yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[One (M8) General] RSK01:
It seems there are quite a few questions regarding the settings to use for manual mode, I will try my best to explain, For the gurus out there, please correct me if I am wrong.

The main purpose for me to use the manual mode is to force the camera to use a certain setting (ISO, shutter speed, focus, +/- ev (which is exposure compensation) and white balance).

Depending on the scene and the effects you are trying to achieve, we force the camera to use a fixed setting. Generally, we want to keep the iso as low as possible, that will produce a photo with the least noise (large visible blur dots/patches), but the trade off is that we will need long exposure time - long/slow shutter speeds - which will cause the photos to turn out blur if you cannot hold the camera still. With a very steady hand or tripod, this will be great for very dark scene, creating light trails shots or silky water flow shots. As pointed by most, photo quality is still ok up to about iso400. So, there is not magic formula, you if choose too slow a shutter speed your photos will turn out over-exposed (too bright), choose too fast a shutter speed, photos will be under-exposed (too dark). You can try putting the camera to manual mode, force the iso, and let the camera choose the shutter speed. Not too sure how this is different from the auto mode - whereby you force the iso setting too.

[IMG="This was taken with additional dark filter to slow the shutter speed during day light shots"]https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5551/14706623179_c9c68fbbf0_b_d.jpg[/IMG]

If your subject happens to be moving around, I find it no point to use manual mode, unless you want to intentionally have a motion blur shot.
[One (M8) General] hamdir:
Everyone i have great news!

PhotoAcute released a New version with the HTC One M8 support!! [MENTION=4321207]neuTrue[/MENTION]

it's been released a month ago and i didn't even notice it

http://photoacute.com/studio/download.html

I will post my results soon and instructions for photoacute noobs

but a quick recap quickly: Photoacute invented the method of stack up-scaling, that is you capture around 10 pictures (perfect for the M8 burst shooting) and the software will create a high resolution from it, around 16MP, the very same technic used in the Oppo Find 7 which is usually known as "super resolution"

lets hope HTC offer super resolution to the M8 in the today event and save all the bother

edit: note it only works with RAW captures
[One (M8) General] PcFish:
That's awesome. Does the stock camera take raws? I've taken raws with nubia.
[One (M8) General] hamdir:
you can take RAW with nubia, which will need to be converted, these work with photoacute but have a unique edge algorithm

if you like to simplify your life and mantain the M8 camera app color balance and processing, you can convert your burst JPGS into TIFF and it will work with acute as well, it will give a completely different result though (i prefer it over RAW though)

you will see soon
[One (M8) General] bruce7373:
Very nice. Do you use any specific settings for daytime shots, or leave it on Auto. I'm trying to figure out what's best for mixed lighting scenes where shaded areas aren't underexposed or sun lit spots (of the sky) aren't overexposed. This is the main thing I dislike about this camera.
[One (M8) General] hamdir:
Photoacute version 3.015 added the HTC One M8 profile for RAW format only

so far my testing reveals that forcing JPGs on the new Photoacute produces the exact same results as using the iPhone 4 profile (not surprising considering the iPhone 4 is 5MP at 1.75um) in fact JPGs are giving better results than the over detailed RAW results (also similar results to the iPhone 4)

if you guys want to try it, just take a burst shot with least amount of movement, convert it to TIFF for Photoacute to read it as RAW and off you go, use the M8 profile, handheld

or simply keep them as JPGs and use the iPhone 4 profile instead, in fact i re-tested and i can confirm that the iPhone 4 profile produces sharper images from JPGs than the JPG>TIF M8 Raw profile

otherwise to try proper RAW you will need to use the Nubia procedure

Conclusion:

- For JPG use the iPhone 4 profile

- For RAW use the M8 profile

samples here, vs G3:

http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=55903087&postcount=14676
[One (M8) General] AcoAlex:
Hi there, thanks for likened my pix. I use mainly manual settings, iso200,awb or cloudy if there are some areas when te sun is blocked, ev+1,5 and that's it. Then i use the volume keys to take pix,for better feel, ouu and of course don't forget to touch to focus, when taking the pix ? try few shots and you'll see ?
[One (M8) General] starbase64:
Hi,

here is the new camera software from base 3.28.401.3 as flashable zip.

