No dedicated camera button?

[jabtano]

For the folks using this device, how are you all getting along without the dedicated camera button? I'm so use to using it, its the feature of this device that is giving me thought, besides HTC great support. I'm wondering have you noticed your self wishing it was there. I find the dedicated button to be a great use to me. How about the users any issues?

 

[snowmutt]

That is an excellent question. It is one thing for Android users who are so used to not having one, but I am curious to the response from those who had it and now don't.

Will be keeping an eye on this here thread.

 

[cbreze]

Had it on the icon and found myself using the virtual button anyway more often than not. When I would try the hard button it felt overbearing somehow. Now with the M8 I have no issue at all and think it easier to hold the camera steadier using it as opposed to the hard button. One can adjust to anything IMO. Also, I use proshot for all photos anyway.

 

[scottcraft]

To me the main thing about not having a dedicated camera button is that I used the button on my 8X to wake the phone straight into the camera. I'm also interested in hearing how people launch the camera quickly without the button.

 

[jabtano]

Agreed, I find that for the button is faster getting the cam up. Though I have not used the M8 yet. I intend to spend some time with it tomorrow at the Microsoft store. I to use Pro Shot, suppose I could get use to it overtime. But the dedicated camera button for me is a big deal. Perhaps because it was so WP.

 

[danwanna]

I added the Camera to the Notification bar, so I can pull it up right after hitting power or double tapping the screen. I am also in the camp that used the camera button on my Icon to launch the camera but typically tapped the screen to take the picture because I found it more stable.

 

[jabtano]

How do you find it though? Do you find not having the button effects how you use and or take snaps with your phone?

 

[gapost]

I just took my Icon on vacation and took about 300 pictures. It was so easy to walk around with the Icon in one hand, hold the camera button down, open camera and take a picture, all with one hand. Even did it while fishing with the other hand, haha. Anyhow, the M8 is cool, but I for sure, would miss the camera button.

 

[danwanna]

I does impact how I use the phone to take pictures.

Even with using the button to launch and screen to snap, I typically did all that with one hand on my Icon. I can still do that with the M8, but it involves a rotate of the phone which is a little more dangerous. I normally use 2 hands.

Since the HTC camera is so much faster to focus and snap, I really don't think it is any slower to go from pocket to picture but it does require more steps.

 

[jabtano]

I asked the question because I have yet to see it but that all changed today at the Microsoft store in Salem NH. Nice device it is very snappy I played with the camera and right off noticed or rather missed the button. though hitting the camera tile the camera came right up something I'm not use to when using Nokia cam. But I had to look around the start screen for it. Guess one would have to get use to it. but the device running WP8.1.1 snappy.

 

[cbreze]

I asked the question because I have yet to see it but that all changed today at the Microsoft store in Salem NH. Nice device it is very snappy I played with the camera and right off noticed or rather missed the button. though hitting the camera tile the camera came right up something I'm not use to when using Nokia cam. But I had to look around the start screen for it. Guess one would have to get use to it. but the device running WP8.1.1 snappy.

Since no device ever seems absolutely perfect for our needs we always have to weigh the pros and cons. If the cons outweigh the pros then look elsewhere. The camera may be less on the M8 than icon, but for me the other pros outweighed that con. Decisions, decisions, I know. Today is.my day to decide if I'll be keeping the M8 or returning it for something else. There is no way I'd return it. That one camera con doesn't outweigh what I like better about it over the icon. Take your time and make an.informed.decision, sounds like your doing that. Good luck.

 

[waazzupppp]

While I miss the quick camera access feature of the physical button, I miss the ability to hold the phone steady with two hands and "snap" a shot more so. There is something that is a bit strange about holding the phone in two hands, but having to have one finger free to touch the on screen button. That said, the camera is FAST on the M8 so blur isn't quite the problem that it might be on some exposures.

At first, that was my biggest complaint about the M8WP, but since then, the speed of the innards, the performance of the hardware and the quality of the build has easily made it my daily driver. I haven't had a phone that I liked this much since the Titan.

That said, I do hope they bring a few more gestures to the table in the future, like maybe a swipe to the right to unlock the camera? Hey, I can dream right?

 

[scottcraft]

While I miss the quick camera access feature of the physical button, I miss the ability to hold the phone steady with two hands and "snap" a shot more so. There is something that is a bit strange about holding the phone in two hands, but having to have one finger free to touch the on screen button. That said, the camera is FAST on the M8 so blur isn't quite the problem that it might be on some exposures.

