How do I turn on Camera Flash X10

[paulvoid]

Hi, I got my X10 in Australia at last, can anyone tell me how to get the camera to use flash when taking a photo.
I can get the light to come on in video mode but just want to use as flash.

Is there an app out there or am I just stuck with crappy camera that cant take pics at night.

Please help....

 

[rwZephyr]

You can turn the light on in the "advanced settings" for photos, but I don't know how to make it flash ONLY when a photo is taken

 

[Crash27]

Sorry but there is mo flash feature the light is either on or off, this is what a lot of people are complaining about with the new X10, Hopefully the put out some type of update that will allow it to flash when pictures are taken, but right now there is nothing.

 

[jonmorris]

It's the exact same thing with the Vivaz/Vivaz Pro (and so I'd guess the X10 mini and X10 mini pro). For some reason, SE has lost the ability to make a decent camera interface since they stopped using a Cyber-shot style interface.

I really can't understand what they're playing at, given their 'history' in making decent cameraphones. The LED on the X10 is little more than a torch. It's nowhere near bright enough and is on all the time (even when it's a STILL photo, not video) - but when you take the photo it doesn't 'flash' (get brighter).

Also, it seems to massively soften the resulting pictures too.

They desperately need to update the camera interface (like Motorola has on the Milestone) and not wait until the 2.1 update in Q3/4.

 

[Smg]

Firstly this is not a Cybershot branded phone and that's not the point of the phone its meant to be a flagship so a alrounder and it does well at that.

Secondly the LED being limited to being a light rather than a flash is a limitation of android 1.6.

 

[Crash27]

I find its ok in some situations but myself I keep it turned off, I do not take many pictures with the camera but the ones I do turn out fairly good, The camera button is tricky on it, you have to push it down lightly and it starts to focus in the picture and then a hard click to finish the shot, and it makes a big difference then just clicking it down all at once, I have a friend that was taking pictures with his and was baffled why mine looked so clear and after informing him of the soft touch button his pictures have improved a lot. It still does not take as good as pictures in certain lighting situations as it would with a flash but I have a Canon Rebel for that, But I do agree with "johnmorris" that Sony should have put more time into the camera especially with a 8.1mp camera.

 

[jonmorris]

Firstly this is not a Cybershot branded phone and that's not the point of the phone its meant to be a flagship so a alrounder and it does well at that.

Remember 'Entertainment Unlimited'? The X10, Vivaz, Satio and future models are all designed to sit ABOVE the Cyber-shot and Walkman brands. I keep telling them that this is a dumb move, and they should be looking to brand the camera 'Cyber-shot' and the media player 'Walkman' as they are strong brands. The phone casing doesn't need it, but it would certainly help establish this as a decent all-rounder.

As a result, we got the Satio with a weak media player and now the X10 with a weak camera. That's just not on. The X10 is Sony Ericsson's flagship phone, and there's NO logic to making the flash so bad AND hiding away the option in advanced settings. Name one camera that has a flash that you have to access via 'advanced settings'?

Secondly the LED being limited to being a light rather than a flash is a limitation of android 1.6.

The camera interface is not the standard Android one though, so that's nonsense. SE designed the camera interface, just as they wrote the Timescape and Mediascape code. They still seem to be learning.

You can't defend the interface on the X10 - it's awful. There are rumours SE is going to fix it though, which would also prove me right (otherwise, they'd be happy to keep it as is).

Why do most smartphones have to have poor imaging? Is it because Apple started with a 2MP camera and no flash? Well, SE and others: Wake up! Apple will have 5MP with flash on their next phone and you can be sure they'll start pushing imaging a lot more (and HD video recording). The X10 could be so much better. I hope someone produces a third party camera app for the phone so it can realise its full potential.

 

[Crash27]

Yes I agree, I just took a few pictures a few minutes ago and I am in my bedroom where the lighting is not to great and it is 8:25pm at night and here are pics with using the soft touch and without, Again it takes fairly good pictures but could be a lot better.

