[General Topics] Hannah Stern:
Hello, everybody.

I'd like to tell here, why i think, that a camera launcher or a physical camera button is very useful. Maybe your opinion is different. If you want to share your opinion, feel free posting in this thread. ;)

I already posted a thread here, asking how to get a camera launcher on the Homescreen of the Note 3's Android 4.3.

So, the quality of Smartphone Cameras isn't bad, but far under a RX100 III (m3) or a Lumix FZ1000 or a Samsung NX500, but it's very mobile. It's portable. Most of the time, people always have their PDA's, wherever they go.

And sometimes, you've also got your PDA in your hands.

But what will you do, if your phone is on Stand-By, and you quickly have to capture a moment? If you haven't got a quick launcher in the standby menu, or if you can't use a quick-launcher, without typing in your lockscreen-code, password or pattern, if you have one, there's a danger of missing a valuable moment.

Three solutions (types of ‎Camera-Launchers) are:

1. A physical shutter button. Launching the Camera by holding the physical shutter button down for 0.3 Seconds. The camera application should also load in this 0,3 Seconds. Not after the 0,3 seconds, where you hold the button. It should also work from the lockscreen, without needing to unlock the screen. But it should also work, if the device is in standby mode. A good idea would be, if the device automaticly takes a photo, after the camera-application started by triggering the launcher, but before loading the preview (viewfinder).

Devices:

Samsung Omnia 2 GT-i8000

Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom and K Zoom (S5 Zoom)

Sony Xperia Z1/higher - includes compact models

Planned for Note 5 (not confirmed yet)

Nokia Lumia 830,925,930,1020,1030,more

Nokia 808,6220c,6111

Advantages:

Real Camera Feeling

2-Level (Focus→Shoot)

Quick Launch - Quick Camera Shortcut from everywhere

No real disadvantages present.:svetius: Accidental camera launching isn't so plausible.

2. Virtual Camera Launcher on Lockscreen

[IMG="The camera launcher is present on the right lockscreen. (Both screenshots are from a SM-N9005)"]https://forum.vodafone.de/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/3882iF7C2DFE80D8D4F85?v=mpbl-1[/IMG]

Advantages:

Much Faster than searching your apps to find the camera on the home screen or app drawer.

No additional disadvantages in comparrison, not to have such a launcher.

Disadvantages:

You can miss it, if you aren't careful

You first have to go to the lock screen. (No INSTANT Camera Launch)

Not physical

...but very useful. :) - Much better than searching thorugh the app drawer. :laugh:

No additional disadvantages in comparrison, not to have such a launcher. :)

3. Galaxy S6 / LG G4: Quick Double-Press - Quickly launch the camera (G4: and instantly take a photo like the OneShot-Feature in CameraMX does) by double-pressing a specific button in row.

Advantage: Works instantly, even in standby mode

…and from everywhere.

Advantage: No need to unlock the screen

Advantage; It's physical

Theoretically possible on every phone with home key (physical is better for that.)

Advantage (G4) - instant photo shot.

Disadvantage: Does not replace the physical camera button, which gives you some camera feling.

Disadvantage (S6): Replaces S-Voice-Launcher, but Camera has a higher priority than S-Voice.

Disadvantage (G4: ) Unusual position

The mentioned launchers only work, if the device is switched on/in standby :)

Those launchers have very limited permissions, if your device is locked with a password, a code or whatever. Those conditions make sense :confused:

Permissions

(Things, that should be possible through the camera launcher)

Modify camera settings

Use all camera features

Restrictions

(Things, that must not be possible through the camera launcher)

Can't view/delete/... photos/videos, which are already present on the device/SD-Card.

Bypassing the lockscreen, if locked with password

The physical shutter button is my favourite :)

But the other two types of camera launcher are also very good. ;):svetius: