Galaxy A34 video recording and camera technical questions....PLS Help!

[Gino76ph]

Hi there. I wanted to buy an old Galaxy A34 (8GB /256GB) but i have some technical questions that I wanted to ask and find out:

1. Does the main and ultrawide cameras have a shutter button (to take photos) whilst recording a video in

1080p 60?

4K 30?

4K 60?

Does the selfie camera allow you to do those as well?

2. Can I switch to a different video recording format (e.g. 4K 30 to 1080p 60) on-the-fly?

3.  Is there an "HDR" option in the camera settings?

4. Has there been any quality of life camera updates in the past few updates?

Or...do i get the newer Galaxy A35 for those aforementioned features? Or an older S23-series phone instead?

[FranciscaR]

Do you maybe happen to know of a not to expensive gimbal for the A34? Most encroach on the on/off button. 

[imsam9022]

The dji osmo mobile se is the cheapest from dji. It's a great budget gimbal but you may be able to get cheaper than that from other brands. Asus have one called the Asus zen gimbal though I haven't heard much about it. The dji one has a decent app that you track on to people if you would like and the camera can follow for a more premium feel I would go with the dji but it may be worth doing some research on others like the Asus zen. Personally I have seen more people use the dji osmo as it's a great gimbal to start with and use for a while and if you enjoy it you can maybe upgrade in the future.

[FranciscaR]

Many thanks for your reply and I do have a DJI Osmo at home, which someone used to use with an iPhone (very difficult to calibrate though and we used to waste a lot of time getting it right and therefore would often just give up on using it, very annoying), but the problem is that iPhones are designed differently. The Galaxy A34 has the on/off button in the middle of the side, exactly where the grip of the gimbal hits and that causes a lot of problems, as there is no home button on these phones, so basically one can't manage the phone without lifting the grip and that is a huge bother. I can't think how Samsung never thought about this problem. They actually couldn't care less, when I contacted them. So many people out there filming videos... I have been trying to solve this problem for a long time and have never managed to. I did find one company which makes gimbals that grip more on the side but the reviews are awful and they seem quite heavy. 

[imsam9022]

Does the dji osmo have a magsafe mount ad you can either buy a magsafe case for it or buy these magsafe sticker that you stick to the phone.

[FranciscaR]

Thanks for your reply but you got me lost. I don't know what is a magsafe mount ad but have just had a look on Amazon: Amazon.co.uk : magsafe phone AD For gimbal . I suppose this is what you mean? And as far as the stickers go, how would one use them? And would I have to remove the plastic case of my mobile phone in order to use them? Also, is Osmo the only brand who they can be used with? Or can one use them with all brands? Wow, just imagine that after so much research you could have found a solution for my problem. I still can't imagine that Samsung never thought of it and didn't know about these solutions either. With such a huge amount of people now wanting to make good quality videos. I have now asked the person who owns the DJI Osmo if it has that mount. 

[imsam9022]

Hi there,

So sorry for the confusion. Magsafe is a magnetic way of mounting phones. I just wanted to know if the gimbal you own had a magsafe mount. Upon researching it there are multiple versions of the osmo and the ones I looked at I think you can just take the claw off to access the magsafe. Samsung phones do not come with magsafe ( the magnets) on the back of the phone so you can just get a magsafe case or apply a magsafe sticker.
The sticker can be placed on the back of your phone case or the back of your phone as long as the magnet is strong enough to work through your case.
https://amzn.eu/d/6802zxP

The above is a link to the sticker. There are multiple brands that make them out there and it simply your choice.

If you do end up buying this all you have to do is apply the sticker on the phone and then place the phone on the gimbal.

Hope this helps. Once again sorry for the confusion if you want more details don't be afraid to ask...

[FranciscaR]

Many thanks for all your explanation and sorry if I had never heard of Magsafe. My Osmo 3 does not have a magnetic mount, as it is an older version, but if I find one that would work well with my phone, I don't mind buying a new one (OK, would prefer to use the old ones but, if that is not at all possible, so be it and it was very difficult to calibrate with a smallish iPhone anyway, therefore we hardly ever used it, too fiddly). The best thing for me, if I understand well, would be to buy a case that comes with Magsafe, so that I don't have to be always removing my case and it is also safer if the phone for some reason falls from the magnet. But I have also heard that they can in some cases damage the battery of the phone, which sounds strange but, better not put the battery in danger? For some reason all this seems to be for iPhones, which are the ones that don't have problems with the clip mounts. All rather strange. I read on the Osmo page or else they told me this, that one can't run or jump while the phone is connected to the magnet, because it might fall, and my phone is heavier than a regular iPhone. You are extremely kind and have pointed me in the right direction hugely, still, I am not sure that I am comfortable enough yet to know what to go for!!!! Damaging the battery would be awful. I think now that the case with the magnet would really be the best option and then a gimbal with a magnetic mount. More research needed and luckily these things are improving fast. In any case, Samsung, never again. A brand which hasn't thought yet that huge amounts of people now film videos with their phones and couldn't care less either? Not for me! 