Picture 1 is with the soft touch and 8.1MP

Without soft touch and still 8.1MP

And this one is taken with soft touch at 6.1MP

 

[Smg]

Remember 'Entertainment Unlimited'? The X10, Vivaz, Satio and future models are all designed to sit ABOVE the Cyber-shot and Walkman brands. I keep telling them that this is a dumb move, and they should be looking to brand the camera 'Cyber-shot' and the media player 'Walkman' as they are strong brands. The phone casing doesn't need it, but it would certainly help establish this as a decent all-rounder.

As a result, we got the Satio with a weak media player and now the X10 with a weak camera. That's just not on. The X10 is Sony Ericsson's flagship phone, and there's NO logic to making the flash so bad AND hiding away the option in advanced settings. Name one camera that has a flash that you have to access via 'advanced settings'?



The camera interface is not the standard Android one though, so that's nonsense. SE designed the camera interface, just as they wrote the Timescape and Mediascape code. They still seem to be learning.

You can't defend the interface on the X10 - it's awful. There are rumours SE is going to fix it though, which would also prove me right (otherwise, they'd be happy to keep it as is).

Why do most smartphones have to have poor imaging? Is it because Apple started with a 2MP camera and no flash? Well, SE and others: Wake up! Apple will have 5MP with flash on their next phone and you can be sure they'll start pushing imaging a lot more (and HD video recording). The X10 could be so much better. I hope someone produces a third party camera app for the phone so it can realise its full potential.

The camera is awful? Right the best camera on a Android phone.

The "flash" settings are probably in the settings since its not a flash... ?

Your gonna compare it to a iphone... ha Iphone is sh*t at everything.

Oh and the X10 is getting HD video recording as well.

 

[jonmorris]

I didn't say the camera was awful, I said the interface was. The sensor has served SE well since handsets like the C905 and W995.

I made a comparison with Apple purely because of the fact that it seems so many companies have been aiming to copy Apple that they've allowed themselves to compromise on features. Cameras were really advancing in quality and features, but now they're an after-thought.

The X10 now has competition from the Motorola Motoroi (with Xenon flash) and the Droid Incredible. It needs to up its game, and it can do by simply re-writing the camera application. I am sure the hardware is fine (perhaps the LED will still be a little too dim) but SE should be ashamed.

I mean, having the LED come on and stay on permanently in still-photo mode is stupid. Nobody you're taking a picture of will know when the photo was taken, while most will think you're taking video.

At the very least, there should have been an automatic option too.

Sounds to me like you're a hardcore SE fan boy, which is fine - but you'll be thanking me when they acknowledge this problem and improve the camera interface. Far better than saying it has the best camera and putting your head in the sand.

As for HD video recording; that's great. But, we're at a time now where people are getting sick and tired of buying something with features being added later - with no firm guarantee or date.

Nokia is promising that it won't release the N8 until it's all working properly (we shall wait and see!) and it's time that every manufacturer stops this releasing a phone partly finished and then just fixing with patches and firmware updates to satisfy customers who paid top dollar for something not quite ready.

(And I write the above as another SE fan boy, but one that gives credit only when its due).

 

[Smg]

First off i do like Sony products but no i would'nt call myself a Fanboy i have moved from the T-Mobile G1 To the SE X10.

The camera interface might not be too your liking but out of the many reviews i have read this is not one thing people seem to dislike?. Its fine how it is because again this is not a Cybershot phone.

As for people sick of buying something then having to wait for updates.. Well you mentioned Apple and they are by far the worst for that. How long did it take Apple to add simple features like MMS and Copy & Paste etc..Even now they are only just gonna add Multitasking (if you can call it that).

As for the Nokia N8 yes that does look like a great phone and the best camera phone so far but its being aimed purely at people who want a cameraphone first and other stuff as a after thought.

For example the N8 has a less powerful processor (so it probably won't be as snappy as doing things) and then the screens smaller so not as great for web browsing etc etc.

What i am trying to say is yes the X10 could be better but look at Apple as a prime example selling something for alot of money when both the Hardware and Software is outdated. The X10 is noway near as bad as that.. even the rumored specs of the new Iphone still seem pretty pathetic.

