Post processing photos

[Ejay2000]

Hi all 

I've seen various posts where people are frustrated about not being able to prevent the automatic post-processing on photos. 

I've noticed something interesting about this. It seems that the camera is actually taking two shots, like a burst! 

I noticed it when I screenshotted a photo before it got processed, and the TV was in the backgroud of the photo. When I then looked at the processed version, the TV was on a different scene in the background. So the processed version was a little behind the original.

So, are the originals getting cached, permanently deleted, or stored somewhere in a hidden system folder?

If they are not just being wiped, there may be a way to get them back?

I don't know if anyone else has noticed this?

[Bindex]

Hi, I am unsure about all the answer you're looking for in this post but I can say you can turn down the post processing on photos, to do this open the camera app > click the setting's icon > intelligent optimisation > Then choose which level quality optimization you want or disable it. 

[Moiramon]

I've heard in low light shots it will take multiple photos and put them together for the best picture.

[Chappell101]

This is normal for the standard camera mode and especially so when shooting in ExpertRaw.

Multi-frame imaging is used if you have
HDR on
Are digitally zoomed in to pixelshift upscale
The scene is darker to reduce noise with median blending
ExpertRaw is used for the most extensive RAW frame merging

The image you see initially in the Gallery is just the internal thumbnail for the first frame this is later replaced with the merged composite image once processing has completed so you can press capture quicker again. This is why the picture can change.

Your best options to fully prevent it should you wish at the expense of image quality are to shoot with a 3rd party camera app which will process first before export as they have less capability. To shoot in burst mode which actually pauses AI processing to improve capture time (Only 12mp, no continuous AF though but you can take up to 100 pics over a couple of seconds) or shoot RAW in pro mode which will limit processing after capture to keep the image frame range closer in time to your initial button press.

[Chappell101]

This will not fully disable it. It will just reduce it.

[Ejay2000]

I wanted to pass on the info and to see if anyone had any ideas about to access the original image. There is nothing that can disable post processing. I have tried, as have many people here. What I haven't seen mentioned before is that two shots are taken. It's not the same photo that's being processed.

[Ejay2000]

Thank you. I really don't want to sacrifice image quality, so I'm at a bit of a loss. I just hadn't realised the processed photo is, in essence, separate shot to the photo displayed just after the shot has been taken. I thought it was a case the same original image being processed.

So what happens to that internal thumbnail? I've located the hidden .thumbnail folders in the phone, but they aren't in there.

It's so frustrating that we can't just disble post processing!

[Bindex]

My apologies, I was referring to the sensor optimisation setting within intelligent optimization settings. But it won't fully disable post processing.

[Chappell101]

I would stick to RAW in pro mode if it's resolution that matters while slightly reducing this.

I do wish there was a native option to fully disable it too for high resolutions when it's bright as an option for when quality isn't the first priority as a lot can change in up to 30 image frames to make up one image should the subject be faster motion. It's not entirely a different image just elements may change from the frame merge but you don't get to pick what's kept unfortunately.

It is normal for phones to use computational photography though to compensate for the limitations of the smaller photosites to absorb light on sensors 20x smaller than a mirrorless camera which can do it in one, until technology improves it's a current limitation of physics.

The original thumbnail image is deleted so you will not be able to retrieve it. Should you shoot say 300 200MP images over a few minutes there will be a brief processing backlog (Certainly is for my S24U) If you try to view a awaiting image in the Gallery (Processing dots show when it's happening) you will be unable to slide up on the image to view full details as it's not a true image file yet just a very low resolution placeholder thumbnail for the raw data to be processed.

[Chappell101]

No worries. You mean the colour channel and Ai texture enhancement from Scene Optimiser. I think the fact that there isn't a full off switch confuses some users.