Rear/main camera focus to infinity not work on LineageOS

[fxtec-preorder-47xx 36]

i got something! I got some system info using this App:
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.oF2pks.kalturadeviceinfos/

I did this on freshly flashed Stock ROM, and also on freshly flashed LOS official.

The resulting JSON files were mostly identical, but with a perhaps problemrelated difference:

LOS-official:

"#CAMERA2API=": {
   "0=back<LEVEL3>4048x3040([100, 800])": {
      [...]
      "android.lens.info.focusDistanceCalibration": "1",

Pro1-Stock:

"#CAMERA2API=": {
   "0=back<LEVEL3>4048x3040([100, 800])": {
      [...]
      "android.lens.info.focusDistanceCalibration": "2",

See? Difference? 1 vs 2? Also, the similar section for the front camera has the same value on both systems. (Front cam working for me fine on either ROM.)
Can you guys run this app and export that json on your LOS Pro1, please?

So, I think THIS IS IT! How do we fix this?

(I HOPE the value did not change as I might have used the cam app on the one rom before exporting the json, but I think this is a fixed value... Well this sort of testing woud be a lot easier if I had TWO pro1...)

According to docs "2" stands for "CALIBRATED" and "1" for "APPROXIMATE".

Edited November 19, 2020 by fxtec-preorder-47xx

[fxtec-preorder-47xx 36]

@tdmWhat do you think about the differing values of android.lens.info.focusDistanceCalibration? Do you think you could add this to the LOS code? Or try if it improves focus?

[claude0001 334]

On my LineagOS 16:

"android.lens.info.focusDistanceCalibration": "1"

just like on yours.

However, if I understand the docs correctly, this calibration affects only the object distance that is saved in the EXIF header of the pictures and has no influence on the optical functioning of the camera itself.

As far as I know, auto-focus works by optimising the FFT of the actual picture on the sensor and does not rely on somehow "knowing" the true distance to the object. The distance that is saved in the picture metatdata is then derived from the (optimised) position of the lens with respect to the sensor (which is where said calibration comes in).

Edited November 19, 2020 by claude0001

[tdm 2,298]

10 hours ago, fxtec-preorder-47xx said:

@tdmWhat do you think about the differing values of android.lens.info.focusDistanceCalibration? Do you think you could add this to the LOS code? Or try if it improves focus?

You can try and let me know.

[fxtec-preorder-47xx 36]

Fair enough...

[Jacob_S 103]

Seems like I have the same problem on LineageOS 17.1. My device has a serial number in the 300 range, so maybe it is really something with early models. Tried it with the preinstalled camera and Open Camera. 

[Jacob_S 103]

If there's something I can do to help locating the problem, just let me know. But ideally the description of steps should be for stupid people then, as I am not very knowledgeable in this field.

[Jacob_S 103]

Could it just be a problem with the mounting of the camera that was then somehow fixed softwarewise on Stock? The upper (main) lense seems to be a bit off-centered in the black hole/ compared to the lower lens on my phone.

[Jacob_S 103]

Further observations in Open Camera: 

Very near objects (around 0.50m away): Get sharp when sliding the manual focus to around 30m, stay sharp until ~2000m and go blurred when putting the slider to infinity

Near objects (around 1,50m away): Get almost sharp/ only slightly blurred when sliding the manual focus to around 30m, then there's no change until ~2000m and again the jump to blurred when putting the slider to infinity

Far objects (down the street) : Generally a bit more blurred, apart from that exactly the same behaviour as near objects - Best from 30m on, but no further change until the sudden blur when jumping to infinity. 

Edited January 14 by Jacob_S

[agent008 213]

I have also been facing focus woes with the camera. Unfortunately didn't have time to test as @Jacob_S did., I only really use the camera when my wife's phone isn't available (battery died or left phone somewhere) and she wants to take pictures. Other than that only the odd document or work things, with some effort I can focus (involves distancing/approaching the phone to the object instead of relying on the camera focusing).

Thank you @Jacob_S for the effort. Maybe your observations will help solve this issue!

