topic Re: Xperia Z1 camera - blurry pictures with noise and washed colours in XPERIA archive

Xperia Z1 camera - blurry pictures with noise and washed colours

Harime — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 09:50:59 GMT

Hi Everyone,

I'm a little concerned about the performance of the Xperia Z1 camera.

I had read already in some reviews that the pictures are not too sharp and the colours are washed, but now i have experienced it myself.

This camera should be way better than the camera in the iPhone 5, but i'm getting sharper images and more realistic colours with the iPhone. There is a lot of noise in the Z1 pictures, the Superior Auto mode is not getting things right, neither in focus, picture sharpness or colors.

I was expecting this camera to be very sharp and accurate, but i found out it's not near that. As per all the effort Sony has put in advertising the Z1 camera, i think we should get a software update and improve the camera a lot.

Do you think this is a software problem? Every Xperia Z1 review i've read points that out.

Re: Xperia Z1 camera - blurry pictures with noise and washed colours

bloodfire1004 — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 12:47:49 GMT

Its basically a software problem. Superior Auto is really strict in changing its modes and if you observe it, slight handshake movements cause the Scene to go to "Sports" mode, which prioritizes shutter speed. This results in the Camera upping the ISO to ridicilous levels just to get that fast shutter speed.

My tip would be to just go to Manual Mode, with all the settings set to Auto and Stabilizer Off (setting Stabilizer to On causes the same ISO increase when handshake is detected. I found I managed to get better pictures based on this setting

Re: Xperia Z1 camera - blurry pictures with noise and washed colours

Harime — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 14:11:23 GMT

Thank you i will try that.

It's really a pity that the phone is advertised as having an amazing camera, 20.7 MPX with Bionz and G Lens and then the software makes it bad.

Sony should really work at this asap and deliver a huge camera improvement with the 4.3 Android version of the Xperia Z1.

Re: Xperia Z1 camera - blurry pictures with noise and washed colours

bloodfire1004 — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 14:15:07 GMT

Yup, hopefully it will come soon along with improvements to the camera app. Another tip is to shoot at 8MP to take advantage of oversampling. Taking pictures at 20MP Full Resolution results in more resoluion but more noise as well, while 8MP results in less resolution but less noise due to oversampling. Its up to personal preference though, I suggest you test out shooting at 20MP and 8MP and comparing, particularly in low-light to really see the difference

Re: Xperia Z1 camera - blurry pictures with noise and washed colours

MUSHARAB — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 17:47:04 GMT

Hopefully SONY will provide better images via firmware updates . . . Just wait for the firmware updates.

Re: Xperia Z1 camera - blurry pictures with noise and washed colours

KaranParmar88 — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 23:04:09 GMT

I have d same problem the pictures aren't clear as d way dey suppose to be

Re: Xperia Z1 camera - blurry pictures with noise and washed colours

j0sh — Wed, 16 Oct 2013 23:16:14 GMT

I've installed the last firmware today. the camera seems to be better there is less noise in general. I tested manual mode @8mp. 20mp is still more noisy...

Re: Xperia Z1 camera - blurry pictures with noise and washed colours

Sam — Wed, 16 Oct 2013 23:37:27 GMT

In case any of those above are not already aware, this may be of interest to you: http://blogs.sonymobile.com/2013/10/15/now-rolling-jelly-bean-4-2-firmware-update-for-xperia-z1-and-xperia-z-ultra/

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Re: Xperia Z1 camera - blurry pictures with noise and washed colours

fannym-b — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 09:00:38 GMT

Hi all,

Firstly i should point out im not a technical person at all but i love my phone cameras and they are a very important part of my life. I dont want to have to carry around a phone and a camera on a day to day basis so i rely on my phone camera when i want to snap pictures when out and about, particularly of my children. Given this non of the other tech stuff on a phone is of any real interest to me....i want it to make calls, send texts and take decent photos.

Recently my beloved Nokia N8 died a death after 4 years of use and i was taken in by the hype around the sony Xperia Z1, partly down to the advertisement (i know!) and in the knowledge that is Sony....and i am sooo upset with the camera!! i have downloaded the recent update but it is still dreadful. Any pictures of movement (i have a lot having two small children) are blurry and grainy. i have messed around a lot with the settings but when i want to catch a quick snap of a one off moment i dont want to be adjusting on a phone handset. Its one thing taking a still of scenery but Xperia Z1 just cant cope with anything other than the perfectly still day light image. Cropping/zooming into a picture is terrible. I dont know if i am doing something wrong or if Sony are simply exaggerating the camera to con us into buying it (it worked with me). I have missed so many pictures of my children (something that never happened with the Nokia N8) and im begining to wish id opted for the new Nokia.

I am now going to have to resort to carrying around a phone and a camera due to a 24 month contract, unless i can get sony to refund me as in my opinion given the hype the camera on the Xperia Z1 is certainly not fit for purpose. its amazing how we spend £600-£700 on electrical items and then when they dont perform as we are lead to believe they will we simply put up and shut up.

Anyway Sony im disgusted...if it is software...sort it out!!

Please see two pictures for examples:

No. 1Swing in full swing , outside (mid cloudly day) Nokia N8

No. 2 Bike (hardly moving...she just got it and cant even go walking pase yet!) outside (mid cloudy day) Xperia Z1

No 3. On Sofa Nokia N8

No 4. On Sofa Xperia Z1 (both exact same location and lighting)

Re: Xperia Z1 camera - blurry pictures with noise and washed colours

bobdinro — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 12:18:36 GMT

You shoulb send it back and get nokia. I sended it back get a htc.