Dropbox: https://www.dropbox.com/s/0omucpui37wf9z0/HTC One_M8_EYE_Camera_3.28.401.3.zip?dl=0

regards

starbase64
[One (M8) General] itzsnookums:
Flashed, didn't work, what Rom are you running? Firmware?
[One (M8) General] starbase64:
InsertCoin 4.1.1 (base 2.22.401.x)
[One (M8) General] itzsnookums:
Hmmmm, what camera version you have? Maybe it didn't flash
[One (M8) General] starbase64:
6.5.819861
[One (M8) General] itzsnookums:
Where did you find the original link?
[One (M8) General] starbase64:
Is from new MaximusHD Rom.
[One (M8) General] hamdir:
anything in the camera settings area?
[One (M8) General] starbase64:
not really, but video and photo simultaneously.
[One (M8) General] itzsnookums:
Such b.s., can't use it due to I don't have soff to flash the firmware

Arggggg
[One (M8) General] hamdir:
side note: always keep in mind that the camera is dramatically faster if you have powersaver disable

a good example of that is burst shooting

in full speed burst shooting can give you a super stable 10 to 20 pics capture, perfect for Photoacute ;)
[One (M8) General] sallam5010:
It's like nothing got flashed ! Thu the flash process seemed successful

Viper 2.5 Rom
[One (M8) General] starbase64:
copy camer.apk from the zip to /system/priv-app and set permission chmod 644
[One (M8) General] itzsnookums:
That did the trick
[One (M8) General] sallam5010:
Worked for me also and am noticing some hdr improvements if someone can agree with me ?

Edit: and an even faster focusing time!

And that hold camera steady in manual mode has goneeeeeee it more attractive now haha
[One (M8) General] dukat0s:
Photobooth mod is new in cam apk?
[One (M8) General] linezero:
got a link for the update gallery app? i guess the face fusion and the other effects remain on the gallery.apk :eek:
[One (M8) General] starbase64:
i'm not at home, please look into new maximus rom > http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2695706
[One (M8) General] hamdir:
Tutorial: Photo Acute, stack upscaling - aka. super resolution

Uploaded to my 16MP Super Resolution - HTC One (M8) Album

Link addded to my HTC One M8 Camera collective

.
[One (M8) General] iggdawg:
Historically, I think there are some libraries involved with the gallery. I'm not sure you can just bring it over. I'll give it a shot though :)
[One (M8) General] swiftfury:
While I am aware the m8 is capable of taking really good photos, I have not been so lucky with it, at least in auto mode.

I believe this is the best shot the m8 has produced for me till now.

Auto mode, no editing.
[One (M8) General] th3:
Oh it can get a LOT better than that, especially the focus.

Sent using Tapatalk
[One (M8) General] RSK01:
-deleted - Updated Rom, Everything is fine now.
[One (M8) General] hamdir:
check these, all done with the M8:

http://www.htc.com/us/creatography/
[One (M8) General] cardozclive:
Most of the pics look flushed out in the background
[One (M8) General] gtg465x:
Yup, biggest issue with the M7 and M8 cameras. Terrible dynamic range means you have to use HDR a lot outdoors if you don't want huge portions of the image to be completely blown out, but HTC's HDR algorithms are pretty crappy AND you forfeit all manual controls when using HDR. It's a lose lose situation.
[One (M8) General] hamdir:
Wrong as long as you rely on auto focus for auto and ae lock for HDR

Target focus is the only reason for over exposure, this is why I never use it, auto focus = perfect exposure balance

Dont compare with M7, check my albums not one photo is over exposed
[One (M8) General] lilhaiti:
Recent trip to Cancun
[One (M8) General] th3:
That's what I've learnt from experience too, but that always results in less focal clarity in image center parts that I want very sharp and infocus.

For instance, a dark night shot of my car... I wanted it to capture the LEDs in the headlight infocus and sharp, but it doesn't on autofocus.

Manual focus did the trick.

Sent using Tapatalk
[One (M8) General] gtg465x:
Shots from your album with overexposure in places...

edit: Flickr sucks so I can't link to them, but I see plenty of overexposure and gaudy HDR in your albums mate. The One M8 has poor dynamic range. This is a fact.
[One (M8) General] rizevnarastek:
Yeah I'd does have a poor dynamic range. I hope HTC tweaks their HDR algorithms to make up for that because even HDR doesn't rectify the issue like it should, it just brightens up the shadows instead dimming out the highlights as well. I hope the new software update (EYE experience) remedies the problem at least to an extent.

