Lumia vs. Windows Camera

[Zachary Boddy]

Right, I noticed something today. I'm loving Lumia Camera 5 but I noticed that Rich Capture isn't great in some situations. I accidentally turned it on while I was taking pictures inside and the colors were completely off and the whole shot looked just...weird. I was able to edit it and once I did it looked amazing but I was wondering if this was an issue that was fixed with Windows Camera. I don't have an equivalent camera on Windows 10 Mobile so I can't check myself. Rich Capture just has no idea what to do when HDR isn't really needed and it usually overexposes the entire picture, blows everything up, and oversaturates colors. It's a good thing you can edit it after-shot or some great pictures would never have been great pictures.

 

[rhapdog]

HDR stands for High Dynamic Range. If you are using HDR mode, then the camera is expecting colors to be more intense and saturated. That's why it comes out that way. One big advantage is being able to edit it after the shot like you are talking about. One big disadvantage is that it is bad to use on a moving target... like children.

 

[Zachary Boddy]

HDR stands for High Dynamic Range. If you are using HDR mode, then the camera is expecting colors to be more intense and saturated. That's why it comes out that way. One big advantage is being able to edit it after the shot like you are talking about. One big disadvantage is that it is bad to use on a moving target... like children.

I know what HDR is. My point is that Rich Capture is supposed to choose the best settings for the picture so that the picture comes out great right off the bat and you don't have to edit it. Outside, Rich Capture looks great. Inside however, instead of intelligently realizing that I don't want everyone in my picture to look like a peach painted on a white wall, it treats the more even, lesser lighting like it was an overexposed background. I was just curious if this behavior was still the same in Windows Camera.

 

[rhapdog]

I know what HDR is. My point is that Rich Capture is supposed to choose the best settings for the picture so that the picture comes out great right off the bat and you don't have to edit it. Outside, Rich Capture looks great. Inside however, instead of intelligently realizing that I don't want everyone in my picture to look like a peach painted on a white wall, it treats the more even, lesser lighting like it was an overexposed background. I was just curious if this behavior was still the same in Windows Camera.

I think I may have been a bit hazy that day. Sorry.

I think you misunderstand what Rich Capture is for. It isn't "AUTO MODE" for the camera that chooses the best settings for the picture. That's just where you have everything set to Auto without Rich Capture. Rich Capture tries to add the HDR every time. Also, for flash photography indoors, Rich Capture will allow you to "adjust" the amount of flash in the picture in after editing, which can usually keep your subjects from looking too washed out. It does try to automatically pick the best one, but doesn't always get it right.

Yeah, you should only turn on Rich Capture if you need HDR. It's not an AUTO setting for the camera, and it slows down taking shots. Because it takes several shots and composites them, it can also cause blurring in your shots that should not be there. Take it only for stills that won't get blurred and that need the extra vibrant colors.

I used Rich Capture indoors today, which is something I rarely do. However, there was good natural light and I was taking a picture of a very vibrant and colorful mural on an auditorium wall. There were rainbow colored streamers draped from each side of the painting, and it just couldn't be properly captured without Rich Capture. It turned out fantastic.

 

[Zachary Boddy]

I think I may have been a bit hazy that day. Sorry.

I think you misunderstand what Rich Capture is for. It isn't "AUTO MODE" for the camera that chooses the best settings for the picture. That's just where you have everything set to Auto without Rich Capture. Rich Capture tries to add the HDR every time. Also, for flash photography indoors, Rich Capture will allow you to "adjust" the amount of flash in the picture in after editing, which can usually keep your subjects from looking too washed out. It does try to automatically pick the best one, but doesn't always get it right.

Yeah, you should only turn on Rich Capture if you need HDR. It's not an AUTO setting for the camera, and it slows down taking shots. Because it takes several shots and composites them, it can also cause blurring in your shots that should not be there. Take it only for stills that won't get blurred and that need the extra vibrant colors.

I used Rich Capture indoors today, which is something I rarely do. However, there was good natural light and I was taking a picture of a very vibrant and colorful mural on an auditorium wall. There were rainbow colored streamers draped from each side of the painting, and it just couldn't be properly captured without Rich Capture. It turned out fantastic.

I'm sorry for not phrasing it right. I understand exactly what Rich Capture is, and where to use it. I've taken some incredible shots with it. I'm just wondering if it's better with the Windows Camera. I may not have been very explicit about that (kind of roundabout) but Rich Capture isn't very intelligent and sometimes it throws everything way out of whack so you seriously need to edit it. Worse than that, there have been situations where I wanted to edit a picture that I am 100% certain I took with Rich Capture on, and the option to edit never came up. Sorry for the confusion, I was just wondering if it's more intelligent and reliable in Windows Camera. I accidentally took the picture with Rich Capture, and it ruined the picture (good thing I can edit it).

 

[rhapdog]

The Windows 10 camera has messed up a few rich photos for me as well, choosing the wrong setting and I've needed to go in and edit it. What's frustrating is that sometime last week, the ability to edit those pictures has been broken on my phone. I suspect it was due to one of the app updates, but I can't pin down which one. The "Box" saying "choose the best lighting" comes up, but without the Rich Capture icon. Then, yesterday, the icon came back with an update, but it still doesn't work. Nothing happens, and it's as if you've pressed a different area of the screen.

Hoping this gets fixed soon, as I've got a picture of my daughter that turned out fabulous, then it said, "Enhancing Photo", and when it finished the enhancing it became extremely blurry. Looked great before the auto-fix, and I can't edit now. Hoping the ability returns soon.

 

[Zachary Boddy]

The Windows 10 camera has messed up a few rich photos for me as well, choosing the wrong setting and I've needed to go in and edit it. What's frustrating is that sometime last week, the ability to edit those pictures has been broken on my phone. I suspect it was due to one of the app updates, but I can't pin down which one. The "Box" saying "choose the best lighting" comes up, but without the Rich Capture icon. Then, yesterday, the icon came back with an update, but it still doesn't work. Nothing happens, and it's as if you've pressed a different area of the screen.

Hoping this gets fixed soon, as I've got a picture of my daughter that turned out fabulous, then it said, "Enhancing Photo", and when it finished the enhancing it became extremely blurry. Looked great before the auto-fix, and I can't edit now. Hoping the ability returns soon.

Thanks for clearing that up haha. I think we both might've been a bit hazy that day. Maybe some more improvements will come in later updates because I'd like it to be just a tad more intelligent.

 

[anon(5841099)]

On both my L930 and L1520 the Rich Capture function is bugged in Windows Camera and just shoots maximum 1920x1080 or 1440x1080 resolution when it is switched on. Soooo... I would suggest holding off on Windows Camera until RTM or final.