Help S5 Active takes awful pictures...

[rtuite]

No matter what I do, if something is within 3 feet of my phone the pictures come out blurry as heck. It has a hard time focusing, may have to tap 5 or 6 times. Then, when it looks focused on the screen, it STILL takes a crappy blurred pictures. I sell a lot on eBay, and would like to use my phone for this since the camera is theoretically better than my old POS Samsung S630. But, at least that turd can take in-focus pictures.

I've tried different camera apps, and the only one that can take a focused picture is A Better Camera, but it locks up my phone and crashes out all the time. I've got plenty of light where I do my eBay pictures, 2x 125w (equiv) + 1x 75W CFLs and they're positioned so there's no glare.

If it's far away, it's fine. Took great pictures of my little one at the park this weekend. But up close it won't focus.

 

[rtuite]

Here are some examples. The first is one from this weekend, the second is one from this afternoon. There's plenty of light, no complex shapes, but it still can't pull off a sharp picture.

 

[Jfalls63]

Just found your post. If your phone is new out of the box they put thin plastic film over the camera lense for Shipping. Hard to tell if it's there. Just checked the lense on mine and removed it by lifting edge with finger nail. Could be worth looking for. Check flash window under lens, had plastic film there too.

 

[rtuite]

That was the first thing I checked. I don't have the film. If I did, all pictures would be awful, not just close ups.

However, I've had a couple of firmware updates since this post and I noticed the other day that my closeups are looking good now.

 

[Jfalls63]

Glad things are better. Got my S5 active Monday so I'll be checking this forum page often. Hate to see any post go long unanswered.