yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[HD2 General] richardirv:
Ah ha, finally someone who knows what I am talking about.
[HD2 General] vinokirk:
Me too, its rediculous. Trying to take close up pics of people faces, everyone has their eyes closed! Its as bright as a xenon flash but instead of flashig for a split second, it stays on for over a second!
[HD2 General] meegulthwarp:
Wow, that is strange. I have no such issue when using flash. My white balance is set to auto and picture quality at super fine. My only issue when using the flash is that my face seems blushed rather than flushed.
[HD2 General] vinokirk:
for me its not about the quaity of the photo or any settings, its just the fact that the flash blinds people
[HD2 General] fredskis:
I agree, even my black friends are coming out white.
[HD2 General] alibehzad:
I've found a way around it,

already posted it too, but no one seems to be caring.

Install the App TorchButton.

Then, before taking a picture at night in closeup (with overexposure usually)

Turn on Torchbutton (mode 1 bright or mode 2 very bright), then go to camera and disable camera flash. Torch button Flash still stays on and the camera now meters the current brightness and doesnt add any bright mode anymore.

Now you get quite decent pictures.

It sounds complicated but it works great on closeup pics

Example of the difference below

Pic1 camera without Torchbutton
[HD2 General] theory_87:
Thanks for the heads up :D
[HD2 General] meegulthwarp:
I updated my ROM to 1.48 and now I have the exact same "bright" problem and man is it annoying. I'll take a look at the reg to see if anything has changed.
[HD2 General] mallman:
hahaha now that's funny. agreed, same problem here. in fact my wife says i cant take picture of the kids anymore because it makes them cry its so bright lmfao.
[HD2 General] here4info:
i never thought that i would hear the camera flash on a mobile phone being "too bright" and blinding people :)

Getting mine tomorrow.. Stupid fedex already has it in my town since morning but won't deliver because it's not due until tomorrow! :eek:
[HD2 General] mallman:
yup, and all of this after the problem of there not being enough lightin the past. lol one extreme to another
[HD2 General] richardirv:
Thanks for the work around, but I'm sure you will agree that in most cases when you just want to take a quick snap we will either forget to turn torch on or just won't be bothered because you don't want to fiddle around. It would be nice to have a button in the camera to turn bright mode off.

Lets hope HTC are listening to the forum! and not got the blinkers on!
[HD2 General] leobox1:
yeah right on koala
[HD2 General] tnyynt:
The issue behind this is that the camera meters and focuses on the initial flash (assist flash) and then when you press the shutter button, the bright flash (shutter flash) comes up leaving no time for the camera to react to the new light conditions.

I've found that in these circumstances the best is to set forced flash on so that the metering is done properly.
[HD2 General] XDANoob:
I think, it´s funny :).

All people close the eyes when i make a photo. My wife say: wow, only sleeping peoples, but they need a dreamcatcher. All people have a bad face :)
[HD2 General] otherworld:
Camera flash

Thanks for the tip about setting the flash to 'always on' for night shots - so that the phone does the light metering properly - made a big difference for me (and even tho you shouldn't have to, it's quick to do when you're taking shots).

:)
[HD2 General] seed_al:
Just for your information!

The issue is solved!

What you need to do is install a ROM that's based on T-Mobile US 2.10 version including OEM 2.10, which contains new camera drivers!

My HD2 takes perfect pictures now with the flash!
[HD2 General] uiqjirka:
Yes,I confirm.
[HD2 General] abmantis:
No way to install the drivers without having to flash the ROM?
[HD2 General] seed_al:
Not yet.

Maybe someone will extract them, if it's possible.
[HD2 General] optiknerv:
Can confirm 2.10 ROM drivers/software does indeed significantly improve exposure.
[HD2 General] twontwizzy:
where did u get the rom?
[HD2 General] abmantis:
Still no way to install the drivers on an 1.66 stock ROM?
[HD2 General] paulking:
+1

can't be assed upgrading rom again and having to spend an age getting the phone how i want it
[HD2 General] Mega Maniac:
+1 Just finished getting all my cab's installed and set up from my last flash, would be good to be able to get this sorted via a cab.
[HD2 General] beyondthought:
have u installed the cam hotfix/do u need to?? for me installing any new rom will fix the cam exposure problem, its the hotfix that takes away the pink spot that fooks it up!...
[HD2 General] Raadius:
I have an OEM Tmobile HTC HD2, Camera for PocketPC Version 6.26 (build 2012.1425), how come I don't have this 2.10 rom? My pics are highly over exposed still.
[HD2 General] paulrgod:
Has anyone been able to extract the goodness from the t-mobile rom to fix this issue for us not using that rom?

