This post tries to answer two questions from one of our readers about his #GalaxyS8 camera. We know that other S8 users may have the same or similar questions so we hope you’ll find this post on your search for answers.
Problem: Galaxy S8 keeps taking photos when in a pocket or inside a bag, front camera always on selfie mode
Good day and thanks in advance for reading this problem. The camera is the challenge. I went to the Telus store and they advised me that if I took a photo using the front camera (i.e. conventional photo/not a selfie) then the next time I turned on or used the feature, it would return to that mode. But NO – it is almost always in selfie mode (I do not take selfies, at a certain age I really don’t need to myself esp at the angle – anyhow). Is there a way to set the camera so that it does not go to selfie mode all the time? I rarely need a photo of myself.
Solution: Hi Chris778. We can see you have two concerns here:
- front camera issue, and
- phone taking photos by itself when put face down.
Let’s address them individually.
Front camera is for selfies!
The moment smartphone makers like the old fashioned Nokia, or newcomers Apple and Samsung realized putting a camera on a device creates more value to it, it’s only a matter of time before they evolve. Today, it’s unthinkable for even a low-end phone without at least 2 cameras — front and rear cameras.
Ever since smartphones started sporting both front and rear cameras, logic and common sense dictates that the front-facing one should be used to take selfies, while the rear camera is for any other situations (though there’s a new ideas allowing the rear camera to be used for selfies as well). There’s even an entire new smartphone brand (Vivo) that banks on selling their product by emphasizing how great their selfie cameras are.
The front camera has mainly evolved to be used primarily for taking selfies. Period. This is true for all smartphones, Samsung and non-Samsung ones. That said, don’t expect it to have other modes much like the rear camera normally has. The front camera is for capturing faces so both its hardware and firmware are designed to efficiently and effectively deliver this task. A front camera’s purpose is to capture selfies and not much else. Apparently, smartphone makers assume that you can always use the rear camera to capture, say, a beautiful landscape. If you haven’t noticed, front camera modes are way too few compared to the modes you can use for the rear camera. With your Galaxy S8 front camera, all available modes are there to allow you change the effects of your selfies.
Though the rear camera also has an enhanced focus feature, front facing cameras like the one in your S8 has a more effective autofocus one because they are almost always used for close proximity subjects like for selfies, video calling or portraits (though we believe the rear camera portrait mode is better).
Smart Auto Focus feature
Selfie cameras have one objective — to capture a user’s face or body as clearly and as faithfully as possible. Your S8 front camera is no different. In fact, Samsung has enhanced its selfie camera that it now achieved a much more focused subject with the help of its Smart Auto Focus feature. This means that you can take a selfie more beautifully than ever before. Smart AF uses facial recognition so it can track faces better as well as judge the distance of the subject from the lens, creating a much focused image. If this is what you’re trying to change here, goodluck with that. We don’t think Samsung is going to give in to what you want at this time.
We don’t really know what exactly that you want to do with your front camera but if it’s anything other than take a selfie, then use the rear camera.
Galaxy S8 taking photos by itself when put in a bag or pocket
For your second issue, we think that the reason for it may be the Floating Camera button. When Floating Camera button is enabled and your phone’s screen is not locked, accidental touches on this button will tell the phone to take a photo. To prevent your S8 from taking photos by accident, these are the workaround that you can try:
- Disable Floating Camera button when not using it
- Turn off camera app before putting your phone to your pocket or bag
- Or simply lock the screen when not using the phone