 

[jonmorris]

Let's not go on to compare the X10 with the iPhone. My point was that companies, especially the likes of Samsung and LG, have been desperate to copy Apple and drop things the iPhone doesn't have.

The X10 is far from that, but when they told me that Cyber-shot and Walkman would be used for lower end models, and the new handsets would be superior, I didn't expect a series of phones with an inferior user interface and disappointing photographs.

The N8 is Symbian, so that's probably going nowhere, but it will be a good standalone offering that does what I think Sony Ericsson needs to be continuing to do. Most Symbian owners don't even know what 'smartphone' capabilities they have.

Fortunately, for everything besides the camera, Android has a load of awesome third party apps to do things better than SE can do. Timescape has been disabled on my X10, for example.

 

[sagay]

Hi,
I use a camera app called Vignette with my X10 which has 3 options for flash (Flash Off / Auto Flash / Flash On). Auto flash does what you ask for.

 

[Superbrowndude]

Yes Vignette is a great alterantive app,also good for setting how many Megapixels you want your camera to use for a photo. Video Illusion is also decent for video,its the only app that works on the X10 2.2 at the moment.

I had a SE K850i,that camera was simply amazing with its 5.0mp and xenon flash. This 8.1 aint cutting it. The 5.0 shot much better photos especially in pitch black conditions.

 

[rebel.c]

The light on mine will not turn on in advanced settings. It will work with the led app i downloaded but in advanced settings when I turn it on it does not turn on. Anyone else having this problem?

 

[mr_esmit]

You have to turn it on and then exit the advance settings option. The same to turn it off.

 

[rebel.c]

That is weird but your right it works. Thanks

 

[linussk]

where can i get full version of VIGNETTE APP FOR ANDROID 2.1. help me.....

 

[jonmorris]

The video showing the X10 with the Gingerbread update (including Facebook inside Xperia) seems to show the same camera interface - which presumably means you still can't quickly turn on the flash, or have an automatic mode (unless it's now in the advanced menu).

I will never understand why they just turned the light on like a torch, instead of when you take a photo, or tucked the option away. No other Xperia phone does it like this, from the mini models with its interface to the arc, neo, pro, ray, active etc.

 

[beau420]

The video showing the X10 with the Gingerbread update (including Facebook inside Xperia) seems to show the same camera interface - which presumably means you still can't quickly turn on the flash, or have an automatic mode (unless it's now in the advanced menu).

I will never understand why they just turned the light on like a torch, instead of when you take a photo, or tucked the option away. No other Xperia phone does it like this, from the mini models with its interface to the arc, neo, pro, ray, active etc.

Download the xPeria Flashlight widget. U still have to click it on, but it a lot quicker with the widget.

Every camera phone flash is horrible anyways.

 

[Ali.K]

Its better to search "Camera flash on Sony Ericsson Xperia X10" on Youtube or watch clip below


The flash is a light only mode, it does not operate as a flash. You can say its basically a flash-less camera.

"Easy way is to turn on your camera, click left bottom button of cell phone, go on Advance setting option, turn on flesh light. Flesh light will be on,then you can use that flesh during photo capturing".........

Ali.K

"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-59r9OGWvVo&feature=player_detailpage"

 

[Merolas]

nope, this wont work, the light will go out the moment you take a picture.

 

[Perplexed]

By Googling, I found an an Ap that allegedly modifies the X10 to allow flash photography, but there is a risk it may interfere with other functions so I did not takethe risk. Further, in Video mode andwith the light "off", under low-light conditions the camera light never-the-less turns on but is not at full power. This is a problem if filming through glass (reflection of the light) or if wanting to film without being noticed.

 

[linussk]

I have updated my Xperia X10 with Android 2.3.3.
Little interface changes. but dull colors in the entire interface.
has improvements.
The camera interface hasn't changed. the camera light wont flash. we have to switch it on.

 

[adrianjt]

hi

was hoping that there may have been a fix for this fault/issue....?

would really appreciate any new info

thanks
adrianjt