Cheers

Paul
[HD2 General] jaoropez:
I am on 1.66, non t mobile unlocked, any way to get the camera upgrade?
[HD2 General] Nova5:
I have a Samsung Omnia i910, the same problem occurs on this phone after its CC03 update. What I found to work today after mucking around with it is it only seems to happen in the Automatic Scene mode. I have picked, Candlelight and Night Mode/Shot and come out with perfect pictures. As soon as i set it back to the Auto mode, it starts taking the troubled pictures again. Problem could actually be the monkeys locked in Microsofts basement!
[HD2 General] cAmmok:
+1 for me!!
[HD2 General] fjumayao:
Temporary fix????

I've been reading various forums to look at tips for adjusting or fixing my camera flash on my EVO as well. I really didn't want to tweak too many settings. Someone suggested using part of napkin or covering one led with their fingers to diffuse the flash and that seem to work but kinda tacky. Well when I bought one a cases, I decided to tape a square sheet from an index card over the two leds in the inside of the case. Works a great and doesn't look so tacky. It'll do till they come up with a fix. If someone finds a better material to cover the leds sure would appreciate some feedback. Aloha! :D
[HD2 General] krishan2207:
Covering one led will not fix the overexpose. So i have putted a black tape on both led but only at the centers of both led. Just cover the yellow color part of led and u will see that overexpose is gone.
[HD2 General] Karlos G:
Took these yeterday, it is quite ridiculous!! lol
[HD2 General] tnyynt:
Try that again using my tip.
[HD2 General] MrDerrickC:
Karlos G: I had a look at your other thread, to see what you are taking a photo of at night, change the flash mode to on, this will turn on the flash whilst in preview mode.

Still looking for a way around the super bright flash though, seems the work around using TorchLight works and produces photos how they are meant to be. Doesn't seem too much of a hassle to work around using this as I have the camera and torchlight as shortcuts on my today screen, though HTC should implement a setting to change the flash intensity.
[HD2 General] Karlos G:
Yeah will do when it's dark again tonight!

Me too, camera and torchlight both on my today screen!

At least there is a way around it!
[HD2 General] optiknerv:
first night out since I had my Hd2 and looked a right twat. big swanky phone and everyone was ghosts. video in the dark is great though. those leds light up half the club for video. gonna try that torch button work around and perminant light on next time. c what happens. looking on the bright (no pun intended) side at least they can always make the leds dimmer but they couldn't make them brighter!
[HD2 General] shagster69:
Bright flash is now fixed on my HD2

Yesterday i wrote a post on this thread http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=598436&page=2 (#17)

Basically the bright flash issue somehow got fixed by switching the options on and off in the settings.... i just didn't keep a note of what i changed.

What is needed is for someone how still has the problem to methodically go through the settings and test... which is exactly what i should have done.

I think the key ones i changed between tests were shutter sound and wide-screen.

When i get a chance i will upload before and after shots i took.
[HD2 General] shagster69:
Fixed flash shots

Here are the test shots from before and after i messed with the settings.
[HD2 General] kons45:
One thing I did when I first got the HD2 and realised it was too bright, I covered one of the LED lights with my fingers as there are 2. Worked allrite altho I didnt fully test it out.

I'll give the Torchlight alternative a go =)

Thanks!
[HD2 General] optiknerv:
Might give it a go later but i cant see how the shutter sound would make any difference to image quality??!!
[HD2 General] shagster69:
but it's not image quality we are after... it's a delay in the timing of the exposure.

The point is i don't know which setting fixed it, but it works :)
[HD2 General] optiknerv:
All the shutter sound setting does is make a "click" sound when the picture is taken imatating an old regular film camera. How can this affect anything to do with the image?