Re: Xperia Z1 camera - blurry pictures with noise and washed colours

waterpolowizard — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 12:23:13 GMT

I have to agree with you. I have been using my N8 for three years and was loathe to get a different phone. The phone is very sturdy and takes great photos. Unfortunately my battery started losing charge too easily and it was time for a new phone. I have been with a Nokia phone for 23 years but did not want windows so thought i'd give the z1 a go. It was the water proof thing that won me over to the Z1 but so far it has not lived up to the hype and accessories are hard to find. I am thinking of just going back to the N8 - perhaps Nokia still has some in the factory it could sell me or maybe I should replace the battery.

Re: Xperia Z1 camera - blurry pictures with noise and washed colours

dynamicnik — Thu, 28 Nov 2013 08:56:58 GMT

Completely agree wid all d complaints i am empriencing same problem
Even the clearity of picture is not worth 20mp ,a 20 mp camera pictures should not give such blurry images. I have alredy updated all d system Plzz give any other suggestions

Re: Xperia Z1 camera - blurry pictures with noise and washed colours

Javmia — Thu, 28 Nov 2013 09:11:47 GMT

Camera on Z1 is horrible, my previous Xperia Arc S was able to shoot better pictures that Z1. Sony this is disappointing comon you guys can do better. Hope that next update resolve this along with other problems

Re: Xperia Z1 camera - blurry pictures with noise and washed colours

Nshopov — Fri, 29 Nov 2013 17:57:00 GMT

Hi everyone!

Unfortunately, it's true. The camera disappointed everyone, especially with all the commercials. But I'm a fan of the brand and almost everything in my house is SONY.

However I solved the problem I see fit - I bought SONY QX10 Lenses and I couldn't be happier! Now when I think of it that's probably the reason they made the lenses in the first place... oh well Go to a store and just try them out once - you're gonna love it, my promise!

Cheers,

Nick

Re: Xperia Z1 camera - blurry pictures with noise and washed colours

DisappointedJoe — Sun, 15 Dec 2013 07:05:56 GMT

SONY! No. Just......... No. This is my first Sony, and it will definitely be my last. I can handle a lot, but false and over exaggerated advertising is not one of them. Point blank, you have lied to your consumers about this camera. This says a lot about the level of respect you have for your consumers, since it implies that you consider us on to be imbeciles that can be fooled into buying a product that claims to have performance features it clearly does not. This camera is horrible. The noise performance is ridiculous in any scene that is not well lit. In both auto and manual modes. Even at low iso, noise levels are visible with the naked eye. My previous phone was a Nokia N8, and the image quality on it was by far the best I have ever seen on any phone. So much so that I consider it to be a collectors item. After watching your promos on the Experia Z1 I was super excited to get one, and bought mine the first day it was released. Imagine my disappointment (after signing a 24 month contract) at the below average performance of a camera that has been promoted to be so excellent. In the beginning I thought it might just be my inexperience in adjusting the camera settings. I even gave you the benefit of the doubt and waited for a firmware update, but after having tested this camera in many different lighting situations for months now, I have come to a conclusion. The only noun to express the performance of this camera starts with a S and ends with a T. Based on some of the other opinions in this forum, I can tell that my opinions are shared by many others. So many people have been fascinated at the sight of my phone, and each time I am asked about it, I am forced to express my dissatisfaction at the camera performance. And as such I will not be recommending this phone to anyone who's purchase decision is heavily based on acquirin a good camera.

Re: Xperia Z1 camera - blurry pictures with noise and washed colours

debasish_behera — Sun, 15 Dec 2013 07:34:56 GMT

nothing happend with that firmware update...the picture r too bad in indoor.they hv full of noise n blury and colourd are washed out n not at all sharpen.its a flagship from sony n we spend 45000rs n this is wt we get.a very very bad experience.my xperia ion can take far better picture than xperia z1.

plzzzzzzzzzzzz fix it up as soon as possible..i think sony will decrease their camera quality or what?????????????

u hv to shut out this camera problem as soon as possible other wise the phone is just a crab i think

Re: Xperia Z1 camera - blurry pictures with noise and washed colours

ZaidAlsaeh — Sun, 15 Dec 2013 11:37:29 GMT

Please Sooooooony the photo have blurry and noise it's not 20.7 mp unfortunately

Re: Xperia Z1 camera - blurry pictures with noise and washed colours

AndreasE1 — Sun, 15 Dec 2013 15:07:52 GMT

Here is one more that get disapointed.

The camera is realy bad. Im just woundering how sony can lie in the commercials??

Noise or blur in every picture. A lot of money for this. Every other thing with my Z1 is good. But i bougt it for the camera.

Never Sony again!!!!

noisy/blurry pictures even after updates

daanish_chawala — Thu, 02 Jan 2014 17:35:44 GMT

hi all,

i've been experiencing poor photos with my z1 ever since i took it out of the box. i shoot in superior auto mode and i'm noticing that it always thinks in sport mode or soft snap and my resultant pictures come out blurry, noisy, and severely lacking in sharpness. i know it must be an issue with the camera algorithm because when i take photos in snapchat they come out sharp and crystal clear. i have the most recent 4.3 update and my question is: wasn't this algorithm supposed to be fixed with prior updates? was it a poor fix and others are experiencing this too?

i've heard that people shoot in manual etc etc but to be honest, we shouldn't have to deal with tinkering with settings for a point and shoot phone camera--a top of the line one at that. when will this be resolved?

Re: noisy/blurry pictures even after updates

senhor — Thu, 02 Jan 2014 18:19:30 GMT

I have the same issue too but I haven't get 4.3 yet