[agent008 213]

Hi All

@EskeRahn, maybe this should be merged within the general LineageOS thread? Where it might get a better visibility. Thanks

[EskeRahn 3,968]

56 minutes ago, agent008 said:

Hi All

@EskeRahn, maybe this should be merged within the general LineageOS thread? Where it might get a better visibility. Thanks

Yeah, has been considering this, but was not quite sure which version of lineage this was all about..... Test 16, released 16, released 17 ... ?

[agent008 213]

4 minutes ago, EskeRahn said:

Yeah, has been considering this, but was not quite sure which version of lineage this was all about..... Test 16, released 16, released 17 ... ?

For me it's 17.1 Currently running 20201214 (I think). Am updating now to 20210118. Thanks

[Jacob_S 103]

Also 17.1. 20210118

Edited January 18 by Jacob_S
added version information

[Jacob_S 103]

On 1/18/2021 at 3:48 PM, Jacob_S said:

Also 17.1. 20210118

It seems like the update to 0118 did change something. Now the focus slider in Open Camera does nothing. So near objects are always sharp, far objects always the same blurred. 

Edited February 10 by Jacob_S
See below, just had the wrong setting active.

[wuwtk1 2]

Issue also is in the last release of Lineage 16. Not using my camera at the moment because of Covid lock-downs, but really need it after and hoping not have to go back to stock 😞

[EskeRahn 3,968]

6 hours ago, Jacob_S said:

It seems like the update to 0118 did change something. Now the focus slider in Open Camera does nothing. So near objects are always sharp, far objects always the same blurred. 

Odd, on mine with 17.1 20210118 the manual focus slider seems to work fine. (I have not tested the far distances though, it being pitch dark outside)

[Jacob_S 103]

On 1/20/2021 at 2:15 PM, Jacob_S said:

It seems like the update to 0118 did change something. Now the focus slider in Open Camera does nothing. So near objects are always sharp, far objects always the same blurred. 

Ooor I was just having the scene mode still on landscape without noticing and nothing changed 😅 So yeah, @EskeRahneverything's still the same. 

[Jacob_S 103]

I think what is described here is the same as our problem. And according to a post in another thread it was confirmed by F(x)tec to be a hardware defect.

@DieBruine can you tell us here, when you know, if the problem was solved by the repair?

 

[DieBruine 319]

10 hours ago, Jacob_S said:

I think what is described here is the same as our problem. And according to a post in another thread it was confirmed by F(x)tec to be a hardware defect.

@DieBruine can you tell us here, when you know, if the problem was solved by the repair?

 

You know, I forgot all about this 😅. I hope to receive that phone within two or three weeks. Thing is, I'm pretty sure they've replaced it with a refurbished one.  On the other hand, I have another Pro1 running LoS 18.1. I will try to take the same picture tomorrow. It will be raining all day today, it's grey dark and wet now. Forecast for tomorrow is partially sunny. So hold on a day. 

[Jacob_S 103]

I am now convinced, that it is indeed a hardware problem. Look at those two pictures. I stood straight in front of the wall and fixed the focus to the best I can aquire. Only change between those photos is that I turned my phone by 180°. And on one photo the ceiling is sharp and the picture very blurred, on the other photo the side of the picture is almost sharp and the ceiling is slightly blurry.

Edited February 10 by Jacob_S
clarification

[Jacob_S 103]

If you look at this picture I took on Stock Android, you can also clearly see it, even though the image overall is more sharp. Back then I thought, that it was just the Snapdragon camera software misbehaving.

[Jacob_S 103]

Can somebody else of those having focus problems do a similar test? Because I'm not entirely sure, if it's not maybe two different problems and I just have the luck of having both at once.

[Rob. S. 858]

I don't even have the Pro1 yet, but I'm quite sure that the image of that cereals shelf is proof enough that it's not a focus problem, it's that the camera's lens is decentered, internally slanted. There's no way a correctly adjusted lens on such a small sensor (with such a large depth of field) could see the left part of the shelf (halfway) in focus and the right part, which is only marginally further away, already totally out of focus. I'm sorry to say this has to be a defective camera.

Edited February 10 by Rob. S.

[fxtec-preorder-47xx 36]

But Kelloggs on the left are more crisp than their cheap knockoffs on the right, no surprise.