Droid Camera Autofocus problem (May 2010)

After I got the 2.1 firmware update for my Droid, I started having problems with the thing refusing to autofocus. It's kind of annoying. You may have noticed some blurry pictures here lately. It wasn't just my poor picture taking skills.


Late last year, they had a software bug with the phone. A few weeks ago, when I tried searching for the problem, I came up with all kinds of posts on the older autofocus problem, but that didn't seem to be my problem. There were a few posts about a new problem, but nothing definite.

About 10 days ago, I found that if I opened and closed the app enough times, the autofocus eventually started working again. This was a bit weird, but ok, if I planned ahead. (Sounds like another software bug to me.) This morning was the annual dance festival at the school. I'm not sure we got any pictures of the kids. For one thing, we got good seats, but there always seemed to be other kids in front of ours. And the lady next to me kept invading my personal space, until her kid was done, and she got up and left.

Anyhow, tonight I was poking around again, and there are a few more hits out there on the autofocus problem. Sounds like most people are either frustrated, or having their phones exchanged at Verizon stores. Still seems like a software bug to me. Then I found a post where some dude said he got around it my half clicking the camera button on the side 6-12 times, and the autofocus eventually engaged.

An interesting idea. For some reason, I am enamored with the virtual camera button they toss up on the screen. I don't know why, but I rarely use the camera button on the side. I tried it, and it's surprisingly effective. If I open the camera application, and it won't focus, tapping on the physical camera button eventually wakes the autofocus up. Seems to be under 12 taps or less. And now that I've done it 3 or 4 times, the phone seems to not have an autofocus problem. I even rebooted it to see if it would go back. Seems to be working.


I wish I would have know that little trick this morning, because instead of this post that you likely don't care much about, you would have one here about the dance festival. Instead, you get a night snapshot of Tara's roses from out back. It's 'festival of roses' week out there this week, the rose bush seems to have a lot more flowers on it this year than it has before, maybe it's all the rain we've gotten.