Samsung Galaxy S5 Guide

Galaxy S5 Fast Auto Focus

How fast is Galaxy S5 fast auto focus? Why Galaxy S5 fast auto focus matters?

galaxy_s5_fast-auto-focusThe No.1 frustration of using smartphone camera probably is the speed.

It is usually too slow: too slow to start, too slow to focus, too slow to shoot….

Samsung tries to tackle this issue with Galaxy S5 fast auto focus.

What is Galaxy S5 fast auto focus?

Galaxy S5 fast auto focus helps you capture important moments of movement more quickly and in focus.

Most 2013 flagship smartphones need 1-2 seconds for auto focus.  As a comparison, most decent digital cameras only needs 0.1-0.3 seconds.

For a moving object, the Galaxy S5 fast auto focus is able to help you to capture the motion without blurred foreground or background. For stationary objects, of course, you can take picture quicker than others with slower auto focus.

So, Galaxy S5 fast auto focus is more on the speed: how fast you can take pictures while stay focused.

Don’t confuse fast auto focus with burst mode in almost all smartphones and digital cameras. In burst mode, most smartphones can take about 20 or even more pictures per second. This is achieved without re-focus.

How fast is Galaxy S5 fast auto focus?

Samsung claims the speed of Galaxy S5 fast auto focus is 0.3 seconds.

Don’t compare this with digital cameras. It is fast when comparing to other smartphones. As mentioned, most high-end smartphones need  about 1-2 seconds for auto focus.

Here is a measured results of auto focus speed of typical smartphones.  FYI:  mems|cam™ is a fully integrated smartphone camera module (not sure who is using) from DigitalOptics Corporation.

galaxy_s5-fast-auto-focus-speed-comparison
Source: http://memscam.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Smartphone-Camera-Advances-Made-Possible-by-mems-cam-Technologies-February-20131.pdf    A, B, C and D are some flagship smartphones.

What are the technologies behind Galaxy S5 fast auto focus?

Traditionally, smartphone use contrast detection  autofocus. With this method, the contrast between nearby pixels is measured, and the camera’s lens is adjusted until this contrast is maximized.

In addition to its slowness,  contrast detection  autofocus does not involve actual distance measurement. This creates significant challenges when tracking moving subjects.

Samsung used hybrid method (contrast autofocus + phase detection autofocus) to achieve  fast auto focus in Galaxy S5.

Phase detection autofocus now can be found in almost all DSLR cameras. In a nutshell,  for phase detection autofocus, when perfect focus is achieved, the light from extreme sides of the lens converges to create a focused image. When not in focus, the images projected by two sides of the lens are out of phase with one another). Then  the autofocus system instructs the lens to adjust its focus.

galaxy_s5-fast-auto-focus-phase-detection-autofocus

There are many excellent (and detailed) technical explanations on phase detection autofocus, for example, this one.

In short, Galaxy S5 fast auto focus is achieved through some quite matured technologies for DSLR cameras. But Samsung probably is the first one used this technology in a smartphone.

Will Galaxy S5 fast auto focus affect (or improve) photo quality?

As mentioned, Galaxy S5 fast auto focus is mainly on speed, although you very likely get better quality image for a moving object.

The image quality depends on many other factors, for example, size of the sensor and lighting conditions.

So, Galaxy S5 fast auto focus does not guarantee improved photo quality. But it very likely improves  photo quality.

Is Galaxy S5 fast auto focus for me?

Galaxy S5 fast auto focus has no side effects, theoretically.  It will improve your experience of using camera: faster to capture important moments.

Essentially, everyone can benefit from the faster autofocus.  It will not be strange if you see more and more smartphones equip this feature in later 2014 or 2015.

Do you have any questions on Galaxy S5 fast auto focus? Please let us know in the comment box below.

To know more about Galaxy S5, please check our Samsung Galaxy S5 features explained page.

More how-to guides, tips and tricks for using Samsung Galaxy S5 are available at Samsung Galaxy S5 how-to guides page.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Edward Chase says

    I’m having trouble with autofocus on close up shots. I use the camera for document saving and the autofocus is fast and then drops out of focus every time. I have tried many approaches: starting high up moving down fast, doing that at various angles, starting with camera on the document and raising it up. Nothing seems to work. If I mess with it enough, I finally get it to focus but it is very bothersome. I have searched other camera apps and all work the same with the exception of the google camera. You touch the screen when you have the document aligned, and presto, the image is in focus. I am starting with a google search for anyone with answers. This is the first site on the brouser. Thanks.

    Reply

  2. manny parungo says

    Same problem here. All of a sudden the auto focus of my samsung S5 does not work anymore. Can you reinstall your camera program on my phone by your service centers in the Phil? Thanks.

    Reply

  3. ralph says

    Yes, i did. Reset camera. Used google camera. No change. Have to go outside to get some clear pictures. No way to make pictures with camera pointing down. Picture getting better if camera is pointing up. Or ist outside. After iam ready with jump will go back to s4. I will stay away from this junk s5.

    Reply

  4. ralph says

    Done all of that. The s5 is crapp. Looks like the auto focus fails. And i am not the only who has problems with that. More and more peoples have problems with s5 auto focus.

    Reply

  5. Orsi says

    I have some problem with my s5,the problem its the selective focus,sometimes all goes well,but sometimes says: unable to apply selective focus because the subject not detected??whyy??? ans sometimes when use the selective focus and take a good pic,I can not use the full-focus, they only focus on the close and distant ..why???and i can not use measurement modes ..whyy??help me please

    Reply

  6. ralph says

    Wow. I guess i need to be an phd to operate the camera on this phone ? Like i said already, next jump and s5 is history. May even take a look at the iphone. Sorry samsung, but you make me switch.

    Reply

  10. lanie says

    I had a galaxy s2 had a good camera I now have a new galaxy s5 and I hate the camera how to turn the auto focus off
    Taking pictures of my daughter by the time the dumb camera is good to go my daughter took off.
    How can I turn it off any help

    Reply

  11. ralph says

    $650 phone and the camera is sh….Samsung realy dropped the ball on us. I will get the old samsung s4 again, or even switch to iphone or g3.

    Reply

  13. ralph says

    Use my s5 in auto mode. Never had any problem with other phones. S5 sometimes ok, but mostly time shit pictures. And i did not even change the settings.

    Reply

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