And anyway wrong exposure is the problem and the result is bad image quality.
[HD2 General] shagster69:
Let me just clarify... i don't know which setting it was that made the difference, but the shutter sound was one of the ones i tried in between the 2 shots posted.

it probably doesn't have anything to do with it, but to repeat the process it is best to list all actions where possible.
[HD2 General] itoYo:
as some one else has posted before!

i have found that using something like levsy flashlight in the background, whilst using the camera (flash disabled in camera) gives good results! i.e. you dont get the extreme light exposure issues.
[HD2 General] fredskis:
Wat. The shutter sound imitates the shutter of a (professional) camera with a large lens, not necessarily an old camera. You're probably used to silly point and shoot low quality cameras.

Wrong exposure is a problem. It's wrong because the light levels the phone adjusts to is that of a single flash but takes the photo with a bright flash.

shagster69 claims that a setting provides a long enough lag (perhaps unplanned/unwanted) to have the phone light levelling period still be working while bright mode comes on for the photo.
[HD2 General] kaemon:
just tested now & I can confirm that changing shutter sounds on or off has absolutely NO effect on the bright/over exposure problem...
[HD2 General] optiknerv:
thank-you for confirming what I thought.
[HD2 General] optiknerv:
for your information my father is a professional photographer so I know a reasonable amount about it. I used to have a canon ae-1 when I was a kid with manual focus and exposure etc so I know what's happening. its not as simple as increasing the shutter speed, decreasing the apature, or obtaining slower film to decrease the exposure. the way to fix this I would think would be for someone to change the camera software to allow the bright mode to come on slightly earlier allowing the auto exposure to adjust correctly.

on a side note, I used to have a samsung G800 that had the opposite it used to under expose pictures in the dark. same issue picture looked fine in the preview then after processing looked like a goths bedroom! lol
[HD2 General] fredskis:
Again, you haven't read a word that has been said. As you said you need the camera software to adjust the camera for the correct exposure while bright mode is on.

What was claimed was that some setting could have slowed the camera software enough so that such exposure adjusting practice occurred slightly late and while bright mode was on.
[HD2 General] shagster69:
Bingo!, this is exactly what i mean.

i never claimed specifically that the shutter sound made the change.

i was trying everything in the settings and the shutter-sound was one on the ones i tried.

What i am suggesting is that, i have fixed my flash problem on my hd2 by turning on and off the settings in for the camera.

i don't know which one worked, but if you have the same problem too, please try some of the other settings too and if you find the one that does it let us know.
[HD2 General] optiknerv:
I have read it. I understand what you mean now. If you had written that and what fredskis has written in the first place I wouldn't have gone off on a rant! Maybe try disabling sense and any other open apps will give the camera software full use of the processor and eliminate any lag in processing exposure. Might try that when i can. Obviously this is not convenient but if it works it will give us an idea what the problem is.

A good place to start would be to tell us what you have on, what you have off and the setting everything else is that isnt covered by on or off.
[HD2 General] Roguexmg:
I have the same problem, Over exposure,

the freaking solutions seems SO simple

The brightness of shutter flash is tooo bright for closeups

The camera shutter speed does not have time to adjust to the bright flash

So if somebody could just figure out a way of making 2 flash settings

One for closeups (not so bright) vs one for rooms (very bright), this is what that torchbutton does but now if only we can integrate it into camera settings.
[HD2 General] shagster69:
a long shot...

can somebody who has the problem still please just try the following settings

White balance set to Flash (the thick line symbol with a dot at each end)

then just use the camera on Auto flash.

Does this make any difference?

The reason i say is that on auto white balance, the over exposed shots happen again for me :)
[HD2 General] optiknerv:
will try that later when its dark. I thought the bar with the 2 dots was supposed to represent flouresant (spelt wrong I know) light. so the camera would counter the slightly blue tint this gives to the photographic subject? maybe im wrong but anyway if it works.
[HD2 General] Roguexmg:
white balance to Flash

Hi I have just tested and the White balance to Flash setting makes no difference. Complete overexposed. why well because setting the white balance or the image properties is like taking the overexposed shot and using photoshop on it to make it better which does not cure the initial issue of having a overexposed shot.

i suggest reading up on , ISO, apperature size and shutter speed before trying to think u know whats going on.
[HD2 General] seed_al:
White balance set to flourescent is the best setting when using the flash.

Auto white balance with flash gives poor colors, but flourescent with flash makes for great pictures.

Just try to stay at least 1m away from what/who you take a picture of and set the white balance to flourescent. That works nicely for me.