BTW does anyone know it the 4.4.4 update with EYE updates Sense themes as well?
[One (M8) General] hamdir:
Sorry its very easy to link them, in my non HDR album you will have to prove it

The m8 has poor dynamic range but auto focus prevents from over exposing the bright areas this I have proven repeatedly, unlike the M7, those that might have escaped my attention must been manually focused

If you just intend to argue with someone who has written volumes about this camera and done + shown so many tests, spare me
[One (M8) General] starbase64:
Hi,

i've taken a few pics from Altenhundem/Germany at night.

regards

starbase64
[One (M8) General] hamdir:
excellent, auto mode, auto iso?
[One (M8) General] starbase64:
Yes auto mode, all originals with exif here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/giu99n3wgb0tv92/AAD2UHs7bvQCq7FTjAQb2GXVa?dl=0

---------- Post added at 06:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:11 PM ----------

with new base 3.28.401.6
[One (M8) General] Karish1989:
awesome :)
[One (M8) General] caretaker01:
Nice shots, all on auto/night mode/manual settings?
[One (M8) General] hudsoncouto:
Some photos of Brasilia.
[One (M8) General] hamdir:
i still dont have the new base on my dev edition but im noticing improved edge algorithm and noise cancelling in low light especially at high ISO, even the sunny indoor bistro photo is showing so as well, all the famous default HTC sharpness artifacts seem gone, i also dont see the chromatic issue on spotlights

its almost like a completely different camera, actually its similar to my upscale filter

can yiu please provide a steady daylight burst shot from the new base? preferably your famous landscape shot ;)

also can you try digital zoom as well? with this new algorithm it should do better as well
[One (M8) General] daniel.fanucchi:
"Yup, biggest issue with the M7 and M8 cameras. Terrible dynamic range means you have to use HDR a lot outdoors if you don't want huge portions of the image to be completely blown out, but HTC's HDR algorithms are pretty crappy AND you forfeit all manual controls when using HDR. It's a lose lose situation."

I agree to the M7 but on M8 the situation is completely different
[One (M8) General] hamdir:
there is a problem in the default HDR method for sure, but once you do the focus lock on the brightest spot you can get some amazing HDRs (even if i have two to there in there which are a over exposed)

anyway im reading that HDRs were fixed in 3.28? which i am still to test, if so this whole discussion is moot

as for auto focus, it NEVER overexposes, in fact it has a higher change of underexposing shadow areas

to be honest i would qualify such comments from someone who didn't really use the M8 as trolling
[One (M8) General] caretaker01:
dont bother to explain to people that and what is up with the m8 camera, it requires some basic knowledge in exposure and photography in order for the m8 camera to transform from a good shot to a great shot, things like tap on a specific point in the scene to adjust the exposure, changeing EV to compensate for things etc. The M8`s camera i great for photograpehers that understand ca ideea of ultra pixel and the principles of exposure, as for the results it widely varries because of peoples chance or understanding the scene (proven repeteadly on this thread). But for the consumer based portion of the M8 owners that think its just a point and shoot always auto mode camera, the M8 does not deliver. Some wish to further educate themselves and thats what this thread is for and you`ve been a big help.
[One (M8) General] andreilica:
Manual mode. ISO 100 / 1.8 exposure time. How did it turn out? If it isn't good, what can I do to improve my skills? :D
[One (M8) General] gtg465x:
I don't think you understand what dynamic range is. It has nothing to do with how well the software balances exposure for a given shot. It is a limitation of the hardware. There is a range of luminance that every camera is able to capture, and even for the most expensive professional level DSLRs, that range is less than the range of luminance across every possible scene one could shoot. When the luminance range of a scene is greater than the dynamic / luminance range of a camera, the camera software or photographer must balance the exposure as well as they can, but even if they do, some parts of the image will be either black or white because the luminance of those portions of the image were outside of the selected luminance range for the shot. I've put together this illustration to better explain it...

