Shaking camera issues

[myrandex]

Hi fellow Lumia 1520 users. Has anyone else had their phone plagued by the constantly shaking camera issues when recording video? Recently (within the past two weeks) mine has decided to go down this path.

Things I've tried from research performed:

* enable grid lines then turn them back off, I've read people say that helps reset the OIS system.
* Switch from Lumia Camera to stock Microsoft camera application, no change.
* Put phone on a steady surface rather than holding it, still shaky.
* Reboot the device, still shaky.

At this point I've pretty much given up on my camera for recording video. This phone has served me well. I did successfully Qi mod it and it is so nice using wireless charging again, so I kind of don't want to get rid of it for that reason alone.

Has anyone ever tried replacing the camera module to see if it fixes the issue? I've not looked into seeing how complicated this process is yet, but might be willing to spend the $20 to do that to extend the life of my phone.

Any other ideas are welcome too.

Thanks,

Jason

 

[gpobernardo]

Do you have a sample video showing such "shakiness"? Is it similar to the OIS "issue" described in a previous thread (but for a different phone)?

 

[myrandex]

I just took one this morning to show this, since I ended up deleting all videos that had this problem in the past. The video isn't anything special, just took a video of laundry hanging and drying. I wasn't holding the phone, it was resting on a non moving surface.

http://1drv.ms/1B77lOC

 

[gpobernardo]

Thanks for the video. The shakiness is definitely unacceptable. It seems that it is caused by the OIS being erroneously deployed; the OIS is controlled by the gyroscope so it's possible that the gyro is malfunctioning. We may need to do a few more tests.

There's a free app called Diagnotic Toolset - download and install it in your phone. Then, use the app to test the responsiveness of the gyroscope in your phone. While not moving the phone, the gyroscope (represented by a wheel in a three-axis gimbal) should move around quickly in random directions... like it's having a seizure - this is normal. But once you start rotating the phone (even just slowly), the graphics of the gyro should align with the direction of your rotation - this is also normal.

Let us know if your gyro behaves in the same way as described.

 

[classian]

I'm having the exact same issue as described. Identical looking video. The Diagnostic Tool test for the gyroscope appears erratic too. Even if the phone is rotated slowly it still appears to jump all over the place.

I don't know of levelers like bubble levels should behave strangely if there is a gyro problem, but I tried a few and they seemingly work fine.

I have read that some people with this issue have flashed The Finland based 1520 rom RM-937 rom and it corrected this problem somewhat.

Th grid setting fix, I don't think was ever an actual fix and I have never heard of anyone actually fixing this with a reset of any kind.........but just all suggestions apparently.

This seems really widespread.



Does anyone know if the Finland RM-937 roms can be flashed to ATT 1520 Rm-940? ?

 

[gpobernardo]

I'm having the exact same issue as described. Identical looking video. The Diagnostic Tool test for the gyroscope appears erratic too. Even if the phone is rotated slowly it still appears to jump all over the place.

I don't know of levelers like bubble levels should behave strangely if there is a gyro problem, but I tried a few and they seemingly work fine.

I have read that some people with this issue have flashed The Finland based 1520 rom RM-937 rom and it corrected this problem somewhat.

Th grid setting fix, I don't think was ever an actual fix and I have never heard of anyone actually fixing this with a reset of any kind.........but just all suggestions apparently.

This seems really widespread.



Does anyone know if the Finland RM-937 roms can be flashed to ATT 1520 Rm-940? ?

How "slowly" were you rotating the phone? If you rotate the phone too slowly, the gyro will still look like it's jumping randomly.

To be more specific and exact about the testing procedure, the speed of the rotation along a certain axis should be such that the phone will make 180 degrees of rotation in around five seconds - if you go slower than this then the gyro might no longer efficiently depict the rotation graphically. If the gyro doesn't stabilize at that speed of rotation, then something's wrong with the gyro.

 

[classian]

Thanks for the reply. I tried the Diagnostic again for the gyro. Rotating at certain angles/planes the gyro is more stable than others. And seems to be consistent with different levels of shake at different angles when using the camera............

What I also notice is t that the easiest way to stabilize the gyro is to hold it in one hand and do rolling figure eights, or like smooth twirling baton movements.........sort of like simulating walking around with it............which is consistent with taking video while walking around, where it appears there is far less jitter/shake, when the device is in motion. Perhaps it's just less noticeable.

 

[gpobernardo]

Thanks for the reply. I tried the Diagnostic again for the gyro. Rotating at certain angles/planes the gyro is more stable than others. And seems to be consistent with different levels of shake at different angles when using the camera............

What I also notice is t that the easiest way to stabilize the gyro is to hold it in one hand and do rolling figure eights, or like smooth twirling baton movements.........sort of like simulating walking around with it............which is consistent with taking video while walking around, where it appears there is far less jitter/shake, when the device is in motion. Perhaps it's just less noticeable.

Nice observation, especially on how there is less jitter/shake when the device is in motion (e.g. while walking), although I don't think one would be waiving the phone in a figure 8 while taking a video.:wink: The stabilizing motion could just be along one plane or line, as in walking, but not in a figure 8.

Now, I'm lead to think that a software update could fix that, probably a firmware update or reinstall since it could be a software-level issue rather than hardware.-level The internal gyro of the phone is built in a manner where it either works or it doesn't at all - no "in-between states", or partially malfunctioning states, so you either have no gyro reading at all or perfect gyro readings, not partially unstable ones at certain movements.

Here's one more thing you can try. Try recording a video with your phone at different positions and see which position has the most jitter... but keep the phone steady and motionless. Positions you can try:

1. phone laying flat camera down (just make sure the surface has a hole so the camera is actually seeing something)
2. phone laying flat, camera up
3. phone sideways, power button down
4. phone sideways, power button up
5. phone standing up (upright portrait) and
6 phone standing upside down (upside down portrait mode).

Let us know what you find, your findings would be very interesting and useful.

 

[gpobernardo]

I've found another diagnostic app that maybe useful since it graphs the output of the sensor. If the graph for the gyro isn't "flat", then something could be wrong with it. Check it out: Sensor Emitter.

 

[weaksauce27]

My friend had the exact same issue but luckily he still has insurance on it and just got a replacement one.
I witnessed the same issues that you and my friend have. If your phone has insurance or its under warranty try to go with that. Good luck!

*Edit
Never mind I just read that you did the wireless charging mod to it. Now this is a useless post. Sorry!

 

[michail71]

I had a shaky camera that made it hard to take still photos or scan bar codes. You could hear it pinging around.

The phone wound up getting replaced because of a digitizer problem.

Be on the lookout for magnetic sources. That can make the OIS go haywire. Odds are it's just a failing OIS system.