Anyway, why do you want to make the flash less bright instead of just reducing the exposure time? That would make a lot more sense and probably be easier in my opinion.
[HD2 General] Roguexmg:
Yea your right that would be the proper solution but dont think anybody knows how to do this where as people already know some controls on the led flash.
[HD2 General] seed_al:
Well, some seem to know how to modify camera libraries and executable files. Maybe they can reduce the exposure.
[HD2 General] optiknerv:
Ye but if your drunk in a packed nightclub you try asking people to step back a few ft and others to move out the way for 30 seconds or so while you mess around setting up the camera to take the picture. The point of a phone camera is point and shoot, not to spend 5 minutes setting it up. It needs to be sorted by HTC. All these tricks and tips are all very well but not a true fix. Not that i am not greatfull for all the help.

Oh and btw for both of us our word of the day is fluorescent lol :D
[HD2 General] seed_al:
lol yes that's right^^
[HD2 General] shagster69:
is the last line aimed at me?
[HD2 General] tonarm:
I tried using a double coat of tarnished Scotch tape like I also did on my non-handy photo camera. It helps to remove the extreme shine and overdosed exposure a little. Of course it doesn´t solve the wrong light measurement of the flash.
[HD2 General] DMAND:
I cant believe there arnt more people out there wanting a fix to this issue, its almost as bad as the pink blob. The bright flash is just too much but the pre flash pic that appears when you delete the photo is perfect.

Why arnt people moaning for a flash hotfix
[HD2 General] reeco:
I'm in total agreement. its pathetic. cant take any decent photo's in the dark :(
[HD2 General] murks_muell:
It's really a shame. We already mentioned this issue in another thread:

http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=5256995&postcount=103

I opened a support case for this on 1st January and am waiting for an answer.

I suggest you all do the same and write a complaint:

http://www.htc.com/www/CS_Mail.aspx
[HD2 General] ahdai:
Pictures taken in mid brightness looks over exposed too. HTC should come out with a hotfix.
[HD2 General] XTREEM|RAGE:
Idd I have the same problem! HTC Fix!
[HD2 General] gauthierserkyn:
Same here....
[HD2 General] wacky.banana:
Chaps,

I know you are all looking for a solution from HTC on this but while you are waiting, what's wrong with the temp fix offered in post 20 of this thread?

I have just used/tested that tip and it works. I did not have to ask people to move back, etc. I simply put the flash-led on so the camera could meter the shot correctly, took the shot, shut off the flash-led, job done.

WB
[HD2 General] XTREEM|RAGE:
Doesnt work for me, put the flash on, I give the time to focus, take the shot and it suxx :P
[HD2 General] Maeffjus:
This is what I've sent to HTC:

Now, I'm waiting, and waiting and waiting.... :)
[HD2 General] SOLRAC13:
HTC HD2 over exposed HTC Bug

This over exposed bug concern all users, and jet there is not much noise about it. ok it seems that all the other bugs all ready mention don't concern all users.

But lets face it HTC must and are aware of all the bugs is obvious and they aren't doing nothing serious abut it, may be HTC HD2 has a real hard ware problem from the beginning and of course they will do the max no to admit it.

My must serious own bugs are >> over exposed pics, huge pink spot, ultra sensitive key board, incoming noise and echo during calls, out going txt message hanging + many others that i can live with.......!

I wish I could say I am happy, but no I am no happy at all! OK I have huge screen but first of all I need a phone with decent call sound, relabel text messaging, accurate keyboard and descent camera. And that isn't the case HTC
[HD2 General] trkostas:
why you dont try the iso setting. larger iso means less exposure.

i have set it to 200 and the problem seems to disapear
[HD2 General] Maeffjus:
Changing ISO did not work for me, the result is also bad!

The you shall also write to HTC!
[HD2 General] murks_muell:
For the first problem there is a patch from HTC and for the second a patch in this forum ;)
[HD2 General] SOLRAC13:
HTC HD2 Pictures over exposed + #s HTC Bugs

@ murks_muell Thanks I have done the patch for the huge pink spot, and in fact is not a real fix, when taking pictures of documents you can stil notice nd of course the white doc will appear pinkish.

I also try the patch for lowering the sensitivity of the key board, :) Thanks XDA team, even do they are all trying there best the fix is not that good.