So now that you know what dynamic range is, let me prove to you that the One M8 has very narrow / poor dynamic range compared to other smartphone cameras. I just walked outside and took the same shot with my One M8 and my wife's iPhone 6. I used auto mode, HDR disabled, on both and didn't tap to focus or anything. Notice how her iPhone 6 is able to capture detail and correct colors in both dark areas (under the tree limbs on the right) and in bright places (the street and sky)? That is because the iPhone 6 has a much wider dynamic range than the One M8. The One M8 lost a little detail under the tree limbs and completely blew out the street and sky, losing everything. If I wanted to get more correct colors both under the tree and in the street and sky on my One M8, I would have to use HDR. But HDR algorithms are imperfect and it's always better to capture without HDR if you can. In many circumstances, my wife doesn't even need to use HDR on her iPhone 6 when I have to use it on my One M8 because the dynamic range of the One M8 is so poor.

iPhone 6

One M8
[One (M8) General] hamdir:
I understand what dynamic range and it's my daily job as I work in post, I already agreed that the M8 has poor range but I was giving you solutions which were missing on the M7

Your tree example is perfect you chose to manual expose the tree and burn the sky by focusing on the tree, If you use auto focus on the center it would have given you a much better picture

But you choose to complain rather than understand how to improve your M8 camera skills, especially HDR which has a very easy fix
[One (M8) General] gtg465x:
Here are shots from your album with overexposed sky. I can post plenty more if you need. I'm not arguing that auto mode tends to balance exposure better than tap to focus. I believe you about that. But a balanced exposure doesn't mean there are no overexposed places in a shot. Nothing can fix that because the One M8 camera sensor just has poor dynamic range. You can try to work around it with HDR, but you can't fix it.

I'm not arguing with you just to troll you. Let's not forget, you started this argument by saying I am wrong about the M8 having poor dynamic range. I am only trying to show that what I said is true, not trying to annoy you or start a flame war.
[One (M8) General] gtg465x:
No, I did NOT manually expose that shot of the tree! I just opened the camera app, pointed, and took the picture. Auto everything. I realize that I could improve the shot by using HDR, but the point is, if the One M8 had better dynamic range, then I wouldn't have to use HTC's crappy HDR. Look at that shot from my wife's iPhone... it didn't blow out / burn anything and I didn't even use HDR! So clearly HTC really needs to get sensors with better dynamic range in their next phones. I appreciate your tips on how to fix this issue, but they are not solutions, just workarounds that help some, but don't solve the problem.
[One (M8) General] hamdir:
Yes but you pointed your auto focus at the trees rather than the scene center, look at the auto photos in my albums, I simply don't get myself in this situation

Did you disable HDR on the iPhone?? It's auto HDR by default

And even if you are right, both my direct colleagues at work bought the iPhone 5s after being disappointed by the iPhone 6 (same sensor on both) and on daily basis we do an auto indoor shot comparison and they admit that the M8 wins everytime, not to mention lack of control or speed, so yea its ok if they win in certain scenarios and we win in other

Also the world agree the the iPhone has the best balanced camera, the M8 camera remains the best useful camera along or after the iPhone

Go live with the LG G3 or Sony Z3 cameras for a while and come back to me

It's not like I'm asking you to root or hack your camera, these are just standard instructions on how to use the stock camera, built-in, it's well known that UP camera gives you photographic freedom at the expense of automation

How hard is it really?

- Auto: always use auto focus, Backlight if needed

- HDR: lock focus into the brightest spot

- low light: cap ISO

Really i would classify these as instructions rather than workarounds

I think [MENTION=2444459]caretaker01[/MENTION] post on the previous sums up the UP camera pretty well
[One (M8) General] Billchen0014:
[IMG="Reply if you cannot see the image"]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-kvv_k9JWJrc/VDcg08neLqI/AAAAAAAAEt4/8BRZsh6XVc0/w1514-h857-no/IMAG0928_1.jpg[/IMG]School Tour, Stromboli, Sicily, Italy, Sorry about the poor resolution, Google compresses the backup
[One (M8) General] gtg465x:
Who's to say what the scene center should be? What if I wanted this shot framed exactly as it is? Yes, I normally wouldn't take a photo like this with my One M8 because it highlights a weakness of the One M8, but in this case, I was trying to highlight its weakness so that I could talk about it. I do wish it didn't have this weakness though.

Yes, it was completely disabled on the iPhone. That is not an HDR shot. I even confirmed that it was not HDR by looking at it in the Photos app. The Photos app on iPhone shows a little HDR icon on photos that were taken with HDR.

The 6 does have a new sensor compared to the 5S. At least according to Apple. And iOS 8 now allows third party camera apps complete control over settings, so with an app called Manual you can adjust ISO, shutter speed, focus and other settings manually.

