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Try NightCap
- Thread starter ToddH
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Edit: Turns out it was a problem on 5.0.1. Should be fixed in the next NightCap update.
Uh-oh, bad news. In version 2, the slow shutter functionality is not working on my phone. I get a hard cap of 1/15s showing on screen. When I take it somewhere dark, like my basement, the results are black like the standard camera. This is with manual control on and shutter speed set to 1s.
I uninstalled version 2 and restored my backup copy of 1.1, which works great. Version 1.1 sees clearly in the dark at 1s shutter speed.
Edit 2: Yup, NightCap 2.1 works great now. Problem solved.
Uh-oh, bad news. In version 2, the slow shutter functionality is not working on my phone. I get a hard cap of 1/15s showing on screen. When I take it somewhere dark, like my basement, the results are black like the standard camera. This is with manual control on and shutter speed set to 1s.
I uninstalled version 2 and restored my backup copy of 1.1, which works great. Version 1.1 sees clearly in the dark at 1s shutter speed.
Edit 2: Yup, NightCap 2.1 works great now. Problem solved.
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Ok, that's strange - I've just deleted it from own 4S (also on 5.0.1) and re-installed from the appstore to check something didn't go wrong with the build I submitted to apple, but it's working fine here (just half-covering the lens caused it to go to 1/2s very fast). Manual worked fine too.
So... this is a bit odd. I've had one other person report this same issue, but on an iPhone 4. Any chance you could reinstall 2.0 and test it a bit more, see if you find any clues?
I'll continue studying the code and testing here to see if I can figure it out.Has anyone else noticed this issue?
Just tried uninstalling and redownloading from the app store. Same result, not working properly. Ive tried upgrading from 1.1 through the app store, twice. And Ive tried uninstalling and downloading 2.0 directly, also twice now.
This most recent time, after uninstalling 1.1, I shut down and restarted my phone. Then I installed 2.0, then shut down and restarted the phone again. Still not working right though.
So Im back at v1.1 for now.
This most recent time, after uninstalling 1.1, I shut down and restarted my phone. Then I installed 2.0, then shut down and restarted the phone again. Still not working right though.
So Im back at v1.1 for now.
What actually happens? Does everything work but get capped at 1/15 even if the lens is covered (or it's really dark)? Does it go higher than that (1/20+)? And does the on-screen display update properly?
What happens in the settings screen for manual - does it give you a normal range, but just not apply it?
This is seriously confusing - it's working normally on all of my test devices, whether upgraded from 1.1 or installed from fresh, and there's nothing I can see anywhere in the code that would cap it at 1/15th, so it's a serious mystery :/
Anyone else tried the update and can confirm whether it works as expected or not?
What happens in the settings screen for manual - does it give you a normal range, but just not apply it?
This is seriously confusing - it's working normally on all of my test devices, whether upgraded from 1.1 or installed from fresh, and there's nothing I can see anywhere in the code that would cap it at 1/15th, so it's a serious mystery :/
Anyone else tried the update and can confirm whether it works as expected or not?
I'm not seeing the exposure issue mentioned above (4S, iOS 5.1, did NOT have an earlier version of NightCap installed).
But, I did notice that the screen turns off after the normal delay, unlike in the standard camera app. I wasn't sure if you intended this, but I do like the screen to stay on while a camera app is open.
Otherwise, looks great!
Regards,
Tom
But, I did notice that the screen turns off after the normal delay, unlike in the standard camera app. I wasn't sure if you intended this, but I do like the screen to stay on while a camera app is open.
Otherwise, looks great!
Regards,
Tom
Thanks Tom - it's a huge relief to hear that it's not broken for everyone but me
I'm starting to see a pattern now - stupid of me to not realise before, but I was confusing iOS 5.0.1 and 5.1. It looks like everyone with the issue is on 5.0.1, so I suspect that's the issue. Very odd though - very little changed between those two versions, and nothing I would expect to cause an issue with NightCap at all.
I'm going to see if I can downgrade one of my phones to 5.0.1 and see if that's it.