To give you an example, before with my Nokia 5800 I could type 3 times faster and was able to type on the muve eg walking or riding on a bus.

And that Nokia was much more smaller, when it come to the over exposed pictures, no real solution so far.....!

I have the feeling we have all been cheated, and I wish we all start a serious complain to HTC of the #s issues, in order for them to stop patching us and come with a real solution :)
[HD2 General] freyberry:
Actually, the flash being "too bright" is an issue of a lot of devices, not only the HD2.

It's the same with the Droid and others.

If you don't like that, write to HTC. Other than certain other manufacturers (cough, Apple...), HTC actually listen to their customers and fix most problems.

Anyway, I rather have a flash that's too bright than one that's not bright enough. I can always step back a bit, but if it's not bright enough, then it's useless.

Maybe they could implement a feature that adjusts the brightness according to the distance of the target, but I guess that's just too much work as other manufacturers don't do that as well.
[HD2 General] Archer:
I'm joking when I say this, but it may well work too!

Just put your finger over one of the LEDs :p
[HD2 General] ianmason:
+1 for the overexposed super bright retiner burning flash!
[HD2 General] Beefheart:
Same here, I did this a few weeks back. I used a damn site more than a double coat though, about 15 coats did the trick for me. It's a lot better when you have a cover for it too as it stops it coming off.
[HD2 General] SOLRAC13:
HTC HD2 Pictures over exposed + #s HTC Bugs

@Maeffjus

Thanks is done, and I am planing to go in personae to return my phone for repair.

Hope you get the fix 4 Pictures over exposed
[HD2 General] cjwhite:
+1 for the flash prob. It is totally rubbish. Shame cos camera is not bad now the pink has gone (almost). I appreciate the flashlight fix, but damn it I am a bit tired of fixes for HTC devices that cant manage the basics.

Dont get me wrong, I love my HD2 overall, but the pink splodge and flash problem - did they not make a single prototype of their showpiece and test it? Why is it that other manufacturers can get it right - my GF's K850i hasnt needed any tweaks and everything just works. I know we have the flexibility of doing other stuff cos its winmo, but surely that shouldn't be an excuse for the standard features being badly implemented.

I dont expect a reply I just wanted to get that off my chest. ;)

I hope a new ROM will sort these things out. (Not that I should ever HAVE to install a new ROM other than to satisfy the tweaker in me..... but anyway......)
[HD2 General] timiano:
Other way around.

Large ISO means more sensitivity, means more exposure.
[HD2 General] terrancewonga:
yea, i have got the some problem, i wonder if there is a tweak for it, because obviously if there is the torch program which can choose from 'torch' or 'torch bright' then there must be a way or a tweak where you can integrate this program with the camera app, i am waiting for some really clever people to do it^^:p
[HD2 General] Shasarak:
It seems to me that a number of people in this thread (not all) are barking up the wrong tree. Making the flash dimmer is NOT the correct solution to this problem. The flash is not "too bright"; in fact it's not nearly bright enough, if you ask me. The problem here is that the exposure time when using the flash is set far too long. There's an obvious bug in the camera software that it doesn't correctly allow for what the light-level is going to be when the flash fires when it is deciding what exposure to use. People need to complain to HTC (in large numbers!) and get this bug fixed. Getting it fixed will give far better results than making the flash physically dimmer.
[HD2 General] murks_muell:
Exactly:

http://www.htc.com/www/CS_Mail.aspx

The first answer from the support was to install the camera fix. :rolleyes:

So I wrote that I've already installed this patch and I think it's only for the pink spot anyway so we need a bug free camea software.

Answer was that they will forward my suggestion (to whererever this may be - likely the trashcan....). :(

So: COMPLAIN TO HTC!

And it's not the only severe bug of this phone. Remember the URL above...
[HD2 General] DMAND:
Well I just fired this off to them, I sugest anyone else who feels the flash is a problem do the same!!!!

Hi, I was wondering if there will be a hotfix to fix the flash on the HD2 as it is too bright when taking photos, the camera seems to be taking the photo too early therefore leading to a totally over exposed photo which is washed out as the flash is too strong. I am not the only HD2 user with this problem http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=590916

Thanks
[HD2 General] 20mihalko:
i wrote them too...