A5 2017 front camera focus issue

[Anonymous User]

I found that front camera in A5 2017 has a serious issue, Focusing!

If my face is near front camera (like 20-30cm), the photo would be clear. But if I extend my hand to take a selfie (this is needed for group selfies), then everything including faces is blurry!

This isn't my only issue but I heard from others that they are experiencing same problem!

I also have a Huawei Nova whose front camera doesn't have auto/manual focus either but, unlike A5 2017, photos are clear!

[TracyR]

Hye @Anonymous User, :womanhappy:

Let’s try this, go over to your dial pad and type in *#0*#, this will bring up a number of tests. Select Front Cam, align your phone and tap to take a photo. 

Does the camera have trouble focusing during the test?

[Anonymous User]

I tried and yes the photo is still blurry. It is clear if I take close selfie (not to stretch my hand!!)

[JordanH]

Hey @Anonymous User. :smileyhappy:

Try switching between camera modes. Go into the camera app, click mode, select “Beauty Face”, then go back into Mode and hit “Auto”. Also be sure you are pressing the screen when you are taking a selfie so it can focus on your face. 

Can you also try clearing the cache of your camera app. Go into Settings > Applications > Application manager > Camera > Force Stop > Storage > Clear cache. This frees up memory and may clear some type of issue that was causing your phone to take blurred pics. 

[Anonymous User]

Thank you for your time.

A5 2017 doesn't have that type of "mode" other models have. However, if you swype right, you have 3 modes like Selfie, Wide Selfie and Night. Meanwhile, front camera has no manual or auto focus, so pressing screen is pointless. I tried your advice and also cleared cache and restart and even reset camera & phone but the result is same. Clear photos if my face almost cover screen but blurry if I stretch my hand to have wide scene..... 😞

[sameerchavan]

I also have same issue. Its so ***** that for a 30K phone the front camera is out-of-focus if your face is away from 1 Feet. This is very bad engineering setting. The front camera depth-of-field is very low. The focal lenght of the camera is small. So your face needs to be withing 30cm. Or it will be blurry. IF you are taking group selfie and rest of the people are behind you, they are all blurred. 

Such a engineering mistake from samsung is unacceptable.  They should release a firmware update to fix the focal lenght of front camera. 

[Anonymous User]

100% agree with you. I'm currently using my nexus 5x instead. Very much disappointed from Samsung.

The point is having your voice heard and possibly fixing the issue via a firmware is almost impossible for companies like Samsung unless you make it a big news! Only then Samsung hears our voice and possibly takes action 😞

[sameerchavan]

I have many other phones like Honor4, oneplus2 and samsung note4, etc. But this issue with A5 2017 is strange. How can samsung do this. I am from technical background and i know this issue is due to focus fixed to 1 Ft lenght. I also have a doubt that this will not be fixed as the focual lenght of camera is hardware related. The camera assembly in the A5 is already fixed with predefined aperture and focal lenght. If this was USA, consumers can file a case against samsung. But since this is India we need to resell this. Samsung will not do anything. 

[CarolinaW]

Hi @sameerchavan! Let's look into this! Did you buy your phone in India? Have you spoken with our friends at Samsung India regarding this issue? If not, you can reach them on: http://www.samsung.com/in/info/contactus/ Do let us know how you get on. 

[sameerchavan]

@CarolinaW - This issues is in all A 2017 series phones where you have used the same camera hardware. I brought the phone in India/Bangalore from Samsung store. I have also checked in many other samsung stores in front of your technical persons. I tested in many other A5/A7 2017 phones. They have admitted this issue. It cannot be rectified. It is like your Note 7 issue. You need to call back all phones or scrap all of them and refund the money. 

[CarolinaW]

We’re sorry you are unhappy with the fixed focus on the Galaxy A5’s front-facing camera. This camera is optimised for Selfie Mode and should be used when you are taking pictures of objects or people between 20 and 50cm from the lens. For pictures outside of this range, you can make use of the rear camera that makes use of photodiodes and auto-focus. You can also set a voice control for your photos by going to Camera App > Settings > Voice Control > Toggle On. Let us know how you get on. 

[Anonymous User]

Isn't this funny? Is Samsung creating "brand new" rule for front camera? Or you are trying to justify another mess (like note 7) with this? 

Is selfie camera for close photos only?

We, users, should make our voice loud to have world know Samsung is messing with users again!

[Billsticky]

YES INDEED I AGREE, just a full stretch of my arm is enough for it to loose all the focus. I'm a photographer and having a fixed lens and yet having the focus range not set to infinity, I'd rather have a higher aperture to keep everything clear. And it really sucks when it comes to wefie, didn't wanted my friends to be bokeh.

[sameerchavan]

You are wrong. I am engineer who has worked in mobile R&D in Seoul, korea. The problem in this phone is that the front camera's depth-of-field is very low. If you dont know, most selfies have friends behind us. And your camera makes them all blur. Poor customers think it is their fault. They don't know Samsung engineers have done a bad job. 

This cannot be fixed. Finally I sold this A5 that i got at 30k and brounght a chinese Geonie A1 phone at 20K. The front camera of this chinese phone is awesome. No one is blurred even if they stand 5 ft away from my face. 

I had samsung S4, S6, Note2, Note4 and wanted to buy S8. Now I dont trust. Even in S8 the finger print scanner is at wrong position next to camera lense. This will making it always with finger print marks & blurred pictures. 

[Anonymous User]

I do agree with you. Even a 16MP phone with fixed focus shouldn't be this way. I know Huawei Nova front camera has fixed focus but the photos are all clear regardless of distance! Samsung engineers have messed with this and just released it with the mess cheating users with "16MP" front camera! 16MP front camera for 30-50cm distance?!! Really? Or maybe it is designed for "skin care" experts to examine our pores on our face?

[Billsticky]

OMG 😂😂😂😂 this one is good

[Bangladesh1]

Since you are an engineer, so my qs is, "Is it possible to rectify this problem by updating the phone or using any other camera app? or it's something related with hardware issue which can't be solved." I bought a A7 2017 few days back and facing same problems now.

[Billsticky]

Of course it's hardware problem

[varshabi]

it is very bad. when you say our phone's front camera is 16 MP, many of people buy this phone to take great selfies. If we want to use rear camera for taking selfie, we have many other choices to buy. Give back our money please.

[Anonymous User]

We deserve this mess! This is what "blind" fans of brands get! Samsung has our money in her pocket laughing at us!

A big company with hundreds models never care users much unless it's a shameful news (note 7).

The best strategy of buying a phone with proper care to users is to purchase from brands with few models like Google/Sony....

I hate Samsung now...(who cares)...

[RaveKingX]

I have the same problem with my A5 2017 and i also hate the fact that their is no OIS in back camera.Samsung should atleast by a firmware update add EIS or some kind of software stablization and fix the front camera