Qaanol: any reason why you haven't update to 5.1? Just wondering whether to add 5.0.1 support back if that's the issue, or to recommend updating to 5.1.
The app works normally except the shutter speed never gets slower than 1/15s. When I have it set for a longer exposure, the number showing current shutter speed appears in red. I have seen it go as fast as 1/120s.
Essentially, it seems to be working properly except something is automatically overriding the shutter speed.
Pretty much. I can move the slider and choose a shutter speed, but when I go back to the camera it ignores my selection and just overrides it to whatever speed it likes. Locking exposure does work properly though.
Oy, looks like some problem with my device then. Thats disappointing, I was really looking forward to using this update.
If you set a low exposure time (say 1/2s) in a bright area, iOS will still override it (this is the same as nightcap 1.1 and is an OS limitation). The exposure time indicator turns red to show that is happening. There's an easy fix now though: cover the lens, and it should go back to manual with the exposure time set. Then lock exposure, uncover lens
I suspect in your case though covering the lens will only set it back to 1/15s, because of this issue.
Unfortunately, thats exactly what I tried. Ill give it one more go just in case, but I already tried it. With lens covered, exposure unlocked, and manually set to 1s, I get a red 1/15 and the screen shows black.
Yup, just reinstalled and I get the same result. Exposure unlocked, shutter on manual set to 1s (or 1/2s, etc.) lens covered, and the screen shows black with 1/15 in red.
It seems that for some reason the app or the OS or the phone thinks Im in a bright area when Im not. The lens is covered and the screen shows black. I understand what you mean about the limitation of the device, and that does indeed happen in v1.1, but in v2.0 I am not getting any control over shutter speed, the device is overriding everything.
If it means anything, Im also seeing the opposite effect when I point NightCap2.0 at something bright. For example, out the window during daylight, the camera partially adjusts, but the sky is completely washed out white, even the trees are mostly washed out. By comparison, with other camera apps pointing out the window in daylight adjusts substantially more, to the point where the sky is a deep blue and the trees dark green.
It seems to me that something is somehow preventing NightCap2.0 from adjusting its exposure level properly on my phone.
Edit: here are screenshots of my phone with each version, taken when my phone is inside its case which does not have a camera hole.
Youll recognize v2.0 on the left, and v1.1 on the right. When I close the settings in v2.0, I see Exp: 1/15 with the number in red (I forget what the ISO was).
As you can see in v1.1 there is actually a little bit of light inside the case, which can get picked up at 1s exposure. But v2.0 is, for some reason on my phone, not ever going longer than 1/15s shutter speed.
Yup, just reinstalled and I get the same result. Exposure unlocked, shutter on manual set to 1s (or 1/2s, etc.) lens covered, and the screen shows black with 1/15 in red.
It seems that for some reason the app or the OS or the phone thinks Im in a bright area when Im not. The lens is covered and the screen shows black. I understand what you mean about the limitation of the device, and that does indeed happen in v1.1, but in v2.0 I am not getting any control over shutter speed, the device is overriding everything.
If it means anything, Im also seeing the opposite effect when I point NightCap2.0 at something bright. For example, out the window during daylight, the camera partially adjusts, but the sky is completely washed out white, even the trees are mostly washed out. By comparison, with other camera apps pointing out the window in daylight adjusts substantially more, to the point where the sky is a deep blue and the trees dark green.
It seems to me that something is somehow preventing NightCap2.0 from adjusting its exposure level properly on my phone.
Edit: here are screenshots of my phone with each version, taken when my phone is inside its case which does not have a camera hole.
Youll recognize v2.0 on the left, and v1.1 on the right. When I close the settings in v2.0, I see Exp: 1/15 with the number in red (I forget what the ISO was).
As you can see in v1.1 there is actually a little bit of light inside the case, which can get picked up at 1s exposure. But v2.0 is, for some reason on my phone, not ever going longer than 1/15s shutter speed.
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Thanks, that's helpful in understanding what might be happening. I still think it's related to iOS 5.0.1 specifically - can you upgrade to 5.1? That should fix it I think.