I'm not saying the One M8 has a bad camera. It is good, and better than some higher megapixel cameras on other Android phones. I agree with you there. I was just discussing one of its weaknesses. I am hoping that HTC works on some of the weaknesses of the ultrapixel camera to give us an even better camera in the future.
[One (M8) General] hamdir:
no its the same sensor, check Anadtech but it has few tweaks like HTC did from M7 to M8, including new ISP

And never mind UltraPixel, HTC gave it up after the whole world stomped on it(fairly and unfairly)

The M9 is surely something different, i worry it might be a standard high MP sensor, although HTC has built its own custom 16MP 1/2.3" sensor for the Re camera so I'm hoping the M9 will benefit from this tech
[One (M8) General] gtg465x:
Now back to posting some pictures. I haven't posted for a couple weeks so I have a few sets. I downscaled everything to 720p so they don't show up huge here.

These are all HDR shots except the last one.

Usually I don't like sun glare in my photos, but for some reason I kind of liked this one.

Think I got wet here? Captured this using Zoe.
[One (M8) General] gtg465x:
Last weekend in San Fran...

Used manual mode to set a super fast shutter speed to freeze the water here.

Panoramic shot
[One (M8) General] gtg465x:
From this weekend.

The view from Twin Peaks in SF.

The wife

The words here read "Point of View". Thought it might make an interesting shot.
[One (M8) General] gtg465x:
Last set. Sorry, so many photos! From last night in Mountain View.

I could have used HDR to get more light in the foreground here, but I liked the dark silhouette look.

Switched over to manual mode as the sun was gone and light was pretty low now.

Here it is almost completely dark, but I did a longer exposure in manual mode to get a decent shot. That light is an airplane coming in by the way, not a star or the moon.
[One (M8) General] gtg465x:
Very cool!
[One (M8) General] daniel.fanucchi:
Nice Shots! Compliments!

back to the discussion of the sensors M7 and M8, in the tests I've done it is clear that something has been done on the dynamic range or level sfotware or hardware but I just noticed the vast difference

M8

https://www.dropbox.com/s/h5lj3rhcy9csvzd/IMAG0004.jpg?dl=0

M7

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8g6kuqfhzuph5ab/IMAG0004A.jpg?dl=0
[One (M8) General] hamdir:
dev edition Eye update almost here
[One (M8) General] caretaker01:
Some HDR-s and some info in M8 camera

The M8`s camera ultrapixel is the source of its best feature but also the downfall when i comes to well light situations

Below are soem examples of 3 HDR`s and some in auto

I do not agree that the M8 has poor dynamic range at all, as i said earlyer, it comes down to understanding this camera, being a larger pixel and being able to capture more light, and keeping in mind that the HTC software wil NOT let you ISO go lower then 100 (resulting in overexposure in some scenarios). Knowing that you should allways figure out the scene you are in and if you have wide range of iluminated surfaces then you most likely have to ajust in auto mode the EV and taping on the darkest spot or vice-versa (it takes some practice to get hdr`s perfect and pictures perfect in auto. Thus if the scene does not contain wide range of exposured surfaces then the m8 will do a spectacular job. I usualy tap to lock in HDR`s at the brightest point in the scene (usualy the sky), and thus resulting in great dynamic range between sky and ground

Examples:

image hosting

uploading images

upload image

the bees one was a poor decision in takeing an hdr at moveing objects, resulting in lac of focus

Auto mode examples are harder to obtain when you get scenes like the black cat white background, or the low light cat one when i increased the sesitivity to brigthen up the scene and not adjust the exposure value to tell the camera to not overexpose. The last one, the gum is what you get when you are in auto low light and you adjust the EV-1 and tap on the darkest point so that the camera gathers more light and wont overexpose. Since then i`ve added a custom camera for that situation so i wouldnt have to waste time setting up the camera.:

image hosting 10mb limit

post image

image hosting adult

P.S. i am running stock rom with 4.4.3 (no 4.4.4 for my international model), and i am looking forward to the update hearing that it removes the edge sharpening and better HDR`s. Haveing a camera that gathers more light then you own eyes can and knowing that it will not go lower the 100 ISO practice and custom camera save is the best advice i can give anyone. For my line of work its low light capabilityes is what i`v bought the phone for (and becase im a fan of sense and htc build quility)