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Help S5 - Can't Do Macro Focus

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ALR60

Newbie
I am going out of my skull!!!

I cannot get the Galaxy S5 to focus on anything close. My S3 had a button for Macro. I don't see this option and when I tap to focus, it tries but it acts like it's too close and fails. ARGGGGGGGGGGGGH!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Having the same problem, plus a bunch of others with the various camera modes.

It looks like it will focus on the close object for like a second, then it zooms back out. Definitely seems like it should be capable because it will be in perfect focus for that one second, then it complains.
 
Yup. Tring to take a pic of a check for a bank deposit. I tap and it'll focus. Then I tap button and it starts focusing all over again and shoots out of focus!
 
I checked and stabilization is turned off. I had selective focus ON and turned it OFF and can now shoot macro [IF] I am in the camera app. Seems completely opposite to me. I would think selective focus would let me do just that!

That said, I still cannot take a photo of a check from my bank's app. Groan.
 
ALR60 said:
I am going out of my skull!!!

I cannot get the Galaxy S5 to focus on anything close. My S3 had a button for Macro. I don't see this option and when I tap to focus, it tries but it acts like it's too close and fails. ARGGGGGGGGGGGGH!!!!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

Same with the Galaxy S4, no macro mode so getting focus to work close up takes a bit of effort.

Why they phased it out I don't know.
 
macro seems to work fine when stabilization it's off and selective focus.

doesn't work on any other app other than the native camera app - like on snapchat can't focus on anything close up....sent an email to snapchat team
 
Ok, finally was able to get selective focus to work per the above. I guess I had stabilization on when I was trying it before. Thanks for the tip.
 
ec34500 said:
macro seems to work fine when stabilization it's off and selective focus.

doesn't work on any other app other than the native camera app - like on snapchat can't focus on anything close up....sent an email to snapchat team
Click to expand...

I've been thinking maybe that's my issue, as well - that the banking app just won't handle the settings or something.
 
I was thinking about getting the S5 but I use the wells fargo app fairly regularly and this would be a deal breaker :( Thanks for the heads up
 
The selective focus app from what I understand was meant to be used as a "focal point" feature, when taking a larger picture, that would generally focus all items, and therefore make something stand out in the fore or background and purposely blur other parts of the image. When you have an item that is too close to the lens, it looks at that object and then look for other items to comparatively focus on.
 
I don't recall making any option changes on Focus, but my check deposit app works perfect on my GS5.

I can get too close actually, I had one deposit refused because "All four corners of the check must be visible". Got that message from the Bank's app! Wow, error checking in a check deposit app.

After that, I make sure there is enough space around the checks.

Another trick I learned, don't lay that check on a fancy background, you want the focus to be on the check only. A clear glass table top don't work so well either, destroyed the focus on my attempt. The kitchen counter seems to work best for me, adequate lighting and the pale wood grain pattern works well with checks.
 
I had been going crazy because of this since I bought the phone, but finally after trying just about everything else, including those suggested here, I just put the camera into Beauty Face mode and that cleared the issue up both in the Camera mode, and when using mobile banking. Just thought I'd pass it along.
 
Beauty Face mode and that cleared the issue up both in the Camera mode, and when using mobile banking.


If that will fix the Mobile Banking check deposit being so darned fussy, I will be very pleased....

Will give that a try right away. My solution up to this point has been to reduce the pixel size to the lowest setting possible. At least that way, my check deposits "usually " work the first time.
 
As most of my pictures never get viewed anywhere except on mobile phones or a forum, using the lowest possible pixel size has not even been noticable.... and here we have been ooohing and ahhhhhing over having a 16 mPixel camera in this phone.
 
I'm having the same problem as the poster, I absolutely hate my Samsung Galaxy S5 and its horrible camera! I have to make 80 attempts to get it to focus on something up close. It'll focus for a second then become blurry. I had no issues with my S3 it took close-ups and sharp images even in bad lighting. The S5 camera is just terrible in every way and most my photos even outdoors in bright daylight gets a blurred/painted noise effect even on the highest resolutions. Not having a good cam on my phone is depressing.

And I've tried all settings ever suggested on any forum - and I clean my lense all the time! ...I think it's a hardware problem and I'm dyyiiiing for a patch because I used to take photos all the time until I got the Samsung Galaxy S5 and its shitty camera.. wish i could afford a new phone!
 
ALR60 said:
I am going out of my skull!!!

I cannot get the Galaxy S5 to focus on anything close. My S3 had a button for Macro. I don't see this option and when I tap to focus, it tries but it acts like it's too close and fails. ARGGGGGGGGGGGGH!!!!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

I have the solution! Just move the camera to a distance where the item is focused, and then zoom in and it works perfect!
 
I've done extensive testing on Lollipop S5 (SM-G900F, BNL9 firmware).
- selective focus doesn't improve focusing at short range
- the magnifier widget has no manual focus and doesn't focus any better than the camera
- stabilisation is only an option for filming and setting it doesn't improve macro focus for still pictures

So those tips are just false hope. Issue not solved.
 
The problem with my bank's online app is that it seems to use the camera without all the built-in features. I can't even zoom. It focuses beautifully on the front. There are a lot of crisply printed words on the front. It's like there is nothing with high enough contrast on the back of a check to focus on. My bank requires the words "For Mobile Deposit Only" in the endorsement area. As a work around that I just tried for the first time, I typed it on my computer, printed it, cut it out, laid it on the check and it focused on the first try. I put that little strip of paper in my wallet for future use. I might reprint it with a straight underline to further help out the camera.
 
Tom Mattsen said:
The problem with my bank's online app is that it seems to use the camera without all the built-in features. I can't even zoom. It focuses beautifully on the front. There are a lot of crisply printed words on the front. It's like there is nothing with high enough contrast on the back of a check to focus on. My bank requires the words "For Mobile Deposit Only" in the endorsement area. As a work around that I just tried for the first time, I typed it on my computer, printed it, cut it out, laid it on the check and it focused on the first try. I put that little strip of paper in my wallet for future use. I might reprint it with a straight underline to further help out the camera.
Click to expand...

I have to agree with you, I tried banking apps from each of two banks that I use. Neither one of them allow for any "settings" as to how the camera works.

My only method of getting a good image was to preset the camera to the lowest resolution, then bring up the banking app.

Lay the check over a black towel or a black art poster paper.
Then make sure that about 10% of the camera's view contained a black margin showing all four corners of the check.

Then most of the time, the bank app would accept the image and work.

Also, I learned to use two light sources at about 30+ degrees to each side of the check.
 
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