock camera app, Vignette, Snap Camera, A Better Camera, Camera Zoom FX, and Camera FV-5 all which swear are the best camera apps. All pictures look like crap regardless of which app I use.

These are from my SII:

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu316/mxp746/20121101_110555_zps3558c275.jpg
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu316/mxp746/20120827_164133_zps41705e95.jpg
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu316/mxp746/dancer_zpsacf5786c.jpg <------ low light

Note 3:

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu316/mxp746/Mobile Uploads/20140114_084948_zpsikxcobrv.jpg <----This one is especially bad because this was taken in a lit room. Stock Camera
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu316/mxp746/Mobile Uploads/DSC_0011_zpsrklwffby.JPG
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/.../CameraZOOM-20140114203611877_zpssvkyfqjt.jpg<---Camera Zoom FX
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu316/mxp746/Mobile Uploads/DSC_0001_zpswc3d6keq.JPG <---Camera FV-5

The weird thing is that those last two pictures came out fine using the stock camera app.

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu316/mxp746/Mobile Uploads/20140114_194404_zpszjth2yu7.jpg
http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu316/mxp746/Mobile Uploads/20140114_203541_zps0vgtmjt8.jpg

So what gives? When it wants to, it takes shots like the last above. When it doesn't, it doesn't. All pictures are unedited taken with auto mode. ISO and exposure settings have not been modified.

 

[sledgie]

Bad module. I had the same problem, photos would not correctly focus. Exchanged it at tmobile, New one works much better. If you hand shakes the tiniest bit the auto focus goes crazy, that's why next one needs OIS.

 

[Hero746]

I'd like to get more opinions please.

 

[jcannon318]

Definitely something wrong. The note 3 has one if the best cameras I've used yet on a phone.

Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk

 

[Eric214]

My phone has been tack-sharp for the most part. I think 1 of every 8 or so might be blurry but its been really good so far. I've only had my Note 3 for 6 days but I've taken about 60 or pictures. I have not taken any night shots yet, just indoor/outdoor during the day.

 

[noobtoob]

Mine takes crappy pictures a lot as well, plus when filming, the slightest movement makes the autofocus go ape sh* and gets all grainy.

Again like you though, it takes great pictures and films when it wants to.

Sent from any phone that isn't made by Apple.

 

[CR1XY]

Hey there, I'm having the EXACT same problem with my new Note 3 and it's driving me nuts!

Just got it less than a week ago brand new from Best Buy (March 29).

I updated to KitKat OTA and everything is great EXCEPT the camera. The smart stabilization doesn't seem to do anything, it's always blurry unless it's super sunny and bright and I'm not moving at all.

I've been doing some research and it seems to be pretty common, about 50/50 of Note 3 owners complaining. Somebody mentioned that Samsung changed the image sensor in the later batches of the Note 3? Also some customers have exchanged their device and say the 2nd one works fine.

I'm gonna play with the settings some more but will likely go back to Best Buy tomorrow (April 4) to see if they have another one I can try.

BRB, Keep ya posted

 

[Max_Pain]

Hope you don't mind me posting on here, but I also got a "camera is acting ****ty" question and it may be related.

I went from a Note II to Note III ... and taking a picture with this is horrible. I press the shutter button. It does the whole "took a pic" animation and then it says "Processing". If I move the phone while it's processing, it captures whatever is in front of the phone as I move it, as if it was taking the picture during "Processing" and not when it did the animation that indicates it took a picture.

Does that make sense? In essence it's ruined a bunch of shots because it's telling "hey I took the picture" and next thing I know, not, it hadn't taken the picture. And in the Note II I never had to wait for any "processing" like this one seems to do for every picture.

What gives?

 

[tony yayo]

Hope you don't mind me posting on here, but I also got a "camera is acting ****ty" question and it may be related.

I went from a Note II to Note III ... and taking a picture with this is horrible. I press the shutter button. It does the whole "took a pic" animation and then it says "Processing". If I move the phone while it's processing, it captures whatever is in front of the phone as I move it, as if it was taking the picture during "Processing" and not when it did the animation that indicates it took a picture.

Does that make sense? In essence it's ruined a bunch of shots because it's telling "hey I took the picture" and next thing I know, not, it hadn't taken the picture. And in the Note II I never had to wait for any "processing" like this one seems to do for every picture.

What gives?

I've had the blurry processing problem as well. Probably couldn't replicate it if I tried. Maybe it has to do with whether you are saving to sd card or internal memory?

 

[Max_Pain]

Saving to my 64GB card that I used on the Note II without this issue.

 

[g1-and-only]

Damn camera

Yeah same here as well. You have to take off stabilize shot and just take regular pics until someone can make a mod for it or Samsung gives us an update. You could go the other route and take smooth video and then playback and take pics from there. (^_-). I was and still am pretty pissed about this camera. It works sometimes but the whole processing thing is terrible. I too am coming from the note 2 and it had fantastic pics as does this note 3 it just does so when it wants. Be very still when taking pictures.

 

[Max_Pain]

Thanks for the heads up. Took off the Smart Stabilization crap and now it works as I'd need it. I've done photography for a few years so I can keep a phone steady enough for a picture. The tradeoff of instant capture vs software stabilization with a delay is silly.

 

[CR1XY]

Thanks for the heads up. Took off the Smart Stabilization crap and now it works as I'd need it. I've done photography for a few years so I can keep a phone steady enough for a picture. The tradeoff of instant capture vs software stabilization with a delay is silly.

Note 2 had much sharper and clear images than Note 3.

Note 3 camera much better WITHOUT Smart Stabilization, but you still need to hold VERY still.

 

[bipoler]

The convenience of a cellphone camera isn't so convenient when it distorts your equilibrium

Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk

 

[Limeybastard]

I never rated the camera on the note 3 either. I posted a while back on auto mode light colored duck in daytime . the duck was over exposed beyond comprehension. Yet the river which was brown came out good.

Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk

 

[Mr Global]

Hope you don't mind me posting on here, but I also got a "camera is acting ****ty" question and it may be related.

I went from a Note II to Note III ... and taking a picture with this is horrible. I press the shutter button. It does the whole "took a pic" animation and then it says "Processing". If I move the phone while it's processing, it captures whatever is in front of the phone as I move it, as if it was taking the picture during "Processing" and not when it did the animation that indicates it took a picture.

Does that make sense? In essence it's ruined a bunch of shots because it's telling "hey I took the picture" and next thing I know, not, it hadn't taken the picture. And in the Note II I never had to wait for any "processing" like this one seems to do for every picture.

What gives?

I'm having the same problem. I shut off the image stabilization, and it stopped the "processing" message.
It still take a very long time to take the picture and save it.
Any ideas?

 

[Max_Pain]

I moved on to the Note 4 and it's much better. I never figured out a solution on the Note 3 unfortunately.

Sent from my Galaxy Note 4 using Tapatalk