At first, that was my biggest complaint about the M8WP, but since then, the speed of the innards, the performance of the hardware and the quality of the build has easily made it my daily driver. I haven't had a phone that I liked this much since the Titan.

That said, I do hope they bring a few more gestures to the table in the future, like maybe a swipe to the right to unlock the camera? Hey, I can dream right?

Most android phones have a way to access the camera quickly from the lock screen, it would be nice for HTC to be able to implement this in the M8 for Windows.

 

[Mr. MacPhisto]

It hasn't really affect me too much. I primarily only used the camera button to bring up the camera, but have long tended to use the onscreen controls for snapping photos. That wasn't the case on my first WP handset, the HTC Trophy, but I loved that camera button and placement - it felt more analogous to a regular old camera. The great thing about that button was it was at the extreme right edge of the device when held horizontally. My 822 and 928 both had the camera button about an inch to the left of the edge which was less optimum and the button was not as large. The Trophy had a differently colored camera button while putting the volume rocker on the other side of the phone.

The primary thing I have done on the M8 is to place the camera apps I use (HTC Camera and ProShot) near the top so I never have to scroll to get them on the Start Screen. It still leads to fast access. For me, I did not allow the camera button to wake up the phone or unlock the phone, so it's not a huge change.

I'd miss it if it were like it was on the Trophy with WP7, but the design of the Lumias have long changed my habits.

On the other side of things, I don't think I ever want to go back to capacitive buttons on the bottom of the phone again. I love being able to swipe to hide or bring up the Start bar. That is a huge improvement. And I have yet to brush the search button with the onscreen buttons.

 

[jabtano]

It hasn't really affect me too much. I primarily only used the camera button to bring up the camera, but have long tended to use the onscreen controls for snapping photos. That wasn't the case on my first WP handset, the HTC Trophy, but I loved that camera button and placement - it felt more analogous to a regular old camera. The great thing about that button was it was at the extreme right edge of the device when held horizontally. My 822 and 928 both had the camera button about an inch to the left of the edge which was less optimum and the button was not as large. The Trophy had a differently colored camera button while putting the volume rocker on the other side of the phone.

The primary thing I have done on the M8 is to place the camera apps I use (HTC Camera and ProShot) near the top so I never have to scroll to get them on the Start Screen. It still leads to fast access. For me, I did not allow the camera button to wake up the phone or unlock the phone, so it's not a huge change.

I'd miss it if it were like it was on the Trophy with WP7, but the design of the Lumias have long changed my habits.

On the other side of things, I don't think I ever want to go back to capacitive buttons on the bottom of the phone again. I love being able to swipe to hide or bring up the Start bar. That is a huge improvement. And I have yet to brush the search button with the onscreen buttons.

 

[jabtano]

The captive buttons wow after a half hour of using the M8 it is the feature I like the best. Some great input stacking my cam tiles on the top. Overall I was very impressed with this device. So on day one of the T-MO launch it will replace my L925.

 

[cbreze]

I don't think I ever want to go back to capacitive buttons on the bottom of the phone again. I love being able to swipe to hide or bring up the Start bar. That is a huge improvement. And I have yet to brush the search button with the onscreen buttons.

Didn't know how'd I feel about those on screen buttons either, but turns out I love them and being able to bring them up or hide them is a great feature. On my ICON i was always hitting the dang search key several times a day, really annoying. Never hit it by accident now.

 

[jabtano]

Didn't know how'd I feel about those on screen buttons either, but turns out I love them and being able to bring them up or hide them is a great feature. On my ICON i was always hitting the dang search key several times a day, really annoying. Never hit it by accident now.

Agreed I fell in love with it. I think that HTC did a nice job there. HTC can make it's self stand out with features like that. Along with being able to toss a nice card into it. Really for me on this on I will give HTC one more short. Nokia and T-MO don't seam to gel right on the high end side.

 

[J4rrod]

To me the main thing about not having a dedicated camera button is that I used the button on my 8X to wake the phone straight into the camera. I'm also interested in hearing how people launch the camera quickly without the button.

You add the camera to the action center quick actions

 

[scottcraft]

You add the camera to the action center quick actions

Thanks. Can you access it with the phone locked after you wake it up? It seems like on my 8X the action center is accessible with the phone locked, but I can't remember for sure.