[imsam9022]

Hi there again. No need to be sorry. If you can confirm youbcab take the claw attachment off the gimbal you should be able to buy a magsafe mount for the gimbal. As far as I know magsafe shouldn't be too dangerous as it's what's used for wireless charging on some phones and laptops so should have too much harm on the battery. A magsafe case sounds good but I think if you do buy magsafe sticker it should work through most phone cases removing the need to remove the case. The reason you see more about iPhones with magsafe is because Apple invented "MagSafe" which is just their branding the magnetic ring on the back of the phone. Most people just call it Magsafe because it's easier to say compared to magnetic ring. If I'm not wrong I think you can buy a magsafe mount for the Dji Osmo 3. You can buy the original Dji one which upon researching it seems like there are 2 types. There is 1 that I'd magsafe with a clamp thing but that seems to be the same as a normal claw mount. The one that seems the better is a flat magsafe mount which I will attach a link to. There is a dji official one and a 3rd party one. The 3rd party one should work just as good if not better. I watched a video and the 3rd party one works well and both mounts are very strong. I think when I used claw mounts on my a34 I just shuffled it along so the clamp would rest right under my power button. I thought you could just shuffle it along a little. I think as the a34 is a budget phone Samsung may not have thought it would be used like this but they certainly should have. I think on the s25 ultra and such as the phones are much bigger there may be a lot more space.

I'm going to link the 3rd party one now as I think that should be enough and it cheaper that the official one.

https://amzn.eu/d/60Mfvws

Just make sure the case you buy has a strong magnet. Also could you tell me what iPhone you are using as if it is a model with magsafe you won't have to buy a case for that you could just slap it onto the mount and it should work.
If you have any more question don't hesitate to ask. To be honest I enjoy helping people on things I know a decent idea about. 😂

[FranciscaR]

Many thanks for your reply!!!! I was amazed to read that one can actually place the magnetic ring and then the plastic case on the top of it and it would still work with the magnetic mount on the gimbal. But would it be as strong???? Although I have a DJI Osmo 3, I would have to buy a newer one, like the 7, because the 3 only has clamps and nothing else. I don't mind that because the 3 was awfully difficult to calibrate even with a small iPhone. It was a real bad buy. Ah, interesting that you set the clamp just off the button, and I suppose you still manage to calibrate it properly? Because that is my fear. At £300 (because I bought a European model, or else it would have been more expensive, I find the A34 quite expensive. After all this is a device you take everywhere and which can be lost or stolen. I find the A34 already huge........ wouldn't buy something even bigger. The iPhone used before does not belong to me and it is an older one, no magasafe or anything, I am sure, it is I believe 12. Many thanks for the link. I found that one too and sent them some questions about battery safety, but they never answered. but I would suppose that with this one has to take the case off the phone? I dislike everything that is fiddly, especially if I am out and about on my own. The bottom line is that I would have to buy the gimbal and the ring or case at the same time so that I can try them properly and make sure it all works, so, it would be amazing to buy them from the same vendor. Never thought things would be this complicated........... have you ever heard of Insta360? They also sell gimbals and I think magnetic rings. Been trying to get answers from them too, but one is passed from one department to the next. You have been far more helpful than any of them, thanks! 

[imsam9022]

Hi again,
You can also put the magnet ring on your current case if you would like. It should be a similar strength if you put it under the case but it if you buy a good enough magnet it should work just as well. Yeah I put my clamp just off the button but I don't have a gimbal so I don't know how it would work when calibrated. Sorry, I didn't realise you couldn't take the claw of the Osmo 3. The dji osmo 7 is a great gimbal I think you can also find them that come with the magnet mount or you could get the osmo mobile se with is more budget with a lot of the premium features. Yeah most other phones should be a similar size cause the a34 is pretty close size to the s24 plus I have and a bit smaller the s25 ultra. So it seems to be the average size of phones these days. The iPhone 12 should have magsafe so you won't have to buy a separate magnet. Also, I have heard of insta360. Dji and insta360 and some of the best camera equipment and gimbal companies . The insta360 ones also have basically the same magnet mount you can buy for them. They are great gimbals and I think have AI too. I personally have used dji more and heard about their drones and more. and the app of dji seems good. I have heard a lot from insta 360 mainly for their 360 camera and gimbals but I don't know too much about their app. Both are a great choice and if you see one you like you can ask me and i can research it for you. You will probably find all of them at amazon and maybe even get it for cheaper. Sometimes if you look under the add to basket button on the Web version of amazon you can see it says you can buy the same product on amazon for used or refurbished or even new from other sellers. No need to thank me I'm also learning as well.