I'm still trying to get one of my devices back to 5.0.1 so I can test, but it's unfortunately way harder than it should be
If someone convinces Apple to stop abusing its monopoly position, and allow me the owner and user of the device to have complete control over which executable files can run, Id be glad to upgrade. Until then, Ill be waiting for the untethered 5.1 jailbreak for A5.
OK, I'll get back to figuring out what was different about 5.0.1.
One more suggestion if you want to try it: change to the front camera and back, see what happens. That should reset the exposure range of the camera - which might not have any effect at all, but it's worth a go.
I did try that. I cant remember if the shutter speed was able to go slower in front camera mode, but when I switched it back to the rear camera it remained the same as ever.
OK, thanks for all your help on this!
Hopefully tomorrow I can get one of my phones downgraded, or get hold of a phone with an older OS (I'll see a friend with an iPhone 4 that rarely upgrades tomorrow, hopefully he won't have 5.1 yet!)
Good news: The bug is found and fixed Big thanks to Qaanol for helping me test it - it seems it's impossible to downgrade iOS these days, so that was pretty critical assistance
The issue only affects iOS 5.0.1 by the way, so if you don't get any better than 1/15s shutter speed updating to 5.1 will fix it. If you don't want to update I'll be submitting an update with a fix to Apple in a few hours, so it should be fixed within a week with some luck.
I'll be adding a few more fixes + improvements to the update, but mostly minor stuff and not volume+ shutter (that could delay the update, and it's an important fix for some people so I'll submit the volume+ update after this one).
Big thanks to Qaanol for helping me test it - it seems it's impossible to downgrade iOS these days, so that was pretty critical assistance The issue only affects iOS 5.0.1 by the way, so if you don't get any better than 1/15s shutter speed updating to 5.1 will fix it. If you don't want to update I'll be submitting an update with a fix to Apple in a few hours, so it should be fixed within a week with some luck.
I'll be adding a few more fixes + improvements to the update, but mostly minor stuff and not volume+ shutter (that could delay the update, and it's an important fix for some people so I'll submit the volume+ update after this one).
I'm glad too, trying to debug a complex thing like this without a device that shows the bug isn't exactly fun
I didn't forget the auto-sleep thing, that's in the update.
I’m very happy with the update, here’s a picture I just took of Venus next to the Pleiades. It’s made from 36 NightCap exposures at 1s/800 ISO each, stacked in ImageFuser and enhanced in GIMP:
Venus and the Pleiades
The above is cropped to 1680×1050. Here’s the full-size 3264×2448 version: Venus and the Pleiades.
Venus and the Pleiades
The above is cropped to 1680×1050. Here’s the full-size 3264×2448 version: Venus and the Pleiades.
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NightCap 2.1 is now live - this is mainly the fix for the issue with 5.0.1, but there are a few other improvements:
- The focus square is now moveable to keep qaanol happy - just tap to set it where you want. If you've locked anything it's not affected, so you can lock exposure in one place then lock focus somewhere else.
- Automatic sleep mode has been disabled for TJ61
I missed this one - that's a great shot! Have you considered stacking the frames in a desktop app btw? You might get much better results, because they use much more advanced techniques than just averaging the frames.
- The focus square is now moveable to keep qaanol happy - just tap to set it where you want. If you've locked anything it's not affected, so you can lock exposure in one place then lock focus somewhere else.
- Automatic sleep mode has been disabled for TJ61
Im very happy with the update, heres a picture I just took of Venus next to the Pleiades. Its made from 36 NightCap exposures at 1s/800 ISO each, stacked in ImageFuser and enhanced in GIMP:
Venus and the Pleiades
The above is cropped to 1680×1050. Heres the full-size 3264×2448 version: Venus and the Pleiades.
I missed this one - that's a great shot! Have you considered stacking the frames in a desktop app btw? You might get much better results, because they use much more advanced techniques than just averaging the frames.
NightCap 2.1 is now live....
- Automatic sleep mode has been disabled for TJ61
Sweet! Now I just have to get all the other app developers to give me such personal service!
Regards,
Tom